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Biographical Dictionary - Coorow, Carnamah, Three Springs


Surname

"Bill" William George JORDAN

Born 18 July 1894 in Leederville, Western Australia [16]
Son of William JORDAN and Johanna BIRRELL [15]
Married Alba DUNDERDALE in Claremont in 1917 [66]
Proprietor of Jordan's General Store in Three Springs 1928-1946 [4] [19] [120]
     He and his wife purchased the general storekeeping business of William HARRIS in Three Springs in July 1928 [4: 14-Jul-1928]
     Sold a variety of groceries, hardware, drapery, clothing, shoes, gifts and smallgoods [P2]
     In addition to operating as a general merchant and storekeeper he sold International trucks and Southern Cross windmills [120]
     Secured permission from the Carnamah District Road Board in August 1928 to erect two petrol bowsers at his store [4: 8-Sep-1928]
     Conducted a Shell Oil depot at his store Three Springs, from which he sold petrol and oil [120: 15-Oct-1936]
     Secured the agency for Imperial Self-Heating Petrol Irons in 1928, which he sold for 33/6 [4: 6-Oct-1928]
     In 1929 ran within his store "Jordan's Photographic Service" in which photos were printed within 48 hours [4: 26-Oct-1929]
     Seller of Imported Seeded Hams for Christmas in 1929, with the bonus "perfectly cooked free of charge" [4: 26-Oct-1929]
     Also sold full stocks of farmer's requirements in 1929, including things such as a variety of bolts and cultivator points [4: 16-Feb-1929]
     In 1930 he was the Three Springs agent for Goldsborough Mort & Co Ltd [4: 29-Mar-1930]
     Agent for machinery dealer the International Harvester Company in 1933 [120: 5-Oct-1933]
     Agent for wheat buyers Louis Dreyfus & Co in 1933 and 1935[5: 8-Nov-1935] [120: 5-Oct-1933]
     His general store was telephone number Three Springs-15 [60]
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]
Served on the Board of the North Midlands District Hospital in Three Springs 1929-1942 [120: 26-Dec-1929] [109]
     Said to have done most of the designing for the Hospital's garden when it was first built in 1929 [P2]
     Chairman of the Board of the North Midlands District Hospital from February 1935 to January 1942 [5: 15-Feb-1935] [109]
     Lent his truck and services to cart gravel for the backyard of the Three Springs Hospital on Saturday 17 August 1935 [5: 23-Aug-1935]
     Decorated the hall for the North Midlands District Hospital's Annual Ball held in Three Springs on 13 April 1936 [5: 17-Apr-1936]
     Director of the North Midlands District Hospital's Building Fund Appeal in 1936, which raised over £300 [5: 29-May-1936]
     The £300 was used to liquidate the outstanding debt from when the Hospital had been built seven years earlier in 1929 [5]
     His decorating of the hall was a "pleasing feature" of the Annual Ball of the Hospital on Monday 29 March 1937 [5: 2-Apr-1937]
     It was said that "the district was fortunate in having a person of Mr. Jordan's calibre in the district to conduct such an appeal" [5]
     Helped cart 80 trucks loads of sand, gravel and stones for the nursing quarters in Three Springs on 14 and 24 April 1937 [5: 30-Apr-1937]
     Spoke on behalf of the hospital board at the Waddy Forest Toc H Group's Social at the Coorow Hall on 24 June 1937 [5: 2-Jul-1937]
     Arranged numerous highly successful functions to raise funds, and helped secure a water supply for the Hospital [4: 6-Apr-1946]
Attended the Anglican Church's Fancy Dress Ball held in Three Springs on Thursday 27 June 1929 as "Sale Price" [4: 6-Jul-1929]
Provided goods at cost price for the Centenary Celebrations held in Three Springs on Friday 13 September 1929 [4: 21-Sep-1929]
Attended the Three Springs Football Club's Welcome Home Social for two newly wedded couples on 1 November 1929 [4: 9-Nov-1929]
Member of the Three Springs Race Club - was Secretary in 1930 [4: 8-Mar-1930]
During a weekend in August 1933 his store flooded after six inches of rain and the overflowing of a creek [5: 12-Aug-1932]
     Damage to his shop premises caused by floods cost him a staggering £250 in repairs in 1932 and another £70 in 1933 [5: 27-Oct-1933]
