A miniature ‘Eureka Stockade’ at Clunes in December 1873 contributed to the militant spirit of the Miners Unions. This occurred during a strike of Clunes miners after Lothair Mine owners tried to break their 8 hour conditions, including mine director Peter Lalor of Eureka fame. The role of landowner and company director seemed to suit him more than that of rebel; he "disgraced himself in democratic eyes" by trying to use strike-breakers at the Lothair mine. The Clunes Miners’ Association under the presidency of the Mayor of Clunes, W. Blanchard, erected barricades of timber and stone to bar the way to five cartloads of scabs recruited by the Lothair Mining Company and being escorted by police. About 1000 unionists and a contingent of women assembled, and the scabs and the police were forced to retreat to Ballarat. The Clunes action is generally regarded as providing a stimulus for the formation in 1874 of the Amalgamated Miners’ Association with a constitution to cover all miners in Australia and New Zealand. “The excitement and cheering was great, men, women and children joining in the resistance. Nearby was a heap of road metal, and arming herself with a few stones, a sturdy North of Ireland woman, without shoes or stockings, mounted the barricade as the coaches drew up. As she did so she called out to the other women, saying: ‘Come on, you cousin Jinnies; bring me the stones and I will fire them.’ The sergeant in charge of the police presented his carbine at the woman and ordered her to desist. Her answer was to bare her breast and say to him: ‘Shoot away and be damned to ye; better be shot than starved to death.’ With the words she threw a stone, cutting the cheek of the officer. “