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OWEN Edward & Mary MEET THE MEMBER! Please scroll down
The Family of Research by Gordon Freegard The Owen family were originally from a farming heritage in Berriew, Wales. Edward had been a tailor in Harrow, England, and was also responsible for making the straw “boater” hats for students of Harrow School, a well-known Public School for boys. At Kensington Church, London, England, on 23rd March 1874, Edward the fifth son of John and Elizabeth Owen, of Kevescreen Farm, near Berriew, Montgomeryshire, North Wales married Mary, eldest daughter of Fanny and Edwin Judge, of Tring, Herts, and late of Harrow, Middlesex.
MAP SHOWING BERRIEW #1 |
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EARLY VIEW OF BERRIEW #2 |
HARROW PUBLIC BOY'S SCHOOL #3 |
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Edward and Mary Owen with their daughter Edith, and son Oliver Edward arrived in Western Australia on the “Otago” on June 4, 1886. They had three children: EDITH OLIVER EDWARD On 24th March, 1897, Oliver Edward married Mary Ellen (Nellie), the youngest daughter of Henry Passmore J.P. and Mary (nee Ellis) Passmore at the Methodist Church in North Fremantle by Rev. A. J. Barclay. ARTHUR VERNON Born in 1889, died in 1973.
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THE "OTAGO" #4 |
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On arriving in Western Australia, Edward
set up his tailoring business in a shop at 5 Jewell Parade, North
Fremantle. From the
available information it appears that the house at 5 Jewell Parade has its
origins in the former stables of the Police Station on Queen Victoria Street.
It is claimed that the stables were built in the 1840's however this information
is yet to be verified. A building does appear to be present on the site in
1897. Information from rate books for the period states that a four-roomed
stone cottage was on the lot in 1890. The cottage was owned by the developers
of the subdivision and occupied by tailor, Edward Owen. It is possible that
this cottage was later altered for use as stables, but no evidence has been
located to support this.
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EDWARD & MARY OWEN #5 |
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EDWARD OWEN'S TAILORS SHOP IN NORTH FREMANTLE #6 |
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Edward Owen and family lived in Guildford for a time, and in
Victoria Park, and at one stage Edward ran a dairy in Cannington. Always mindful of his farming
background, Edward encouraged his son Oliver Edward to look to the land for a
living, and in 1893 the family, now with another son, Arthur (1889-1973) took
up a grant at Monument Hill, Upper Canning. It was situated about a mile
from the Pickering Brook Station and 36 miles from Perth on the Upper Darling
Railway. This was later known as Pickering Brook, but now is in the Carmel
postal area. The property included several blocks – Canning Location 215 5
acres, Location 75 100 acres, Location 264 10 acres, an Immigrant block
Location 935 100 acres and later Location 639 150 acres. Background: Canning Location 75
was the third block of land alienated in what is now the City of Kalamunda. It
was taken up by Francis BIRD in 1871 and consisted of 200 acres..2 x 100 acre
blocks joined corner to corner with sufficient overlap to allow the creek to go
through. Edward OWEN acquired the top block in 1893--stamping ground of the
young Ray OWEN.......MASON took up
timber concession over whole area. BIRD came in and put up 40 thousand pound
(according to local legend)--Land was given as ‘security’ for his money. Timber
firm subsequently went broke. Water Supply resumed lower block in
1921..Released in 1935 or thereabouts when Bickley Reservoir closed. The only block that had any
improvement on it was Location 75, which had a boundary fence of post and rail
surrounding it which had been a bullock paddock for Mason and Bird’s timber
mill on the adjoining 100 acres, also Location 75 in the original survey made
in 1878. |
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L to R; O. E. OWEN, GWEN OWEN (daughter), MARY OWEN (O. E. Owen's mother), LESLIE (son), #7 |
Oliver, who was only 18
years old, started clearing land and for some years lived in a tent on the
property. After clearing an acre or so, he planted fruit trees and in the
better soil grew strawberries. Each year would see more land cleared and
planted. He acquired one of the old mill cottages and re-built it on Location
935, later extended into a four roomed house. The clearing of the jarrah,
red gum, blackbutt, and paper-bark was a very expensive business. In the green
the cost was 20 pounds ($40) per acre, and when previously ring-barked the cost
was 13 pounds ($26) per acre. The cost of clearing, draining and planting of
the paper-bark swamp land reached as high as 80 pounds ($160) per acre. These areas were
exceptionally densely timbered and great difficulty was experienced in burning
up paper-bark, which will not burn unless other timber is mixed with it.
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VIEW OF EARLY ORCHARD #8 |
O. E. OWEN WITH LESLIE, OLIVE & GWEN 1911 #9 |
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Initial planting of the
orchard was called a “Fruit Salad Selection”, as this meant trialling a range
of types and varieties to find which were best suited for the conditions. An
example of the very mixed varieties in all early orchards is instanced by the
initial list planted on the Owen property in 1895: twelve orange trees
including 1 Washington navel, 1 Australian navel, 4 lemons, 1 persimmon, 1
mulberry, 6 figs, 20 grapevines, 1 cherry, 6 loquats, 10 pears (including
Bartletts), a few plums and the rest apples of several varieties plus some
strawberries. Within two years about 5 acres had been planted with 1 olive and
5 almonds being included. Apples and pears of several varieties predominated. Oliver said that the
varieties of apples best suited for his orchard were Jonathan, Rome Beauty, Red
Astracan and Rokewood, and it took about seven years before these trees became
profitable. Pears, peaches, plums, grapes, strawberries and oranges grew very
well. Oranges were the most profitable to grow. He grew a large number of the
following varieties:- Washington Navel, Valencia, Blood Oranges and Mandarins.
