Patrick Joseph Stone

About the name : a number of the family members whose first name was 'Patrick' were known by their second name. Patrick Joseph was usually called Joe or Joseph and in the Electoral rolls he is recorded as Joseph until they started making the rolls more accurate from the 1940's.

Western Australian Birth registration index record for Patrick Joseph Stone, father James Stone Jr; mother Mary Hogan, born Geraldton, No. 24492 of 1883.

The WA Record, Saturday 27 November 1897, p. 9

An article on a presentation made to the Catholic Bishop of Perth, Most Reverend Dr. Matthew Gibney from the students of the Christian Brother's College, Perth, presented by one of the senior pupils, Master St. John Symthe, supported by fellow students, Masters Gerald Quinlan and P. J. Stone.

His father James died 16 October 1900, when he was 17. His father had apparently been a heavy drinker and the family story is that his mother Mary had refused to let the drunk James into the house one night and he caught pnunomia and died, and for that reason Joe rarely drank.

The Western Australian Directory (Wise's) 1903 lists (p134) Geraldton : Stone, Jos.

The Western Australian Directory (Wise's) 1904 lists (p144) Geraldton : Stone, Jos.

Before, during and after World War I, Joe was a gold miner at different mines, first in the Murchison Goldfield and later at Bullfinch in the Yilgarn Goldfield in Western Australia, and then after World War I at Misima Island in Papua New Guinea.

According to his son Vincent, when Joe had completed his schooling in Perth and had returned to Geraldton, he rode his push bike east to the Murchison Goldfield for work. He went searching for work with his mate Harry Dare. If the mine manager was Cornish, Harry would ask for a job and then one for his mate; if the mine manager was Irish, Joe would ask for a job and then one for his mate. [Lead and copper ores had been discovered north of Geraldton near Northampton and from the 1860's miners from Cornwall had been employed mining the ore]. The Murchison Goldfield is located inland east of Geraldton. Gold had been discovered there in 1890 and the early prospectors and miners would sail to Geraldton then walk or ride horses or camels east several hundred kilometres to the different localities where gold was found. Later there was a railway line east from Geraldton and north from Kalgoorlie. The climate is semi-arid to arid, with very hot summers with temperatures regularly over 40° C and little water, with dry spells lasting several months being common. Due to an eye infection he sustained while gold mining, he was rejected by the army when he tried to enlist with his mining mates at the outbreak of World War I, due to poor eyesight.

1906 Electoral roll - Stone, Joseph, Lennonville, Miner.

Lennonville was a mining town near Mount Magnet, in the Murchison Goldfield, about 340 km east of Geraldton, established in 1898, after gold was found there in 1894. At the peak of its existence, just after 1900, the town had a population of 3,000, with five hotels, outperforming nearby Mount Magnet and Boogardie. By 1909, however, the town was already in decline and, after a huge fire swept through the main street of the town, a general exodus began and it had been abandoned by the outbreak of World War I in late 1914.

24 September 1907 Joe was in Geraldton as Best Man at his sister Sicily's wedding to John Willcock.

1909 Electoral roll - Stone, Joseph, Sandstone, miner.

Sandstone is located 157 kilometres east of Mount Magnet. Gold was discovered about 20 km south of present-day Sandstone in 1894 and in 1903 gold was found within a few hundred meters of the town. Following the influx of miners the local progress association requested that a townsite be declared. Correspondence of the time shows that the area was locally known as Hans Irvine's Find and that a large amount of money had been spent on building hotels, banks and other services required by the residents. The townsite was gazetted as Sandstone in 1906. Following the establishment of the town the majority of the population and buildings from the nearby townsite of Nunngarra were relocated to Sandstone. By 1907 the population of the town had swelled to 6,000–8,000 and it boasted four hotels, four butchers, two banks, a staffed police station and many other stores.

1910 Electoral roll - Stone, Joseph, Sandstone, miner.

The Western Australian Directory (Wise's) 1912 lists (p856) : Stone, J. Day Dawn.

1912 Electoral roll - Stone, Joseph, Fingall Hotel, Heffernan Street, Day Dawn, miner.

Day Dawn is about 7 km from Cue and about 400km east of Geraldton. The mine was operated by the Great Fingall Consolidated Gold Mining Company.

