The Band of Hope & Albioan Consols Battery & Plant at No 7 & 10 Shafts Ballarat.

C.19th lithograph of the Band of Hope and Albion Consols Batery was considered the largest historic gold mine on the Ballarat goldfield.

The mined alluvial gold amounted to 410,394 ounces, and 158,299 ounces of reef gold. The Band of Hope Company began in 1858, with 120 men who blasted through the overlying basalt, finding much water and little gold. In 1865 they located the gutter with much gold coming out of shaft #2. Robert Malachi Sergeant was mine manager for thirty years from 1868 to 1898. He had migrated to Australia from Cornwall aged 20, and subsequently found a 500 ounce nugget on the Victorian goldfields. Now flush with money, he invested in mining, and worked his way to the level of mine manager. He attained the position of mine manager of the Band of Hope and Albion mines during a disputed merger with the St Andrews Company in 1868. Soon after the Band of Hope and Albion companies merged. In 1876, #1 and #3 shafts were abandoned due to the inflow of water and low ore reserves. A new reef was found in 1879, as the mine reverted from alluvial to quartz reef mining. At this time the #7 and #8 shafts were sunk, and a forty stamp battery erected. #10 shaft was sunk in 1881, with #6 abandoned at the same time, after being active for six years. Dividends were paid each year until 1889. Sergeant retired in 1898 due to ill health, at the same time the company merging with the Sir Henry Loch United Company. The mine closed around 1915.

References:
Ferguson, J. A. Bibliography of Australia Volumes 1-8, Canberra 1976 18716.

Collections:
National Library Australia: Bib ID 632842
State Library New South Wales: CALL NUMBERS MB 2 Q 34 , 992.2/1B3
State Library Victoria: RARELT 994.531 B21W (1887) B