"Frank" Francis ROOKE
Born 1 March 1907 in Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales [16]
Son of John Snowden ROOKE and Louisa Annie OATES [P95]
Resided with parents in Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales from 1907 until 1915 [P95]
His father made arrangement to purchase a Ready Made Farm in Carnamah, Western Australia [P95]
Along with his parents, brother Pat and sister Madge departed London, England on the steamship Omrah in 1915 [70]
They arrived on the steamship Omrah in Fremantle, Western Australia on 27 November 1915 [70]
Arrived in Carnamah with his parents and siblings in January 1916 [7: page 145]
Resided on Kilburn Farm in Carnamah with his parents 1916-1934 and with his wife Daphne 1934-1945 [P94]
Student at the Carnamah State School, and after leaving school worked with his father on Kilburn Farm [P94]
Married "Daphne" Alberta Daphne STEPHENS on 27 January 1934 at Saint Paul's Church in West Perth [5: 2-Feb-1934]
His best man at his wedding was Carnamah pharmacist "Doug" Douglas WALDBY [5: 2-Feb-1934]
Farmer of Kilburn Farm, Carnamah from his father's retirement in January 1934 until May 1945 [P95] [P142]
Came 2nd at euchre at the Euchre Party, Basket Social & Dance held at the State School in Carnamah on 24 June 1920 [10: 16-Jul-1920]
Attended the wedding dance for Alexander J. F. BROWN and Clara V. BERRIGAN in Carnamah on 28 August 1928 [4: 8-Sep-1928]
Master of Ceremonies at the Carnamah Show Dance held at the Carnamah Town Hall on Thursday 4 October 1928 [4: 20-Oct-1928]
Attended the Carnamah Football Club's Opening Season Ball held at the Carnamah Town Hall on 18 May 1929 [4: 25-May-1929]
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]
Master of Ceremonies at the Plain and Fancy Dress Ball at the Carnamah Town Hall on Thursday 8 August 1929 [4: 17-Aug-1929]
Won first prize for Bag of Oaten Chaff at the Carnamah District Agricultural Society's Annual Show in 1929 [4: 28-Sep-1929]
Master of Ceremonies at the Grand Ball after the Carnamah Show and opening of Centenary Park on 19 September 1929 [4]
Attended the Carnamah Anglican Church's Freak Ball at the Carnamah Hall on Thursday 3 October 1929 [4: 12-Oct-1929]
Member of the Carnamah Tennis Club in 1929-30 and 1935-36 [4: 8-Mar-1930] [5: 18-Oct-1935]
Saw in the new year of 1930 with the singing of Auld Lang Syne at the Church of England's Dance at the Carnamah Hall [86: 4-Jan-1930]
Attended the Ball in Carnamah in aid of the local Roman Catholic Church's building fund on Thursday 24 May 1930 [4: 31-May-1930]
Show Ball Committee Member and Assistant Secretary of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society in 1930 [4: 9-Nov-1929, 4-Oct-1930]
Came 2nd in both the Trotting Race and the Relay Race in the Ring Events at the Carnamah Agricultural Show in 1930 [4: 27-Sep-1930]
Committee Member in 1930 and Secretary 1933-1936 of the Carnamah Race Club [4: 21-Dec-1929, 4-Mar-1933] [5: 24-Nov-1933, 24-Jul-1936]
He was the Club's final Secretary, the sorrowful role of winding up the Club falling upon his shoulders in July 1936 [5: 24-Jul-1936]
He placed a notice in The North Midland Times that unless objections were received the Club's money was to go to charity [5]
The money was to be split between the North Midlands District Hospital in Three Springs and the Children's Hospital in Perth [5]
He called the very last meeting of the Club for 8 September 1936 to discuss the disposal of the Club's funds [5: 28-Aug-1936]
Attended the last ever general meeting of the Carnamah Race Club in Carnamah on Tuesday 8 September 1936 [5: 18-Sep-1936]
Along with those present decided to disband the already in recess Club and donate its money to the Carnamah Athletic Club [5]
Attended the Card Party held at Mrs Jessie C. THOMPSON's home in Niven Crescent, Carnamah in mid July 1932 [5: 22-Jul-1932]
Founding Member, Secretary and Treasurer of the Carnamah Literary and Debating Society in 1932 [5: 5-Aug-1932]