The Western Australian Directory (Wise's) 1913 lists (p872) : Stone, J. Day Dawn.

1913 Electoral roll - Stone, Joseph, Bullfinch, Millman.

Bullfinch is 400 km east north east of Perth, about 35 km north west of Southern Cross in the Yilgarn Goldfield. Gold was first discovered in the area in 1909 and the town gazetted in 1910. There were several mines around Bullfinch, which closed at different times, resulting in the miners and their families moving out and houses being transported to different towns in WA. In 2002 the last remaining mine closed. From a peak of about 1,500 people, the current (2016) population is about 25.

A millman operated the stamp mill (also called a stamp battery or battery), which crushed the mined ore by pounding rather than grinding. Stamp mills were common throughout the WA goldfields, both privately and government owned. The crushed ore is then processed to extract the gold.

28 January 1914 Joe was in Geraldton, giving away his sister Ursula at her wedding to Maurice Kennedy.

The Kalgoorlie Miner, Wednesday 27 May 1914, p 2.

Bullfinch. A pleasant night's entertainment took place in the Miners' Hall last night. The entertainment took the form of a euchre party and dance. The hall was well filled. The ladies' prize in the euchre, tournament went to Mrs. E. Edwards, and the gentleman's prize to Mr. James Dillon. The "booby" prize (ladies) went to Miss Jessie McDonald, and the gentlemen's to Mr. J. Stone. ...

Sometime before the outbreak of World War I, Joe contracted Trachoma, also called granular conjunctivitis, and commonly 'sandy blight' (a contagious, chronic inflammation of the mucous membranes of the eyes caused by the trachoma organism, Chlamydia trachomatis) and as a result he had poor eyesight. When war was announced he joined his mates to enlist in the army but he was rejected because of his poor eyesight. He wore glasses all his life from when he contracted the 'sandy blight'.

1915 Electoral roll - Stone, Joseph, Bullfinch, Millman.

Western Australian Marriage registration index record for Patrick Joseph Stone marrying Lilian May Farnham, at Cottesloe, Claremont registration district, No. 1600065 of 1916.

How did they meet? According to son Vin, his mother Lilian had gone to Bullfinch to work in a store there, and as her occupation was listed as a dressmaker in the 1914 electoral roll, probably Brennan Bros, Drapers. As almost all the eligible men had enlisted in the army, Joe would have been one of the few men of her age in the town.

They were married in St Lukes Anglican Church, 20 Monument Street, Mosman Park, Perth. The current Rector (2013) is the Reverend Angela Webb, a granddaughter of Joseph and Lilian. Son Vin remembers that his father was upset that other members of the Stone family did not attend the ceremony because it was being held in an Anglican Church not a Roman Catholic Church.

1916 Electoral roll - Stone, Joseph, Bullfinch, Millman. Also listed: Lillian May Stone, married.

1917 Electoral roll - Stone, Joseph, Bullfinch, Millman. Also listed: Lillian May Stone, married.

The Western Argus (Kalgoorlie), Tuesday 16 January 1917, p4

An article reporting on the mining activities in the North Yalgarn area, describes the activities of the few prospectors left, as almost all of the able bodied men had enlisted in the army and were fighting in France. Dated January 6, reported from Bulfinch, ... 'Golden Valley. There is very little doing in this centre. Messrs. Hackett and Muir are raising a crushing from the old Kathleen mine, and they expect to crush shortly. Messrs. Antoguoli [ie Giovanni (John) Antognoli] and Stone are on a low grade proposition, but being near a battery they expect to make good wages. ' [In a 1919 diary entry Joe wrote on Misima Island, he notes writing to Mr Antognoli].

Kalgoorlie Miner, Tuesday 30 January 1917, p 1.

BULLFINCH

FAREWELL TO VOLUNTEERS. Bullfinch Jan. 25.