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THE ORIGINAL OWEN HOUSE #10 |
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OLIVER EDWARD OWEN #11 |
OLIVER EDWARD & MARY ELLEN OWEN On 24th March, 1897, Oliver Edward married
Mary Ellen (Nellie), the youngest daughter of Henry Passmore J.P. and Mary (nee Ellis) Passmore at the
Methodist Church in North Fremantle by Rev. A. J. Barclay. In fact Henry Passmore (the Father) married his third wife on the same day and his daughter, Mary Ellen was both bridesmaid and bride on the same day. Henry
Passmore was born in Devon, England, had been a boy sailor. He
served in the Baltic, and in the Crimean War, before leaving the Imperial Navy
and joining the Convict Service at Dartmoor Prison. He came to
Western Australia in charge of 300 convicts, on board the
"Racehorse", in 1865. Mary Ellen was born at North
Fremantle in 1872. Her mother died in 1877. |
MARY ELLEN (Nellie) OWEN #12 |
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Mary Ellen
(known as Nellie) and her three brothers and three sisters accompanied their
father on many of his assignments. He became well known throughout
the State, taking charge of convict gangs building roads in the suburbs of
Perth, as well as the York Road and the Albany Road. After being
sent to Albany he was successful in working out how to prevent the sand
build-up that was damaging the harbour. He also was in charge of the
Quarantine Station, and is credited with growing the first potatoes in the
district. On his return to Perth he
was put in charge of the dredge “Black Swan” which was used to deepen the
channel and repair sections of the so-called “Convict Fence” along the Canning
River below the Riverton Bridge. Originally built by convicts in the
mid-1860's, it helped keep open the channel that allowed the barges bringing
timber down from the Upper Canning area to negotiate the shallow areas of the
river. The mill in the ranges was built for Bird and Mason, and Mason’s
Mill as it was known was on Canning Location 75. Coincidentally,
this was one of the blocks bought by Edward Owen when he moved to the area in
the 1890's. After more than four years on the Canning, Passmore
returned with the dredge to Perth Water, where he took charge of the dredging
of mud from the river, which was used to fill in the low lying areas to make
the Esplanade, and the area towards the Causeway that became Langley Park. Mary (Nellie) passed away suddenly at West Midland on 17th October 1953 aged 81 years old. Oliver
and Nellie had six children; |
MARY ELLEN (Nellie) OWEN & DAHLIA TREE c1930 #13 |
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GWENDOLYN was born at home in
1897. As was the norm, no doctor was present, but a local woman,
Mrs. Sullivan, acted as midwife. Gwendolyn (Gwen) married Edgar Garland, and
they had three children – Owen Edgar (Ted), Lesley and Laurel. Edgar
died of war injuries when Laurel was a baby, and some years later Gwen married
Graham Ford. They lived in Union Rd, Carmel. Graham
passed away on 20th December 1943. Sometime after Graham’s death,
Gwen built a house on Canning Rd, where she later cared for her father, Oliver until his
death in 1964. Her mother, Nellie predeceased him, passing away in 1953. Gwen
lived to the age of 102, passing away in 2000. |
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LESLIE
CUNLIFFE was born in September 1899. Leslie (Les) married Margery Fist (died
1994) and they ran the family orchard until retirement. They had no
children. Les died in 1980.
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OLIVE MAY was born in June 1901.
Olive married John Gilbert Hooper (Cpl AIF), only son of Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Hooper,
of Southend-on-Sea, England on the 18th
February 1944, at Wesley Church, Perth by Rev. A. B. Lloyd. They had no
children. They worked on the orchard, building a house next to Gwen. John died
in 1975, Ollie in 1984.
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JOHN HOOPER AND OLIVE OWEN ON THEIR WEDDING DAY
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EVA DOREEN (known as Pat,
or Pattie) in 1903. Pattie was a trained nurse, and before she went overseas had nursed at Claremont Mental Asylum, Royal Perth Hospital,
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RAYMOND CECIL was born two years later on
St David's Day - 1st March 1905 on the family property at Monument Hill (Pickering Brook). Ray Owen married his childhood sweetheart,
Flo Hewison, daughter of Helen and William Hewison. Helen was the
Postmistress at Pickering Brook, and they also ran the General Store. Ray
and Flo had five children:- Clive, Helen, Darrell (stillborn) Ken and Eric.
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MARY ETHELWYN (Molly) arrived in March
1911. The youngest daughter, Molly, married William (Bill) J.
Kirkham, eldest son of Mr. W. J. and the late Mrs. Kirkham, of 5 Walter Road,
Claremont, on 11th February 1933 at the Claremont Methodist Church
by Rev. Hay. They had three children:- Anne, Ross and Lyn. Molly
was still living (May 2009) in a Hostel in Mosman Park.
