Constant Bay, Charleston.ca.1866-1878.

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DescriptionIt's in Charleston far away....
In August 1866, while Fox was away, Timothy Linehan took the credit for the Pakihi ('Parkeese') field which later became known as the Charleston field. At first, goods going to 'Parkeese' were landed at Woodpecker Bay, south of Fox River, and humped about 20km north to the goldfield.

Then Capt Charles Bonner managed to squeeze the ketch 'Constant' into a tiny bay, and the town that formed around this new landing spot,Constant Bay, was named Charleston, probably in his honour.

In November 1866 Fox made a rich strike at Brighton (now Tiromoana), about 10 miles south of Charleston, and in May 1867 a strike near Charleston itself precipitated the last real 'rush' on the West Coast.

Brighton was a much bigger town at the start, but Charleston lasted longer and the two have been confused in places. In 1867 Brighton and its environs had 53 hotels while Charleston had 37.

The population of Charleston is often exaggerated, says Les Wright, with 30,000 or even 100,000 being mentioned. At the peak of the gold rush, the population of the entire West Coast is believed to have been only 35,000.The early 1867 census, at the peak of the Charleston rush, showed 5000 on the entire Charleston field and 6000 on the Brighton field ten miles to the south.

Prospector William Fox died in 1893 and his grave is in the Reefton cemetery. (NZ Premier William Fox also died in 1893 and lies buried in Auckland.) There is a gravestone for a man named William Fox in the Protestant cemetery at Charleston, but he was a farmer who died in the early 1900s.

Bill Fox the Prospector
The Fox River 30 miles south of Charleston is named after Bill Fox who was born in Ireland in about 1826. A sailor, he was on the Californian goldfields about 1850; then on the Victorian goldfields in Australia; and on the Tuapeka goldfield in Otago in 1861.

In 1862 Bill Fox's prospecting activities in the Arrow district excited intense interest and determined pursuit, but his claim to have made the original Shotover River discoveries was not accepted. A burly man, Fox was given to brawling. A serious fight in 1864 led to of six months' hard labour in Dunedin gaol.

Released in November 1864, Fox travelled to the West Coast. He prospected widely for gold, and first discovered it at Fox Creek, a tributary of the Arahura River, behind Hokitika, in January 1865.

In July 1866 Fox organised a prospecting voyage to what was later named Fox River, but didn't find gold there. He led the party on north to where Charleston would later be, but although they found gold there, it was too fine to save. So Fox went south to Okarito to find out how they were doing it there.

Prospector William Fox died in 1893 and his grave is in the Reefton cemetery. (NZ Premier William Fox also died in 1893 and lies buried in Auckland.) There is a gravestone for a man named William Fox in the Protestant cemetery at Charleston, but he was a farmer who died in the early 1900s.
Map^[1]External LinkCharlestonContributorHeather Newby

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Location (city or town)CharlestonLandmark (Place)Constant Bay

Category Information

Category TagGoldmining

From Facebook

Date Created7th December 2019CommentsChris Farrington My mother's ancestor Henry Rosenberg lived on the left just at the edge of the grass.

Gail Callaghan Such brave, keen people back then

Ian Miller The rocks where I found plenty of Pachymenia lusoria appear to be submerged. That ketch needs to keep away from them, and it is dangerously close

Craig Brooks Jason Ross how much time did we spend there growing up .lol

Jason Ross Craig Brooks a lot of time we would practically live down there in summer.

Lyn Coleman
Lyn Coleman Love that spot..kids and now grandkids love too

Leslie McKendry Understand the vessels would hove to off and anchor off the entrance, then a line would be rowed to the shore and the vessel winched into port, when leaving the vessel would be winched out backward and the shore line recovered, then the anchor raised and sail was set.
A very skilled excercise though I think.

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Constant Bay, Charleston.ca.1866-1878.

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