Privates Frank Henery, George Mann, S. Morgans, and W. W. Tully visited Bullfinch during the week on their long leave from Blackboy Hill camp, and on Wednesday evening a surprise party gathered at Mr. F. J. Mann's residence, in honour of Privates Geo. Mann and S. Morgans, the other two having had to return to camp earlier. There were about 50 present, and a most enjoyable evening was spent, under the chairmanship of Mr. F. Dare. Those who contributed to the programme of vocal and instrumental music and recitations were Mesdames Maloney and Tully, Miss Durbridge, and Messrs. Geo. Mann, Simpson, Beech, Hawkins, Dilkn S. Morgans, and Master Tully. Accompaniments were played by Mesdames Byron, Maloney and Tully, and Mr. Beech. Dancing and games were also greatly enjoyed. After the toast of 'The King,' Mr. W. Bynon proposed the toast of the parting guests, mentioning that Mr. Geo. Mann had tried to enlist four times, and at last succeeded. Mr. Morgans had joined the Railway Corps. The toast was supported by Messrs. Stone, Lin, Lorraine, and Tully. Privates J Morgans and Mann suitably responded. Other toasts were: — 'The parents of the departing guests,' proposed by Mr. J. Stone, and responded to by Mr. F. J. Mann ; 'Returned Soldiers,' proposed by Mr. H. J. Tully. and responded to by Mr. J. Johnston, a returned soldier. On Thursday evening the Bullfinch Rifle Club tendered Privates Morgans and Geo. Mann a send-off at the Exchange Hotel, Bullfinch, the latter having been captain of the club, and the former a prominent member. The guests had to leave at 9 o'clock for Southern Cross to catch the express for Blackboy Hill camp, and three car loads of friends motored to the train to see the volunteers off.

All Eligibles Enlisted. Mr. C. A. Hudson, M.L.A. for the district, paid Bullfinch a flying visit to form a committee in connection with the new recruiting scheme. On arriving Mr. Hudson learned that all the eligible young men had enlisted. There is not an eligible Britisher in Bullfinch to recruit, so it was not necessary to form a committee.

Daughter Hilda was born 22 December 1917 in Perth at 113 Woolwich street, Leederville, where wile Lilian's mother was living.

Towards the end of World War I, Joe decided to try his luck at a gold mine on Misima Island in the Louisiade Archipelago in Papua New Guinea. Leaving pregnant wife Lilian (he may not have known she was pregnant) and daughter Hilda, presumably with her family, as son Vincent was born 22 March 1919 at Maylands, at the grocery store wife Lilian's brothers had established, Joe would have travelled to Sydney, either by train or coastal ship, then would have sailed for Papua New Guinea. The most likely ship would have been the Burns, Philp Line ship Marsina, which sailed between Sydney and Rabaul, stopping at Samarai. The ship left Sydney on November 12 1918.

Joe kept a diary for part of 1919, and in the 'notes from 1918' he recorded :

Arrived at Misima Island (Papua) on Dec 2nd [ie December 2 1918] after three days in the Auxiliary Schooner Umuna from Samarai being in the latter two days [ie arrived Samarai around 27 November]. Rained heavily from the port to the mine. Started work on Block 10 Misima G.M. on Dec 3rd. Taking out excavations for new treatment plant. Training twenty one boys for a gang. Lent Bugham 10/-

Joe had gone to Papua New Guinea, son Vincent was born in March 1919 at Maylands where his wife Lilian's family lived and Lilian, daughter Hilda and Vincent then went to Geraldton and stayed with his family (as Vincent was baptised in Geraldton) until they received word that accommodation was available on Misima Island, sometime in 1920. Son Vincent has told the story of his mother being worn out on the boat as he was always crying and his mother giving him a a drop of rum to make him go to sleep. Daughter Olive was born at Samari Island, Papua New Guinea, on 24 August 1921. Samari Island was the administrative center for the area Misima island was located in.

Joe's diary entry for 1 January 1919 recorded :

Started the year by baking the bread for the camp. Four of us in the camp, Lewis, Batey, Leppard & myself; each taking month about. Bread pronounced a success by all. Went up to Bill Bugham's place in the evening and had a chat about things in general.

The 3 January entry record his first pay : Received the first pay from Misima mine £16-10- made payable to Lil at Perth & received cheque for £8-8-4 being balance left for myself. Pay £24 18 4.

The following day he recorded walking the route of the proposed tramway from the port to the mine site.

