"Bob" Robert Ross IRONSIDE
Born 31 May 1882 in Bracadale, Inverness, Scotland [28]
Son of master cooper James IRONSIDE and Georgina ROSS [28]
In 1901 he was an apprentice Cooper and was living with his parents at 8 Pepperbank in Liberton, Midlothian, Scotland [20]
Married Elizabeth SCOTT on 23 November 1904 at Hope Park Halls in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland [28]
In 1904 he was working as Brewery Cooper and was living in Craigmillar in Liberton, Midlothian, Scotland [28]
Later gave his occupation as Carpenter [70]
Departed from London, England with his wife and their son James on the steamship Otway on 3 February 1911 [203]
After a voyage of just over a month they arrived on the steamship Otway in Fremantle, Western Australia on 7 March 1911 [70]
In Western Australia he worked for the Midland Railway Company from 1911 until 1927 [4: 4-Jun-1927]
Permanent Way Repairer and then Railway Night Officer in Carnamah 1911-1914 [7: pages 85, 143] [19] [50]
Railway Stationmaster in Mogumber in 1914 [50]
Railway Night Officer in Mingenew in 1915 [6] [9: 10-Dec-1915]
Assistant Goods Agent in the outer Perth suburb of Midland Junction from late 1915 [9: 10-Dec-1915]
Railway Stationmaster in Coorow in 1916 [9: 10-Mar-1916]
Railway Stationmaster in Arrino in 1917 [6]
Railway Stationmaster in Three Springs 1917-1921 [6] [9: 22-Aug-1919] [19] [50]
Railway Stationmaster in Watheroo in 1921 [50]
Railway Stationmaster in Mingenew 1922-1927 [4: 4-Jun-1927] [50]
Member of the Carnamah Football Club in 1913 [9: 20-Jun-1913, 11-Jul-1913]
He and his wife were bid farewell from Mingenew at a Valedictory Social at the Mingenew Hotel on 4 December 1915 [9: 10-Dec-1915]
He was introduced to the people of Coorow at the farewell to Donald M. BAIN at Coorow House in early March 1916 [9: 10-Mar-1916]
Donald M. BAIN, the preceding stationmaster at Coorow, described him "as a very careful, canny Scotsman" [9: 10-Mar-1916]
Signed the petition and financial guarantee in 1917 for the Midland Railway Company to provide a resident doctor at Three Springs [34]
Secretary of the "Combined Committee" in Three Springs which raised £208/17/6 for the Y.M.C.A. in May 1917 [9: 25-May-1917]
The £208/17/6 was raised through the collective holding of a Basket Social, Dance and Ugly Woman Competition [9]
Member of the Hall Committee that managed the Agricultural Hall in Three Springs 1917-1919 [10: 20-Jul-1917] [9: 29-Aug-1919]
Member of the Three Springs branch of the Red Cross - was Secretary in 1917 [10: 20-Jul-1917]
Member of the Three Springs Honour Board Committee in 1917 [10: 20-Jul-1917]
Along with Mrs BODDINGTON came 2nd in the Waltzing Competition at the Three Springs Day on 26 September 1917 [10: 5-Oct-1917]
Member of the Three Springs Tennis Club in 1917, and Captain in 1919 [9: 13-Jun-1919] [10: 23-Nov-1917, 27-Jun-1919]
Won the Barrel Rolling Competition at the Red Cross Gala Day held in Three Springs on Thursday 23 May 1918 [10: 31-May-1918]
At the Dance that followed the Gala Day he and Mrs Susan DURACK came 3rd in the Adult's Waltzing Competition [10]
Member of the Three Springs Saint Patrick's Day Committee 1918-1920 - was Secretary and Treasurer in 1920 [124]
Collected subscriptions for the Three Springs Saint Patrick's Day Committee - £2/13/6 in 1919 and £11/16/16 in 1920 [124]
Financially assisted the Three Springs Saint Patrick's Day Committee with donations of 10/- in 1919 and again in 1920 [124]
Managed the tote at the Three Springs Saint Patrick's Day Committee's Picnic Race Meeting held on 17 March 1920 [124]
The Committee accorded him a special vote of thanks for the enormous profit of £162/17/9 on Saint Patrick's Day in 1920 [124]
He said "anything done by him was a pleasure" and in recognition of his efforts the Committee paid him an honorarium of £5 [124]
Donated 5/- cash to increase the funds being raised by the Three Springs branch of the Red Cross Society in 1918 [10: 21-Jun-1918]
