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Biographical Dictionary - Coorow, Carnamah, Three Springs


Surname

"Leslie" Alfred Leslie TROTTER

Born 13 June 1888 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia [16]
Son of baker "Fred" Alfred Hardy TROTTER and Isabella Mary MOORHEAD [15] [20]
Baker in Roebourne, Western Australia in 1909 and 1910 [6]
Later in 1910 he was a Soldier and was living at the Old Post Office on Cliff Street in Fremantle [50]
Married Florence Maud ROBERTS in Perth in 1911 [66]
Confectioner in Southern Cross in 1912 [6]
In 1916 he was working as a Baker and living at 40 Commonwealth Avenue in the Perth suburb of Leederville [30]
Enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in Perth on 1 May 1916 [30: item 11583475]
     He had previously served 16 months with the Royal Australian Garrison Artillery [30]
     Upon enlistment he was 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighed 148 pounds and had grey eyes, brown hair and a fresh complexion [30]
     After training at Blackboy Hill he was appointed to the 7th Reinforcements of the 48th Infantry Battalion [30]
     Embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia for active service abroad on the H.M.A.T. A9 Argyllshire on 9 November 1916 [30]
     Disembarked in Devonport, England and after further training proceeded to France on 22 May 1917 [30]
     Private 2867 in the Australian Imperial Force's 48th Infantry Battalion in France during the First World War [30]
     Wounded in Action in France on 10 July 1917 and remained on duty but was hospitalised on 17 July 1917 with trench fever [30]
     Invalided to England by hospital ship on 24 July 1917 and after recovery proceeded to France on 3 January 1918 [30]
     Rejoined his Battalion and on 22 January 1918, and was appointed to the rank of Lance Corporal on 11 April 1918 [30]
     Wounded in Action in France on 3 May 1918 and was invalided to England for a shell wound to his right shoulder [30]
     Proceeded to France on 30 October 1918, rejoined his Battalion and on 24 November 1918 was appointed Corporal [30]
     Embarked from England on the H.T. Bremen and disembarked in Fremantle, Western Australia on 18 July 1919 [30]
     Discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on 23 August 1919; received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal [30]    
In 1920 he was living in York, Western Australia [120: 19-Aug-1920]
Baker of the Pioneer Bakery in Moora, Western Australia 1921-1924 [6] [9]
     In March 1921 he took over the long established bakery of Peterkin & Burrows in Moora [9: 25-Mar-1921]
     Joint Proprietor with Charles G. PETERKIN of the "Peterkin & Trotter" Bakery in Moora for the first few months [9: 8-Jul-1921]
     In mid 1921 purchased his partner's share in the business and became the sole proprietor of their bakery business [9: 8-Jul-1921]
     Seller of bread, pastries, cakes and also catered for weddings and other functions [9: 8-Jul-1921]
     "Mr Trotter is well known as a leading master baker and his goods are at all times of the highest standard" [86: 9: 2-Nov-1923]
     By late July 1921 he'd opened a branch of his bakery business in Three Springs [9: 29-Jul-1921]
     His Three Springs branch was located at the rear of commission agent Thomas J. BERRIGAN's business premises [9: 29-Jul-1921]
     In August 1921 he re-opened the bakery in Mingenew, which had closed during the first year of the First World War [86: 11-Aug-1921]
     He appears to have remained in Moora and sold the bakery in Mingenew to John E. WHITE in late September 1921 [9: 30-Sep-1921]
     Part of the sale agreement with WHITE was that he took over all trade of selling bread north of Prowaka [9: 30-Sep-1921]
     In 1922 his bread was sold along the Midland Railway line at localities between Gingin and Three Springs [9: 3-Mar-1922]
     Bread he baked in Moora was transported by rail and sold in Carnamah at Theodore T. DAVIESON's General Store [9: 3-Mar-1922]
     Donated 2/- to the Moora Football Association to go towards their representative team at Country Week in 1922 [9: 1-Sep-1922]