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OWEN ORCHARD 1923 #14 |
OWEN ORCHARD 1923 #15 |
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A
midwife, known as “old lady Wallis” assisted with the births of the last two babies.
All six children grew up on the family property, helping their parents and
grandparents with the orchard chores and with the paying guests who stayed in
Edward and Mary's house. The girls also helped their mother in the
house. It was a large household, with six children and, at one time,
Oliver's maternal grandparents, Edwin (died c1905) and Fanny Judge (details
unknown) who had migrated from England to join the family. As
well, they had a permanent "paying guest", Miss Ellie Hardey, who
lived with them as one of the family. Miss Hardey, the
daughter of the Wesleyan Methodist Hardey family who built Tranby House in
Maylands, had a slight intellectual handicap, but fitted happily into the Owen
family. The Owen children all attended Carmel
School, where Mr. Jackson and the well-known Tom Millar were among the early
teachers.
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CARMEL SCHOOL #16 |
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Edward and Mary ran a
guest-house in part of their house which they had built a short distance away
from Oliver’s house. About the turn of the century, Edward bought a dairy
at Cannington and transferred the stock and equipment to the property, and came
to live there. But this was not a great success, although milk was sold to
local residents, and also sent to Perth daily on the train. The
Moana Café was one of his customers. When it was built in 1908 at 618 Hay Street, the three-storey Moana Chambers included offices, a restaurant, dining rooms, a cafe and a roof garden. Designed by architect Richard Dennehy, it was described as the “finest example of Federation Free Classical Style”. The first proprietor was Demetrius Angels, whose Moana Cafe and Dining Rooms was described as “the largest and best-appointed cafe in Australia” and “the swaggerest restaurant in the metropolis”. It was once described as one of the finest buildings in the Commonwealth, home to the nation’s best-appointed cafe. And it was where former prime minister John Curtin took his new wife Elsie for a wedding lunch, just hours after they were married in 1917. |
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MOANA CAFE IN ALL IT'S GLORY #17 |
MOANA CAFE ABOVE WHAT LATER BECAME EZYWALKIN #18 |
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Edward also continued to conduct his tailoring
business from the property, having quite a clientele among the local timber
workers, as well as customers who came up from Perth. Additional building were
added to house them, then cow-sheds and other building were put up as required. A tailor’s workshop together
with a worker’s room was erected near the original house and Edward did quite a
lot of business locally. Especially with clients at Canning Mills where several
hundred people lived. In the meantime the orchard and garden had been enlarged
and now traded under the name of E. Owen & Son. |
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As befitting a family from Wales the
Owens were staunch Methodists, attending services in early times in a private
home, then in the Carmel School, and later in the Carmel Methodist Church. Edward
Owen was a strict adherent to the practices of his religion, and did not allow
any but the most necessary chores to be done on a Sunday. He also
frowned on such pastimes as gambling or dancing. He forbade any play
on the Sabbath, and chastised any child heard whistling or singing on such a
solemn occasion. However, the work on an orchard and dairy could not
always be suspended on a Sunday, and when the Minister rolled up his sleeves to
help on one particularly busy day, even Edward was forced to accept reality,
even if only on a temporary basis! Oliver was the organist at
the Carmel Church, and the family owned an organ which was played as
accompaniment for hymn singing at home, as well as for the occasional
sing-song. Despite the hard physical work involved on the orchard, the Owen children enjoyed the freedom of their life in the Hills. Trips to Perth were made by the train, which wound its way to the city via Kalamunda and the famous zig-zag railway line down the Darling Range escarpment. Apart from visitors to the guest-house, the Owens hosted picnics for members of the Perth Welsh community, including an annual New Year's Day picnic at near-by Shinglewood Flats, and parties of fellow Welsh immigrants regularly made the trip up by excursion train to enjoy the fresh, clear air of the Hills.
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EDWARD OWEN PRUNING ON HOMEMADE LADDER c1927 #19 |
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EDWARD OWEN'S CARMEL METHODIST CHURCH SUNDAY SCHOOL GROUP #20
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CARMEL METHODIST CHURCH GROUP #21 |
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Oliver’s
brother, Arthur Vernon, who had worked in Perth came to the property and built
a house on the lower part of Location 75. He married Winifred Patterson and
they had 3 children :- Maisie, Vernon and Frank. Winifred’s father ran a
sawmill near Mundaring Weir. Arthur was more interested in the timber industry
and although he later started an orchard he didn’t progress far. Edward
built his own house on the upper part of Location 75 in 1912. And his daughter
Edith, who was a tailoress in Perth, came there to live. About
that same time the property was divided up and Oliver took over Locations 295,
264, 935 and 639 which had the greater part of the orchard. His father, Edward
took over the upper half of Location 75 and his brother, Arthur had the lower
part of that block. Oliver had developed two to three acres of orchard on
Location 75, but as his father, Edward, had sold the dairy cows and went back
to his profession in the metropolitan area, and only came home on the weekends.
