"Syd" Sydney Cornelius GOOCH
Born 18 April 1888 in Sale, Victoria, Australia [16]
Son of Charles Henry GOOCH and Lucy Alice Brough ABBOTT [15]
Farmer and Grazier in Three Springs, Western Australia 1910-1956 [4] [27]
On 23 August 1910 purchased 497 acres of land in Three Springs from the Midland Railway Company [27]
The 497 acres was Lot M835 of Victoria Location 2022 and cost £323/1/-, or 13/- per acre [27]
Lot M835 is situated on the north side of what is now McKenzie Road, and also bounds the west side of Weir Road [62]
Manager of his father's Binderrie Farm in Three Springs, Western Australia 1911-1917 [6] [19]
His father's farm was 3,661 acres in size and consisted of Lots M849, M850, M851 and M853 of Victoria Location 2022 [44]
By 1916 the farm had 135 sheep, 30 donkeys and 13 pigs - more sheep were wanted but water boring had been unsuccessful [152]
In a 15 donkey team the donkeys were used to cart the farm's wheat, as they could go places that a team of horses could not [152]
He put in the 430 acres of wheat crop on his father's Binderrie Farm in Three Springs in 1916 [152]
450 acres of the farm had been cleared by 1916, and a further 100 acres had been partially cleared [152]
Member of the Three Springs Football Club in 1910 [9: 22-Jul-1910]
Foundation Member of the East Three Springs Progress Association in 1911 [9: 5-May-1911]
The East Three Springs Farmers Progress Association was formed at a meeting held at his home on 16 April 1911 [9: 5-May-1911]
He gave a subscription of two shillings and sixpence towards the annual Three Springs Day event in 1913 [9: 3-Oct-1913]
In July 1914 his stallion suddenly died, a post mortem revealing he had died from perforation caused by bot fly lavae [10: 21-Jul-1914]
Donated vegetables to be sold at a Basket Social & Dance held in Three Springs in aid of the Red Cross on 30 July 1915 [10: 6-Aug-1915]
Handicapper of the Horse Races conducted at the annual "Three Springs Day" on Monday 16 September 1915 [10: 24-Sep-1915]
Attended as a "Cowboy" the Plain & Fancy Dress Ball in Three Springs on 19 July 1916 in aid of the Red Cross Society [39: 31-Jul-1916]
Farmer in Three Springs until enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force in Perth on 22 February 1917 [30: item 4770780]
On enlistment was recorded as 5 feet 4½ inches tall, weighing 119 lbs. with hazel eyes, fair hair and a fresh complexion [30]
After training at Blackboy Hill he was appointed on 27 February 1917 to the 8th Reinforcements of the 44th Battalion [30]
Embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia for active service abroad on the H.M.A.T. A30 Borda on 29 June 1917 [18]
Disembarked in Plymouth, England on 25 August 1917 and after further training proceeded to France on 18 December 1917 [30]
Private 3288 in the Australian Imperial Force's 44th Battalion in France during the First World War [30]
Served with the 44th Battalion until 1 February 1919 when he was appointed a Driver in the 3rd Australian Divisional Train [30]
His name appears on the Three Springs Honour Board, which was unveiled on Tuesday 3 June 1919 [9: 6-Jun-1919] [10: 13-Jun-1919]
Returned to Western Australia on the City of Exter, arriving on 16 August 1919 [30]
Discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on 16 September 1919; received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal [30]
Welcomed Home at a function in his honour at the Agricultural Hall in Three Springs on Friday 5 September 1919 [9: 12-Sep-1919]
Farmer of Binderrie Farm in Three Springs 1920-1856 [5: 1-Sep-1933]
Following his father's death in 1920 he appears to have inherited his 3,661 acres of farmland in Three Springs [44]
