Arthur Garfield DARLING
Born 1883 in Emerald, Victoria, Australia [15]
Son of James DARLING and Elizabeth DOWIE [15] [55]
His grandfather John DARLING was the large-scale grain buyer and exporter who established the firm John Darling & Son [200]
In 1896 his mother died at the age of 33, when he was 13 years old [54]
Grazier in Glenaroua, Victoria, Australia 1905-1913 [50]
Married (1) Rosa BROWN in 1908 in Footscray, Victoria, Australia [39: 14-May-1915] [54]
He and his father travelled on the steamship Orsova from Melbourne, Victoria to Fremantle, Western Australia [225: 9-Sep-1913]
Following their arrival in Fremantle on 9 September 1913 they stayed at the Palace Hotel in Perth [225: 10-Sep-1913]
His father purchased 16,080 acres of virgin land in Carnamah, Western Australia on 23 September 1913 [27]
The land was purchased from the Midland Railway Company for £13,668 (17/- per acre), payable by instalments over 15 years [27]
Shifted to the property at his father's request, and had to repay his father the money that had been borrowed to buy it [P190]
The 16,080 acres in Carnamah consisted of Lots M988, M999, M1000, M1001, M1002, M1003,[27]
M1004, M1005, M1009, M1011, M1012, M1013, M1014, M1015, M1016, M1018, M1019, M1020, [27]
M1021, M1022, M1033, M1034 and M1035 of Victoria Locations 1934, 1935 and 2020 [27]
Shifted to his father's property in Carnamah in 1913 with his wife and children initially remaining in Victoria [39: 14-May-1915]
Farmer & Grazier of Inering Farm in Carnamah 1913-1923 [P190]
From late September 1913 his father advertised for ring-barking, post cutting and tank sinking contractors in Carnamah [39: 29-Sep-1913]
In the early development of the property employed large numbers of teams of men to clear the land [P14]
It was reported in early October 1913 that he'd been in Moora arranging for men to work on their property in Carnamah [9: 3-Oct-1913]
By January 1915 over £10,000 had been spent on improving the property [9: 22-Jan-1915]
It was reported "it is evident from the policy of vigorous development that he does not intend to have an idle acre" [9: 22-Jan-1915]
Much of the land was heavily timbered and its transformation from clearing to crop was "no small achievement" [129: 18-Jun-1915]
He used the registered horse and cattle firebrand of D6R on his Inering Farm in Carnamah [486]
After initially only using the property for grazing by 1915 he was cropping 2,300 acres of the property [10: 30-Mar-1915] [129: 18-Jun-1915]
He was said to have been "keen and successful" and "the largest wheat and sheep owner in the Carnamah district" in 1922 [34]
Also had significant portions of the property share-cropped, especially by Herbert C. MARKHAM [P14]
Herbert C. MARKHAM share-cropped 2,000 acres in 1915, 4,000 acres in 1916, and 2,000 acres in 1917 [10: 19-Jun-1917] [34]
Inering was among the best mixed farming properties in the State, and was referred to on equal footing as Glentromie Station[34]
Their large stone homestead on Inering had jarrah floors, pressed tin ceilings, four fireplaces and a two metre wide cellar [P338]
The homestead had a garden with many roses and creepers [P83] and a separate three roomed cookhouse and bathroom [P338]
His wife and children initially remained in Victoria however during the year 1914 moved to join him in Carnamah [293: 17-May-1915]
After attending a stock sale in Mingenew he became suspicious of his wife and a clearing contractor working on his property [293]
His wife left without his knowledge, after which he travelled to Perth and searched for her without success [293]
He later received a letter from his wife, who was in Victoria, saying she intended on returning to him in Carnamah [293]
Sought a divorce from his wife and was granted a decree nasi in Perth on Saturday 15 May 1915 [293: Page 12 of 17-May-1915]
Their three children Eleanor, Hugh and John remained with him in Carnamah, despite Rosa trying to get them [P366]
In 1915 he employed the services of William PAYNE who sunk a 150 foot deep well on the highest point of his property [P14]
The said well, known as Payne's Well, was reputed to have been the deepest well in the Carnamah district [P14]
Member of the Carnamah Cricket Club in 1913 and 1914 [9: 28-Nov-1913, 1-May-1914]
He employed the services of Three Springs blacksmith David TODD to built him a wool or timber dray in later 1915 [9: 5-Nov-1015]
Employed the services of Robert HEADS of Three Springs to do chaff-cutting on his farm in January 1916 [34]
After a visit to the Eastern States arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia on the steamship Dimboola on 7 September 1916 [39: 8-Sep-1916]
Along with his children, returned to Carnamah in early March 1917 after a few months by the sea-side [9: 9-Mar-1917]
Married (2) Joanna WALKER on 24 March 1917 at Cairns Memorial Church in East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia [293: 2-May-1917]
In 1917 grew 2,000 acres of wheat on his property, which was among those in the district to be badly affected by rust [10: 19-Jun-1917] [34]
