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ROBERT GILCHRIST #1 |
Thomas worked
together with John Moffett, on road construction in the Lesmurdie and Walliston
areas, to help pay for their fare out from Ireland. Gilchrist Road and Moffett
Road are named after them and they also named Pomeroy Road, after a little
village near Belfast. Thomas also helped build St. Swithin’s Church in
Lesmurdie Road and “Lesmurdie House” for the Sanderson’s. |
THOMAS & ELIZABETH GILCHRIST #2 |
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SAINT SWITHIN'S CHURCH c1912 #3 |
SAINT SWITHIN'S CHURCH c1912 #4 |
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"LESMURDIE HOUSE" #5 |
"LESMURDIE HOUSE" #6 |
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In 1912 the
twins Len and Ruby accidentally burnt down their home. All their possessions were
lost in the fire. All the neighbours around the district rallied to help them.
The Moffetts, Jock Tanner, Littlelys and the Snooks all set to and helped
re-build a home for them at the corner of Edward and Welshpool Roads. The children,
Evelyn, (later Mrs. Palmer), Reg, Leslie, and twins Len and Ruby, (Mrs.
Stables), went to Carmel School and were some of the first pupils to attend.
The Carmel School closed in 1990. |
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CARMEL SCHOOL 1916 Back Row (L -R): RAY OWEN, BEVERLEY MASON, JACK LITTLELY, LEN HALL, GEORGE FAWKES, ANDY McWHIRTER, STAN ROADS, LES GILCHRIST, ROWENA LITTLELY, Baby ? , OLIVE OWEN, RITA TURNER, FLORRIE FOX. |
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The Water
Board of the day resumed Thomas and Alice’s property as Catchment Area for the
Bickley Reservoir, paying him one thousand pounds ($2,000). He moved to
Queensland with his wife and the two youngest children, living there for a few
years before returning to Western Australia, and settling at “Eden Park”
Kelmscott. Thomas
Gilchrist died suddenly on the 6th January 1932, supposedly from a
heart attack, while driving a motor truck at Bickley, near Kalamunda. He was
accompanied by his brother, John, who stopped the truck when his brother
collapsed. Thomas had previously suffered from heart attacks. He was aged 60
years when he died. His wife, Alive died seventeen years later, in 1949 aged 79
years. Alice Louise Gilchrist died on 6th August 1947 aged 79 years in St John
of Gods Hospital Subiaco Western Australia. Thomas and Alice are both buried at
the Karrakatta Cemetery Western Australia, Thomas and Alice had the following children: |
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Evelyn was born on 17th June 1899.
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EVELYN GILCHRIST #9 |
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Reginald was born circa 5th January 1901. He
married Vera Alice Lillian Cockle on 25th August 1923. Reginald died 8th March
1985 at Mount Pleasant Western Australia age 84.
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REGINALD GILCHRIST #10 |
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Leslie James was born on 25th March 1903, at Sea View in Glyde Street East Fremantle. He married Wilhelmina Charlotte Champion on 2nd December 1925. Leslie died on 1st November 1984 aged 81 years. They had two children William and Ronald. Wilhelmina
Charlotte Champion was born on 17th April 1902 and died on 13th November 1980 at the Kalamunda
Hospital aged 78 years. She was residing in Carmel prior to attending Kalamunda Hospital. Leslie “Les”
and his wife Wilhelmina, nee Champion, moved from Gooseberry Hill to their
property in Welshpool Road in 1929. They bought their land from John Snell who
had lived in the district for many years. Les and Wilhelmina planted their orchard
and worked it all their lives. The property was later passed on to their son
Bill. During the forties and fifties Bill worked on the orchard known as "Braewick Orchard" or more commonly known as "Tait's Hill" on the east side of Canning Road, Carmel. At the time the orchard was owned by Mrs. Lucy Barritt (widower) and on her death in 1950 the orchard passed to her son Arthur Barritt on February 14th 1951. Lucy Barritt (1877-1950) was in partnership with Miss Pryor from abot 1935 onwards, taking full possession of the property on January 11th 1946. The property was later passed on to their son Bill.