Donated 5/- in 1920 and 10/6 in 1925 to the Three Springs Saint Patrick's Day Committee [124]
Won the booby prize at the Euchre Party & Basket Social at the Agricultural Hall in Three Springs on 18 August 1920 [10: 27-Aug-1920]
Awarded 1st prize for Wool at the annual picnic and show, the Three Springs Day, held on Thursday 23 September 1920 [10: 15-Oct-1920]
Attended the wedding of Robert A. CALDOW and May I. BYRNE at the Hall in Three Springs on 5 October 1921 [9: 21-Oct-1921]
His horse Spider tied for first in the 11 stone Hunters at the Three Springs Day held on Thursday 28 September 1922 [9: 20-Oct-1922]
In 1923 his sister Fannie GOOCH was living with him on Binderrie Farm in Three Springs [86: 27-Nov-1923]
While walking through scrub bringing him his lunch his sister was charged by a "strange steer" on 22 September 1923 [86: 27-Nov-1923]
The steer knocked her over resulting in a fractured collar bone and bruises about her head, and fortunately then left her alone [86]
The steer had also attacked him earlier that day, but caused him no harm expect tearing his clothes [86]
The steer belonged to Herbert C. MARKHAM of Bowgada, and had presumably strayed from his property to Three Springs [86]
Member of the Carnamah Rifle Club 1926-1932 [4: 15-Aug-1931] [5: 22-Jul-1932] [9: 25-Jun-1926, 25-Nov-1927, 23-Mar-1928]
Each week he travelled from Three Springs to Carnamah to partake in the Carnamah Rifle Club's activities [4: 1-Jun-1929]
Member of the Three Springs Saint Patrick's Day Committee in 1928 [124]
Attended the wedding dance of Charles ROBERTSON and Winifred LANG at the Carnamah Hall on 27 March 1928 [4: 31-Mar-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]
Official Judge of the Sheep, Wool and Horse Events at the Carnamah Show and Sports Carnival on 4 October 1928 [4: 13-Oct-1928]
Employed builder Charles J. DALLIMORE of Carnamah who completed building him a new farmhouse in October 1928 [4: 20-Oct-1928]
Inaugural Committee Member of the Three Springs Agricultural Society in 1928[4: 29-Sep-1928]
Vice President 1933-1939 and President in 1946 and 1947 of the Three Springs Agricultural Society [5: 26-May-1933] [262]
Attended the Three Springs Agricultural Society's First Annual Show and Show Ball on Thursday 20 September 1928 [4: 29-Sep-1928]
Came 2nd in the Gent's Hunter in the Ring Events, and won 1st and 2nd for Merino Ram and 1st for Pen of Three Fat Lambs [4]
Committee Member of the Three Springs Race Club in 1928 and 1929 [4: 1-Dec-1928, 13-Apr-1929]
Unsuccessful nominee for the Womarden Ward Member on the new Three Springs District Road Board in February 1929 [4: 16-Feb-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 Grand Ball after the Carnamah Show and opening of Centenary Park in Carnamah on 19 September 1929 [4: 28-Sep-1929]
Exhibited in the Sheep section of the Three Springs Agricultural Society's Second Annual Show on 30 September 1929 [4: 5-Oct-1929]
Won 1st prizes for WA bred Ram and 2-tooth Ram of Strong Wool; and 2nd prizes for 3 Ewe Lambs and 3 Fat Lambs [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 Committee that built the North Midlands District Hospital building in Three Springs in 1929 [120: 26-Dec-1929]
Jockey at the Carnamah Races held on 2 October 1930, riding the horses Patricia, Pistol Girl and Road Night [4: 4-Oct-1930]
Donated prizes for the local Anglican Church Children's Fancy Dress Ball held in Three Springs on 28 November 1930 [4: 6 & 20-Dec-1930]
Attended the funeral of "Father of Carnamah" Donald MACPHERSON at the Winchester Cemetery on 14 August 1931 [4: 22-Aug-1931]
