BORN in 1868 at Vegetable Creek (Emmaville) to Daniel and Elizabeth Levy, William ‘Bill’ Maurice Levy resided for over forty years in the Coffs Harbour district.

On 3 December 1896 at Coramba, he married Hannah Knox and had five sons and two daughters.

He had a keen interest in gold mining, always drawn to talk of gold specimens, in addition to collecting them, many from a variety of places.

He never made his fortune and when interviewed by a reporter in 1924 stated he had “gleaned enough of the precious metal to live in luxury for the rest of his life, provided only that he died within 24 hours”.

In 1933 he and his mate, William Edgar, were buried by a fall of earth at the Mount Stewart mine while re-timbering a drive, when a section of the roof gave way.

They were immediately rescued by other miners, with Bill found to be suffering internal injuries.

They had a lucky escape, for as soon as they were carried to safety, there was a further fall.

He was also an expert billiards player and ran a billiards saloon at the Coramba mines, as well as travelling to give exhibition games.

The newspaper claimed strangers who challenged him to a game of ‘hundred up’ often received a shock as “it was nothing for him to go out in one stick”.

During his later years, people watched him playing very difficult shots and he was a great help in advising younger players.

In 1933, Bill was one of three players selected to play snooker against visiting world champion Horace Lindrum at the Coffs Harbour School of Arts.

During the last couple of years of his life he became quite frail and he passed away on 20 January 1935, aged 67.

His funeral was held the following afternoon and during the service, plainly visible to those at his graveside, was a quartz reef which extended from top to bottom of the open grave.

By Karen FILEWOOD