His mother Nellie and his sister Edith, started a Guesthouse and did quite a
lot of business with clients from Perth and Fremantle. Oliver
Owen and Thomas Price, whose names go back to the turn of the century in the
realm of fruit growing, used to relate difficulties encountered in the
"manufacturing" process of lime-sulphur. The ingredients were boiled
in a heavy metal cauldron for a long period of time and the fire needed
"stoking up" in the early hours of the morning. The actual spray
material was pumped by hand from a wooded cask of barrel usually of 44 gallon
(182 litre) capacity. The barrel was situated on a horse drawn cart or
skid-like sledge. This job was very irksome and monotonous as the pressure
needed to be regular and constant. Work often started at 7.00 a.m. Low
pressure resulted in ineffective coverage and timely reminders were made by the
hose operator to the youth pumping to "keep up the pressure". It was
a most unpopular job To
augment the financial return from the orchard, besides the 30 milking cows, Oliver
established a poultry yard with over 1000 White Leghorn hens. Most of the eggs
were sent to Perth by rail mainly the Foy and Gibsons in Hay Street, Perth. He
also had 300 Indian Runner ducks for fattening and egg laying. The return
obtained from the fruit, vegetables, milk, cream, eggs, table poultry, and pigs
resulted in a comfortable income. |
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OWEN FAMILY "ROSEDALE" 1931 #22
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RAYMOND CECIL OWEN EULOGY GIVEN ON RAY OWEN Ray Owen was born on the family property at Monumeny Hill (Pickering Brook) on March 1, 1905 to Oliver and Mary Ellen (nee Passmore), joining elder sisters, Gwen, Ollie, Pat and brother Les. The youngest, Molly was born in 1911. Oliver (Pa) and Mary Ellen (who was known as Nell) had arrived in the district in 1893 with parents Edward and Mary Owen, taking up land, including location 75, to run a dairy and develop an orchard. Edward continued his tailoring business and Mary ran a guest house, with young Ray roped in to help entertain the guests on bush walks, and to deliver milk to local residents, to the rail junction at Pickering Brook, and to the local store. This could be called a labour of love as he would see his childhood sweetheart, Flo Hewison, whose mother ran the Store and Post Office. The two became school-mates at Carmel School, and after a long courtship were married in the Carmel Methodist church in 1933. Ray was a good student, winning a scholarship to the Narrogin School of Agriculture which he took up in 1919, making an auspicious start by arriving on the back of a motor cycle and sidecar with Pa and brother Les, after a bone jarring trip of 8 hours. Ray enjoyed his two years at Narrogin, particularly the practical work, particularly blacksmithing, at which he excelled. In fact, his teacher suggested to Oliver that he should consider allowing Ray to take up blacksmithing as his trade.
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RAY OWEN & FLO HEWISON #23 |
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RAY, PA & LES HEADING OFF TO NARROGIN SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE 1919 #72 |
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RAY OWEN #24 |
Ray often talked about his time at Narrogin, and was thrilled when his youngest son, Ric, followed in his footsteps and attended the College also. Ray’s daughter Helen taped many hours of his memories of his two years at Narrogin, and copies have been sent to the school archives, and some of these stories were printed in the History of the Narrogin School of Agriculture published a few years ago. Ray’s memory was legendary. Not only could he name all his school mates, but also remember where they came from, and often also their father’s occupation. He could name the dates of certain events, and also the weather at the time, and possibly also the score of a tennis or cricket match. The following anecdote well illustrates Ray’s memory: |
FLO HEWISON #25 |
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When meeting up with a younger “Old boy” of Narrogin a few years ago Ray asked if he remembered “Old Charlie”. This chap responded by saying that he didn’t remember many of the teachers. Ray retorted, “Charlie was a horse not a teacher. His stall was third on the right as you come in.” My memory is nothing like Ray’s so the stall position as I have given it may be incorrect, but I am sure Ray had it right. |
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TEAM OF HORSES HAY BINDING OF THE OWEN PROPERTY #73 |
From Narrogin Ray won another scholarship to University, studying in 1921-2 for a Diploma in Agriculture. He later returned to part time study graduating with a degree in Agricultural Science in 1934. He lectured in Horticulture at UWA for 6 years, and in 1936 was a foundation member of the Institute of Agricultural Science, which granted him Life Membership in 1985. Ray worked with the Department of Agriculture from 1924 until he retired from his position as Assistant Superintendent of Horticulture to enter Parliament in 1944. Man-powered during World War 2 Ray undertook studies in the dehydration, preservation, and canning of fruit for the troops. Despite this heavy work load he continued to help develop the family orchard. In 1934 he had purchased an adjoining undeveloped block of land from his aunt, Edith Owen, and with this began a life time of devotion to his own property.