Master of Ceremonies at the Carnamah Roman Catholic Church's Annual Ball in aid of funds, held on 6 August 1932 [5: 19-Aug-1932]
Member of the Carnamah Cricket Club in 1932-33 [5: 21-Oct-1932]
Committee Member of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society in 1933 [13]
Member of Carnamah's branch of the Wheatgrowers Union 1933-1937 [5: 1-Dec-1933, 20-Apr-1934, 17-Jan-1936, 12-Feb-1937]
Consolation Winner of the Bridge Party held at Mrs Johanna BERRIGAN's home in Carnamah on 16 November 1933 [5: 24-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]
Along with Gladys WYLIE travelled to Perth early Wednesday morning 24 January 1934 in the lead up to his wedding [5: 26-Jan-1934]
Official Representative for Carnamah of the Liberation League of Western Australia in 1934 [5: 9-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]
Sent in a letter titled "Liberation" to The North Midland Times newspaper, and it was published on Friday 6 April 1934 [5: 6-Apr-1934]
Attended the Farewell Social to Miss Doris MCLEAN at BERRIGAN's home in Carnamah on Wednesday 11 April 1934 [5: 13-Apr-1934]
The Carnamah District Road Board paid him £2/5/- on 24 April 1934 for the hire of a horse and sulky [300: page 27]
The local newspaper reported on 27 April 1934 that there was a parcel for him at the Carnamah Railway Station [5: 27-Apr-1934]
Attended Emily H. TURNER's 21st Birthday at Karragee Farm in Carnamah on Tuesday 8 May 1934 [5: 11-May-1934]
Attended the Carnamah Roman Catholic Church's Ball held at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday 26 May 1934 [5: 1-Jun-1934]
Travelled to Gullawa near Yalgoo on Thursday 19 July 1934, where his brother Pat and Harry ZUEGG were mining [5: 27-Jul-1934]
Attended the Repertory Social, of plays, community singing and dancing, held in Carnamah on 15 August 1934 [5: 17-Aug-1934]
Attended the Dance in aid of the Institute for the Blind held at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday evening 18 August 1934 [5: 24-Aug-1934]
Attended the funeral of Mrs Christina B. D. FORRESTER of Carnamah at the Winchester Cemetery on 31 August 1934 [4: 8-Sep-1934]
Attended the Carnamah Football Club's Premiership Ball held at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday 20 October 1934 [5: 26-Oct-1934]
Put a notice in the local paper in November 1934 that he was looking to buy a cheap 21 ins. horse collar in good order [5: 23-Nov-1934]
Secretary of the North Midlands Zone Council of the Wheatgrowers Union 1934-1938[5: 24-Aug-1934, 4-Jan-1935, 8-Jan-1937] [13]
Travelled to Mount Magnet on a business trip on 7 January 1935, and returned to Carnamah on Friday 11 January 1935 [5: 11-Jan-1935]
Spoke on behalf of the Race Club at the Farewell Social to Brian and Gerda STACY in Carnamah on 16 March 1935 [5: 22-Mar-1935]
Member of the Carnamah Repertory Club in 1935, and Vice President in 1936 and 1937 [5: 5-Apr-1935, 10-Apr-1936, 7-May-1937]
Director of the Carnamah Repertory Club's Social Evening & Play Presentation at the Carnamah Hall on 17 June 1936 [5: 19-Jun-1936]
Produced the play "The Gold Widow" at the Club's Social at the Carnamah Hall on Friday 2 October 1936 [5: 9-Oct-1936]
Produced "Evening Dress Indispensable" and gave a monologue at the Club's Social on 25 June 1937 [5: 2-Jul-1937]
As producer "presented a very credible presentation" of the play "The Stoker" at the Club's Concert on 20 August 1937 [5: 27-Aug-1937]
Attended the meeting held at the Church Hall in Carnamah on Monday 8 April 1935 to discuss the bulk handling of wheat [5: 12-Apr-1935]
Attended the Super & Social held after the Carnamah Repertory Club's Fifth Concert on Thursday 25 July 1935 [5: 2-Aug-1935]
Organised the North Midland Wheatgrowers Union's Picnic which was held in Three Springs on 21 August 1935 [5: 16-Aug-1935]
Attended May ROCCHI's birthday at her brother's farm in Carnamah on Thursday evening 15 August 1935 [5: 23-Aug-1935]
