ED Miles Mining Exchange facts for kids
Quick facts for kids ED Miles Mining Exchange |
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ED Miles Mining Exchange, 2012
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| Location | 65 Mosman Street, Charters Towers, Charters Towers Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s - 1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1887 |
| Architect | William George Smith junior |
| Official name: ED Miles Mining Exchange (former) | |
| Type | state heritage |
| Designated | 9 November 2012 |
| Reference no. | 602801 |
| Builders | Ben Toll |
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The ED Miles Mining Exchange is a historic building in Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia. It was built in 1887 and later expanded. This building was home to a very important business that helped manage gold mining companies and their shares. It was designed by William George Smith junior and built by Ben Toll. Today, it is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because of its historical importance.
Contents
A Look Back: History of the Building
The ED Miles Mining Exchange building was first built in 1887. It was expanded several times in 1889, 1891, and 1901. This building was the main office for a business started by Edward David Miles in 1883. From 1887, he worked with his partner, Joe Millican. Their business was one of the first and most successful mining exchange companies in Queensland. It operated from 1883 until Edward Miles passed away in 1922.
Gold Rush in Charters Towers
Gold was first found in Charters Towers in December 1871. An Aboriginal boy named Jupiter Mosman helped prospectors find a rich vein of gold. One of the prospectors, Hugh Mosman, registered the claim and named the area Charters Towers. He named it after the Gold Commissioner, William Charters. Soon after, many people rushed to the area looking for gold.
Two towns grew up nearby: Charters Towers and Millchester. Charters Towers quickly became the more important town. By 1877, it was officially a municipality (a town with its own local government). It had many shops, hotels, and churches.
The Need for Mining Companies
Getting gold from deep underground in Charters Towers needed big machines and a lot of money. This money was used to find gold, buy machinery, and pay workers. New laws in the 1870s helped create mining companies. These companies allowed many people to invest money to dig deeper for gold.
At first, some companies failed, but soon, mining companies became the usual way to operate mines in Charters Towers. People called "mining agents" helped manage these companies and sell their shares.
Edward David Miles and His Business
Edward David Miles started advertising his services as a mining agent in 1882. By 1883, he became a full-time agent. He was born in Wales and came to Australia during the Victorian gold rush. He moved to Charters Towers in 1875 and worked in different jobs before becoming the town clerk in 1880.
One of the first mining companies he worked for was the Day Dawn Prospecting Claim. This mine became very successful, producing gold worth over £1,000,000 by 1898. By 1883, Miles was managing 15 companies in Charters Towers.
Mining secretaries like Miles made sure companies followed the law. They also kept records, paid dividends to shareholders, and kept directors informed. Mining exchanges were places where people bought and sold shares in mines. Miles's business was very important for the gold mining industry.
The New Building and Its Features
In February 1887, Edward Miles planned a new office building. It was designed by local architect WG Smith Jnr. The building was 15.8 meters wide and 11 meters deep. It had six offices and a wide hallway. It also had verandahs (porches) at the front and back. The front of the building and one side were made of brick, and the other two sides were wood. The contractor for the building was Ben Toll. By July 1887, the business moved into its new home.
The building had a special way to keep it cool and fresh inside. It used a system similar to "Tobin tubes," which brought fresh air from under the floor into the rooms. It also had high ceilings, windows that opened high up, and a large glass roof section (called a roof lantern) to let in light and air.
Growth and Expansion
Charters Towers became very important in the late 1800s. It was the third-largest gold-producing area in Australia. Many new buildings were built, and more mining agencies opened. The area around Mosman and Gill Streets became the financial heart of the town.
Miles's business grew so much that it needed more space. In 1889, a strong room was built. This was a fireproof room with thick brick walls and a heavy iron door to keep important books and documents safe. It was later made even stronger with concrete.
By 1891, the company had two partners and 17 employees. It was said to be the biggest business of its kind in Queensland. More parts were added to the building. The front office was large, with a counter where people could do business. There were also private offices for Miles, Millican, and their chief clerks.
