"Tom" Thomas NIVEN
Born 25 August 1905 in Ardlui, Dunbartonshire, Scotland [28]
Son of general dealer Robert NIVEN and Annie MUNRO [28]
He was born at 4:08 in the afternoon at Garabal Cottage in Ardlui [28]
Arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia on the steamship Orvieto with his parents and twelve siblings on 4 August 1914 [P13]
After a short stay in Perth travelled with his parents to their pre-purchased farm in Carnamah [P13]
Initially resided with his parents on Craigend Farm, Carnamah [P13]
Student at the Carnamah State School [97]
Member of the Carnamah Sunday School in 1914 [7: page 238]
Himself and brother James took out a contract to purchase 1,202 acres of virgin land in Carnamah on 14 January 1924 [27]
The 1,202 acres consisted of the two 601 acre Lots M995 and M996 of Victoria Location 2022 [27]
Purchased the 1,202 acres from the Midland Railway Company for £1066/15/6, payable by instalments over 15 years [27]
Farmer in Carnamah in partnership with his brother "Jim" James A. NIVEN as "Niven Bros" 1924-1935 [3] [6] [19] [27]
Their farm was on the north side of what is now Reading Road and adjoined the corner of Reading and Inering Roads [62]
In December 1925 themselves and neighbouring farmers CUMMING Bros requested a road be established between their farms [34]
The Carnamah District Road Board wrote to the Midland Railway Company to request consent to have a road surveyed [34]
The Company denied consent, however at some later point the road was made, forming part of what is now Inering Road [34] [62]
They had an account with Carnamah blacksmith, wheelwright and general repairers Henry Parkin & Son [53]
Fires in early 1927 destroyed about 300 acres of their crop stubble, which was valuable livestock feed [81: 20-Feb-1927]
In 1927 Niven Bros grew 1,700 acres of crop, which likely included their acreage of their brothers' on Craigend Farm [9: 29-Jul-1927]
"Niven Bros" were reported to have spent Christmas at Dongara Beach in 1927 [4: 7-Jan-1928]
The North Midland Times reported on 6 October 1933 that there was a parcel for them at the Carnamah railway station [5: 6-Oct-1933]
From 1935 to 1938 leased they their farm in Carnamah to William A. T. SARGENT of Wongyarra Farm, Carnamah [3]
They completed paying for their farm, and in 1938 sold it to HOLLINGSWORTH Bros of Carnamah [3]
In 1969 Stanley G. HOLLINGSWORTH sold what had been their farm to their brother "Jake" John NIVEN [3]
He was among the 400 people who attended the Matrons and Benedicts Ball held in Three Springs on 31 August 1928 [4: 8-Sep-1928]
Attended the Show Ball following the Three Springs Agricultural Society's First Annual Show on 20 September 1928 [4: 29-Sep-1928]
Member of the Inering Cricket Club in 1930-31 [4: 22-Nov-1930]
In 1935 travelled to Perth in his truck with license plate CA-170 and traded in the truck for a V8 Ford truck [88]
By June 1936 he had left Carnamah and was working and living in Laverton [88]
Later worked on the goldfields at Kalgoorlie [P13]
Resided in East Kalgoorlie prior to enlisting in the Australian Army on 15 June 1940 [16]
Private WX4299 in the Australian Army's 2/16 Australian Infantry Battalion during the Second World War [16]
During the war he saw action in the Middle East and in New Guinea [0: image 04208]
On 20 March 1943 in Carnamah, having returned from service abroad, was welcomed home by 50 friends [0: image 04208]
Discharged from the Australian Army on 16 November 1945 [16]
Member of the Carnamah Sub-Branch of the Returned Soldiers League in 1946 [52]
Had an account with Carnamah blacksmith, wheelwright and motor mechanics Henry Parkin & Son in 1946 [53]
Married Winifred FENNY on 8 March 1949 [P13]
By 1949 was a Farmer in Winchester [6]
In 1952 also owned a house and eight acres of land (fully fenced) a quarter of a mile west of Carnamah [0: image 04684]
The house was weather board with four rooms, a new bathroom, electric lighting and 7000 gallon tanks [0: image 04684]
In 1953 was telephone number Carnamah-62 [60]
Later had his own farm in Coorow and also leased farmland in Winchester belonging to Rex A. F. SOLLING [P13]
By 1956 was a farming in Coorow [19] [4: 10-Feb-1956]
For a period worked on, share-cropped or owned Jim HAWORTH's farm in Coorow [P66]
Said to have been the farmer of Caringi Farm in Coorow [P12]
Later retired to the Perth suburb of Glen Forrest and resided there until his death in 1976 [2] [P13]
Father of Thomas [P13]
Died 17 April 1976; buried at the Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth, Western Australia (Presbyterian, DA, 358) [2]
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Thomas Niven' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 19 April 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/thomas-niven [reference list] |
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