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]
Came 2nd in the Stepping 10 Yards at the R.S.L. Sports Day at the Arrino Recreation Ground on 5 November 1932 [5: 11-Nov-1932]
Attended the evening dance at the Three Springs Hall after the R.S.L. Sports Day at Arrino on 5 November 1932 [5: 18-Nov-1932]
Attended a large meeting in Three Springs to form a North Midlands Chamber of Commerce on 18 November 1932 [4: 26-Nov-1932]
Entrant in the Popular Sports Competition, which was in aid of funds for the North Midlands District Hospital [5: 2-Jun-1933, 9-Jun-1933]
     A Fancy Dress Ball was held at the Three Springs Hall on Thursday 25 May 1933 to further his candidature in the competition [5]
     To further his place a Bridge and Euchre Party and Dance was held in the Three Springs Hall on Saturday 3 June 1933 [5]
     He and the other five entrants in the Popular Sports Competition raised the grant total of £138.7.10 for the local Hospital [5]
     He won the competition on a majority of 2548 votes, and received a total of 10855 votes [5: 16-Jun-1933]
Sang "Will ye no' come back" at the send-off to Charles S. MACDONALD at the Three Springs Hall on 29 June 1933 [5: 30-Jun-1933]
Member of the Three Springs Golf Club 1933-1937 [5: 8-Sep-1933, 7-Jun-1935]
     Committee Member in 1936 and Secretary in 1937 [5: 10-Apr-1936, 9-Apr-1937]
     He was referred to as "the father of golf at Three Springs," as it was due to his initiative that the Club had secured links [4: 6-Apr-1946]
Attended the Official Opening of the Carnamah Golf Course at Centenary Park in Carnamah on Sunday 23 July 1933 [5: 28-Jul-1933]
Oversaw the extensive decorating of the Three Springs Hall for the R.S.L. Ball held there on Friday 1 September 1933 [5: 8-Sep-1933]
Inaugural President of the new Three Springs Ratepayers & Citizens Association in 1933 [5: 18-Aug-1933]
     Relinquished the role of President to became Secretary of the Ratepayers & Citizens Association on 25 October 1933 [5: 27-Oct-1933]
Part of a deputation about a good road to the Coast that went before the Three Springs Road Board in September 1933 [5: 22-Sep-1933]
Donated a rotary pump to the Three Springs Road Board District Bush Fire Brigade in 1933 [5: 3-Nov-1933]
     Also, by arrangement, petrol drums filled with water were kept at his store and then loaded onto trucks in the event of a fire [5]
     Secretary of the Three Springs Road Board District Bush Fire Brigade in 1934-35 [5: 9-Nov-1934]
Winner of the Card Party at the home of Mrs Clare BLACK to raise funds for the Anglican Church in November 1933 [5: 17-Nov-1933]
Attended the Carnamah Church of England's New Year Ball held at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday 30 December 1933 [5: 5-Jan-1934]
Attended the Dance conducted by the Carnamah Toc H at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday 24 February 1934 [5: 2-Mar-1934]
Member of the Three Springs Saint Patrick's Day Committee in 1934 [5: 9-Mar-1934]
Organised the Midnight Ball which was held in Three Springs from midnight to 5:30 a.m. on the morning of 2 April 1934 [5]
     Over 100 people attended the Ball, wish raised funds for the North Midlands District Hospital in Three Springs [5: 6-Apr-1934]
Attended and sang a song at the Carnamah Golf Club's Dance at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday 21 April 1934 [5: 27-Apr-1934]
Won 1st prize for Sweet Peas in the Flower section of the Three Springs Agricultural Show on 13 September 1934 [5: 21-Sep-1934]
Oversaw the decorating of the Three Springs Hall for the Three Springs Golf Club's Annual Ball in 1934 [5: 2-Nov-1934]
     The ball was held on Tuesday 30 October 1934 and among the hall decorations were 19,000 feet of coloured streamers [5]
Attended and spoke at the Welcome Home tendered to Mick and Rene COFFEY in Three Springs on 21 November 1934 [5: 23-Nov-1934]
Member of the Three Springs Cricket Club - was President in 1934-35 [5: 22-Feb-1935]
Played for the victorious R.S.L. team who defeated "The Rest" at cricket in Three Springs on Sunday 2 December 1934 [5: 7-Dec-1934]
In January 1935 The Irwin Index newspaper made mention of his very nice gardens in Three Springs [4: 19-Jan-1935]
