"Flo" / "Florrie" Florence Mabel BINNS / BROWN
Born 1890 in Footscray, Victoria, Australia [54]
Daughter of Mark BINNS and Sarah Hannah PARTINGTON [54]
Shifted to Western Australia with her parents in the early 1890s [15] [54] and grew up in North Fremantle [P225]
Educated locally in North Fremantle and after leaving school worked as a Seamstress [P225]
She first met league football player Chitter BROWN at local dances in Fremantle [P225]
Married "Chitter" George Francis BROWN in Guildford on 19 June 1919 [P225]
She and her husband resided in Fremantle 1919-1927, during which time her husband worked on the Fremantle Tramways [P225]
In 1927 had a boarding house / hostel built at 13 &15 Caron Street in Carnamah at a cost of approximately £1,000 [4: 14-Jan-1928] [51]
She's believed to have purchased 13 and 15 Caron Street (Lots 29 and 30 of Victoria Location 1936) from Louis P. PARKER [27]
W. PERRY was the successful tenderer to build the boarding house and construction had begun by November 1927 [39: 8-Nov-1927]
By early 1928 the hostel was complete and she and her husband had shifted from Fremantle to Carnamah [4: 14-Jan-1928, 4-Feb-1928]
The hostel contained four rooms for boarders in addition to considerable space on a ten foot verandah around the building [4]
The hostel boasted electric lighting, modern conveniences and a large comfortable dining room with a piano [4: 14-Jan-1928]
A full week's board in 1928 cost 35/- while for shorter periods the charge was per day 2/6 for a bed and 2/- for meals [4: 14-Jan-1928]
Ran the "Carnamah Hostel" or "Hostel Carnamah" with her husband Chitter from 1928 to 1936 [4: 4-Feb-1928] [5: 3-Apr-1936] [51] [63]
Initially her husband was the proprietor of the hostel, however later on she was listed as its proprietress [4: 4-Feb-1928] [5: 8-Jul-1932]
Legislative Council electoral rolls reveal she was the freehold owner of the hostel's land and premises [61]
Services of the hostel included clean beds, good three course meals, plenty of water and shower baths [5: 8-Jul-1932, 11-May-1934]
Their establishment was known for being a real "home away from home" [5: 1-May-1936]
Later enclosed the verandah, and often local Aboriginal People would sleep on the beds there but be gone by daybreak [P324]
It was remarked that she always knew if a bed had been slept on [P324]
She did the cooking for the boarders meals, which were described as "good wholesome meals" [P225]
The cooking was done on a large wood stove, which made the kitchen extremely hot in summer [P324]
Rose early each day to prepare breakfast for their boarders, and was assisted in the kitchen by an assistant [P324]
If her husband had shot any wild turkeys she would cook them and serve them in the hostel's dining room [P324]
Appears to have purchased the adjoining 17 Caron Street (Lot 28 of Victoria Location 1936) from A. Leslie TROTTER [3] [61]
They had a bore sunk and windmill erected at 17 Caron Street, which provided plenty of water for their hostel [5: 3-Apr-1936] [P225]
Always kept her root vegetables buried in damp ground underneath the tap of their backyard water tank [P99]
They also had their own cow to provide milk and a number of chooks for eggs [P225]
She took care of everything on the inside of the hostel, and her husband kept the outside tidy and milked their cow [P324]
She and her husband ate in the dining room with the boarders, however their sons ate their meals in the kitchen [P324]
Described as a very generous person [P324]
She and her husband organised a 'Surprise Party' for the new store of Eva and Albert COWDEROY on 23 April 1928 [4: 12-May-1928]
Attended the Carnamah Football Club's Ball on 18 May 1929 in shell crepe de chine with floral bordered skirt [4: 25-May-1929]
Attended the farewell to Mrs Ida CROSSING at the home of Mrs BADRICK in Carnamah on 10 September 1929 [4: 14-Sep-1929]
Exhibited items in the Fancy Work section of the Carnamah Agricultural Show at Centenary Park, Carnamah in 1930 [4]
Won 1st prizes for Specimen of Underclothing and for a Collection of Crochet, and won 3rd prize for a Tray Cloth [4: 27-Sep-1930]
Attended the Show Ball following the annual Carnamah Show on 18 September 1930 in a frock of floral crepe de chine [4: 4-Oct-1930]
Attended the evening Ball after the Carnamah Races on Thursday 2 October 1930 in a dress of fawn crepe de chine [4: 18-Oct-1930]
In early July 1932 her brother Mr H. BINNS spent a holiday staying with her in Carnamah [5: 8-Jul-1932]
Attended the Carnamah Grand Ball at the town hall on Thursday 28 July 1932 in a gown of black marocain with trimming [5: 5-Aug-1932]
She and her husband travelled to Perth to attend the Perth Royal Show during the first week of October 1932 [5: 7-Oct-1932]
Attended the Card Party held at the home of Mrs Hetty GETHING in Carnamah in early June 1933 [5: 9-Jun-1933]
Member of the Carnamah Parents & Citizens Association in 1933 [5: 18-Aug-1933]
Advertised her hostel business in the Schedule of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society's Annual Show in 1933 [13]
"Three Course Meals - 3/6; Good Clean Beds - 2/-; Board Only - 25/-; Permanent Boarders - 30/-" [13]
"Unlimited Water Supply - Good Sleeping Out Accommodation - Mrs G. F. Brown, Proprietress" [13]
Member of the Carnamah Golf Club 1933-1935 [4: 14-Jul-1934] [5: 1-Sep-1933, 24-May-1935]
Attended the Carnamah Golf Club's Opening Season Dance at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday 21 April 1934 [5: 27-Apr-1934]