Became a member of the Carnamah Masonic Lodge No.150 WAC on 11 September 1931 [96]
Founding Member and Vice President of the Three Springs-Arrino Sub-Branch of the Returned Soldiers League in 1932 [5: 12-Aug-1932]
Attended the Commemoration Dinner held at the Commercial Hotel in Three Springs on Friday 26 August 1932 [5: 9-Sep-1932]
The dinner was to commemorate Three Springs having the highest average yield for wheat in the State for the 1931-32 season [5]
Successfully entered exhibits in three sections of the Fourth Three Springs Agricultural Show on Thursday 22 September 1932 [5]
In the Cattle section won both 1st and 2nd prizes for milking strains of Shorthorn Cow and a Pure Breed Bull [5: 30-Sep-1932]
Won one 1st and three 2nd prizes for strong wool Merino Rams and one 1st and three 2nd prizes for strong wool Merino Ewes [5]
Also came 2nd in the Keamy Cup for the Best Pen of three strong wool Merino Rams bred in WA in the Sheep section [5]
Won 1st prize for a medium wool Merino Ewe; was awarded 2nd prize for a Clydesdale Stallion in the Horse section [5]
He was one of 77 ex-servicemen who attended the Sailors & Soldiers Reunion Dinner in Carnamah on 22 October 1932 [86: 29-Oct-1932]
Conducted the Horse events at the R.S.L. Sports Day at the Arrino Recreation Ground on Thursday 5 November 1932 [5: 11-Nov-1932]
Nominated but defeated in the election as the member for the Womarden Ward on the Three Springs Road Board in 1932 [5: 25-Nov-1932]
Attended a large meeting in Three Springs to form a North Midlands Chamber of Commerce on 18 November 1932 [4: 26-Nov-1932]
Loaned his wireless set to provide music for the R.S.L. Ball held in Three Springs on Friday 1 September 1933 [5: 8-Sep-1933]
Foundation Committee Member of the Three Springs Ratepayers & Citizens Association in 1933 [5: 1-Sep-1933]
Sold some of his locally bred 1932 drop Merino rams at a special Stud Stock Sale in Carnamah on 8 September 1933 [5: 1 & 15-Sep-1933]
At the Three Springs Agricultural Show on 21 September 1933 won 2nd prize for a Clydesdale Stallion in the Horse section [5]
Won 1st and 2nd for Pure Breed Milking Strain Bull, 2nd for Shorthorn Cow and 1st for Pure Breed Milking Strain Heifer [5]
In the Sheep section was awarded 1st and 2nd for Strong Wool Merino Ram, 2nd for Strong Wool Merino Ewe [5: 29-Sep-1933]
Inaugural East Lieutenant of the Three Springs Road Board District Bush Fire Brigade in 1933-34 and 1934-35 [5: 27-Oct-1933, 9-Nov-1934]
Appointed a Vice President of the Three Springs Ratepayers & Citizens Association on 25 October 1933 [5: 27-Oct-1933]
He was among those from Three Springs who attended the R.S.L. Reunion Dinner held in Morawa on 28 October 1933 [5: 3-Nov-1933]
In mid 1934 purchased three Merino stud rams from A. W. PADBURY's Koojan Stud near Moora [5: 8-Jun-1934]
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 and spoke at the send-off to Miss Mary LYNCH in Three Springs on Wednesday 31 January 1934 [5: 2-Feb-1934]
Exhibited in the Horse, Cattle, Sheep and Wool sections of the Three Springs Agricultural Show on Thursday 13 September 1934 [5]
In the Horse section won 1st prizes for the Best Two Year Old Draught Filly and for the Best Two Year Old Draught Gelding [5]
Won both 1st and 2nd prizes for milking strain Shorthorn Cow, and 2nd for pure breed milking strain Bull in the Cattle section [5]
In Sheep won prizes for Three WA bred Strong Wool Merino Ewes (1st), Strong Wool Merino Ewe less than 1½ years (1st), [5]
Medium Wool Merino Ewe (1st), WA bred Medium Wool Merino Ewe (1st), Pen of Three Strong Wool Merino Rams (1st), [5]