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To add to the load of full-time work, part-time study, and orchard work, Ray began to grow vegetables to raise money to develop his block and would often rise at first light and ably assisted by some of the Italian and Yugoslav workers settling in the district, would pick cauliflowers and then deliver them to market before returning to work or University. In the early years he travelled by train, but then invested in an Indian Motor cycle and later a nifty little Salmson, a French sports car, which became a well known sight zipping up into the hills- on one occasion Police lay in wait for him, but Ray chose that day to come home by a different route. RAY OWEN & HIS "SALMSON" FRENCH SPORTS CAR #63 |
CENTRAL DARLING RANGE FRUITGROWERS ASSOCIATION Photo attached shows Ray standing alongside his 1928 single seater (two People) Salmson Sports car. Ray purchased it in 1928 (believed October) from Maddren Motors in Hay Street. It was new but just the motor, chassis and wheels. Initailly he put a seat into it and later had Sharp & Son, Motor body builders in Roe Street, Perth who built the body and painted it. Just a few months after Maddren’s were appointed agents, they imported 6 chassis covering some of the various engine and models of the Salmson and Ray’s was one of those. He paid two hundred pound for just the chassis, motor & radiator. He never said what the body cost. It was painted sky blue similar to another being raced at the local speedway. |
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For years Ray worked these double shifts, and every weekend, sometimes working late into the night helping Pa & Les with their fruit so that he and Flo could “borrow” the shed to get their own fruit ready for market. As the orchard developed Flo & Ray were reliant on the help provided by their off-spring, particularly when Parliamentary duties called. Today, Ken & Ric run the family orchard, now amalgamated with some of the original Owen holding, with around 50 acres planted with mixed stone fruit, apples and pears. In the 1950's Ray took up a block of some 1800 acres of bushland in the York area that was developed by the family into a sheep and cattle property. This is now run by his eldest son Clive and his son Steve.
RAY & LES OWEN WITH REO TRUCK LOAD OF HAY c1923 #27 |
RAY WITH A c1908 SHEARER TWO FURROW STUMP JUMP PLOW #28 |
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With Clive, Helen, Ken and Ric, ably assisted by Pam, Peter and Audrey, Ray & Flo began a dynasty that has produced nine grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren, a family of which they were very proud. Flo died in 1992 aged 86 years, just a few months before the couple’s 60th wedding Anniversary. Ray continued to live in the family home with Ric until April 2001 when failing health necessitated a move into Carinya Nursing Home in Bicton where he was a much-loved resident. Ray died on January 16, 2003, just a few weeks short of his 98th birthday. Ray’s commitment to the Community and to the Hills District he loved was immeasurable. He served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly for a total of 15 years between 1944 and 1962. From 1947 Ray was on the Darling Range Road Board, later the Kalamunda Shire Council for a period of 18 years, including 16 years as Chairman and President. The Shire paid tribute by appointing him the first Honorary Freeman of the Shire in 1966, and Raymond Street and the Ray Owen Reserve and Recreation Centre in Lesmurdie were both named in honour of Ray. |
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HONORARY FREEMAN CERTIFICATE #29
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He was a Justice of the Peace for over 30 years, but undoubtedly his greatest contribution was to the Fruit Growing Industry. He was a member of the WA Fruit Growers Association from 1933, serving for many years as Chairman of the Central Citrus Growers’ Council; Chairman of the Stone-Fruit Growers’ Committee; and President of the Executive Committee. He represented the WA Central Citrus Council at the inaugural Australian Citrus Growers’ Federation meeting in Sydney in 1948 and continued as a delegate for 22 years, being twice elected President. Ray was instrumental in the formation in 1965 of the Export Stone Fruit Pool and was a member of the Export Stone Fruit Growers’ Association, and President of both Organisations. He was on the Board of Directors of Producers’ Markets Co-Operative for 11years and was made a Life Member of the WA Fruit Growers’ Association in 1996
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From his early years Ray had a love for the bush, particularly the flora and fauna of the District, and for the Hills District, especially the Kalamunda, Carmel and Pickering Brook areas. He had a deep interest in local history and, until a year or so before his death, a prodigious memory, and was often called on to answer queries. Many hours of oral history have been recorded which will keep his memory alive. Ray also loved poetry, particularly Australian Poetry by Lawson and Banjo Paterson. He took pride and pleasure in learning and reciting “The Man from Snowy River”. He wrote several poems for his own enjoyment including, “Foothills”, “Canning Location 75”, and “Kalamunda”. He took pride in compliments on his good singing voice which he attributed to his Welsh ancestry, and often entertained staff and residents of Carinya with renditions of old songs and ditties, some of which might not have passed muster in polite society. Ray was always a practical man, with an inventive mind, developing tools and machines to help run his orchard more efficiently. He could turn his hand to any task, including building and blacksmithing. In his later years he spent some time restoring an old Clayton & Shuttleworth horse-drawn steam-engine, purchased by his father to run a small saw-mill to cut timber for fruit-cases. Although restored to full running order, regulations did not allow Ray to fulfill his ambition to have it as part of a machinery museum, but this did not stop him from “getting up steam” in the old machine. However he lent it to the Department of Agriculture’s Avon Research Station, where it is a prize exhibit. Ray did not “retire” until he was in his nineties, taking an active role in the work of the orchard, although handing over the reins to his sons. He took on the responsibility of the tree nursery, and his budding and grafting skills were put to good use. Although slowing down and troubled by arthritis he was pruning and still packing a fair case of fruit until age finally caught up to him at around 94 years of age. |