Purchased some of his general supplies from general store "The Supply Stores" in Yarra Street, Carnamah in 1917 [92]
Signed the petition and financial guarantee in 1917 for the Midland Railway Company to provide a resident doctor at Three Springs [34]
Vice President of the Three Springs Saint Patrick's Day Committee's Sports Meetings in Three Springs in 1917 and 1919 [124]
Along with his wife departed Perth on the Great Western Express train to the Eastern States on Friday 19 July 1918 [39: 20-Jul-1918]
Roads in Coorow, Carnamah, Three Springs and districts came under the Upper Irwin Road Board at Mingenew [86: 16-Apr-1918]
He nominated to serve on the Upper Irwin Road Board after the resignation of Francis J. MORGAN of Three Springs in 1918 [86]
Two other men also nominated - Charles H. GOOCH of Three Springs and Angus A. N. MCGILP of Coorow [86: 16-Apr-1918]
Both he and GOOCH received 66 votes and MCGILP 51 votes, forcing the returning officer to cast a deciding vote [86]
The returning officer gave the vote to him, as he was more centrally located between Arrino and Marchagee [86: 16-Apr-1918]
He served on and represented the southern districts of the Upper Irwin Road Board in 1918 and 1919 [101: page 152]
In 1919 the Upper Irwin Road Board was renamed the Mingenew Road Board, which he served on until 1923 [101: page 152] [191]
He drove the chairman and supervisor of the Mingenew Road Board on their inspection of Carnamah roads in June 1920 [9: 30-Jul-1920]
Attended a meeting in Three Springs on 24 August 1922 about the possible division of the Mingenew Road Board [9: 8-Sep-1922]
The meeting decided the expense was too great, and agreed to remain under the governance of the Mingenew Road Board [9]
He was reported to have been "a heavy loser" from bushfires that raged in Perenjori and Carnamah in January 1919 [39: 10-Jan-1919]
In May 1919 donated £2/2/- to the Maternity Ward Building Fund for the Moora District Hospital in Moora [10: 30-May-1919]
Member of the Carnamah Peace Celebrations Committee in 1919 [10: 11-Jul-1919]
Member of the Carnamah Hall Committee in 1919 [10: 29-Aug-1919]
Member of the Three Springs Race Club - was one of their Stewards at the Annual Race Meeting in 1919 [10: 31-Jan-1919]
Committee Member of the Carnamah Race Club in 1919 and 1920, and Vice President in 1922 [9: 7-Mar-1919] [10: 13-Feb-1920, 27-Jan-1922]
His horse Inering competed in the Carnamah Race Club's Picnic Races held in Carnamah on Thursday 27 March 1919 [10: 11-Apr-1919]
He and Carnamah farmer John LANG were Joint Auditors for the Carnamah Race Club in 1919 [9: 18-Apr-1919] [10: 18-Apr-1919]
His horse Inering came 3rd in the Hack Race at the Carnamah Race Club's Race Meeting on Thursday 11 March 1920 [10: 19-Mar-1920]
Inering also competed in the Trial Stakes at the Picnic Race Meeting in Carnamah on Thursday 21 September 1922 [9: 15-Sep-1922]
In May 1920 he purchased a model 490 Chevrolet car from the Skipper Bailey Motor Company in Perth [39: 18-Feb-1923]
His Chevrolet car was registered with the Mingenew Road Board and in 1922-23 had licence plate MI-9 [325]
He grew 1,050 acres of wheat crop on his property in 1920, as well as additional acreage with share-croppers [213]
In mid 1920 accompanied by some of his family travelled 800 miles to his brother-in-law's property in the South West [213]
In 1920 employed the services of local builder John A. GRANT who built him a new and modern shearing shed [10: 24-Sep-1920]
Building of the shed commenced towards the end of July 1920 and was completed by mid September in time for shearing [10] [213]
During 1920 had a lot of contractors doing clearing work on parts of his Inering Farm miles away from his homestead [213]
The clearers camped out where they were clearing and came to his homestead when they needed stores and meat [213]
He conducted "a large and flourishing store" at their home to sell stores, meat and bread baked by his wife to the clearers [213]
The clearers worked alone clearing parts of the property and never saw anyone except for when they came for stores [213]
His second wife baked their bread, they grew many of their vegetables and each week had a case of fruit railed from Perth [213]
His wife cooked their family meals, and they employed a cook to prepare the workmen's meals [P83]
He received The Argus and The Australasian papers and other magazines each month, and had books sent up from a Perth library [213]
He was among the large attendance at the official opening of the Carnamah Hall in Carnamah on 17 February 1921 [86: 22-Feb-1921]
The day consisted of two cricket matches, tennis, athletic sports for all ages, refreshments, the opening and dancing into the night [86]
In 1921 sold 23 bales of wool - eight bales at 18d. per pound, nine at 16¼d. per pound, and six at 15d. per pound [10: 11-Nov-1921]
Sold more wool at the Perth Wool Sales in January 1922, receiving special mention as one of the "noticeable lines" [120: 12-Jan-1922]
The sale of his Inering Farm to the Government for 32/6 per acre, or a total of £26,130, was announced in October 1922 [39: 4-Oct-1922]
