"Len" Leonard Robert WATSON
Born 4 June 1909 in Kalamunda, Western Australia [16]
Son of "Harry" William Henry WATSON and Harriett STIRK [14]
His father purchased a Ready-Made Farm in Carnamah and shifted to it with his brother Norman on 9 November 1915 [P24]
He followed with his mother, brother Arthur and sister Eva, arriving in Carnamah on 20 November 1915 [P24]
Resided with his parents on The Mannas Farm in Carnamah [P24] and was a Student at the Carnamah State School [97]
Came 2nd in the 10-12 years Boys Running Race at the Peace Day Celebrations in Carnamah on Saturday 19 July 1919 [10: 25-Jul-1919]
After leaving school he initially helped his father farm The Mannas Farm in Carnamah [6] [19]
Won second prize in the three mile motorcycle race at the Carnamah District Agricultural Society's 1927 show [9: 21-Oct-1927]
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]
Attended the Plain and Fancy Dress Ball held at the Carnamah Town Hall on Thursday 8 August 1929 [4: 17-Aug-1929]
Won the Motorcycle Race at the Carnamah District Agricultural Society's Annual Show on 19 September 1929 [4: 28-Sep-1929]
Attended the Carnamah Anglican Church's Freak Ball at the Carnamah Hall on Thursday 3 October 1929 [4: 12-Oct-1929]
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]
Married "Ethel" Florence Stella Ethel HELLEWELL in Three Springs on 29 January 1931 [P24]
He and his wife initially resided in a rented house towards the southern end of Caron Street in Carnamah [P349]
Purchased the vacant block at 17 Caron Street in Carnamah from Mrs Florence M. BROWN during the 1938-39 financial year [3]
Had a house erected at 17 Caron Street and resided there from 1939 until 1948 [3] [60]
He was telephone number Carnamah-29 from 1936 until 1948 [5: 3-Jul-1936] [60]
General Carrier and Haulage Contractor in Carnamah [5: 13-Apr-1934, 3-Jul-1936] [6]
After a trip to Perth returned to Carnamah on 6 November 1933 with a new trailer for wheat carting [5: 10-Nov-1933]
Advertised in April 1934 quoting special rates for super carting of any quantity to any part of the district [5: 13-Apr-1934]
Over the first four months of 1934 he carted 16,000 bags of wheat and 290 tons of super with his Chevrolet six truck [5: 4-May-1934]
By June 1934 was advertising special rates for the transports of sheep and lambs from any farm to the railway siding [5: 29-Jun-1934]
Proprietor of the "North Midland Carrying Service" in 1936 and 1937 [5: 3-Jul-1936, 19-Mar-1937]
Supplied services all classes of hauling and transport including wheat carting, super carting and stock carrying [5: 3-Jul-1936]
Also a seller at the cheapest rate of easily split sawn firewood in any quantity [5: 3-Jul-1936]
In 1937 purchased a wood cutting plant from John H. BOOTH and took over some of his firewood customers [5: 19-Mar-1937, 16-Apr-1937]
During the afternoon of 10 October 1936 was loading a truck with sand on his father's farm when he dug up a human skeleton [88]
At 5 p.m. he reported the incident at the Carnamah Police Station to constable Maurice PLUNKETT [88]
The constable proceeded to the farm and inspected the skeleton which had been buried about three feet deep in a sand bar [88]
The bones gave every indication of having been in the ground for many years and were believed to be of an Aboriginal person [88]
He revealed that bones had been found near the same spot over the past twenty years when the ground was ploughed [88]
The opinion was passed that the spot was an old Native burial ground and the constable submitted a special report [88]
In 1938 he was an agent for Swansea cycles [0: image 03761]
In 1938 was the owner of an "electrical orchestra" (modern and old-time music amplified through the latest apparatus) [0: image 03761]
Hired out his "electrical orchestra" for use at dances, socials and other functions [0: image 03761]