Won 1st prizes for Scotch Kale, Potatoes and Peas at the annual Three Springs Day on Thursday 26 September 1918 [10: 4-Oct-1918]
On 12 November 1918 he spread the word throughout the Three Springs district about the Cessation of Hostilities [10: 22-Nov-1918]
Member of the Three Springs Race Club - was Clerk of Tote at the Annual Race Meeting in 1919 [9: 14-Mar-1919]
Donated 6/- to the appeal for William B. and Sarah J. HAMMOND of Wannamal who lost their house in a fire in 1919 [10: 23-May-1919]
Attended the Surprise Party held at the home of EK and Isabella BYRNE in Three Springs on Monday 30 June 1919 [10: 4-Jul-1919]
Spoke on behalf of Three Springs at the Welcome Home for James FARLEY held in Coorow on Thursday 10 July 1919 [10: 18-Jul-1919]
Returned to Three Springs looking very well in mid August 1919 after a lengthy holiday [9: 22-Aug-1919]
Attended May BERRIGAN's 21st Birthday held at the Agricultural Hall in Three Springs on Friday 12 September 1919 [9: 19-Sep-1919]
Won 1st prizes for Cabbage and Cauliflower at the Three Springs Day held on Thursday 25 September 1919 [10: 3-Oct-1919]
Attended the Surprise Farewell Party for Fred & Jane WOODS at their home in Carnamah on Saturday 11 October 1919 [10: 17-Oct-1919]
Won the Gent's Prize at the Euchre Party & Dance held at Mrs Annie DAVIESON's in Carnamah on Saturday 8 November 1919 [10]
Generously donated the Gent's Prize he'd won back to the Carnamah Hall Fund, in which the evening was in aid of [10: 14-Nov-1919]
Secretary of the Arrino Railway Picnic Day in 1919 and organiser of the "Day" which was held on 29 November 1919 [9: 5-Dec-1919]
After becoming suddenly ill he travelled to Moora to seek medical attention on Monday 1 March 1920 [9: 5-Mar-1920]
He returned to Three Springs the same day after seeing the doctor, however was advised to have a month's rest [9]
Member of the Three Springs Football Club in 1920 [10: 23-Jul-1920]
Won 1st prize for Potatoes at the Three Springs Day held in Three Springs on Thursday 23 September 1920 [10: 15-Oct-1920]
Received notice of his transfer in June 1921, at which time he was in Perth undergoing medical treatment [10: 24-Jun-1921, 1-Jul-1921]
He and his wife were presented with a cheques from the residents of Three Springs at a Dance held on Saturday 25 June 1921 [10]
Left Three Springs in mid 1921 after being transferred to Watheroo, where he was also Railway Stationmaster [166]
Attended the wedding of Robert A. CALDOW and May I. BYRNE in Three Springs on Wednesday 5 October 1921 [9: 21-Oct-1921]
He and Leslie C. LONGSON conducted the Tote for the Carnamah Race Club at their Annual Race Meeting in 1924 [10]
The Race Meeting was held at Macpherson Park in Carnamah on Thursday 10 April 1924, and carried stakes of £150 [10]
It was reported that "they carried out their duties with promptness and exactitude" [10: 17-Apr-1924]
Secretary of the committee that conducted the Three Springs Gala Day in 1925, which raised over £250 for the Red Cross [9: 7-Jun-1925]
Attended the Grand Plain & Fancy Dress Ball held in the Carnamah Hall on 6 August 1925 dressed as a "Scarecrow" [9: 21-Aug-1925]
Represented the Arrino Football Club at meetings of the North Midlands Football Association in 1926 [4: 28-Aug-1926]
After 16 years he severed his employment with the Midland Railway Company in late May 1927 [4: 4-Jun-1927]
On leaving the Midland Railway Company in 1927 he moved to Mingenew where he started up an agency business [4]
His agency covered the areas of Mingenew, Lockier, Strawberry, Yandanooka and Arrino [4]
The main agencies he represented were those for Dalgety & Co (farm supplies) and H. V. McKay (Sunshine machinery) [4]
Also an agent for Dodge Bros cars, A.M.P. Insurance Co, Commercial Union Insurance and Australian Lumber Coy. [4: 1-Mar-1941]
Member of the Mingenew Rifle Club in 1927 [4: 10-Sep-1927]
Member of the Mingenew-Yandanooka Race Club - was Secretary in 1927 and 1928 [4: 17-Sep-1927, 10-Mar-1928]