Misima Island is mountainous and densely forested. Gold mining had been in operation on the island from the 1880’s. Newspaper reports from January 1914 reported a crushing and cyaniding plant had been erected at one mine, The mines were situated about 5 miles from the beach at an altitude of between 600 ft and 1,000 ft above sea level. In mid 1914 leases were offered to the Broken Hill Proprietary Company Block 10 and a party from the company landed at Begonia, the port of Misima in late January 1915 with 110 tons of equipment, which by April had been moved the 41/2 miles to the mine site. Buildings were erected and shaft and tunnels sunk to determine the value of the ore. In 1916 the different companies with mining leases on the island agreed to form one company - Block 10 Misima Gold Mines No Liability to operate the mine. Block 10 was incorporated in January 1917 and took over the properties in June 1917. The General Manager of Block 10, Mr O.B. (Oscar) Ward (originally from South Australia and had worked in Kalgoorlie) had been on Misima with his wife when the leases were being evaluated when WWI broke out in 1914. A milling plant had been started in May 1917 and a slimes plant for a larger milling capacity was started in May 1918. At the company AGM in April 1918, the General Manager reported over 7 years supply of ore were currently identified with more ore likely to be located and recommended the installation of additional milling equipment to process the ore.

Judge Murray, Lieutenant Governor of Papua was reported in the Queenslander newspaper of 1 February 1919 that there were 40 Europeans at Misima.

Papuan Courier (Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea), Friday 14 November 1919, page 2

Block 10 Misima Gold Mines.

Misima Island, otherwise known, as St. Aignan, is included in the territory of Papua, and is situated in the noith-eastern end of the Louisiade Archipelago, about 120 miles east of Samaria. It is isolated from other members of the group, and has ah area of about 100 square miles. The country is hilly and well timbered, and there is a plentiful water supply, the annual rainfall being heavy. Climatic conditions are very good, and well suited for white labor, and in the opinion of the Government Geologist there is ample room for development of a considerable white population. The harbor is at Bwagoia, and has an extremely small entrance, but the water is deep and quite suitable for vessels up to 100 tons. There is a native population of about 2000 scattered along the coastline in about 30 villages. Most of them speak English, and the bulk work alluvial gold mines of their own. Gold, indeed, has been known to exist in Papua and the Archipelago for centuries, and there is evidence that it was sought and obtained there at one period by the Chinese and Malays, whose blood still intermingles with the natives of New Guinea.

