"Phil" Philip Thomas MORCOMBE
Born 16 October 1889 in Prospect, South Australia [55]
Son of Thomas Yelland MORCOMBE and Fanny RIDGWAY [55]
Educated at the Prospect State School and at Adelaide's Prince Alfred College in South Australia [P86]
Married Stella Alison SAGE on 6 July 1915 in Port Lincoln, South Australia [55]
He and his brother "Will" William G. MORCOMBE farmed a property in Ceduna, South Australia 1912-1922 [P32]
Enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 9 September 1915 in Adelaide, South Australia [30: item 7986382]
Upon enlistment he was 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighed 154 pounds and had blue eyes, dark hair and a medium complexion [30]
Appointed Gunner 8473 in the 18th Battery of the Australian Imperial Force's 6th Field Artillery Brigade [30]
Embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia for active service abroad on the H.M.A.T. Persic on 22 November 1915 [30]
After a brief period in Egypt proceeded to France where he served with the 6th Field Artillery [30]
In France he was promoted to Bombardier 17 June 1916, to Corporal on 5 August 1916 and to Lieutenant on 6 January 1918 [30]
Received the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal [30]
Departed Devonport, England on 28 February 1919 on the Anchises and arrived in Adelaide, South Australia on 11 April 1919 [30]
Discharged from the Australian Imperial Force in Adelaide on 5 June 1919 owing to the "cessation of hostilities" [30]
He and his brother Will travelled from Ceduna to Western Australia to inspect prospective farmland in 1921 [P32]
On 23 July 1921 purchased 1,143 acres of land at Waddy Forest from the Midland Railway Company [27]
The 1,143 acres was Lot M1283 of Victoria Location 2023 and came at a cost of £1000, payable by instalments over 15 years [27]
Shifted to the land in Waddy Forest which he named Minaru, meaning "tall trees" [P86]
Farmer of Minaru Farm in Waddy Forest [P86]
He settled on his farm in 1923 [9: 27-Jan-1928] with his wife and young son then leaving South Australia that year to join him [P86]
Had a small weatherboard cottage built on the property and employed teams of clearers [P86]
Employed the services of Mr BONZA who built a new concrete house on his Minaru Farm [P86] in 1929 [4: 29-Jun-1929]
His first crop of 90 acres averaged nine bags [9: 27-Jan-1928]
Member of the Coorow and Waddy Forest District Progress Association - was Honorary Secretary in 1925 [9: 13-Feb-1925]
In 1927 he seeded 700 acres of crop, fallowed 300 acres and harvested 4,500 bags in addition to 80 tons of hay [9: 27-Jan-1928]
From 1927-28 he owned a Chrysler car registered with the Carnamah District Road Board with number-plate CA-225 [325]
Five years later, in 1932, he still owned the Chrysler car with CA-225 but also a Chevrolet truck with plate CA-277 [4: 12-Nov-1932]
Attended Charles ROBERTSON and Winifred LANG's wedding dance on 27 March 1928 at the Carnamah Hall [4: 31-Mar-1928]
In September 1928 his crops were among those in Waddy Forest that were reported to have been looking "splendid" [10: 6-Sep-1928]
In particular was his 230 acre paddock of Nabawa and Merredin wheat which was three foot tall and "as level as a billiard table" [10]
He also had a paddock of oats which had been twice eaten to the ground by sheep and was again 18 inches high [10]
Member of the Waddy Forest Cricket Club from 1928-29 to 1930-31 [4: 10-Nov-1928, 26-Oct-1929, 25-Oct-1930]
He was one of 98 people from the Coorow district who signed a petition in 1929 for a local hotel license to be granted [39: 6-Feb-1929]
