Ted Bishop “The Opal King”

Edward “Ted” Bishop, also known as “The Opal King” was born in Norfolk, England, in 1849. He came across from Walgett in the early 1900s, and was one of the earliest opal miners at Lightning Ridge. 

They came across from a Walgett property in 1903, and knew Nettleton after his syndicate exercise, when he lived at the Nobby and mined with Murray. An early opal rush occurred on Sim’s Hill when Ted Bishop and his 22 year old son Bob found significant seam opal in 1906. Charlie was in Yowah with the Bishops in 1908 for a look-see.

Ted became known as the Opal King around 1905 when he found two 19-oz pieces of light seam opal. He sold one piece to an acquaintance at Mehi (near Angledool village), the opal buyer McIntyre. When he realised he'd been diddled, he took the other piece to Sydney and sold it. People at Western Lands were surprised at the high quality of the opal.

Bishop was instrumental in moving to have the Goverment Tank sunk to supply water to miners in the early years.  

Father of Bob Bishop, born 1881 at Cassilis, NSW.

Ted Bishop passed away on 18 March 1918 and is buried at Rookwood Necropolis, Sydney.

• Ted Bishop @ Find a Grave.

Article: Research by Russell Gawthorpe and Leisa Carney, edited by Russell Gawthorpe. LRHS research compiled by Len Cram and Barbara Moritz. Sources: The Lightning Ridge Book, Stuart Lloyd, 1967, pp. 21-23, 35, 90; Lightning Ridge - The Home of the Black Opal: Unique to the World, Gan Bruce, 1983, p. 74; Walgett Spectator, 20 February 1909, 6 December 1917; A Journey With Colour: A History of Lightning Ridge Opal 1873-2003, Len Cram, 2003, p. 156; ‘Death’, Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative, 28 June 1937, p. 7.