     Advertised his business with the lines "Trotting into Popularity" and "Leading Baker of the Midlands" in 1923 [9: 19-Jan-1923]
     In 1923 his bread was sold at Watheroo and was delivered and railed daily to all others parts of the Midlands [9: 19-Jan-1923]
     His bakery in Moora was telephone number Moora-13 [9: 3-Mar-1922, 19-Jan-1923]
     In April 1923 donated 5/- to the Fund in aid of recently widowed Mrs HOLMES and her five children of Barberton [10: 13-Apr-1923]     
     Began selling the famous ideal breakfast food "Semolina" at 3d. per pound from his bakery in mid 1923 [9: 6-Jul-1923]
     Later in 1923, due to the expiration of his lease, moved his bakery to premises next to the Commercial Hotel in Moora [9: 7-Sep-1923]
     In 1923 he had a bakehouse built at Carnamah and opened the town's first bakery in January 1924 [9: 2-Nov-1923, 25-Jan-1924]
     Initially his branch at Carnamah was under the management of Colin C. HARPER who'd been working for him in Moora [9: 2-Nov-1923]
     Around March 1924 he sold his bakery business in Moora to Frank J. CRAMOND and shifted to Carnamah [9: 4-Apr-1924]
     He wished to devote all his time to his business at Carnamah, which was by that time "making rapid progress" [9: 4-Apr-1924]
Proprietor of "Trotter's Cash Store and Bakery" at 7 Yarra Street in Carnamah 1924-1927 [9]
     He appears to have purchased 7 Yarra Street as a vacant block from railway fettler John SIMPTON [27] [44]
     Initially the business was just a bakery and was called the "Pioneer Bakery" after his bakery in Moora [9: 25-Jan-1924]
     From his store in Carnamah he soon operated as a Commission Agent, Baker, Pastrycook and Grocer [9: 7-Jul-1925, 7-May-1926]
     By February 1925 had a fine up-to-date shop, large bake house and a comfortable and commodious private house [9: 13-Feb-1925]
     His baker's oven, said to have been the largest in the Midlands, had a capacity of nearly 400 loaves [9: 13-Feb-1925]
     Resided in a house next to or adjoining his shop at 7 Yarra Street, Carnamah 1925-1927 [19]
     Sold fruit, confectionary, cool drinks, bran, pollard, flour, had a tea room at his store and undertook catering work [9: 31-Jul-1925]
     By 1926 he'd had the telephone connected to his general store and bakery - which was telephone number Carnamah-14 [60]
In 1926 was an agent for Millar's Timber and Trading Company, National Insurance Company of New Zealand, [9: 8-Jan-1926, 2-May-1926]
     Phonographs Ltd, Famous Edison Phonographs, Knight Lighting System, Batyphon Wireless Sets and Regal records [9]
Purchased 17 Caron Street in the Carnamah townsite from the Midland Railway Company for £20 cash on 9 April 1924 [27]
Chairman of a committee formed to collect donations for the improvement of the road between Watheroo and Carnamah [9: 17-Apr-1925]
Foundation Member and Inaugural Captain of the Carnamah Rifle Club in 1925 [9: 10-Jul-1925]
     Member of the Carnamah Rifle Club 1925-1928 [9: 10-Jul-1925, 29-Oct-1926] [4: 28-Jul-1928]
Sold £2 of cakes to the Three Springs Saint Patrick's Day Committee for their Picnic Race Meeting on 17 March 1925 [124]
Proposed the toasts at the wedding reception of Lionel FERGUSON and Maud PARKIN in Carnamah on 25 August 1925 [9: 11-Sep-1925]
Caterer for the Carnamah Bachelors' Second Annual Ball held in Carnamah on Thursday 22 October 1925 [9: 30-Oct-1925]
Foundation President of the Carnamah sub-branch of the Returned Soldiers' League upon its reformation in 1925 [9: 20-Nov-1925]
    He was again elected President when the sub-branch was reformed yet again in mid 1926 [9: 9-Jul-1926]
    In 1926 it was "hoped that all diggers in the district will join up and help to make the branch a live one" [9: 9-Jul-1926]
    He remarked in 1928 that there were 60 returned men in Carnamah and they should unite to work in harmony [9: 23-Mar-1928]
    Remained President of the Carnamah Sub-Branch of the R.S.L. until his departure from Carnamah in 1928 [4: 14-Jan-1928, 28-Jul-1928]
On the evening of the Monday 16 May 1927 his well-known cow named Bonny passed away from inflammation [4: 21-May-1927]