The mines are situated five miles from the harbor at an elevation of about 500 feet above water level. An option was secured on the Massive and other leases by Mr. McGeorge, acting on behalf of the New Guinea Options Syndicate. Shortly after this the late Mr. O. B. Ward, who at the time was general manager of The Broken Hill Proprietary Block 10 Company Limited, was visiting New Guinea. During his travels the gold mines at Misima were brought under his notice, and he decided to visit the island and inspect the properties on behalf of his company. Although Mr. Ward found that comparatively little development work had been done, he formed the opinion that they had big possibilities, and he strongly recommended his directors to secure an option over them. Gold was first discovered on the island in the year 1888, and many leases were taken up, including the ones under review, upon which important development work had been carried out. Under the option acquired by The Broken Hill Proprietary Block 10 Company, that company sank a two-compartment shaft 150 feet on the Massive property. This was water level, and showed that water in the mine would be a difficulty, so that one of the first undertakings was the driving of a drainage tunnel—8 feet by 7 feet—in the clear, and some 800 feet in length, to connect with the workings. A considerable amount of tunnelling was also done on the lode at different levels on the hill side above the mouth of the shaft, with the result that in all about 100,000 tons of ore were opened up. In view of the isolated position, it was recognised that it would make for more economical working if the principal and adjoining mining interests on the island could be amalgamated. The chief of these was the St. Aignan Mine, held by a Sydney company, and consisting of 50 acres and a small crushing and cyanide plant. After lengthy negotiations these and other leases joined issue and the present company—the Block 10 Misima Gold Mines No Liability—was incorporated, in 1916, with an authorised capital of £200,000 in 200,000 shares of £l each, of which 50,000 are held in reserve. This capital has since been increased by increasing the shares from £1 to £1 10s each. Under the management of the late Mr. O. B. Ward, development was immediately proceeded with, and the treatment of ore commenced in May 1917. The plant at present in use consists of two 5-feet Huntington mills driven by 28 horse-power suction gas plant. There are also four 35 ton vats, two 20-ton sump vats, and one 15-ton mixing vat. This plant is' capable of treating about 1200 tons monthly, and the following is tonnage and assay value of ore treated:— Hatf year ended 30th December, 1917—7045 tons assaying 30/10 per ton.. Half year ended 30th June, 1918—7573 tons assaying 30/3 per ton. Half year ended 31st December 1918—6464 tons assaying 29/10 per ton. A small plant of this capacity could, of course, only be regarded as of an experimental nature, and to ensure profitable results it became necessary to considerably increase the capacity. The general manager, therefore, recommended the erection of a new plant, capable of treating 5000 tons per month, but so designed that an increased tonnage could be treated without any constructional alteration or adition, the only extra plant being that necessary for extra treatment purposes; that additional plant could be added if found necessary. The design of the proposed plant is as follows:— The power plant will consist of Babcock and Wilcox boilers, and vertical enclosed type high speed engine direct coupled to a threephase electric generator. The treatment plant will consist of one gyratory crusher and crushed ore bin for storage purposes, belt conveyer delivering from the crushed ore bin to the battery bin. The battery will comprise 20 head of 1250 lb. stamps, the product from same being delivered to the classifier, the oversize being re-ground by means of tube mills. The overflow from the classifier will be subject to two treatments, first as a slime proposition under the vacuum filter process, and secondly as a combined process treating, both sands and slimes separately. Provision has been made for the erection of a complete extractor house, equipped as follows:— Clarifying vats, zinc boxes, wash box, acid tank, filter press, tilt, smelting and roasting furnace, weak and strong solution vats. Unfortuntely, owing to ill health, Mr. Ward was compelled to relinquish his duties at the mine, and just at the time when his valuable services were most required. About a year ago he passed away, deeply regretted by all who knew him. His successor, Mr. Reg. Williamson, has had an extensive experience in Western Australia. In his latest report of the property he speaks favorably, of the prospects. Owing to drainage tunnel not being then completed, it had not been possible to sink the shaft .below 140 feet, consequently ore reserves must be estimated on a conservative basis. Mr. Williamson gives the result of his examination as follows:— Above collar of shaft, 96,000 tons, value per ton, 24/. Below collar of shaft, 34,075 tons; value per ton, 56/. Total 130,775 . tons; value per ton, 32/3. The assay plans show a gradual decrease in ore values as the outcrop is approached, probably due to leaching action. It appears that precipitation of this dissolved gold has taken place in the No. I and 2 levels, and from indications here Mr. Williamson is confident that this enrichment will continue to greater depth. Present development points to the ore body having a length of 2200 feet at the No. I level, with values still , in the face, and the fact that the bottom level is driven in good values together with the fine length of the ore body make it reasonable to ;assume that the ore body will not cut out quickly. Every sink of 100 feet should produce 100,000 tons, and as the drainage tunnel is now completed developments later on at.depth will be anticipated with interest. Mr. Williamson estimates that mining, treatment, and development costs should not exceed 20s per ton, and on this estimate the ore at present blocked out should yield a profit of £60,000. A two-foot gauge railway is being made from the .port to the mine, which will not only facilitate general transport, but will enable the mine fuel to be landed at much cheaper rates. It is unfortunate that this company's period of development and construction should have occurred under the adverse conditions due to the war. Not only has the cost of material been abnormally high, but the delays in shipping and abnormal freights have, and are still, seriously hampering operations. The prospects, however, justify the capital expenditure now being incurred, and with the return of conditions more nearly approaching the normal', the Misima Mines should have a prosperous future, and rank as one of the big gold mines of Australasia.

During 1919 delays were reported in the shipment of material for a new mill and the need to construct a 2ft gauge 7 1/2 mile tramway between the coast and the mine to transport equipment to the mine site. The General Manager reported at the company half yearly meeting in October 1919 in Melbourne that the mill would be in commission about June 1920. Joe's diary recorded for 13 December 1919 he had started in the Mill.