Won 1st prize for Sheaf of Oats for Hay at the Carnamah District Agricultural Society's Annual Show in 1929 [4: 28-Sep-1929]
At the 1930 Carnamah Agricultural Show he won 1st prize for Wheaten Chaff in the Grain & Fodder section [4: 27-Sep-1930]
One of his wheat crops was said to have been "one of the most attractive paddocks of wheat to be seen" in October 1930 [4: 4-Oct-1930]
Parts of his wheat crop in 1930 were estimated to yield between ten and twelve bags per acre from a 200+ acre plot [4: 4-Oct-1930]
He also had an impressive crop of Mulga oats in 1930, patches of which were over seven feet high [4: 4-Oct-1930]
Came 2nd in the Royal Agricultural Society's 50 acre Crop Competition for Zone 1 in 1930 [4: 13-Dec-1930]
Sold some of his sheep at the Midland Market in July 1932, receiving as much as 23/4 per sheep [5: 15-Jul-1932]
Member of the Coorow-Waddy Forest Sub-Branch of the Returned Soldiers League in 1932 [5: 4-Nov-1932]
He was one of 77 ex-servicemen who attended the Sailors & Soldiers Reunion Dinner in Carnamah on 22 October 1932 [86: 29-Oct-1932]
Foundation Committee Member of the Coorow-Waddy Forest Districts Agricultural Society in 1932 [4: 9-Apr-1932] [5: 10-Nov-1933] [150]
He was a Committee Member 1932-1939 and President in 1935 and 1936 [5: 23-Dec-1932, 3-May-1935, 13-Mar-1936]
Exhibited and won prizes in three sections of the first Coorow-Waddy Agricultural Show on Thursday 8 September 1932 [5: 16-Sep-1932]
Won 1st prizes for female White Leghorn and for both male and female Rhode Island Red in the Poultry section [5]
Received a 1st prize for a Southdown Ram in the Sheep section [5]
Won 1st prizes for Wheaten Chaff, Sheaves of Wheat for Grain and 2nd for "Wheaten Hay, cured, binder tied (1931 season)" [5]
Awarded two 1st, three 2nd and one 3rd prizes for Export Lambs in the Sheep section of the Perth Royal Show in 1932 [5: 14-Oct-1932]
Attended the R.S.L. Re-Union Dinner held at the Carnamah Hall on the evening of Saturday 22 October 1932 [5: 4-Nov-1932]
With a plot of Gluyas Early wheat came 2nd in the Carnamah Agricultural Society's 50 acre crop competition in 1932 [5: 20-Jan-1933]
The same plot was also an entrant in the Royal Agricultural Society's 50 acre crop competition for Zone 1 in which it came 3rd [5]
Financial Member of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society 1932-1937 and in 1939 [13]
In 1933 he was noted as a "leading agriculturalist" in the Coorow-Waddy Forest district [120: 5-Oct-1933]
Member of Coorow's Maley Park Management Committee in 1933 [5: 23-Dec-1932]
Paid a 10/- Vermin Bonus by the Carnamah District Road Board in February 1934 for helping to control vermin by killing a fox [300]
In February 1934 he also paid the Road Board 5/- for two gate licenses that allowed him to erect gates across a road [300: page 19]
Attended the Sheep Demonstration by the Government Inspector for Sheep & Wool in Coorow on 27 June 1933 [5: 30-Jun-1933]
Attended the Valedictory Dinner tendered to Alexander B. GLOSTER at the Coorow Hotel on Monday 3 July 1933 [5: 7-Jul-1933]
Attended the Official Opening of the Carnamah Golf Course at Centenary Park in Carnamah on Sunday 23 July 1933 [5: 28-Jul-1933]
Exhibited in four sections of the second annual Coorow-Waddy Forest Show held in Coorow on 7 September 1933 [5: 15-Sep-1933]
Awarded 1st prize for a Yearling Draught Colt or Filly bred by Exhibitor in the Horse section [5]
In the Poultry section won both 1st and 2nd prizes for a female Rhode Island Red [5]