RAY & FLO OWEN
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At his funeral service in 2003, one of Ray’s poems which he composed many years before, named “Canning Location 75”, was read to the large gathering of mourners: Canning Location 75 There’s a valley in the ranges, And midway down the valley, Nearby the parrots chatter loudly, Wattlers, fantails, robins, wrens, Beneath thick scrub beside the creeks swampy edges, Sunset, and as the shades grow dim, A silvery glow in the eastern skies, To me it was a joy and a pleasure,
FOOTNOTE: Raymond Cecil Owen was inducted in the Hall of Fame
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Ray and Flo had five children:- Clive, Helen, Darrell, Ken and Eric. CLIVE MacKENZIE OWEN Clive was born in 1934 in West Perth. At the St. Peter's Anglican Church in Victoria Park, on the 16th November 1957, the Rev Ralph Thomas officiated the wedding of Clive MacKenzie Owen, son of Ray & Flo Owen of Pickering Brook to Pamela Jean Annetts, daughter of Wally & Madge Annetts of Carmel. Bestman was Malcolm Beard, Groomsman was Noel Beard and the bride was attended by Clive's sister Helen Owen and Pam's sister Marie Annetts and Barbara Padgett. |
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CLIVE McKENZIE OWEN Aged 1 year old 1935 #32 |
PAM ANNETTS & HER BROTHER 1941-42 #33 |
PAM ANNETTS 19th APRIL 1941 #34 |
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CLIVE OWEN IN FANCY DRESS, GOSNELLS 1940 #35 |
HELEN & CLIVE WITH WHEELBARROW #68 |
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CLIVE & HELEN WITH PET CATS 1940 #69 |
CLIVE OWEN AT SWANBOURNE MILITARY CAMP c1954 #36 |
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DOUBLE CELEBRATION - CLIVE's 21st AND ANNOUNCING ENGAGEMENT TO PAM ANNETTS c1956 #37 |
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PAM ANNETTS TAKING PART IN FASHION PARADE #38
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CLIVE & PAM OWEN ON THEIR WEDDING DAY #39 |
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CLIVE & PAM OWEN ON THEIR WEDDING DAY #40 |
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CLIVE & PAM OWEN ON THEIR WEDDING DAY #41
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PAM OWEN'S FIRST GROCERY SHOP AFTER GETTING MARRIED #42 |
PAM OWEN'S FIRST GROCERY SHOP AFTER GETTING MARRIED #43 |
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CLIVE & PAM OWEN #44
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HELEN MARGARET OWEN Helen was born in 1936 at West Perth. On the 2nd August 1958, at Wesley Church, Rev George Bensley officiated the wedding of Peter Berry Skehan, fifth son of Tom & Phyllis Skehan of South Como, and Helen Margaret Owen, daughter of Ray C. Owen, M.L.A., and Flo Owen of Pickering Brook. The bride wore a full length gown of white chantilly lace with a short train. On her head she wore a circlet of white roses and a lace trimmed veil. The bestman was Perth league footballer, Charlie Skehan, and groomsman was Claude Skehan, both Peter's brothers. The bride had two matrons of honor, her sister-in-law Pam Owen and Thelma Skehan, Charlie's wife. They both wore frocks of white flock nylon over aqua taffeta.
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HELEN IN A BRIDE'S FANCY DRESS COSTUME 1940 #70 |
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ClLIVE, HELEN & KEN RIDING BIKES TO SCHOOL 1948 #71 |
HELEN OWEN PACKING FRUIT c1955 #45 |
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DEBUTANTES BALL 1955 #46 |
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PETER & HELEN SKEHAN ON THEIR WEDDING DAY #47 |
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PETER & HELEN SKEHAN ON THEIR WEDDING DAY #48 |
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RAY OWEN WITH HELEN & FIRST CHILD JUDY, OLIVER OWEN #49
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DARRELL OWEN Sadly Darrell was stillborn on 2nd November 1939. His parents valued him very much and gave him a full funeral service and burial at Karrakatta Cemetery.
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KENNETH RUSSELL OWEN Ken was born in 1942 at Subiaco. At Woodloes Homestead Chapel (also known as the Church with the Chimney) Cannington on the 14th April 1973, the wedding took place between Ken Owen, the middle son of Ray and Flo Owen of Pickering Brook, and Audrey King of Thornlie, eldest daughter of Lilian King and the late Sam King of London. The Groom was supported by his brother Ric Owen whilst the bride was attended by Jenny Skehan, Judy Skehan, Marie Owen and Debbie Owen. The reception was held at the White House, Nicholson Road, Cannington.
KEN & AUDREY OWEN ON THEIR WEDDING DAY #50 |
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KEN & AUDREY OWEN ON THEIR WEDDING DAY #51
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ERIC RAYMOND OWEN Eric (Ric) was born in 1946 at Subiaco. He attended Carmel Primary School and later Governor Stirling High School in West Midland. From there he went the Narrogin School of Agriculture following his father's footsteps. After leaving Narrogin, Ric returned to the family orchard, joining his
father and brothers, on the orchard, and also in developing and working the farm
on the West Talbot Rd, near York.