     He had obtained fine results with a limited supply of water, his garden featuring many roses and some very fine zinnias [4]
Vice President of the Three Springs Football Club 1935-1937 [5: 10-May-1935, 8-May-1936, 16-Apr-1937]
Attended the luncheon tendered to Primate of Australia Rev. Henry F. LE FANU in Three Springs on Monday 1 July 1935 [5: 5-Jul-1935]
Violinist of the "Grenadier Band" which played at the Three Springs Football Club's Dance held on Thursday 18 July 1935 [5: 26-Jul-1935]
     Others in the band were Miss Ethel M. MALEY (piano), Richard D. GELL (cornet), Clifford A. M. SCHOLEFIELD (drums) [5]
Master of Ceremonies at the Annual Concert in aid of the Dominican Nuns held in Three Springs on 15 August 1935 [5: 23-Aug-1935]
Won 2nd prize for Sweet Peas in the Flower section at the Three Springs Agricultural Show on 19 September 1935 [5: 27-Sep-1935]
Master of Ceremonies at the Three Springs Golf Club's Annual Ball held at the Three Springs Hall on 2 October 1935 [5: 4-Oct-1935]
Invited Guest at the R.S.L. Reunion Dinner held in Three Springs on Saturday evening 19 October 1935 [5: 25-Oct-1935]
Attended the meeting of Three Springs ratepayers held on Saturday 11 January 1936 to discuss the local water crisis [5: 17-Jan-1936]
     He made mention that it was costing the local Hospital, of which he was Chairman, a great deal of money for carting water [5]
     He said that he considered this "ridiculous in view of modern times and conveniences" and would support any resolution [5]
Attended the funeral of Carnamah agent William B. SHERIDAN at the Winchester Cemetery on 27 January 1936 [5: 31-Jan-1936]
Wrote to the Three Springs Road Board in February 1936 applying for the Board's business with his Shell Oil Coy agency [5: 28-Feb-1936]
     As they had used Plume products for over 12 months they resolved to use Shell products for 12 months from the start of March [5]
Among those who attended the Special Ratepayers Meeting of the Three Springs Road Board on Monday 10 March 1936 [5: 13-Mar-1936]
     After much discussion it was requested that the Board's members resign and half did causing the Road Board to become defunct [5]
Travelled to Perth on Thursday 2 April 1936 and returned to Three Springs on Tuesday 7 April 1936 [5: 10-Apr-1936]
Committee Member of the Three Springs Agricultural Society in 1936 and 1937 [5: 1-May-1936, 25-Mar-1937]
Competitor in the Billiard Tournament held in Three Springs in May 1936 to raise funds for the Hospital in Three Springs [5: 8-May-1936]
Member of the committee who made arrangements for when Sir James MITCHELL visited Three Springs in 1936 [5: 14-Aug-1936]
The Agricultural Hall in Three Springs was decorated under his artistic supervision for 1936 Three Springs Golf Club Ball [5: 9-Oct-1936]
Speaker at the Valedictory Social for Miss Rachel M. A. WALLACE in Three Springs on Tuesday 15 December 1936 [5: 24-Dec-1936]
Vice President of the Three Springs Tennis Club in 1936-37 [5: 18-Sep-1936]
Presided over the Social Evening for local newlyweds Richard H. S. & Rachel M. A. JAMES on 5 January 1937 [5: 8-Jan-1937]
Won a bottle of whisky in a raffle at the Saint Patrick's Day Ball in Three Springs on Wednesday 17 March 1937 [5: 19-Mar-1937]
Speaker at the Farewell to Him & Hettie HOUSE at the tennis courts in Three Springs on Sunday 21 March 1937 [5: 25-Mar-1937]
Part of a deputation that went before the Three Springs Road Board in March 1937 to propose a greater sports ground [5: 25-Mar-1937]
He was one of only six who attended the Annual Ratepayers Meeting of the Three Springs Road Board on 22 March 1937 [5: 2-Apr-1937]
     He pointed out that although they had spent money looking for a water supply it didn't mean they'd done anything to get one [5]
     He'd inspected water from the town dam for the local hospital however found it be contaminated and not fit for consumption [5]
     He also pointed out that some families didn't have a water supply and couldn't afford to buy water for bathing purposes [5]
     He suggested the town dam be cleaned out and that if water could be found the hospital could get a £250 grant towards the cost [5]
