"Bob" Robert Clark FORRESTER
Born 7 March 1865 in Kinglassie, Fife, Scotland [28]
Son of James FORRESTER and Jane CLARK [28]
Grew up in the parishes of Kinglassie and Auchterderran in Fife, Scotland [20]
Married "Effie" Euphemia KING on 6 November 1885 in Auchterderran, Fife, Scotland [28]
Witnesses to their marriage were his brother Thomas FORRESTER and Effie's sister Helen KING [28]
Two of his FORRESTER first cousins had married Effie's two elder sisters in 1873 and 1878 [P1]
Coalminer in Auchterderran, Fife, Scotland - in 1881 and 1886 was working at Denend Colliery in Auchterderran [20] [28]
Resided with his wife and children for a number of years at Craig Villa in Auchterderran, Fife, Scotland [20] [28]
Their son William King FORRESTER passed away from pneumonia at the age of one year on 12 October 1893 [28]
Their daughter Jane Clark FORRESTER, who was named after his mother, died at the age of three months on 27 May 1894 [28]
He was a keen gardener and liked fishing for rainbow trout in a nearby river [P300]
His son described him as very well liked, a terrific worker and a very temperate person [P300]
Manager of Mine Number Five on Labuan Island off the coast of North Borneo 1908-1911 [P300]
On the night of the 1911 census he and his wife were visiting John and Maggie BOWMAN in Uddingston, Lanarkshire, Scotland [20]
In 1915 made plans to purchase one of the Midland Railway Company's Ready Made Farms in Carnamah, Western Australia [34]
Departed London, England with his wife and their children James and Christina on the Osterley on 9 April 1915 [P1]
Their daughter Euphemia had married Arthur L. BARRETT four months earlier and remained in Scotland [P1]
His niece Mrs Jane ROBERTSON, her husband Richard ROBERTSON and their son Charles also travelled on the Osterley [P1]
Also on board the Osterley were John BOWMAN, for whom he'd worked on Labuan Island, and John's wife and daughters [P1]
All three families planned to settle in Carnamah, and arrived on the Osterley in Fremantle, Western Australia on 11 May 1915[P1]
He, John BOWMAN and Richard ROBERTSON travelled to Carnamah by train on 13 May 1915 to inspect farms [34]
Prior to leaving he had intended to purchase from the Midland Railway Company the 440 acre Lot M935 in Carnamah [34]
After arrival himself, his son James K. FORRESTER and John BOWMAN decided to share their resources [P300]
Farmer in Carnamah in partnership with his son and John BOWMAN as "Bowman & Forrester" in 1915 and 1916 [34]
They purchased the 434 acre Lot M950 of Victoria Location 1934, which John BOWMAN had arranged to buy before arrival [34]
Lot M950 was one of the Midland Railway Company's Ready Made Farms and cost £2,061 payable by instalments [27] [34]
A short time later they purchased 500 acres of adjoining land, contained within Lot M1064 of Victoria Location 1934 [27]
The 500 acres was virgin land on the Carnamah-Perenjori Road and cost 15/- an acre or £375/7/6, also payable by instalments [27]
Later in 1915 they purchased from the Midland Railway Company another three farms in Carnamah totalling 1,207 acres [27]
The 1,207 acres consisted of the adjoining Lots M926, M927 and M928 of Victoria Locations 1934 and 2022 [27]
The land was partially developed, including wheat crops, and cost £5,944 payable by instalments over 15 years [27] [34]
His family and the BOWMAN family initially resided in the four roomed house on Lot M950 on the Carnamah-Perenjori Road [P9]
By September 1916 he was living either full or part time on Swan Street in the Perth suburb of North Fremantle [30: item 4023274]
The Bowman & Forrester partnership was dissolved in December 1916, with John BOWMAN buying out his and his son's share [34]
He worked as a docker loading wheat at the wharf in Fremantle [P251]
Resided on Swan Street in the Perth suburb of North Fremantle until 1919 [6]
Resided on Marmion Street in the Perth suburb of Palmyra from 1919 until 1925 [6]
He and his wife shifted back to Carnamah in 1925 and resided on part of their son James' Dunester Farm [19] [P300]
Their son and a stone-mason by the surname of MORGAN built a cottage for himself and his wife to live in [P300]
The cottage was situated on a hill on the part of their son's farm known as "Out Back" on Victoria Location 7187 [P300]
Resided at "Out Back" on Dunester Farm in Carnamah from 1925 until his death in 1933 [19] [P300]
Attended Charles ROBERTSON and Winifred M. LANG's wedding and reception in Carnamah on 27 March 1928 [4: 31-Mar-1928]
Entered a number of exhibits at the Carnamah Show & Sports Carnival held in Carnamah on Thursday 4 October 1928 [4]
He was awarded 1st prizes for a Collection of Vegetables, Late Variety of Cabbage, Parsnips, Potatoes and Radish [4: 13-Oct-1928]
Won both 1st and 2nd prizes for Early Variety of Cabbage and Cauliflower; and in the Flower section 2nd prize for Cut Blooms [4]
His impressive vegetable garden about six miles from the Carnamah townsite was "creating much interest" in July 1929 [39: 22-Jul-1929]