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CLIVE, KEN & ERIC CARMEL FOX HUNT c1950 #52 |
RAY & ERIC ENJOYING THE OLDEN TIMES #53 |
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ERIC OWEN #64 |
Eventually, his brother, Clive, took over running the farm, while Ken and Ric worked and managed the orchard. Ric showed an interest and a commitment to the fruit growing industry in WA, being involved in the WA Fruitgrowers’ Association, at both local and State level, and the Hills’ Development group. In 1997 Ric, continuing the family tradition of leadership in WA’s horticultural industry, was elected President of the WA Fruit Growers Association, a position he held for some years. Ric also was presented with the Hills Development Group’s Annual Award in recognition of his work with the Group, and with the industry. In 2016, many years after the initial purchase in 1939, the majority of the land and orchard developed by Oliver, Les, and Ray Owen and his family, along with the family home, was sold to Tony Vincenti, of Pickering Brook. Ric had turned 70, and felt the time had come to cut down on his work load, and try something new. Ric sold his share of the York property to his brother Ken. To keep some of the original holdings in the Owen family, Ken’s daughter, Mechelle, and her husband Aaron Gates, bought Ric’s share of the Rosedale block.The sale of the house and his share of the orchard and farm enabled Ric to leave WA and settle in NSW. He purchased a home with several acres of land in Woomargama, near Albury, NSW, where he has settled into semi-retirement with his partner, Annette.
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ERIC OWEN #65
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ERIC OWEN #66
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THE MASON & BIRD SAWMILL CONNECTION The Mason & Bird Sawmill was built on location 75 which later became the property of the Owen Family. The only block that had any improvement on it was Location 75, which had a boundary fence of post and rail surrounding it which had been a bullock paddock for the mill. The wooden tramways used by the mills ran right through the property. Timber salvaged from this tramway was used for various purposes on the Owen orchard. When OLiver first started to develop the property he lived in a tent and later acquired one of the old mill cottages and re-built it on Location 935, later extended into a four roomed house.
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SALVAGED TIMBER FROM THE MASON & BIRD TRAMWAY #54 |
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THE ORIGINAL OWEN HOUSE #55 |
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RUINS OF THE ORIGINAL OWEN HOUSE c1980 #57 |
RUINS OF THE ORIGINAL OWEN HOUSE #58 |
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BILL SHAW & RAY OWEN |
The Mason & Bird wooden tramway was used to transport the sawn timber from the Bickley sawmill all the way down to the Canning River so it could be then barged to Fremantle for export. The remains of the route where the tramway went, are still in existence today and is used for historic ""Night Ghost Walks" during the summer months run by the City of Gosnells. |
RAY OWEN & BILL SHAW DIGGING UP TWO SLEEPERS |
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STEAM
ENGINE REBUILD During
World War One when Western Australian orchardists relied on Scandinavian pine
cases for their fruit, this supply was cut off. Local Jarrah wooden cases were
in demand so Oliver bought a Clayton & Shuttleworth horse-drawn steam engine and started a fruit case mill to help
supply the districts demand for cases. More buildings were erected for this
purpose but with the shortage of labour some of the orchard had to be
neglected. The steam
engine was restored by Ray Owen at his property in Canning Road, Carmel,
October 1978. The engine used to be on his father's property (O T Owen) not far
from Ray Owen's place and was used to cut timber & for other purposes. Although restored to full running order, regulations did not allow Ray to fulfill his ambition to have it as part of a machinery museum, but this did not stop him from “getting up steam” in the old machine. However he lent it to the Department of Agriculture’s Avon Research Station, where it is a prize exhibit. |
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RAY OWEN ABOUT TO START RESTORING THE OLD CLAYTON & SHUTTLEWORTH HORSE DRAWN STEAM ENGINE OCTOBER 1978 #61 |
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RAY OWEN WITH RESTORATION OF THE OLD CLAYTON & SHUTTLEWORTH HORSE DRAWN STEAM ENGINE UNDERWAY #62
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Western Mail Thursday 22 February 1951 Page 6
Darling Range is represented by a versatile parliamentarian who is a
home-grown product MEET THE MEMBER! Cruising past an orchard in the Carmel area on a sizzling hot Sunday
afternoon I received a cheery hail from an overheated individual whose main
garb was a pair of toil stained shorts. As he could usually serve as a model
for what the well-dressed legislator should wear I may be pardoned for having
failed to recognise Ray Owen, the sitting member for Darling Range, at first
glance. Raymond Cecil Owen, B.Sc. (Agric.), M.L.A., is a man of many parts.
Apart from being the member for the district and a commercial orchardist in his
own right, he is chairman of the Darling Range Road Board and of the Central
Darling Range Fruitgrowers' Association. He is also chairman of both the
Central Citrus Council and the Stone Fruit Committee of the West Australian
Fruitgrowers' Association and a member of its executive, besides holding office
in a number of sporting bodies in his district. Born and raised on an orchard-his father has been a fruitgrower for half
a century or thereabouts - the member for Darling Range superimposed wide practical and academic
knowledge on this useful
background. He took his B.'Sc. (Agric.) degree at the University of Western
Australia and then served as Horticultural Adviser with the Department of
Agriculture. In between times he developed an orchard property from practically
virgin land and raised a family of four children, assisted most ably by Mrs.