Won 2nd prizes for Three Lambs Suitable for Export in the Sheep section and for Cauliflower in the Vegetable section [5]
At the Three Springs Agricultural Show in 1933 won 1st for Three Fat Lambs and 2nd for a female Rhode Island Red [5: 29-Sep-1933]
In mid October 1933 extended his farm with the purchase of neighbouring farmer W. Joseph REDHALL's farm [5: 13-Oct-1933]
The farmland purchased from W. Joseph REDHALL was the 1031 acre Lot M1294 of Victoria Location 2023 [3]
Purchased a new Sunshine harvester in October 1933 [5: 3-Nov-1933]
In early November 1933 called for quotes for carting his 3000 bags of wheat the twelve miles from his farm to Coorow [5: 10-Nov-1933]
His daughter was taken to the Moora Hospital for attention after fracturing her arm while running on 12 December 1933 [5: 15-Dec-1933]
In February 1934 he constructed a dam on the part of his farm he'd purchased four months earlier [5: 16-Feb-1934]
Purchased a new Twin City Tractor which he collected on Tuesday 20 February 1934 after it had been railed to Coorow [5: 23-Feb-1934]
In April 1934 purchased a new Mouldboard plough and a new Horwood Bagshaw combine [5: 20-Apr-1934, 4-May-1934]
Member of the Coorow Waddy Forest Progress Association in 1934 [5: 8-Jun-1934]
Exhibited in the Sheep section of the Third Annual Agricultural Show held at Coorow on Thursday 30 August 1934 [5: 7-Sep-1934]
Received 2nd prize for Three Fat Sheep and 1st prizes for a Southdown Ram and for Three Lambs Suitable for Export [5]
Won the Dalgety Trophy for Three Export Lambs [5: 14-Sep-1934]
Attended the funeral of Mrs Christina B. D. FORRESTER of Carnamah at the Winchester Cemetery on 31 August 1934 [4: 8-Sep-1934]
Travelled to Perth to attend the Royal Show and then on 11 October 1934 embarked on the Westralia for Adelaide [5: 5-Oct-1934]
After his holiday in Adelaide, South Australia he arrived back in Waddy Forest on Wednesday 24 October 1934 [5: 26-Oct-1934]
Exhibited in the Fat Lamb section of the Perth Royal Show in 1934, winning two 1st prizes and one 2nd prize [5: 19-Oct-1934]
He and his brother-in-law Stan FOLLAND received horses imported from South Australia on 21 November 1934 [5: 23-Nov-1934]
During March 1935 purchased and installed a 32 volt Wonderlight electric light plant at his home, which could power 20 lights [5]
The Wonderlight was wind driven, consisting of a six bladed eight foot fan mounted on a 40 foot steel tower [5: 8 & 15-Mar-1935]
Attended the Official Opening of the Coorow Golf Club's golf course in Coorow on Sunday 23 June 1935 [5: 28-Jun-1935]
Member of the Coorow Golf Club 1935-1937 [5]
Committee Member of the Coorow Golf Club in 1936 and 1937, and President in 1937 [5: 9-Aug-1935, 27-Mar-1936, 16-Apr-1937]
Member and host of meetings of the Waddy Forest Group of the Adult Education Scheme in 1935 [5: 26-Jul-1935]
Won the L. Keamy Trophy at the Coorow-Waddy Agricultural Show held in Coorow on Thursday 5 September 1935 [5: 13-Sep-1935]
Awarded four 1st prizes for Border Leicester Ram, Three Fat Sheep, Green Wheat, and Green Oats for Hay [5]
Received three 2nd prizes for Draught Mare, Border Collie Sheep Dog or Bitch, and Green Wheat for Hay [5]
Represented the Coorow-Waddy Forest Districts Agricultural Society at the Carnamah Agricultural Show in 1935 [5: 20-Sep-1935]
In September 1935 sold 27 shorn ewes at 13/7 per head, 47 shorn wethers (8 at 13/1, 19 at 12/10, 20 at 10/10 per head) [5: 20-Sep-1935]
Sold 19 bales of wool through Elder Smith & Co Ltd in 1935 - 5 bales at 14½d. and 14 bales at 12½d. per pound [5: 11-Oct-1935]