Attended the Show Ball following the Three Springs Agricultural Society's First Annual Show on 20 September 1928 [4: 29-Sep-1928]
Member of the Mingenew Golf Club 1929-1936 - was Secretary in 1929 [4: 9-Nov-1929] [5: 25-May-1934, 5-Jun-1936]
While cranking his car on 2 February 1929 the handle stuck and then struck and badly gashed his hand as it revolved [4: 9-Feb-1929]
Attended the Three Springs Race Club's Race Meeting & Evening Ball held in Three Springs on Thursday 11 April 1929 [4: 20-Apr-1929]
Himself, his wife and their son George attended the Centenary Carnival Dance in Mingenew on 12 September 1929 [4: 21-Sep-1929]
Won the Golf Competition at the Centenary Gala Day and Spring Show held in Yandanooka on 3 October 1929 [4: 12-Oct-1929]
Secretary of the Mingenew Golf Club's Annual Ball, "the social event of the season," on Thursday 14 November 1929 [4: 26-Oct-1929]
In November 1929 he had a visit in Mingenew from his son James IRONSIDE and his son's fiance Miss O'MEARA [4: 23-Nov-1929]
Attended the funeral of Mingenew pioneer Mrs Ellen OLIVER at the Mingenew Cemetery on 18 December 1929 [86: 21-Dec-1929]
The Mingenew Road Board recommended he be appointed a local Justice of the Peace in February 1930 [4: 15-Feb-1930]
Committee Member of the Mingenew Football Club in 1930 [39: 3-Apr-1930]
Returned to Mingenew in June 1930 after undergoing an operation [4: 21-Jun-1931]
Member of the Mingenew Tennis Club 1930-1937 - was a Committee Member and Captain in 1930 [4: 10-May-1930] [5: 5-Mar-1937]
Following a visit to Perth, he arrived back in Mingenew in late January 1932 [4: 30-Jan-1932]
In 1932 owned a Dodge car, which was registered with the Mingenew Road Board with license plate MI-59 [4: 12-Nov-1932]
Attended the Official Opening of the Carnamah Golf Course at Centenary Park in Carnamah on Sunday 23 July 1933 [5: 28-Jul-1933]
Member of the Mingenew Recreation Advisory Committee in 1934 [101: page 129]
Member of the Mingenew District Agricultural Society - was Secretary 1932-1937 [4: 30-Jul-1932, 8-Sep-1934, 1-Oct-1938]
Attended the "Yandanooka Day" in September 1934 where he made a donation to aid the Yandanooka Hall's finances [4: 8-Sep-1934]
Attended the Carnamah District Agricultural Society's Annual Show at Centenary Park, Carnamah on 6 September 1934 [5: 14-Sep-1934]
In April 1935 donated a trophy to the Mingenew Tennis Club for their North Midland Districts Easter Tournament [5: 26-Apr-1935]
Served on the Mingenew Road Board 1935-1939 and was its Vice Chairman in 1938-39[101: pages 151-2]
Doubles Finalist in the North Midlands Easter Tennis Tournament held in Mingenew on 11th, 12th and 13th of April 1936 [5: 8-May-1936]
Visitor at the Fifth Annual North Midlands R.S.L. Reunion Dinner held in Dongara on Saturday evening 24 October 1936 [5: 30-Oct-1936]
A fire purposefully lit around the Mingenew Hotel to burn off dead grass got out of control on Tuesday 3 November 1936 [5]
The fire rapidly spread towards his oil depot and ignited a stand on which 30 drums of petrol and kerosene were standing [5]
Disaster was averted by John T. MCLEAN of Carnamah who used a fire extinguisher to get the fire under control [5: 6-Nov-1936]
Attended the Official Opening of the new golf links in Three Springs on Sunday 23 May 1937 [5: 28-May-1937]
Attended the funeral of Mrs Mary J. STEPHEN of Arrino and Mingenew at the Mingenew Cemetery on 15 August 1939 [4: 19-Aug-1939]
Commission Agent in Mingenew until at least 1943 [19]
Later resided in the coastal town of Mandurah [2]
Father of James and George [28] [84]
Died 27 October 1975; ashes interred at Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth (Crematorium Rose Gardens, Niche Wall, WM, 211) [2]
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Robert Ross Ironside' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 20 April 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/robert-ross-ironside [reference list] |
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