It is not known exactly when wife Lillian and children Hilda and Vincent arrived on the island. The last diary entry of writing a letter to Lillian is 2 September 1919, though diary entries are almost non existent after early April. Daughter Olive was born at Samarai on 24 August 1921.

Papuan Courier (Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea), Friday 17 September 1920, page 2

Block 10 Misima Gold Mines N.L.

PROGRESS REPORT, JULY, 1920

Following is the progress report on the above mines, which are situated at Misima Island, Papua, for the month of July, 1920: CONSTRUCTION .—Wireless - station erected. Boiler and feed-water heater partly erected. DEVELOPMENT.—No. 2 Level—No. 3 Rise South (co-ords. 1695 deg. N. and 270 deg.W.) was put up 27ft.; total, 92ft. Values averaged 54s per ton over 72in. wide. No. 3 Rise North (co-ords, 2138 deg. N. and 205 (deg. W.) was risen 41ft.-; total, 69ft. Values averaged 31s per ton over a width of 72ft. No. 5 TUNNEL NORTH.—NO. 1 Rise, West Lode was put up 22ft.; total, 103ft. Values averaged 27s per ton over 48in. wide. Tins rise holed through to the North Drive West Lode No. 6 Tunnel North. No. 7 TUNNEL SOUTH..—No. 5 Rise (co-ords. 1300 deg. N. and 228 deg. W.) was started from the main south drive and put up 27ft. Values averaged 42s per ton over 60in. wide.

Papuan Courier (Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea), Friday 8 October 1920, page 7

Block 10 Misima Gold Mines N.L.

PROGRESS REPORT, AUGUST, 1920

Following is the progress report on the above mines, which are situated at Misima Island, Papua, for llie month of August.. Construction.— Battery erected. No. 1 B. and W. boiler erected. Development.—No. 2 Level: No. 3 Rise South (1695 feet N. and 270 feet W.) was extended 22ft.; total, 84ft.; and holed through to main south drive No. 1 level. Values.averaged 53s over 72in. wide. No. 3 Rise North (2138 feet N. and 205 feet W.) was put up 20ft.; total, 89ft.; and holed through to surface. Values averaged 14s over 72in. wide. West Crosscut (1595 feet N. and 258 feet W.) was started from the main south drive and extended 25ft. Values were as follows; From 0ft. to 5ft.,24s; from 5ft. to 10ft., 53s; from 10ft. to 15ft., 66s.; from 15ft. to 20ft., 23s; from 20ft. to 25ft., 7s. No. 5 Tunnel North.—Rise (2420 feet N. ancl 265ft. W.) West Lode was started from the north drive and put up 49ft. Values averaged 60s per ton over a width of 52in. Rise 2480ft. N. and 240ft. W., West Lode, was started from the north drive and extended 11ft. Values averaged 56s per ton over 48in. wide.

Papuan Courier (Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea), Friday 17 December 1920, page 7

Block 10 Misima Gold Mines N.L.

PROGRESS REPORT, SEPTEMBER, 1920

Following is the progress' report on the above mines, which are situated at Misima Island, Papua, .for the month of November. Construction.—High-speed engine aiul electrical generator erected. Development.—No. 2 Level: Rise Co-Ordinate 1600ft. N. and 255 ft. W. advanced 59ft.: total, 79ft. Values, 35s over 48in. Rise Co-Ordinate 2015ft. N. and 235ft. W. extended 29ft.; total, 65ft. Values, 40s over 52in, . No. 1 Level: Main South Drive stripped and re-tiinbered 28ft.; total. 295ft. Values, 63s over 80in. No. 5 Tunnel North: Rise Co-Ordinate 2480ft. N. and 240ft. W. put up 20ft.; total distance, 95ft. Values, 43s over 44in.

Daily Mail (Brisbane, Qld.), Wednesday 27 September 1922, page 9

SHUTDOWN

MISIMA GOLD MINE

Laden with 14,000 bags of copra, and carrying £7000 worth of gold won from the mine on the mountain at Misiina Island, Burns, Philp, and Company's steamer Morinda called at Pinkenba yesterday, en route from Rabaul to Sydney. The gold represents the last " wash-up " at the mine for some time to come. This information was gleaned from a party of miners who are on board the Morinda returning to Sydney. The mine is situated 10 miles from the sea, right up in the heart of the mountain, and it is reached by a light railway which has been constructed in recent, years. A very fine plant was installed at the workings, and houses were built on the mountain side for the employees. Everything has been left—the houses, the furniture, the locomotive, the trucks, and the machinery for working the mine. "In a month or two," one man said, " the place will be covered with a wild mass of vegetation, as the company has obtained an option to close the mine for six months." No one on board the steamer seemed desirous to discuss future possibilities so far as the mine was concerned.

