J. M. Barr J. M. Barr i(A76646 works by) (birth name: John Mitchell Barr)
Born: Established: 1836 Paisley,
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Scotland,
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United Kingdom (UK),
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Western Europe, Europe, ; Died: Ceased: 15 Oct 1920 Ballarat, Ballarat area, Ballarat - Bendigo area, Victoria,
Gender: Male
Arrived in Australia: 1853
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Works By

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1 Little Golden Hair : A Bush Sketch J. M. Barr , 1897 single work short story
— Appears in: The Australian Journal , June vol. 32 no. 385 1897; (p. 434-435) A bush-fire at the Mia Mia diggings causes the death of beautiful little Jessie, daughter of a couple who live in a log cabin, and innocent charmer of the local miners. The cabin is spared, the mother badly burnt and Jessie feared drowned in a mine shaft. Her mother dies soon after ... the masculine miners are moved to tears. (PB)
3 The Mystery of Bird's Reef J. M. Barr , 1892 single work novella
— Appears in: The Australian Journal , April vol. 31 no. 371 1896; (p. 375-382) Family adventure and romance on the Victorian diggings. Four poor prospecting mates, the two Bird brothers and Marston, a Yorkshire agitator and his son Will, strike gold during a very hot summer. Their riches bring some troubles as Will, the son, falls in with loose companions and when he proposes to Lena the sweet and beautiful daughter of one of the Birds, she agrees to become engaged but not to marry him until he has proven himself a reliable man. Will's brother George who has a share in the mine and also loves Lena is filled with jealousy and hatred - and pushes Will into a 100 foot mine shaft in his rage. He fears he has killed Will and after several months disappears, to the relief of Lena and his mother who suspected his crime. Years later he and Will meet in New Zealand when George is sick with fever, and are reconciled as he returns to life. Will returns home with the proceeds of his lucky mining in NZ, and with George. Lena and his mother, fallen on bad times through the mine failing and father's drinking, welcome them home, marriage follows. Happiness at last. Very biblical in parts, also warm, strong and interesting. NB: Catholic religiosity present, but not overtly; repeated technical details of crushing process of quartz rock, etc. (PB)
2 The False and the True J. M. Barr , 1891 single work short story
— Appears in: The Australian Journal , December vol. 33 no. 403 1898; (p. 786-787) Black Thursday and Other Lost Australian Bushfire Stories 2021;
— Appears in: Independent , 26 December 26 Dec 1891; (p. 3)
1 The False and the True J. M. Barr , 1891 single work short story
— Appears in: Independent , 26 December 26 Dec 1891; (p. 3)
1 Round the Country J. M. Barr , 1887 single work novel
1 Back to the Diggings J. M. Barr , 1887 single work novella
2 Early Days in Victoria: We Three J. M. Barr , 1886 single work novel
2 Lost and Won: A Story of a Sister's Love J. M. Barr , 1884 single work novel
3 Our Harry : A Tale of the Diggings J. M. Barr , 1883 single work novel adventure

Harry's father, an English sailor from Cornwall, is drowned and Harry leaves his mother and new fiancee Isabel to go to Melbourne and the diggings to earn their fortune. Good descriptions of the mud, crowds, drink, the road, the bush, Macedon etc.. Harry meets the tempestuous Italian beauty Sylvia who had murdered her husband to run away with another who ill-treated her. Diggings life continues, gold is struck, and the Italian woman poisons herself and her partner who is by then running a gambling saloon. A lawless Californian digging mate, Ned, complicates honest partnership. A lucky strike; a bushfire followed by a flooding rains which drown some miners sheltering in their shafts; the absconding of their Californian partner with their gold - his capture, robbery and murder by bushrangers who also capture Harry and his mate Jim but let them live. Harry's discovery that his money sent to England has been retained by the shopkeeper he trusted increases his fears for mother and Isabel starving back home. The rush ends, Harry narrowly escapes arrest for not having a miner's license; becomes friends with a neighbouring German family and helps find their children lost in the bush. Meanwhile Harry's mother and fiancée eke out a living from sewing but get evicted from their home and source of work when Isabel refuses to marry the local employer. Returning to their native Cornish village Isabel is courted by the local estate owner but refuses him too despite his money, looks, kind heart and loving mother because she loves Harry. In Australia Harry and Jim try to rescue a dying miner but succeed only in bringing his young wife to his side. Jim is attacked by colonial fever. They meet an 'old hand' [ex-convict] from Van Diemen's Land. Despair strikes just before they discover gold on the surface after rain, and buried treasure. They return to England via thriving Melbourne, encountering various friends and bushrangers before they go. Arriving in Cornwall they discover the forged deed seeking to evict Isabel and Harry's mother. Reunion, justice and marriage follow ... and Harry and Jim with their families emigrate to settle in Australia in the Gourlburn River Valley. (PB)
1 y separately published work icon The Independent J. M. Barr (editor), 1883 Footscray : John Mitchell Barr and W. M. Clark , 1883-1922 6433202 1883 newspaper (2 issues)

'With W. M. Clark, [John Mitchell] Barr started the Footscray Independent and was its editor; the paper became a "household word" in that locality and was very popular.'

Source: M. K. Lavender, 'Barr, John Mitchell (1836–1920)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University

Sighted: 12/12/2013
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