With a majority of 17 votes he was elected Town Member of the Three Springs Road Board in April 1937 [5: 23-Apr-1937]
     Although he had no Board experience he brought "a wealth of experience gained from his association with other public bodies" [5]
     Within his first month he undertook investigations and estimates for a greater sports ground and town water supply [5: 21-May-1937]
Attended the reception in Three Springs to Charles G. LATHAM, Leader of the Opposition in WA, on 26 May 1937 [5: 28-May-1937]
Spoke on behalf of the hospital at the farewell to William M. & Margaret K. CARMODY in Three Springs on 12 July 1937 [5: 16-Jul-1937]
Presided over the formal dinner following the official opening of the Nurse's Quarters in Three Springs on 27 August 1937 [5: 3-Sep-1937]
Attended the Grand Ball that concluded the North Midlands Popular Girl Competition in Three Springs on 31 August 1937 [5: 3-Sep-1937]
     He extended a welcome to the Very Rev. Dean MOORE of Saint George's Cathedral in Perth and assisted with the music [5]
Helped organise the Farewell for Barney & Frances BARNHART, which was held in Three Springs on Thursday 3 February 1938 [4]
     At the Farewell he was Master of Ceremonies, and during the evening he and his wife sang a duet [4: 12-Feb-1938]
Helped arrange the Valedictory for Minnie WATSON & Arthur MORTIMER held in Three Springs on Tuesday 15 February 1938 [4]
     He was Master of Ceremonies at the Valedictory Evening, and he and his son were among the suppliers of music [4: 19-Feb-1938]
Pallbearer at the funeral of Mrs Kate A. COLE of Three Springs at the Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth on 16 January 1939 [4: 21-Jan-1939]
Attended the funeral of Arrino resident Mrs Ellen DEE at the Three Springs Cemetery on 16 August 1939 [4: 19-Aug-1939]
Speaker at the Farewell Social & Dance held for Vincent & May TIPPETT in Three Springs on Monday 28 July 1941 [4: 2-Aug-1941]
During the Second World War he decorated the entire ceiling of the Hall in Three Springs with red, white and blue streamers [P2]
     The streamers collectively made up a huge Union Jack, which was so outstanding it was left there for a number of years [P2]
     Eventually the streamers were torn down, but only because they had faded from sunlight shinning through the Hall's windows [P2]
In early 1946 sold his storekeeping and agency business in Three Springs to V. Clyde DANN [4: 6-Apr-1946]
He and his wife were honoured at a Farewell Social at the Agricultural Hall in Three Springs on Saturday 30 March 1946 [4]
     The Chairman of the Three Springs Road Board spoke about the district's regret at losing such a "live wire" of a citizen [4]
     Tribute was paid to the active role he had played in local affairs and organisations, and for the faith he'd shown in Three Springs [4]
     Received a presentation from the residents of the district as a token of their esteem and appreciation [4: 6-Apr-1946]
Himself, his wife and their daughter Lynette left Three Springs in April 1946[4: 6-Apr-1946]
After leaving Three Springs resided in Kalgoorlie, where he later suddenly died[2] [P2]
Father of William and Lynette [P2]
Died 20 February 1953; ashes dispersed at the Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth WA [2]


From The North Midland Times newspaper, Friday 13 December 1935:
"Obituary - The Late Mrs. William Jordan - The death occurred suddenly at the Arvo Hospital, Subiaco, on Friday, December 6, when Mrs. William Jordan, passed away. The deceased, who was 69, underwent an operation about 12 months ago and suffered indifferent health until her demise. She leaves three daughters and one son, Mrs. E. J. Jackson, Parliament Place, Perth; Mrs. O. Harvey, Marion Street, Leederville; Mrs S. Williams, Sydney; and Mr. W. Jordan, Three Springs, to mourn their sad loss. The funeral took place on Saturday afternoon when the remains were interred in Karrakatta Cemetery."


Reference:  Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'William George Jordan' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 29 March 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/william-george-jordan [reference list]




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