Arthur Wellesley Bayley

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Arthur Bayley was a gold prospector who discovered gold at Fly Flat, Australia on 17 September 1892, around which the town of Coolgardie grew. He was born in 1865 and died in 1896, his father was John Bayeley, a butcher and wife to one Rosanna. Bayley discovered the gold with William Ford. Bayley hastily reported the discovery of 554 ounces of gold to J.M. Finnerty, the then resident mining warden at Southern Cross. At the time 554 ounces of gold was worth 2200 pounds - a great deal of money at the time - and in accordance with Western Australian mining regulations, Bayley was offered a "reward claim" covering 20 acres of land at Fly Flat. Bayley's reward claim proved to be a very profitable one indeed, and was continually worked until 1963. During the 70 years of its existence this mining claim recovered over 500,000 ounces gold.