According to son Vin, the mine had closed because they had 'lost' the gold vein and the continuing costs made it uneconomic to run. At its peak the mine had 70 white staff and 700 native boys. In 1923 another company took over the mine and it continued to operate as an underground mine until WWII. Exploration resumed in 1977 and mining restarted in 1989, operating as an open pit gold mine from 1989 to 2004 when the mine was closed, producing 3.7 Moz of gold and 22.2 Moz of silver. A 2017 exploration report indicated considerable gold and silver still remained to be extracted.

Recorder (Port Pirie, SA), Tuesday 10 October 1922, p 4.

In an article about the prospects for New Guinea, Captain Muir, a well known master mariner, reported ... "The Misima mines have closed," he added, "All hands were dismissed with a month's notice. Forty of them left in a body by steamer for Australia. "The exodus is not confined to them. Others also are leaving for Sydney. There are many stories of hopes that have never been fulfilled. Seven years ago there were Australians who established plantations. Now their trees are just beginning to bear, but they find that the prices for copra hardly warrant the picking of the coconuts. Some of them, too, are leaving for home."

It is assumed the family returned from Misima Island on the Burns, Philp Line steamer Morinda, which arrived at Sydney on 28 September 1922. (The next voyage of the Morinda left Sydney on 10 October for the different islands, including Misima, retiurning 9 November). From there they took a train or coastal ship to Perth.

The family had arrived back in Perth by December 1922. A letter to Joe from his mother in Geraldton, dated 22 December 1922, and addressed to him at 23 Eighth Avenue, Maylands (home of wife Lillian's brother Bernard Farnham), starts with 'I received your very exciting letter last week telling about your future prospects ...' and finishing with '... glad you are all in the West this Xmas'. Joe set up a grocery store in Hamersley Road, Subiaco. Wife Lilian's brothers Alfred and Bernard Farnham had set up the Farnham Brothers store in Maylands as a wholesale/retail grocery store and they supplied Joe's store and in turn Joe provided them with loans of money when bills arrived and they hadn't sold the goods yet to pay the invoice.

The Western Australian Directory (Wise's) 1923 lists (p566) : Stone, Jos, store, 230 Hamersley Road, Subiaco.

The Western Australian Directory (Wise's) 1924 lists (p589) : Stone, Jos, store, 230 Hamersley Road, Subiaco.

1925 Electoral roll - Stone, Joseph, 230 Hamersley Road, Subiaco, storekeeper. Also listed: Lilian May Stone, home duties,

1931 Electoral roll - Stone, Joseph, 230 Hamersley Road, Subiaco, storekeeper. Also listed: Lilian May Stone, home duties,

1936 Electoral roll - Stone, Joseph, 235 Hamersley Road, Subiaco, storekeeper. Also listed: Lilian May Stone, home duties,

1937 Electoral roll - Stone, Joseph, 235 Hamersley Road, Subiaco, storekeeper. Also listed: Lilian May Stone, home duties,

In 1938 Joe purchased a newsagency at 122 Angove Street North Perth. There is an advertisement for the sale of the truck they used to have for the grocery store to pickup and deliver - 'TRUCK. 30cwt., good order, well shod. recently overhauled, no further use, best offer. Stone's Newsagency, Angove-st. North Perth', in the 2 June 1938 issue of the West Australia, p. 10, and there are weekly advertisement from the 9 September 1939 issue of the Daily News (p 7), for Parrants Dry Cleaners, with one of the agents being J. Stone, Newsagent, 122 Angove-street, North Perth.

