Frank POOLE
Born 26 November 1893 in Elberton, Gloucestershire, England [16]
Son of George Nicholas POOLE and Mary ENGLAND [20] [21]
In 1901 he was living in Elberton Village with his parents, sisters Edith and Margaret, and brothers Thomas and William [20]
Departed London, England with his parents on the steamship Orsova and arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia on 5 May 1925 [70]
In 1925 he went into partnership with his father, brother Tom and brother-in-law Frank LONG as "Poole, Sons & Long" [P237]
They purchased from the Midland Railway Company 1,590 acres of prospective farmland in Winchester on 11 August 1925 [27]
The 1,590 acres was Lot M1580 of Victoria Location 2023 and came at a cost of £994, payable by instalments over 15 years [27]
They purchased a horse and cart and travelled from Perth to Winchester with the cart loaded to capacity [P237]
Farmer of Elberton Farm in Billeroo, East Winchester 1925-1950 [3] [P237]
He farmed the property in partnership with his father, brother and brother-in-law 1925-1933 as "Poole, Sons & Long" [3] [27]
Once they'd finished building they began clearing the farm and by April 1926 had cleared almost 200 acres [39: 9-Nov-1926]
They purchased one horse and later another five to make up a team to do much of the farm work [P237]
With the first winter rains in 1926 they commenced using a tractor and ten-furrow plough and seeded their first crop [39: 9-Nov-1926]
During the planting of the first crop he ploughed by day and his brother by night so they could get the crop planted in time [P237]
Later, at seeding and harvest, neighbouring farmer Herbert E. NINEHAM would bring additional machinery and help them out [P237]
Prior to the 1930s the farm's only industry was the growing of crops however in the early 30s sheep were introduced [P237]
His brother-in-law left the partnership in April 1933 with he, his father and brother continuing as "Poole & Sons" [27] [39: 17-May-1933]
Initially they built and lived in a temporary shack out of wooden boxes and kerosene tins with a corrugated iron roof [P237]
They began making mud bricks for a house by putting mud into wooden formers and leaving them to dry in the sun [P237]
Corrugated iron for the roof and timber for doors, windows, floors and furniture was sent up from Perth on the train [P237]
They built a seven-room clay-brick house with ten-inch thick walls, which they plastered on the inside and outside [39: 9-Nov-1926]
The only light they had at night was supplied by oil lamps [P237]
A traveller who passed by their farm in 1926 remarked that their home was the best house in the district [39: 9-Nov-1926]
After the house they also built from clay-bricks a kitchen and sheds for their horse and motor truck [39: 9-Nov-1926]
To begin with they made all their own bread, ate kangaroo and wild turkey and had other meat and vegetables sent from Perth [39]
By November 1926 they had a half-acre vegetable garden with cabbages, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, lettuces and fruit trees [39]
His niece Freda BOULTER regularly arranged for sackfuls of groceries to be sent up from Perth by train [P237]
Later on most of what they needed could by obtained in Carnamah his brother and sister-in-law doing a monthly shop [P237]
For a period water for the house had to be carted a considerable distance prior to a well and windmill being erected [P237]
Along with Herbert E. NINEHAM left Winchester for Perth on Thursday 24 January 1929 for their after harvest holiday [4: 26-Jan-1929]
His brother-in-law left as a partner in the farm in 1933, with him, his father and brother continuing as "Poole & Sons" [27]
In 1935 his brother Tom also departed from the farm, with he and his father continuing as "G. N. & F. Poole" [5: 7-Jun-1935] [6] [27] [60]
"Poole & Sons" sold 30 wethers for 23/3 per head through Dalgety & Co Ltd at the Midland Market in August 1935 [5: 16-Aug-1935]
"Poole & Poole" sold 17 bales of wool at 17½d. per pound through Elder Smith & Co Ltd in December 1935 [5: 20-Dec-1935]
In March 1936 "Poole & Poole" advertised for a "respectable young man" for a teamster and good farmhand [39: 25-Mar-1936]
"Poole & Poole" sold 37 wethers at 32/1 per head, 22 wethers at 20/- per head and 1 ewe for 30/- in August 1936 [5: 28-Aug-1936]
"Poole & Poole" sold 71 lambs at 9/5 per head through Dalgety & Co Ltd at the Midland Market in September 1936 [5: 2-Oct-1936]
Member of the Billeroo Cricket Club from 1934-35 to 1939-40 [5: 4-Jan-1935, 12-Feb-1937] [4: 9-Mar-1940]
Attended the funeral of Carnamah agent William B. SHERIDAN at the Winchester Cemetery on 27 January 1936 [5: 31-Jan-1936]
He or his father attended the Inaugural Sale of the North Midlands Stud Stockbreeders Association in Carnamah in 1936 [5: 2-Oct-1936]
They purchased four Merino rams, one at 7 guineas and three at 6 guineas, from Carnamah breeder William A. T. SARGENT [5]
Left Winchester for Margaret River on Friday 18 December 1936 where he spent a month long holiday [5: 18-Dec-1936]
Obtained the telephone in 1939 - was telephone number Carnamah-12W [60]
Financial Member 1939-1940 and Committee Member 1939-1947 of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society [0: image 04327] [13] [58]
Steward of the Live Sheep & Pig Weight Competition at the Carnamah District Agricultural Society's Annual Shows 1941-1949 [13]
Member of the Carnamah Miniature Rifle Club in 1941 [0: image 04006]
Member of the Winchester Tennis Club 1941-1944 [0: images 04054 & 04585]
Private in the local Volunteer Defence Corps during the Second World War [16]
Steward of the Live Weight of Sheep & Pig competition at the Carnamah District Agricultural Society's Victory Show in 1945 [13]
Financial Member of the Coorow-Waddy Forest Districts Agricultural Society in 1946 [150]
Member of the Carnamah Sub-Branch of the Returned Soldiers League in the 1940s [52]
Member of the Winchester Cricket Club in 1950 [4: 22-Apr-1950]
By 1948 he was the sole owner of Elberton Farm in Winchester, which he sold to SINCLAIR Bros in 1950 [3]
Farewelled by the residents of Carnamah and districts at a barbecue on 16 April 1950 at the Carnamah Recreation Ground [4: 22-Apr-1950]
Shifted to Donnybrook where he continued farming until his death in 1983 [P237]
Died 2 December 1983; buried at the Donnybrook Cemetery in Donnybrook, Western Australia (Anglican, A, 96) [138] [228]
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Frank Poole' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 20 April 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/frank-poole [reference list] |
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