Dick READING
Born 10 March 1902 in Saint Pancras, London, England [16] [P144]
Son of George Langley READING and Louisa DRAPER [20] [21]
In 1911 was living with his parents, brother and his mother's aunt Ann DRAPER at 210 Wellmeadow Road, Lewisham in London [20]
He served in the 17th Battalion London Volunteer Regiment in 1918 and 1919 during the First World War [P144]
After the war, on 16 February 1920, he enlisted in the Territorial Force, which was the reserves of the British Army [P144]
Worked as an Office Bookkeeper in London, England until 1922 when he decided to leave England for Australia [P144]
Purchased his ticket for £35 and departed London, England on the steamship Largs Bay on 20 February 1923 [P144]
After a voyage of just over a month he arrived on the Largs Bay in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 23 March 1923 [70]
Farmhand in Warracknabeal, Victoria, Australia for Alexander GILMOUR, whose son Jack later farmed in Carnamah [P144]
Shifted to Western Australia in 1924 to purchase his own farmland [P144]
In 1924 he saw an advertisement listing blocks of land for sale by the Midland Railway Company [7: page 70]
He travelled to Carnamah in a horse and trap to inspect blocks of land near Five Gums in July 1924 [7: page 70]
The road ended at the Inering Homestead so he borrowed a horse and rode through the bush to find the blocks for sale [7: page 70]
On 11 August 1924 purchased from the Midland Railway Company 1,241 acres of virgin bush at Five Gums in Carnamah [27]
The 1,241 acres consisted of Lots M984 and M991 of Victoria Location 2022 situated north east of the Inering Estate [27] [62]
Lot M984 cost 12/- per acre and Lot M991 cost 15/- per acre, totalling £834/15/- which was payable by instalments [27]
He paid the required £85 deposit on the farm and returned to Perth to purchase necessary items [7: page 70]
Purchased a tent for £11/5/-, a cart for £20, a horse for £14 as well as an axe and a spade [7: page 70]
Wheat and Sheep Farmer of Wellmeadow Farm near Five Gums in Carnamah 1924-1973 [P144]
He named the property Wellmeadow after Wellmeadow Road in Lewisham, London, England [P144]
The property consisted of thick salmon gum and he had to chop his way into the block, moving inwards as he cleared [7: page 70]
While clearing his farm he also worked for other farmers to supplement his income [P144]
He had purchased the farm in partnership with his friend "Harry" Harold W. THOMAS, who only stayed a short time [P144]
Following Harry's departure the contract to purchase the 1,241 acres was transferred into just his name on 14 January 1926 [27]
His first machinery purchase was a tractor, followed by a drill for £36/16/- and a plough for £23 [7: page 71]
The tractor arrived in Carnamah by train and it was necessary for them to clear part of a road to get the machine to the farm [P144]
In addition to cropping part of his own farm he also share-cropped part of Angus and Dick GOULD's neighbouring farm [7: page 71]
During the year 1926 his brother Fred joined him on the farm and they formed the farming partnership "Reading Bros" [P144]
In 1926 they harvested 749 bags of wheat and carted 423 bags to the nearest railway siding over 17 miles away [7: page 71]
They employed the services of local builder Charles J. DALLIMORE to build them a four roomed house on the farm [P144]
Other sources suggest the house was built by CLARKE & Sons of Guildford and was completed in September 1927 [4: 24-Sep-1927]
Their parents left England in 1927 [63] and on arrival in Western Australia joined them on their Wellmeadow Farm [P144]
Initially their father helped them on the farm and later resided on the farm throughout his retirement [5: 30-Apr-1943]
In 1932 they owned a Chevrolet truck registered with the Carnamah District Road Board with license plate CA-242 [4: 12-Nov-1932]
"Reading Bros" were Financial Members of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society in 1932 [13]
The local newspaper revealed on 25 August 1933 that goods had arrived for them at the Carnamah railway station [5: 25-Aug-1933]
They travelled to Perth by train on 12 October 1933 and returned to Carnamah on 18 October 1933 [5: 13-Oct-1933, 20-Oct-1933]
Sold 100 sheep through Westralian Farmers with three consignments to the Midland Market in 1935 [5: 26-Jul-1935, 6-Sep-1935, 15-Nov-1935]
The 100 sheep comprised 57 suckers (25 at 16/7, 24 at 14/1, 8 at 11/4), 5 ewes at 11/4, 38 shorn wethers (37 at 7/4, 1 at 5/4) [5]
Sold six bales of wool at 15d. per pound through Elder Smith & Co Ltd at the Wool Sale in Perth on 7 October 1935 [5: 11-Oct-1935]
They sold 18 ewes at 9/7 per head through Westralian Farmers at the Midland Market on Wednesday 5 February 1936 [5: 7-Feb-1936]
They purchased a new 1936 model Commer truck from Carnamah agent and mechanic D. Standish O'GRADY [5: 6-Mar-1936]
Sold five pigs at 22/- per head through Dalgety & Co Ltd at the Midland Market on Wednesday 11 March 1936 [5: 13-Mar-1936]