Pallbearer at the funeral of Mrs Janet Allison RAFFAN of Winchester on 26 February 1932 at the Winchester Cemetery [4: 5-Mar-1932]
Pallbearer at the funeral of his niece Mrs Jane ROBERTSON at the Winchester Cemetery on 15 May 1932 [4: 21-May-1932]
Financial Member of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society in 1932 [13]
Member of John BOWMAN's XI who played against the Carnamah Cricket Club at the opening of the 1932-33 season [5: 21-Oct-1932]
He had been a patient at the Carnamah Private Hospital for a considerable time prior to his death from heart failure [5: 22-Sep-1933]
Passed away at the age of 68 years at the Carnamah Private Hospital at 14 Robertson Street, Carnamah [P399]
Father of Euphemia Bogie, James King, William King, Jane Clark and Christina King [P1]
Died 17 September 1933 in Carnamah; buried at the Winchester Cemetery in Carnamah, Western Australia (Row B, Plot 12) [1]
Rev. John BARNES of Carnamah officiated at his funeral, which was undertaken by Henry Parkin & Son, also of Carnamah [1]
Superintendent of Farm Lands for the Midland Railway Company, Robert L. GILBERT,
had the following to say about himself and his partner John BOWMAN in a letter dated 20 May 1916:
"...they are settlers who will succeed and pay every penny of their liabilities. They are far and away the most progressive men we have on the scheme. They have put in, I understand, over £2000 of their own money and to do this Mr Bowman had to sacrifice some of his investments in Scotland last year owing to his selling on a bad market... This firm has over 40 men working for them, 53 horses, a 45 H.P. tractor, as well as a number of ploughs, drills, harvesters and other machinery. It is costing them something like £80 a week for stores alone... Bowman and Forrester are in my opinion two of the straightest men I have ever met... They do not owe a penny to the Industries Assistance Board... In addition to seeding our crops Messrs Bowman & Forrester are sowing 1700 acres on their own farms."
From The North Midland Times newspaper, Friday 22 September 1933:
Obituary - The Late Mr. R. Forrester
The death occurred on Sunday night, September 17, of Robert Clark Forrester, aged 69 years. He had been an inmate of the Carnamah Private Hospital for some time. The late Mr. Forrester, who was the father of the Chairman of the Carnamah Road Board (Mr. J. K. Forrester) had been a resident of Carnamah district for many years, and was highly respected. His wife survives him. The esteem in which the deceased was held was evidenced by the large and representative attendance at the funeral, which was held on Monday afternoon. It was preceded by a service in the church hall, conducted by the Rev. J. Barnes. There was an attendance of 150 at the graveside, while many floral tributes were received. Pall-bearers were: J. Bowman, J. S. Rooke, C. Turner, A. Hollingsworth, J. Lang jr., C. Robertson, A. McGilp, S. Broad."
From The North Midland Times newspaper, Friday 22 September 1933:
Bereavement Notice
"Mrs. R. Forrester and Mr. and Mrs. J. K. Forrester desire to express their thanks to all friends for floral tributes and expressions of sympathy in their recent bereavement. We also desire to thank Dr. C. P. Rosenthal and Sister Lawton for their kindness and untiring attention to our late husband and father."
From The Irwin Index newspaper, Saturday 23 September 1933:
Obituary - Mr Robert Forrester - Largely Attended Funeral at Carnamah
"Quite a gloom was cast over the Carnamah district on Monday last, when it became known that Mr. Robert Forrester, an old and highly respected resident of the district, had passed peacefully away during the previous evening. The late Mr. Forrester, who was aged 69 years, was born in Fifeshire (Scotland) and came to this State about 18 years ago, settling in the Carnamah district some nine years later. The deceased gentleman had been in a failing state of health for some time, and when the end came on Sunday, it was not entirely unexpected by his relatives. On the afternoon of the funeral, a short service was conducted by the Rev. Barnes at the Presbyterian Church, which was filled to overflowing by a large gathering anxious to pay a last tribute to a very dear friend. During the singing of hymns at the church, Mrs. Barnes presided at the organ. After the service a large procession of cars followed the remains to the Carnamah cemetery, where the Rev. Barnes performed the last burial rites. Many beautiful floral tributes were forwarded by people in all parts of the district, and from all sections of the community, all of which were placed on the grave. The pall-bearers were Messrs A. A. McGilp, J. Bowman, C. Robertson, J. Lang, A. Hollingsworth, S. Broad, C. Turner, J. S. Rooke."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Robert Clark Forrester' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 19 April 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/robert-clark-forrester [reference list] |
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