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LESLIE & WILHELMINA GILCHRIST #11 |
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Les worked
for a while helping to build Bickley Reservoir during the 1930’s depression. As
he couldn’t find enough work to support his family, he and his Brother-in-law,
Bert Champion, carted tins of fuel in an old Chevrolet Truck to the wheat belt
areas of Western Australia. He also worked on Miss Prior’s orchard, and later
Barritts in Carmel Road, whilst trying to build up his own orchard. He then
also worked as a linesman on the State Electricity Commission in Kalamunda. In
1944, Les and his brother then bought 125 acres of land that the Water Board
had re-released in Hardinge Road. Les and his nephew, Ron, cleared the land by
hand and grew vegetables and flowers while developing the orchard. As young
boys, Boyce Lording, Bill and Ron Gilchrist used the old red gum tree outside
their house as a wicket and would spent all their spare time practising
cricket. In the best tradition, Mrs. Gilchrist provided home-made cream sponges
and scones for their afternoon tea. The hours of practise paid off, as the
three were foundation members of the Pickering Brook Cricket Club. Ron later
played A Grade with South Perth. On the
property in Hardinge Road were still the remains of the old saw pits that were
used in the earlier days by Mason and Bird. Nearby was Tanner Road, which was
named after one of the early settlers who used to grow strawberries on his
block. He would push a big barrow up to Walliston Siding, load the strawberries
on to the train, to be taken to the markets in Perth, and then push the barrow
home, ready to repeat the trip each market day. Once when
Mrs. Gilchrist Senior was due to have one of her babies, she had to go down to
the hospital quite a few days early as transport could not be relied upon if
you were in a hurry. The hospital also asked her to bring down some eggs, for
her breakfast. It must has been a comical picture of a nine month’s pregnant
lady, her luggage, plus a bag of eggs, going off to have her baby, but that is
how is was in those days. When Ron
Gilchrist married Mary Curry in 1955, they moved out to an almost virgin block,
near what is now Tanner Road, but it was not formed then. For 13 years they did
not have power or scheme water. They cleared a track through the bush to
Melville’s property so they then had access to their place. Mary had lived with
her parents, Don and Violet Curry, in Kalamunda prior to getting married. They
had electricity where it was accepted as the “norm”. However after marrying and
moving to their block in Tanner Road she was faced with no electricity. Using a
type of Tilley Lamp, flat irons and a Coolgardie Safe, she felt she was going
back in time. But she soon adjusted. Ron was one
of the first growers to use “trays”, instead of “flats”, to market his peaches,
as it saved a lot of bruising of the fruit. Using an old cart under a peach
tree as a packing bench, Mary packed peaches. Later when they built a big
packing shed they bought one of the first graders made by Jack Thomas. In the
earlier days, Ron walked to Lesmurdie School, then later to Kalamunda School.
Ron and Mary’s sons, Mike and Brad walked through the bush and meet up with
Laurie Bruni at the corner, then they’d all walk on to Carmel School. |
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Leonard is the twin of Ruby Lillian, both born on 5th
October 1906. Leonard died on 17th March 1956 at 49 years of age. Cause of
death: Killed as a pedestrian by a motor cycle in Midland WA. This was also the
case for his sister Ruby who died many years later when she was hit by a motor
vehicle. Leonard never married. Leonard was also known as Benny.
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TWINS LEONARD & RUBY GILCHRIST #12 |
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Ruby was born on 5th October 1906. Ruby is a
twin of Leonard Thomas Gilchrist.
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RUBY GILCHRIST #13 |
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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.
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References: Article: Gordon Freegard Images: 1, 2, 9, 10,11, 12, 13 Gilchrist Family Collection
Copyright : Gordon Freegard 2008 - 2022 |