At the time his estate was said to have been "one of the best of its size along the Midland railway" and was "well improved" [39]
The sale was effected through James Gardiner Ltd, with the Government intending to use the property for soldier settlement [39]
Employed the services of Elder Smith & Co Ltd in November 1922 to sell 4,020 sheep [120: 16-Nov-1922]
Mention was made of his "approaching departure from the district" at the Mingenew Road Board meeting on 16 January 1923 [9]
At the meeting the Road Board expressed their regret at the loss of such an able and conscientious member as himself [9: 2-Feb-1923]
Signed the petition in early 1923 for the Irwin Licensing Court to grant a hotel license for Carnamah [10: 9-Mar-1923]
James Gardiner Ltd and Dalgety & Co Ltd conducted a clearing sale for him on Inering Farm at noon on Thursday 6 February 1923 [39]
The sale had initially been advertised for Friday 26 January 1923 [39: 30-Dec-1922]
At the sale he sold the entirety of his farm's plant, machinery and livestock; and the furniture and sundries from his homestead [39]
The West Australian newspaper reported that good values were received for machinery and horses but not so much for cattle [39]
The main and specifically advertised items of the sale were extensive farm machinery, 26 horses, 10 cattle and a Chevrolet car [39]
Of his horses the draught mares sold for between £18 and £40 and the geldings of right ages between £16 and £34 each [39]
The cattle were in less demand with milking sorts in light condition selling for £6/10/- and steer and heifers upwards from £3 [39]
Harvesters sold for up to £79, drills up to £63, ploughs for up to £41, and tip drays sold for £23, £26 and £28 [39: 27-Jan-1939, 9-Feb-1923]
Plant and machinery sold at the clearing sale included three Sunshine harvesters (6-foot, 7-foot and 8-foot), 5-disc McKay plough, [39]
6-furrow Mouldboard plough, McCormick binder, 15-disc McCromick drill, 1.3-5-tyne McKay spring tooth cultivator , [39]
33-tyne Suntyne drill and harrows , 5-horsepower Sunshine petrol engine, chaffcutter with Sunshine handy bagger, [39]
10-disc Sundercut, 3-ton dray, two 2-ton drays, spring cart, Gilgal buggy, sulky, woolpress, large quantity of harness, troughing [39]
10-gallon iron tanks, tools, quantity of fencing, 20 bags of wheat, three tons of chaff, sundries and a Chevrolet car [39: 27-Jan-1923]
In February 1923 the Repatriation Department of His Majesty's Government took over his Inering Farm [7: page 22, 65] [8: page 14]
The Repatriation Department resurveyed the property into 16 lots and allocated them to ex-servicemen from the First World War [8]
The 16 men were William J. LANGDON (Lot 1), Frank LUCAS (Lot 2), Joseph BALMER (Lot 3), George CATTO (Lot 4), [61]
George F. SALTER (Lot 5), Campbell W. BEAN (Lot 6), C. Richard BATTY (Lot 7), William W. J. PRICE (Lot 8), [61]
Vidal F. JACKSON (Lot 9), John FRAME (Lot 10), Andrew S. CUMMING (Lot 11), Donald F. CUMMING (Lot 12), [61]
John E. ILES (Lot 13), Charles B. DODD (Lot 14), Louis JOHANSEN (Lot 15) and Herbert MURRAY (Lot 16) [3] [44] [61]
The 16 men settled on lots of what became known as the Inering Estate over the months March, April and May of 1923 [9: 18-May-1923]
Left Carnamah and Western Australia in 1923 and shifted to New South Wales [P190]
Farmer of Inering at Mullaley in the Gunnedah district of New South Wales, Australia [P190]
On selling his property at Mullaley retired to Gunnedah where himself and his wife were cared for by one of their daughters [P190]
Father of Eleanor, Hugh and John by his first wife, and of a further seven children by his second wife [P190]
From The Moora Herald and Midland Districts Advocate newspaper, Tuesday 30 March 1915:
Extension of Cereal Production
"The natural evolution that is taking place from grazing to cereal production is well illustrated by such incidents as that in evidence on Mr. A. G. Darling's property at "Innaring." This estate in the Carnamah district was originally used as a grazing proposition, but the fact that Mr. Darling will plant wheat upon 2,000 acres of it this season is an indication of the changes in favour of more intense methods of production that are in progress. Incidentally, too, it points to a spirit of confidence upon the part of the enterprising owner of this property. The South Australian has often been the pioneer of progress in the various W.A. districts he has invaded."
From The Moora Herald and Midland Districts Advocate newspaper, Friday 9 May 1919:
Carnamah Notes
"Mr. A. G. Darling has been re-elected to another term of office on the Upper Irwin Road Board. He has the confidence of the ratepayers of these parts, and past experience of his work denotes he will keep it."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Arthur Garfield Darling' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 24 April 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/arthur-garfield-darling [reference list] |
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