Her long time friend Mrs Mary E. DRABBLE and her son Roy annually visited them in Carnamah in the winter school holidays [P324]
Returned to Carnamah on 7 May 1934 after spending two weeks in Perth and two days with her mother at Mundijong [5: 11-May-1934]
Their old friends Jessie and Marjorie STRANG of Beaconsfield spent a holiday with them in Carnamah in May 1934 [5: 11 & 25-May-1934]
Sent a wreath for the grave of Christina B. D. FORRESTER of Carnamah at the Winchester Cemetery on 31 August 1934 [4: 8-Sep-1934]
Advertised in September 1934 that she wished to purchase a dozen first year's laying pullets for a reasonable prize [5: 21-Sep-1934]
Her niece, Miss Florrie BINNS of North Fremantle, stayed with her in Carnamah for three weeks in March 1935 [5: 22-Mar-1935]
Mr and Mrs STRANG and Mrs CRESSIE of Fremantle stayed with them in Carnamah for two weeks in April 1935 [5: 19-Apr-1935]
Mrs STRANG won the Guessing Weight of Sheep at the Easter Sports held in Carnamah on Monday 22 April 1935 [5: 26-Apr-1935]
Hosted a Bridge Evening to raise funds for the Carnamah Golf Club at their Carnamah Hostel on Friday 21 June 1935 [5: 14-Jun-1935]
Consolation winner of bridge at the Parkinson Tennis Club's Presentation and Card Evening in Carnamah on 3 July 1935 [5: 5-Jul-1935]
The Carnamah Hotel considerably dropped their fee for boarders which resulted in them losing many of their hostel's boarders [P7]
They decided to sell their hostel for this reason and also because there were less travellers/representatives passing through town [P7]
Their upcoming departure was announced with regret on the front page of The North Midland Times on 3 April 1936 [5: 3-Apr-1936]
Her husband arranged for a clearing sale at their hostel in Carnamah at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday 18 April 1936 [5: 3 & 10-Apr-1936]
They employed the services of auctioneer Alexander R. G. BARR of Three Springs to conducted the clearing sale [5]
Up for sale was their nine-roomed house on half an acre, their quarter acre block with windmill, furniture and household effects [5]
Furniture and household auctioned included a duchess, three four-piece bedroom suites, two double beds and matrasses, [5]
two single oak beds, 24 singe iron Combination and Cyclone beds, solid oak hall stand, marble topped wash stand, 30 chairs, [5]
two chests of drawers, four dressing tables, two cane lounge, two cane chairs, sideboard, large kitchen safe, small kitchen safe, [5]
a His Master's Voice gramophone and large quantity of records, a German "Nanon" piano in excellent condition, passage lino, [5]
lino squares, six 5-foot by 2-foot tables, three kitchen tables, large kitchen dresser, ringer, tub, 60-foot ¾-inch garden hose, [5]
kitchen utensils; quantity of curtains, pictures, frames; a large quantity of mattresses, blankets, pillows, travelling rugs, [5]
bed rugs, crockery, and glassware; plus a dairy cow in full milk with calf, a 12-month old heifer, and 46 fowls [5]
Presumably unable to sell their "Carnamah Hostel" they obtained permission to split it into two five roomed houses with verandahs [5]
The Carnamah District Road Board granted permission for the split to her husband at their meeting on 22 April 1936 [5: 24-Apr-1936]
In October 1936 their former Hostel was split into the two five roomed houses, which were each rented out [5: 16-Sep-1936]
Retained ownership of the two houses, with rates being sent care of her sister-in-law Mrs Lucy H. BINNS in North Fremantle [3]
She and her husband were tendered a Farewell Social & Dance at the Carnamah Hall on Thursday 23 April 1936 [5: 17-Apr-1936]
Their farewell consisted of dancing interspersed with musical, elocutionary and vocal items, supper, and speeches [5: 1-May-1936]
Mrs Lillian M. DIAMOND spoke of how the Carnamah Golf Club associates would miss her, and presented her with a gift [5]
On behalf of the residents of the district John BOWMAN presented she and her husband with an inscribed mantle clock [5]
The inscription read "Presented to Mr and Mrs G. F. Brown by the residents of the Carnamah district, 23rd April, 1936" [5]
Dancing continued until 2 a.m. the next morning, when their farewell concluded with the singing of Auld Lang Syne [5]
Tied to win the Ladies Approach & Putting Competition at the Carnamah Golf Club's Opening Day on 26 April 1936 [5: 1-May-1936]
On leaving Carnamah resided with her husband at 11 Marmion Street in the Perth suburb of East Fremantle [50]
They temporarily managed the State Hotel in Kwoylin and then managed the State Hotel in Wongan Hills in 1937 [5: 5-Feb-1937]
Resided in Kwoylin later in 1937 and 1938, where her husband was the manager of the Kwolin State Hotel [0: images 03320 & 03682]
Resided in Dwellingup 1939-1945, during which time her husband was manager of the Dwellingup State Hotel [0: image 03818] [6]
During the 1942-43 financial year sold her two houses in Carnamah (formerly her "Carnamah Hostel") to Jasper W. GREEN [3]
Resided of late in East Fremantle [2]
Mother of Geoff, Stan and Cliff [P99]
Died at the age of 62 and was buried in the same grave as her parents at the Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth WA (Wesleyan, DC, 82) [2]
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Florence Mabel Binns / Brown ' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 20 April 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/florence-mabel-binns [reference list] |
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