Women & Children on the goldfields

Many women and children came to the goldfields after their husband/father had found enough gold to build more comfortable huts. Often they would keep a few hens and goats so the children would have better food. Also Many dancers and actresssers went to the goldfields to entertain the diggers. The women did most of the cooking and washing. By December 1852 there were about 12000 children on the Victorian Goldfields.

The children would help their parents by carrying wood, caring for the horses and looked after their tent. Older children were expectd to to work as hard as the adults.

Some children were sent to school on the goldfields. the lessons were held in a tent. The childrens standerd of education wasn't high.

Lizzie