Owen. |
TWO YOUNG OWENS DEMONSTRATING THE PICKING LADDER |
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A NEAT HOME-MADE WHEELBARROW
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The Family Helps All the Owens are good "assisters." On this particular Sunday,
a hot spell had brought the stonefruit to maturity in a hurry and the Sabbath was no day of rest for the Hills
orchardists. The Owen family in full strength was busy getting fruit ready for
the market. Beneath an enormous straw hat, Mrs. Owen was picking' peaches,
assisted by her 16-year-old son Clive.
In the shed the only Owen daughter, Helen, aged 14, was skillfully packing huge
Ruby Reds. Clive and Helen are both at Modern School, but in their off-school
hours they make a very welcome addition to the labour strength of the orchard. Even the smaller fry, Ken, aged eight, and Ricky, aged four, were
fussing round the shed looking important and carrying case "shucks"
to the nailing bench. There was a home-made nail-shaker on this, bench too,
which I must describe later for the Mutual Help section. |
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The Owen Holdings Ray Owen's grandfather took up land in this area many years ago and
today the member, his father and his uncle, each own adjoining properties. Some
of their land was taken up in 1861 as the bullock paddock for Bird and Mason's
sawmill and a wooden tramway ran through the land, on which sawn timber was carried
to the Canning River for lightering to Perth. Ray's share of the
property is 45 acres, which was mostly virgin bush when it came to him in 1934.
Today he has 20 acres planted, consisting of eight acres of citrus, an acre of
apples and pears, with the balance under stone fruit. All the area may be
irrigated by sprinklers and light portable pipes, ample permanent water being
supplied by the main drain, a brook running through the property. This is
equipped with a 20h.p. diesel engine and 2in. heavy-duty centrifugal pump. . Peaches and Plums At the time of my visit the peaches were demanding the lion's share of
the attention--and they got my attention without even demanding it. The
brightly-hued Ruby Reds were magnificent, and I would like to have taken a
colour photograph of some of the well-laden trees. There were golden-yellow
Blackburns too, with pink striping, but the Spinks had passed their zenith earlier
in the season. Ray's Narrabeen plums were enormous and the quality was as outstanding
as the quantity. He had, plums that were over three inches in diameter and
weighed up to lO oz. each - big red and yellow brindled monsters that were
sugar-sweet and juicy enough for anyone's taste. There were trees of Delawares, Ruby Bloods, and Wicksons and over in the
neighbouring orchard owned by Mr.Owen, Sen., there were apple trees half a
century old that had started as Red Astrakhans and other varieties seldom heard
of today but had been worked over to more popular strains. |
THIS STRONGLY-CONSTRUCTED POWER SPRAYER WAS MADE ON THE PROPERTY |
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THESE HOME_MADE WHEEL EXTENSIONS GIVE GOOD SERVICE IN SLIPPERY SOIL |
Gadgetry Ray is a particularly efficient handyman and has a host of useful
home-made gadgets that are a credit to his ingenuity and skill with tools. The Farmall tractor that supplies all the farm power carries the
standard toolbar and pneumatic lifting gear, but he also adapted it to operate
a home-made "calf-dozer”, a jack-hammer for drilling holes for blasting, and a small spray ' outfit for
fruit-fly baiting. His big orchard-spraying outfit is a magnificent job designed to be
towed by the tractor, and is also home-made. A 160-gallon Army water tank is
the reservoir. This was fitted with baffles when purchased, and was later lined with
bitumastic paint to prevent corrosion when using Bordeaux mixture. A Ronaldson-Tippet
duplex pump was fitted and driven through an Indian motor cycle gearbox to give
a reduction in second gear. Power is supplied from the tractor power take-off
per medium of the tailshaft and universal from a Vauxhall car. The axle and
wheel hubs are from a Chevrolet and the wheels from an A-model Ford but they
carry 9.00 x 20 tyres - rejects from the bus company. An agitator inside the tank is operated by the pump and the spray is
delivered through two hoses and spraying lances. A pair of neat wheel extensions for the tractor are other home-made
gadgets which have well repaid the time spent on their manufacture. Old drill
wheel rims were "cut and shut" to the correct size and oxy welded,
then drilled to take the lugs/ Strap iron was used to make the attachments with
holes which can rapidly be slipped over the four bolts holding the
wheel-weights. When the pneumatic tyres slip in wet weather, the lugs afford
welcome assistance. Picking ladders of a neat and highly efficient type are made and used on
the property and details of the design are shown in the accompanying illustration. The broad
base gives stability and the ladders are amazingly light to handle. A neat rubber-tyred wheel-barrow took my eye, and I was not altogether
surprised to learn that, despite its professional finish, it too was made on
the place. It was a copy of an American barrow-- Syracuse pattern--and was very
light but exceedingly strong, being well stayed with light steel straps
wherever the stresses and strains were likely to occur. |
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Every endeavour has been made to accurately record the details however if you would like to provide additional images and/or newer information we are pleased to update the details on this site. Please use CONTACT at the top of this page to email us. We appreciate your involvement in recording the history of our area.
References: Article: Gordon Freegard Images: 1, 2, 3, 17, 18 Internet
Copyright : Gordon Freegard 2008-2021
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