Had an account with Carnamah blacksmith, wheelwright and motor mechanics Henry Parkin & Son in the 1930s and 1940s [53]
Paid an 18/6 Vermin Bonus by the Carnamah District Road Board in 1933 for helping control vermin by killing five eagles [300: page 41]
Attended the Carnamah Golf Club's Opening Season Dance at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday 21 April 1934 [5: 27-Apr-1934]
Had three stitches inserted after badly cutting his eye at a practise football match in Coorow on Sunday 22 April 1934 [5: 27-Apr-1934]
On Saturday 12 May 1934 attended the Carnamah Football Club's Grand Opening Ball at the Carnamah Hall [5: 18-May-1934]
Member of the Carnamah Football Club in 1934 and 1935 [5: 11-May-1934, 7-Jun-1935]
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]
Attended the Carnamah Rifle Club's Opening Shoot for the 1935 season over the 200 yard range on 18 August 1935 [5: 23-Aug-1935]
Member of the Carnamah Rifle Club in 1935, and a Committee Member in 1936 [5: 11-Oct-1935, 17-Jul-1936]
Member of Carnamah's Parkinson Tennis Club in 1935-36 and 1936-37 [5: 25-Oct-1935, 16-Oct-1936]
Won the Gents Stepping 100 Yards at the R.S.L. Easter Sports Meeting in Carnamah on Monday 13 April 1936 [5: 17-Apr-1936]
Member of the Three Springs Rifle Club in 1936 [5: 19-Jun-1936]
Played for the combined Carnamah-Parkinson tennis team against Winchester-Waddy-Coorow on Sunday 5 April 1936 [5: 3-Apr-1936]
Attended the Surprise 21st Birthday for Miss Eileen R. PERRY in Carnamah on Saturday evening 18 July 1936 [5: 24-Jul-1936]
Competed at the Official Opening of the Three Springs Rifle Club's rifle range in Three Springs on Thursday 23 July 1936 [5: 31-Jul-1936]
Came 2nd in the Carnamah Athletic Club's Hurry Scurry Bike Race in Carnamah on Sunday 1 November 1936 [5: 6-Nov-1936]
Competed in the race the following week but in the last lap he fell and sustained slight abrasions to his head and arms [5: 13-Nov-1936]
Motored from Carnamah to Perth with "Tom" Thomas WATSON on Friday morning 12 February 1937 [5: 12-Feb-1937]
He was a member of the WA Aero Club and during his visit to Perth he continued a course in flying instruction [5: 19-Feb-1937]
Himself and Tom returned to Carnamah on Monday 15 February 1937 [5: 19-Feb-1937]
Travelled to Perth with Arthur BOOTH during the first weekend of June 1937 [5: 11-Jun-1937]
Member of the Carnamah Cycle Club in 1937 [5: 10-Sep-1937]
Purchased a new Chevrolet truck from local agent D. Standish O'GRADY during November 1937 [5: 26-Nov-1937]
In 1939 transported a number of locals in two trucks to the Football Grand Final in Three Springs [0: image 03803]
Committee Member of the Carnamah Tennis Club in 1940 [0: image 03906]
In 1941 he had P.O. Box 17 at the Carnamah Post Office [187]
Private in the local Volunteer Defence Corps during the Second World War [16]
Member of Carnamah's branch of the Red Cross Society [141]
Member of the Carnamah Miniature Rifle Club in 1944 and 1945 [0: images 04261 & 04360]
Following the death of father in 1948 purchased the family property [P24]
Farmer and Grazier of The Mannas Farm, Carnamah C.1948-1977 [P24]
Ran the farm under the trading name of "L. R. Watson & Co" and was telephone number Carnamah-26 [60]
Vice Patron of the Carnamah Football Club in 1951 [4: 7-Apr-1951]
Received electricity at his home from local firm Henry Parkin & Son, for which he paid a flat rate of £1/17/6 per month in 1952 [53]
Resided in Carnamah until his death in 1977 [2]
Father of Bob, Lorraine and Ken [14]
Died 14 February 1977; ashes buried at the Winchester Cemetery in Carnamah, Western Australia (Row E, Plot 3) [2]
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Leonard Robert Watson' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 25 April 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/leonard-robert-watson [reference list] |
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