Attended the Fourth Annual North Midlands R.S.L. Reunion Dinner held in Three Springs on Saturday 19 October 1935 [5: 25-Oct-1935]
Presented the trophies at the Coorow Rifle Club's Grand Ball held at the Coorow Hall on Saturday 26 October 1935 [5: 1-Nov-1935]
Became a member of the Carnamah Masonic Lodge No.150 WAC on 8 November 1935 [96]
Attended the entertainment to the Commonwealth Grants Commission at the Coorow Hotel on 21 November 1935 [5: 29-Nov-1935]
Attended the funeral of Miss "May" Mary L. LANG of Carnamah at the Winchester Cemetery on 26 November 1935 [5: 29-Nov-1935]
Travelled form Waddy to Perth on Tuesday 4 February 1936 as his wife and daughter were to sail to South Australia [5: 7-Feb-1936]
Returned to Waddy Forest accompanied by his nephew Tom MORCOMBE on Tuesday 11 February 1936 [5: 14-Feb-1936]
In 1936 sold 458 sheep through Elder Smith & Co Ltd with seven consignments to the Midland Market through the year [5: 21-Feb-1936]
The sheep consisted of 172 ewes (24 at 30/1, 32 at 28/5, 7 at 26/1, 39 at 18/-, 12 at 14/7, 41 at 13/1, 17 at 12/1), [5: 7 & 21-Aug-1936]
178 lambs (15 at 26/10, 5 at 25/10, 79 at 18/10, 4 at 18/1, 21 at 17/7, 20 shorn at 16/10, 28 shorn at 15/1, 6 at 15/-), [5: 3-Jul-1936]
79 suckers (38 at 23/4, 41 at 21/10), 22 shorn hoggets (13 at 16/7 and 9 at 15/7) and 7 wethers at 25/1 [5: 4 & 11-Sep-1936, 23-Oct-1936]
Sold a further 42 sheep through Westralian Farmers Ltd in October 1936 - 12 sheep at 14/7 and 30 sheep at 11/7 per head [5]
Attended the Coorow Golf Club's Opening Day for the 1936 season in Coorow on Sunday 17 May 1936 [5: 22-May-1936]
Played in the Carnamah Masonic Lodge's Inaugural Annual Golf Meeting in Carnamah on Saturday 1 August 1936 [5: 7-Aug-1936]
Attended the Surprise 21st Birthday of his niece Nance FOLLAND at Enfield Park in Waddy Forest on 17 August 1936 [5: 21-Aug-1936]
Exhibited in the Sheep, Horse and Vegetable sections of the Coorow-Waddy Agricultural Show in Coorow on 3 September 1936 [5]
Won the L. Keamy Cup for gaining 1st prize for Three Ewes Suitable for Breeding Export Lambs [5: 4 & 11-Sep-1936]
In the Sheep section also received 1st prize for Southdown Ram, and both 1st and 2nd prizes for Border Leicester Ram [5]
Won 1st for Brood Mare in foal or with foal at foot in the Horse section, and 2nd prize for Cauliflower in the Vegetable section [5]
In 1936 imported a Border Leicester ram from South Australia for the purpose of improving his stud flock [5: 16 & 23-Oct-1936]
Before leaving South Australia the ram won 1st prize and was the Champion Ram at the Mount Barker Show [5]
In 1936 the ram had also won 1st prize for its class at the Centenary Royal Show in Adelaide [5]
Exhibited the ram at the Perth Royal Show in 1936, where it won 2nd prize for Border Leicester ram between 1½ and 2½ years [5]
Sold seven bales of wool at 13½d. per pound through Elder Smith & Co Ltd at the Perth Wool Sale on 5 October 1936 [5: 16-Oct-1936]
After William S. MITCHELL he was the second farmer to start harvesting in Waddy Forest in late October 1936 [5: 30-Oct-1936]
Purchased a new Commer truck in early November 1936 [5: 6-Nov-1936]
Attended Roy M. PATTON's birthday at the dam on Longforest Farm in Waddy Forest on Sunday 8 November 1936 [5: 13-Nov-1936]
Attended the Ratepayers Meeting of the Carnamah District Road Board in Coorow on Wednesday 25 November 1936 [5: 27-Nov-1936]
Played for the Married Men who almost defeated the Single Men in a cricket match in Coorow on 6 December 1936 [5: 11-Dec-1936]
Sold sheep through Westralian Farmers Ltd and Elder Smith & Co Ltd at Midland Markets in 1937 [5: 8-Jan-1937, 9 & 16-Jul-1937]