In 1899, Charters Towers was the second-most important city in Queensland. Gold production was at its highest. The Charters Towers School of Mines opened in 1899, and Edward Miles helped lay its foundation stone. This school taught people skills needed for mining.
Another extension to the building was made in 1901, designed by architect Walter Hunt. This made the building even longer, covering the entire front of its property on Mosman Street.
Decline of Mining and Later Uses
Around 1905, Edward Miles moved to Brisbane for his work in the Queensland Parliament. Joe Millican continued to run the business in Charters Towers.
However, gold mining in Charters Towers started to slow down from 1914 and mostly stopped by 1917. This caused the town's population to drop a lot. Many homes and businesses were taken apart and moved to other towns.
Edward Miles passed away in 1922. His business, ED Miles and Company, was eventually closed down. Joe Millican took over the final steps of closing the company.
After the mining business closed, the building was sold in 1928 to the North Queensland Racing Association (NQRA). They used it as their headquarters. Later, in 1966, it was sold to Bartlams Limited, a company that sold livestock and real estate. In 1974, it became a tyre shop called "Independent Tyre Dealers." It was sold again in 1988, and the new owners lived there for a while. A large steel structure was built behind the building for tyre fitting. Later, "Beaurepaires" leased the building until 2011.
Today, there are only four known mining exchange buildings left in Charters Towers, and the former ED Miles building is the most complete inside.
What the Building Looks Like
The former ED Miles Mining Exchange is on Mosman Street in Charters Towers. This street has many old buildings from the late 1800s. The building is made of timber, but its front (called a facade) is covered in decorated masonry. It has two main parts, showing its original build in 1887 and the addition in 1901.
A curved roof, like an awning, stretches over the footpath. It is held up by thin, fancy metal posts. The front of the building has columns and rounded windows that show the older 1887 part. The newer 1901 part has square windows.
Inside, the walls are made of timber boards. The rooms generally have high ceilings. The 1887 part has a large public area with a big wooden counter. A central hallway leads to other rooms, including four offices. There's even a slot in the wall for quickly sending documents!
A special feature is the way the building gets natural light and air. A large, tall glass structure on the roof, called a roof lantern, brings light into the main hallway and offices. All the doorways have small windows above them (called fanlights), and there are high windows in the outer walls. Some rooms also have special triangular air ducts in the corners that bring fresh air from under the building.
The strong room, built in 1889, is located next to the main building. It has a concrete floor, very thick masonry walls, and a heavy steel door. It's divided into two rooms by a concrete wall and another metal door. This room was designed to keep important documents safe.
The back yard is covered in concrete and has steel covers (awnings). These parts are newer and not as historically important as the main building.
Why This Place is Important
The former ED Miles Mining Exchange is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register for several reasons:
- It shows how Queensland's history developed: This building was home to one of Queensland's biggest share-broking companies for nearly 40 years. It shows how important mining exchanges were to the gold industry, which brought a lot of wealth to Queensland. The building itself was built and expanded specifically for this type of business, making it a rare example.
- It's a rare and special building: This mining exchange is one of only four known buildings of its kind in Queensland, and it's the most complete one.
- It can teach us new things: The building's special ventilation system, with its high ceilings, high windows, and roof lantern, can help us understand how buildings were designed to stay cool in hot, dry places in the 1800s.
- It shows what a mining exchange was like: The building clearly shows the features of a mining exchange. It has a public area with counters, connected offices, a meeting room (board room), and a large strong room. These were all key parts of a successful gold mining town.
- It's beautiful and adds to the town: The building is an important part of the historic Mosman and Gill Streets area in Charters Towers. It's a well-preserved example of a small commercial building from the gold rush era, adding to the unique look of the town.
- It's connected to important people: The building is strongly linked to its founder, Edward David Miles, and his partner, Joe Millican. Their business was very successful, managing many mining companies and becoming the largest of its kind in Queensland. Both men were also important leaders in the Charters Towers community and in Queensland politics.