     His cow Bonny had peacefully roamed the streets of Carnamah and was well known for her gait and amiable nature [4]
In 1927 purchased a new Morris-Oxford car and a new Morris truck [4: 6-Aug-1927, 13-Aug-1927]
Had an account with Carnamah blacksmith, wheelwright and motor mechanics Henry Parkin & Son [53]
To his misfortune a disease called "rope" got into his bakehouse, and when he put dough in the ovens it wouldn't rise [P99]
     As a result he sold the general store and agency portion of his business and had a new bakery built in a different part of town [P99]
Sold the general store part of his business to N. W. REYNOLDS, who took over the store on 8 August 1927 [9: 5-Aug-1927] [4: 13-Aug-1927]
     Retained ownership of the store's premises in Yarra Street, Carnamah and leased them to REYNOLDS from 1927 to 1951 [3]
After selling his store had a bakery and house built at 21 Macpherson Street, Carnamah at a cost of £1,000 [9: 19-Aug-1927 & 21-Oct-1927]
     Underneath the bakery was an underground cellar which kept water cool for when he made bread dough [P99]
     Had the telephone connected to his new bakery - which was telephone number Carnamah-30 [60]
Installed an "up-to-date aerated water plant" and commenced selling large and small quantities of aerated water in 1927 [4: 14-Jan-1928]
     Began producing Dry Ginger Ale in January 1928, which was claimed to be "fully equal to anything in the State" [4: 14-Jan-1928]
Appears to have sold his vacant block at 17 Caron Street, Carnamah to Mrs Florence M. BROWN of the Carnamah Hostel [3]
Catered afternoon tea for the tennis tournament between the Carnamah and Winchester tennis clubs on 18 March 1928 [9: 23-Mar-1928]
     The catering was at the expense of Winchester who who were hosts but on the Carnamah courts as they lacked facilities [9]
In April 1928 had a new bakehouse and oven built behind his Macpherson Street premises from bricks made on site [4: 21-Apr-1928]
Sold his bakery business in Carnamah to F. J. and A. E. BEAUMONT, and they took it over on 1 June 1928 [4: 19-May-1928]
     He appears to have also sold his aerated water factory in Carnamah to Frederick J. and Adela E. BEAUMONT [60]
Along with his wife and children left Carnamah in late May or early June of 1928 [4: 19-May-1928]
Proprietor of a store and mixed business at 284 Cambridge Street in the Perth suburb of Wembley 1929-1942 [6]
Travelled from Perth to Carnamah by train on Tuesday 17 September 1935 for a three week vacation [5: 20-Sep-1935]
Enlisted in the Australian Army on 29 April 1940 [16]
     Sergeant W237578 in the Australian Army's Canteen Service during the Second World War [16]
     Discharged from the Australian Army on 3 September 1940, however re-enlisted on 10 June 1942 [16]
     Sergeant W79148 in the Australian Army's 11 Bakery during the Second World War [16]
     During a portion of the war he ran the Army's canteen in Northam, Western Australia [P340]
     Discharged from the Australian Army on 7 October 1943 [16]
Resided in Kalgoorlie in 1944 and 1945, and then at 70 Mandurah Road in the Perth suburb of South Fremantle 1946-1948 [3]
Resided on Rockingham Road in the Perth suburb of Spearwood 1949 onwards [3]
On leaving Carnamah in 1928 he had retained ownership of his premises on Yarra Street and Macpherson Street [3]
     Leased his shop premises at 7 Yarra Street, Carnamah to Norman W. REYNOLDS until selling them to him in 1950-51 [3]
     Leased his bakery at 21 Macpherson Street, Carnamah to a variety of bakers until selling it to Norman J. HAYNES in 1950-51 [3]
Resided of late in the Perth suburb of Joondanna [2]
Father of Ronald, Lloyd, Rona and Neville [9: 21-Oct-1927] [120: 1-Sep-1927]
Died 10 May 1967; buried at the Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth, Western Australia (Anglican, WG, 162) [2]


Reference:  Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Alfred Leslie Trotter' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 19 April 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/alfred-leslie-trotter [reference list]




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