or Stamphead
«A cast-ironweight, or head, fixed on to a shank or lifter, and used forstamping or reducing quartz to a fine sand.» (Brough Smyth,`Glossary.') The word is used elsewhere as a term inmachinery. In Australia, it signifies the appliance abovedescribed. The form stamphead is the earlier one.The shorter word stamper is now the more usual.
1869. J. F. Blanche, `Prince's Visit,' p. 25:
«For steam and stampers now are all the rage.»
1880. A. Sutherland, `Tales of Goldfields,' p. 76:
«The battery was to have eight stampers.»
1890. `Goldfields of Victoria,' p. 11:
«This, with the old battery, brings the number of stampers upto sixty.»
Ibid. p. 15:
«A battery of twenty-six stamp heads.»