William Kerby was born in St Cleer village in 1854. While he was still at school William’s brothers and sisters, with ages ranging from 19 down to only 10, were employed in the copper mines around Caradon Hill. When William turned 10, he left school and joined them.

At 17 he boarded the ‘S.S. Queen of Nations’ at Plymouth for a three months voyage to Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. William found work at the Victoria Cross Mine at Broken Hill, New South Wales. Broken Hill was an area known as ‘Silver City’, being one of the most profitable silver mines in the world.

Little is known of William after August 14, 1895, when he appeared under ‘Missing Persons’ in the New South Wales Police Gazette, ‘Missing from his residence at 121 Sussex Street since the 5th inst. William Kerby, about 35 or 40 years of age, medium height and build, blue eyes, fair complexion, clean shaved except for a short sandy moustache, an Englishman.’

If any readers can shed light on his whereabouts after this please email [email protected] Interestingly there is a property in Russell Street, Liskeard, named Broken Hill House.

By Brian Oldham, Liskeard Museum volunteer and Bard of Gorsedh Kernow