Sold 6 suckers at 12/1, 5 lambs at 6/1, and 29 shorn ewes at 7/1 per head at the Midland Market in September 1936 [5: 18-Sep-1936]
They had an account with Carnamah blacksmith, wheelwright and motor mechanics Henry Parkin & Son in 1937 [53]
Sold 7 lambs at 13/4 and 48 ewes (15 at 12/10, 33 at 12/4) through Elder Smith & Co Ltd in early in 1937 [5: 8-Jan-1937, 12-Mar-1937]
By 1941 they had obtained the telephone on the farm, and were telephone number Carnamah-17R from 1941 to 1955 [60]
They later purchased another farm in Three Springs which they named Darenth after the River Darenth in England [P144]
Bought his brother Fred's share in the farm in the mid 1950s, at which point his brother retired to Perth [P144]
Attended the wedding dance for Alexander J. F. BROWN and Clara V. BERRIGAN in Carnamah on 28 August 1928 [4: 8-Sep-1928]
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]
He was among those who attended the Centenary Ball held at the Carnamah Hall on 26 July 1929 [86: 3-Aug-1929]
The ball was to celebrate 100 years since the founding of Perth and the establishment of the Swan River Colony [86]
Attended the Plain and Fancy Dress Ball at the Carnamah Hall on Thursday 8 August 1929 [4: 17-Aug-1929]
He had an account with Carnamah blacksmith, wheelwright and motor mechanics Henry Parkin & Son in the 1920s and 1930s [53]
Member of the Inering Cricket Club in 1930-31 [4: 22-Nov-1930]
Member of the Inering Progress Association in 1932 [4: 9-Jul-1932]
Financial Member of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society 1932-1971 [13]
Along with Ruby CLARK won the waltzing competition at the Carnamah Basketball Club's Dance on 29 July 1933 [5: 4-Aug-1933]
He and Emily TURNER won a prize for dancing at the Monster Ball at the Carnamah Hall on 2 September 1933 [5: 8-Sep-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]
On the evening of Thursday 15 March 1934 attended the Carnamah Race Club's Annual Dance at the Carnamah Hall [5: 16-Mar-1934]
Attended the Carnamah Football Club's Grand Opening Ball at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday 12 May 1934 [5: 18-May-1934]
Attended the Carnamah Roman Catholic Church's Ball held at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday 26 May 1934 [5: 1-Jun-1934]
Attended the Inering School Dance held at the Carnamah Hall to raise money for books on Saturday 21 July 1934 [5: 27-Jul-1934]
Won a ham at the North Midlands District Hospital Ball held at the Three Springs Hall on Easter Monday 22 April 1935 [5: 26-Apr-1935]
Whenever in Perth he would visit photographer Ernest L. MITCHELL who owned a farm next door to his in Carnamah [P144]
It was at Ernest's photographic business in Perth that he met his future wife who was an employee there [P144]
He then met with his wife for one week a year for seven years before they married in 1935 [P144]
Travelled from Carnamah to Perth by train on Thursday 26 September 1935 [5: 27-Sep-1935]
Married Moreen Winifred RICHARDS at Saint Brigid's Church in Perth on Wednesday 2 October 1935 [5: 11-Oct-1935]
In 1935 he had another house erected on Wellmeadow Farm in Carnamah for he and his new wife at a cost of £350 [P144]
They took up residence in their new home on Wellmeadow Farm on Friday 11 October 1935 [5: 18-Oct-1935]
Attended the Carnamah Repertory Club's Social Evening & Play Presentation at the Carnamah Hall on 17 June 1936 [5: 19-Jun-1936]
Member of the Five Gums Tennis Club 1936-1942 and 1946-1952 [89]
Auditor from 1938-39 to 1941-42 and Vice President and Committee Member in 1951-52 of the Five Gums Tennis Club [89]
Attended the meeting at Five Gums on 10 March 1937 to discuss the establishment of a state school at Five Gums, Carnamah [278]
Served on the Board of the North Midlands District Hospital in Three Springs 1939-1943 [109]
Telephone number Carnamah-17R from 1941 to 1968, and then on the Three Springs East telephone exchange [60]
His first car was an old Austin car which was replaced in 1948 by a new Chevrolet car [P144]
Departed Fremantle, Western Australia on the steamship Stratheden and arrived in London, England on 30 July 1949 [204]
He travelled to England by himself and during his visit his address was 10 Moreton Road in Seven Kings, Essex, England [204]
He passed away at the age of 71 years on his Wellmeadow Farm in Carnamah [P144]
Father of Terence, Maureen and Eileen [P144]
Died 17 November 1973; buried at the Three Springs General Cemetery in Three Springs, Western Australia (Anglican, Plot 138) [24]
Following his death the farm owned and run by his son Terry [7: page 69]
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Dick Reading' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 24 April 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/dick-reading [reference list] |
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