"Archie" Arthur Gordon Yarcowie SAUNDERS
Born 23 October 1886 in Yarcowie, South Australia [55]
Son of Edwin SAUNDERS and Alice Agnes DAY [55]
Resided with his parents in Yarcowie SA 1886-1900 and then worked in a shearing shed at Broken Hill NSW [P2]
Along with his mother and siblings shifted to the goldfields in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia in the early 1900s [P2]
He and his brother both worked in mines in Kalgoorlie while his mother ran a dining room and cooked for miners [P2]
He contracted pneumonia two years running and spent time at the Public Hospital in Perth so decided to give up mining [P2]
Shifted to Arrino in 1910 to work as a bookkeeper for Thomas H. DALY at the Arrino General Store [P2]
Member of the Three Springs Cricket Club in 1911-12 [9: 1-Mar-1912]
Married (1) Amy DODD on 22 December 1913 in Arrino [P2]
Purchased a small piece of farmland, named Wattle Grove, from his father-in-law Edwin B. DODD [P2]
Farmer of Wattle Grove Farm just out of the Arrino townsite before the Arrino South Road intersection 1913-1950 [P2]
In the mid 1920s purchased the larger York Park Farm on the Arrino South Road in Arrino from SEWARD Bros [P2]
Farmer of both Wattle Grove and York Park Farms in Arrino until 1950 [P2]
Grew wheat, oats and blue lupins in addition to having about six cows, some fowls and turkeys, and about 20 to 30 pigs [P2]
Sold some of the pigs at market and kept some to get ham and bacon; the cows were kept for milk and to make and sell butter [P2]
His first farm had a four roomed house with verandahs, with two rooms made out of stone and the other two of weatherboard [P2]
Shifted from Wattle Grove to York Park in 1929 after building a six roomed house with verandahs on the back and front [P2]
For a period also did share-cropping at Dudawa in East Arrino [P2]
Signed the petition and financial guarantee in 1917 for the Midland Railway Company to provide a resident doctor at Three Springs [34]
His dog came third in the Sheep Dog Trials at the Red Cross Gala Day held in Three Springs on Thursday 23 May 1918 [10: 31-May-1918]
He was a keen supporter of local sporting bodies and often drove footballers to matches in neighbouring towns [P2]
He and three others often played bridge in the supper room of the Arrino Hall while their daughters were dancing at balls [P2]
He was a very dedicated worker, supporter of the district, a strict father, very careful with money and a non drinker and smoker [P2]
On one occasion purchased a shearing plant for a local young lad who didn't have the means to purchase one himself [P2]
This enabled this young man to take on more shearing sheds and did his shearing for free until the shearing payed for the plant [P2]
Member of the Arrino Football Club in 1919 [9: 22-Aug-1919]
One day in the early 1920s was travelling to the football in Three Springs in a buggy and pair of horses when a motorbike came up [P2]
The motorbike didn't pass and stayed behind them, its noise causing his horses to canter all the way to Three Springs [P2]
He was worried for fear that his buggy would fall to pieces before they got to Three Springs due to the rougher faster ride [P2]
Member of the Arrino Cricket Club in 1922-23, 1928-29 and 1935-36 [9: 12-Jan-1923] [4: 10-Nov-1928] [5: 28-Feb-1936]
In March 1923 he purchased a steamline model Chevrolet car, described as an "elegant light car" [81: 18-Mar-1923]
He registered his car with the Mingenew Road Board and it carried the license plate MI-22 until at least 1927-28 [325]
Represented Arrino at meetings of the North Midlands Football Association in 1926, 1936 and 1937 [4: 28-Aug-1926] [5: 22-May-1936, 23-Apr-1937]
Following the Arrino Race Club's race meeting attended the evening Ball in the Arrino Hall on Thursday 4 April 1929 [4: 13-Apr-1929]
Attended the meeting held in Arrino on Saturday 13 April 1929 to discuss the affairs and finances of the Arrino Hall [4: 20-Apr-1929]
Member of the Arrino Race Club - was Secretary in 1930 [4: 25-Jan-1930, 8-Mar-1930]
Member of the Arrino Hall Committee in 1930 [4: 10-May-1930]
Attended the Commemoration Dinner held at the Commercial Hotel in Three Springs on Friday 26 August 1932 [5: 9-Sep-1932]
The dinner was to commemorate Three Springs having the highest average yield for wheat in the State for the 1931-32 season [5]
In 1933 purchased his first wireless (radio) from Three Springs storekeeper and agent William G. JORDAN [P2]
Won the Euchre Tournament conducted by Mrs Florence H. M. MALEY in Arrino on Thursday 12 August 1933 [5: 18-Aug-1933]
Purchased a new Ford car from the North Midlands Farmers' Co-operative in June 1934 [5: 22-Jun-1934]
During a portion of September 1934 Ben MONEY of Dongara spent a holiday staying with him at Arrino [5: 21-Sep-1934]
He and his brother Bill travelled to Adelaide, South Australia to visit their dangerously ill uncle in mid January 1935 [5: 18-Jan-1935]
Their uncle Samuel SAUNDERS died and they stayed over to assist their aunt in selling the farm and organise a clearing sale [P2]
Along with his wife and children travelled from Arrino to Perth on Monday 8 April 1935 [5: 12-Apr-1935]
Won a xylonite brush and comb at the C.W.A. Euchre & Bridge Evening at the Arrino Hall on Tuesday 28 May 1935 [5: 31-May-1935]
Winner of Euchre at the Card Party held at the home Mrs TURNER in Arrino on Wednesday evening 7 August 1935 [5: 9-Aug-1935]
At Midland Market on 11 September 1935 he sold 40 suckers for 17/7 per head, 31 for 15/4, and 3 for 13/4 per head [5: 13-Sep-1935]
In October 1935 signed a petition in support of the Three Springs Road Board constructing new tennis courts in Arrino [5: 1-Nov-1935]
Sold eleven bales of wool through Goldsbrough Mort & Co - six bales at 16¾d. and five bales at 14½d. per pound [5: 30-Oct-1936]
Pallbearer at the funeral of Arrino resident Mrs Isabella ANGEL at the Three Springs Cemetery on 5 January 1943 [4: 9-Jan-1943]
Married (2) Lillian May WARMAN in 1948, whom he met when she was visiting his brother and sister-in-law at Yandanooka [P2]
Resided on York Park Farm in Arrino until selling it and Wattle Groveto Harry REED in early 1951 [P2]
Held a clearing sale in early 1951 and then left Arrino and retired to a house in Brede Street, Geraldton [P2]
Passed away at the age of 93 years at Saint John of God Hospital in Geraldton[P2]
Mother of Ethel, Gordon, Jean, Donald and Joy [P2]
Died 6 August 1980; buried Seventh Day Adventist portion of the Utakarra Cemetery, Geraldton [P2] [26]
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Arthur Gordon Yarcowie Saunders' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 23 April 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/arthur-gordon-yarcowie-saunders [reference list] |
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