In August 1935 sold 14 lambs for 14/1, 29 lambs for 10/10 and 4 shorn lambs for 7/7 per head through Elder Smith & Co [5: 30-Aug-1935]
After a visit to Geraldton returned to Carnamah accompanied by his mother and sister on Tuesday 10 September 1935 [5: 13-Sep-1935]
Won 1st prizes for White Leghorn cock and White Leghorn hen at the Carnamah Agricultural Show in 1935 [5: 20-Sep-1935]
Sold 94 suckers (65 for 15/4, 2 for 8/7, 27 for 12/4 per head) and 6 shorn lambs for 10/1 per head in September 1935 [5: 27-Sep-1935]
Attended the Zone Meeting of the North Midlands Wheatgrowers Union in Perenjori on Sunday 3 November 1935 [5: 15-Nov-1935]
Attended the funeral of Miss "May" Mary L. LANG of Carnamah at the Winchester Cemetery on 26 November 1935 [5: 29-Nov-1935]
Came fourth in the Carnamah District Agricultural Society's Fallow Competition in 1935 [5: 20-Mar-1936]
Sold 99 sheep through Elder Smith & Co Ltd and Dalgety & Co Ltd at the Midland Market on Wednesday 8 January 1936 [5]
The sheep consisted of 16 shorn lambs sold at 11/- per head, 1 shorn lamb at 5/-, 15 woolly suckers at 16/10, [5]
46 shorn ewes 9/10 at, 1 shorn ewe at 3/-, 13 ewes at 12/1, and 7 lambs at 14/5 per head [5: 10-Jan-1936]
Attended the Wedding Social & Dance for Stuart and May FORD at Koolabba Farm in Carnamah on 25 January 1936 [5: 31-Jan-1936]
Accompanied by his sister-in-law Jessie WYLIE motored from Carnamah to Geraldton on Thursday night 30 January 1936 [5]
When they were about four miles past Mingenew a kangaroo dazzled by their headlights jumped through the windscreen [5]
Fortunately his sister-in-law opened her door and released the kangaroo, which gave them both a number of cuts and scratches [5]
Besides a broken windscreen and rear window the runabout was undamaged, and they carried on to Geraldton [5: 31-Jan-1936, 7-Feb-1936]
Pieces of galvanise from iron entered his eye while repairing the roof of a shed on the farm on Friday 21 February 1936 [5]
Received medical attention for hie eye from Dr Cecil P. ROSENTHAL of the Carnamah Private Hospital [5: 28-Feb-1936]
He was the sole exhibitor of the Poultry section at the Carnamah Agricultural Show on Thursday 10 September 1936 [5: 18-Sep-1936]
Awarded 1st prize for Black Orpington cock, both 1st and 2nd for White Leghorn hen, and 2nd prize for Rhode Island Rd hen [5]
Also exhibited in the Photography section winning two 1st prizes for Scenery and Any Subject and 2nd for District Farm Life [5]
On 17 September 1936 telephoned the Carnamah Police Station to say he'd found a parcel of clothing near his farm [88]
Telephoned the Carnamah Police on 4 December 1936 to report his sister-in-law Jessie WYLIE had left home during the night [88]
Seven hours later she was found in a paddock several miles from Carnamah and was treated at the Carnamah Private Hospital [88]
Despite the unfavourable season in 1936 secured a good cut of hay from 70 acres of wheat averaging 28 cwt. per acre [5: 23-Oct-1936]
Speaker at the Farewell Social for departing postmaster R. Arthur LINDSAY at the Carnamah Hotel on 23 October 1936 [5: 30-Oct-1936]
Attended the public meeting about the creation of stockyards in Carnamah on Saturday evening 14 November 1936 [5: 20-Nov-1936]
Member of the Carnamah Ratepayers & Citizens Association - was Secretary and Treasurer in 1936-37 [5: 12-Jun-1936, 17-Sep-1937]
As secretary of the Association he called a public meeting for 17 September 1937 to discuss the "grasshopper problem" [5: 17-Sep-1937]
Attended the Annual General Meeting of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society on Saturday 16 January 1937 [5: 22-Jan-1937]
Accompanied by his wife and son travelled from Carnamah to Perth on Friday 5 February 1937 [5: 12 & 26-Feb-1937]
While in Perth he was the delegate for the North Midlands Zone Council at the Annual Conference of the Wheatgrowers Union [5]
Donated a trophy for the Carnamah Tennis Club's Easter Tennis Tournament in Carnamah in 1937 [5: 23-Apr-1937]
