Billy Studman

William Thomas “Billy” Studman (sometimes confused with Jim Steadman) was born on 26 June 1867 at Forbes, New South Wales, the son of Robert and Anna Studman. He was an opal miner at Lightning Ridge. Studman was known for being a loner.

In 1950 Studman disappeared, resulting in a lengthy by locals who feared the worst. Despite weeks of searching, no trace was found. About a year later his remains were discovered caught in a boundary fence several miles from his camp. He had died alone in the scrub.

Billy Studman’s signature sourced from a petition to resist the relocation of residents from Old Town and The Flat to the surveyed town, 1912.

Billy Studman @ Find a Grave.

Article: Research by Leisa Carney, edited by Russell Gawthorpe. LRHS research compiled by Len Cram and Barbara Moritz. Sources: The Lightning Ridge Book, Stuart Lloyd, 1967, p. 36; Lightning Ridge - The Home of the Black Opal: Unique to the World, Gan Bruce, 1983, pp. 122, 157.