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| Billy Barker |
People said Barker was foolish when he chose a spot downriver from everybody else, near Stouts Gulch, and started digging the deepest mine-shaft around. But he and his seven partners struck gold, and within 48 hours they pulled out over 60 ounces (1700g) of gold, then worth roughly $1000. The boom town of Barkerville soon sprang up around Barker's find, named after him of course.
There are lots of good stories about characters like Billy Barker, and figuring out which ones are true can be like panning for gold - it's hard to find that nugget. One story is that Judge Matthew Begbie lent him money to stake his famous claim. Some say that Barker had a dream about the number 52, and found gold exactly 52 feet down his shaft. Another story is that he and his wife (who he met in Victoria the winter after his find) both loved to party and spent most of his money in saloons in Victoria and Barkerville. They say when Barker entered a saloon he would dance a jig and sing a ditty:
"I'm English Bill,Barker also loaned his friends lots of money to help them search for gold, but they weren't as lucky as him. When Barker ran out of money he returned to prospecting and made just enough to keep going. He died in the Old Men's Home in Victoria and was buried in a pauper's grave.
Never worked and never will,
Get away girls,
Or I'll tousle your curls!"