Ran but was unsuccessful as the Member for the North Ward on the Carnamah District Road Board in April 1937 [5: 2 & 23-Apr-1937]
Local farmer Harold POPE publicly supported him with an advertisement in The North Midland Times newspaper [5: 16-Apr-1937]
"Do not submit to sentiment when voting but support F. Rooke on your own contention of the benefits of a charge" [5: 16-Apr-1937]
Unyoked two of three horses from his trolley at Millar's timber yard in Carnamah on Tuesday 13 July 1937 [5: 16-Jul-1937]
As he was tying the two horses up on the other side of Macpherson Street the third bolted out of the timber yard with the trolley [5]
The two horses took fright, knocked him over and one of his feet became entangled with the rope he was tying them up with [5]
The horses galloped up the street with him being dragged along but with assistance from Morris P. BAKER the horses stopped [5]
He'd been unable to free himself despite trying to with a pocket knife, but besides a shaking he was remarkably uninjured [5]
On the Carnamah Ratepayers & Citizens Association's grasshopper eradication committee in 1937 [0: image 02876]
Sold 104 merino wethers and 73 crossbred hoggets at a sheep sale held in saleyards in Carnamah on 29 July 1937 [88]
Member of the Carnamah Golf Club in 1937 [5: 6-Aug-1937]
Sang to the crowd of over 300 at the Community Concert at the Carnamah Hall on Wednesday evening 11 August 1937 [5: 13-Aug-1937]
Sang as part of a quartette with Thomas H. PARKIN and Misses Dorcas L. COLE and E. Vera STEPHENS, all of Carnamah [5]
Sold 35 lambs and hoggets through Goldsbrough Mort & Co Ltd on 25 August 1937 - lambs at 17/10 and hoggets at 22/1 [5: 27-Aug-1937]
Secretary of the committee who organised the evening to honour John BOWMAN in Carnamah on 15 December 1937 [4: 25-Dec-1937]
Financial Member of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society in 1937 and 1940 [13]
Pallbearer at the funeral of Carnamah doctor Cecil Phillip ROSENTHAL at the Winchester Cemetery on 8 April 1939 [0]
From 1939 to 1945 was telephone number Carnamah-11U [60]
Had an account with Carnamah blacksmith, wheelwright and motor mechanics Henry Parkin & Son in the 1930s and 1940s [53]
Member of the Carnamah Cricket Club in 1939-40 [4: 9-Mar-1940]
Foundation Committee Member of the Carnamah District War and Patriotic Fund in 1940 and 1941 [0: images 03074 & 04014]
Judged the Farm Produce section and organised the Show Ball at the Carnamah District Agricultural Society's 1941 Annual Show [13]
Secretary of the Carnamah Race and Sports Club in 1942 [0: image 02956]
Class 2 Warrant Officer in the local Volunteer Defence Corps during the Second World War [16]
Committee Member of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society in 1944 [58]
In 1945 leased his farm and on 3 May 1945 held a clearing sale to sell all of his livestock, plant and machinery [0: image 04322]
The main items of the sale were 759 sheep and a tractor, harvester, combine, chaffcutter, chaff elevator and plough [0: image 04322]
Appears to have leased the farm to William A. TURNER [60], prior to it being sold to him on 10 June 1947 [3]
Along with his family was bid farewell at a valedictory evening at the Carnamah Town Hall on 3 May 1945 [0: image 04321]
Left Carnamah in May 1945 [0: images 04315 & 04321]
Resided in Hensman Street in South Perth for 15 years and then at 281 Canning Highway in the Perth suburb of Como [P142]
Resided of late in the Perth suburb of Bentley [2]
Father of Gilbert and Janice [P142]
Died 3 June 1978; ashes interred Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth WA (Crematorium Rose Gardens, 16, 278) [2]
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Francis Rooke' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 25 April 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/francis-rooke [reference list] |
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