This volume focuses on mining. The goldfields stories in Household Words present a broad picture of life at the diggings. Occasionally a fabulous find (sometime spent in a week); but, more often, depictions of optimistic diggers being beaten by the hard life, hard luck or looming failure. There are stories of men and women from all ranks of society, sailors on the run and Chinese immigrants, all hoping to make a fortune.

Compiled by: Margaret Mendelawitz