78 lambs (32 at 24/4, 20 at 23/10, 8 at 21/1, 9 at 20/4, 9 at 16/4), 93 ewes (26 at 20/4, 11 at 17/10, 5 at 17/4, 23 at 8/4, 28 at 7/1),[5]
and 34 wethers (16 at 22/10, 18 at 18/11) [5]
Played for the again defeated Married Men in a cricket match against Single Men in Coorow on Sunday 11 April 1937 [5: 16-Apr-1937]
Given the honour of hitting the first ball from number one tee to open the Carnamah Golf Club's season on 2 May 1937 [5: 7-May-1937]
Sent apologies for being unable to attend the R.S.L. Valedictory for Charles A. METTAM in Carnamah on 28 July 1937 [5: 30-Jul-1937]
Motored to Perth with brother William G. MORCOMBE and nephew "Tom" Philip L. MORCOMBE on 2 August 1937 [5: 6-Aug-1937]
Attended the Kitchen Tea for Albert E. MILES and Mary E. GREENWOOD at the Waddy Forest Hall on 31 July 1937 [5: 6-Aug-1937]
Awarded three 1st and two 2nd prizes in the Sheep and Horse sections of the Coorow-Waddy Agricultural Show in 1937 [5: 10-Sep-1937]
Won 1st for Southdown Ram, and 1st and 2nd for Border Leicester Ram with the judge's comment of "an outstanding exhibit" [5]
In the Horse section received 1st prize for Draught Mare and 2nd for Yearling Draught Colt of Filly [5]
At the Show Ball he received the L. Keamy Trophy for Border Leicester Ram and the Hugo Fischer Trophy for Draught Mare [5]
Won 2nd prizes for Border Leicester ram and Southdown ram at the Carnamah Agricultural Show in 1937 [5: 17-Sep-1937]
In September 1937 he purchased a new Studebaker sedan car [5: 24-Sep-1937]
Attended the funeral of Coorow stationmaster William C. Cox at the Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth on 4 November 1937 [5: 12-Nov-1937]
Member of Carnamah's branch of the Australian Defence League in 1940 [0: image 03947]
Attended the funeral of his brother-in-law Stanley L. FOLLAND at the Moora Cemetery on Monday 25 August 1941 [4: 30-Aug-1941]
Pallbearer at the funeral of Mrs Eliza Wilhelmina BOTHE at the Winchester Cemetery on 24 August 1942 [0]
Life Member of the Coorow-Waddy Forest Agricultural Society and Patriotic Funds Committee [0: image 04318]
Following the death of his son Jim in 1943 leased his farm Minaru to William G. MORCOMBE and Son [P86]
Judge of the British Breeds of the Sheep section at the Carnamah District Agricultural Society's Victory Show in 1945 [13]
Resident of Armadale WA in 1946 [0: image 04395]
Visited the district in September 1946 to attend the Coorow-Waddy Agricultural Show and Carnamah Agricultural Show [0: image 04397]
Judged the sheep section of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society's show in 1946 [0: image 04397]
During the 1948-49 financial year sold Minaru to W. G. MORCOMBE and Son[P86]
Pallbearer at the funeral of Coorow farmer Baxter Diedrich BOTHE on 23 February 1950 at the Winchester Cemetery [0]
In recognition of sterling service over many years was made a Life Member of the Coorow Golf Club on 28 March 1958 [4: 7-Apr-1951]
Later resided on Glen Hampton, an 80 acre fruit tree property in Bedfordale, Western Australia [P86]
By 1958 had shifted to 10 Helm Street in Mount Pleasant, Western Australia [30: item 7986382]
Along with his wife later shifted back to South Australia [P86]
Father of Jim and Helen [P86]
Died 24 September 1976 in South Australia [P86]
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Philip Thomas Morcombe' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 26 April 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/philip-thomas-morcombe [reference list] |
 |
Use the below form or email history@carnamah.com.au |