Many of the magazines came from Britain and when war was declared in September 1939, the supply of the British printed magazines dried up and as son Vin (who delivered the newspapers to customers at their homes) went on a 3 month militia camp at the beginning of 1940 and then enlisted in May 1940, Joe decided to sell the newsagency. The purchasers of the newsagency, Joe and Peg O'Connell, had won the lottery in August 1939, winning £6,000, and so had cash to buy the store. The O'Connell's, of 122 Angove St, North Perth, are recorded sending Christmas greetings in the West Australian issue of 23 December 1940.

The Daily News, Saturday 28 June, 1941, p32.

Probates and letters of administration in respect to the following wills were granted in the Supreme Court this week: ... Hogan, Patrick Joseph, late of Bootenal, farmer, to John C. Willcock, of Mount Lawley, and Patrick J. Stone, of Subiaco. value £4724.

Patrick Joseph Hogan was his mother Mary's brother. He had no children and Joe and sister Sicily's husband John Willcock were the executors of the will. Patrick's will stipulated that wife Mary would have use of the house owned by Patrick in Eleanor Street Geraldton until she died; she would receive an annuity of £208 and that the executors could continue to farm the property, Alma Farm, at Bootenal. When Mary died, sister Catherine Gardner was to receive £150, though if Catherine predeceased Mary the money was to go to her son Thomas; William Wehlach (widower of sister Margaret) was also to receive £150. The remainder of the money from the estate was to go to the children of his sister Mary (ie Patrick Joseph Stone, Terence James Stone, Sicily Ann Willcock and Ursula Mary Kennedy). After Mary died the property was offered for sale, without success, so Joe purchased his siblings share and the farm continued to be share farmed by next door neighbour Jack Brady until 1969 when Joe died and the farm was sold to pay the probate costs. There was always an annual trip to Geraldton to 'check the books' of the farm.

1943 Electoral roll - Stone, Patrick Joseph, newsagent, 268 Hamersley Road, Subiaco. Also listed : Lilian May Stone, home duties; Vincent Patrick Stone, clerk. (Of course Vincent was in the Army in North Queensland at this time).

In 1943 Joe was elected to the Subiaco Council for the Central ward (The West Australian, Monday 29 November 1943, p 4, in a report on the municipal elections which had taken place on the previous Saturday). He was defeated in the 1949 elections (The West Australian, Monday 28 November 1949, p 15. ... In the Central ward Mr. P. J. Stone (the retiring councillor) was beaten by Mr. R. H. Miller, who is the Director of the Government Tourist Bureau. ...)

The West Australian, Thursday 16 March 1950, p 2.

Mr. J. Stone, who was a member of the Subiaco Municipal Council until November last, was presented with a wrist watch by Cr. H. Williams, on behalf of Mr. Stone's former colleagues on the council, in the Mayor's parlour at Subiaco on Tuesday night. [2018 Timothy Stone has the watch].

1949 Electoral roll - Stone, Patrick Joseph, newsagent, 268 Hamersley Road, Subiaco. Also listed : Lilian May Stone, home duties; Vincent Patrick Stone, clerk.

1954 Electoral roll - Stone, Patrick Joseph, newsagent, 268 Hamersley Road, Subiaco. Also listed : Lilian May Stone, home duties; Vincent Patrick Stone, clerk.

1963 Electoral roll - Stone, Patrick Joseph, newsagent, 268 Hamersley Road, Subiaco. Also listed : Lilian May Stone, home duties.

Wife Lillian died in 1963.

1968 Electoral roll - Stone, Patrick Joseph, newsagent, 268 Hamersley Road, Subiaco.

In his final years Joe lived with his daughter Olive Herd and died in Olive's house at 35 Heytesbury Road, Subiaco.

Western Australian Death registration index record for Patrick Joseph Stone, father James Stone, mother Mary Jane Hogan, died aged 87 at Subiaco, Perth registration district, No. 100170 of 1971.

Metropolitan Cemeteries Board record for Patrick Joseph Stone died 29 December 1970, aged 87, in Subiaco. Buried Karrakatta Cemetery, Roman Catholic area, section HC, site 71. Also buried in the same grave is his mother Mary Jane Stone, cousin John Frances Kennedy and the headstone also remembers his brother Vincent who died in 1918 in Belgium. The grave of his brother Terence, his wife Elizabeth and their daughter Mary is three graves away in grave 74.