Homestead wells

     I was asking my father, Wilbert Jeffery, about dug water wells in the area of Alma and Lauretta.  He said there were few of them around.  Most homesteads relied on ground springs bubbling up into brooks and waterways for water used in the house and for livestock.
     He said in Lauretta the only people who had a dug well were John Smith and Birt Smith (neighbours) who lived across the road from Lauretta School.  Wilbert said when they were going to school they had no water at the school, so they would go into Birt Smith's porch and help themselves to the water.
     Digging a well was a large project - not only was it great labour to dig, then it had to be lined with sandstones to keep the walls from falling.
     Below is an image of digging a well.  cf. http://www.nzdl.org

     After the well was dug an enclosure was built around it to keep out dirt, animals and people from falling in.