Strong Wool Merino Ram over 1½ years (2nd),Strong Wool Merino Ewe (2nd), Strong Wool Merino Ewe over 1½ years (2nd), [5]
Won the Keamy Cup, for exhibiting the Best Pen of Three Strong Wool merino Rams [5: 21-Sep-1934]
Foundation Vice President of the Three Springs Rifle Club in 1934, and a Committee Member in 1936 [5: 9-Nov-1934, 24-Apr-1936]
Presented with the Evensen Trophy of a leather accessory bag at the Three Springs Rifle Club's Annual Ball in 1936 [5: 24-Dec-1936]
Sold 10 of his Koonoona blood Merino rams (1934 drop) at a sheep sale in Carnamah on Friday 20 September 1935 [5: 6-Sep-1935]
Exhibited in the Horse, Sheep, Wool, Cattle and Grain & Fodder sections of the Three Springs Agricultural Show in 1935 [5]
Received prizes for Bushel of Brown Oats (1st), Pair of Farm Horses (2nd), Fat Beast (2nd), Sheep Skin (2nd), [5]
WA bred Strong Wool Merino Ram over 1½ years (1st), WA bred Strong Wool Merino Ram under 1½ years (1st), [5]
WA bred Strong Wool Merino Ewe under 1½ years (1st) and Full Mouth Strong Wool Merino Ewe with lamb at foot (1st) [5]
Pen of Three WA bred Strong Wool Merino Rams (2nd), and Two Medium Wool Merino Fleeces (2nd) [5: 27-Sep-1935]
He was among the ex-servicemen at the R.S.L. Reunion Dinner in Three Springs on Saturday evening 19 October 1935 [5: 25-Oct-1935]
Requested that the Three Springs Road Board close a road on the west boundaries of Lots M848 and M847 and the south of M847 [5]
In October 1935 the Road Board agreed with his request and submitted a recommendation for the road's closure [5: 1-Nov-1935]
Sold through Elder Smith & Co Ltd six bales of wool in October 1935 - 5 at 15¼d. per pound and 1 at 14d. per pound [5: 1-Nov-1935]
Attended the funeral of Carnamah agent William B. SHERIDAN at the Winchester Cemetery on 27 January 1936 [5: 31-Jan-1936]
In March 1936 sold two bullocks through Elder Smith & Co at the Midland Market for £13/12/6 each [5: 3-Apr-1936]
Attended the meeting in Carnamah on 6 May 1936 to discuss the formation of a Stud Breeders Association in the North Midlands [5]
The meeting resulted in the formation of the North Midlands Stud Stockbreeders Association [5: 8-May-1936]
Foundation Vice President and Committee Member of the Association in 1936 and 1937 [5: 8 & 22-May-1936, 28-May-1937]
Offered six of his Merino rams for sale at the Association's First Annual Sale held in Carnamah on 18 September 1936 [5: 4-Sep-1936]
At the sale he sold one of his Merino rams to MORRELL Bros of Greenough for 6½ guineas [5: 2-Oct-1936]
William A. T. SARGENT left the Association and held his own stud sale in Carnamah on 17 September 1937 [5: 25-Jun-1937, 23-Jul-1937]
He opted to not sell at the Association's sale and instead sold the draft of his Binderrie rams at SARGENT's sale [5: 23 & 30-Jul-1937]
Offered 80 1935 drop rams at SARGENT's stud sale at Centenary Park in Carnamah on Friday 17 September 1937 [5: 3-Sep-1937]
Married Priscilla Hill VINCE on Wednesday 17 June 1936 at Saint James Anglican Church in Three Springs [5: 19-Jun-1936]
His best man was local Goldsbrough Mort & Co agent "Bert" Sidney Bert EVENSEN [5]
He and his wife left the Church through a guard of honour formed by members of the Three Springs Rifle Club [5]
Their wedding reception was held in Three Springs at the home of his sister Mrs Fannie SEWELL [5]
In mid 1936 the State Commissioner for Taxation increased the unimproved value of his Lot M842 from £904 to £1,005 [5: 10-Jul-1936]
Exhibited in the Cattle, Horse and Grain & Fodder sections of the Three Springs Agricultural Show on 17 September 1936 [5]
In the Cattle section was awarded 1st prize for milking strain Shorthorn Bull, and 2nd prize for milking strain Shorthorn Cow [5]
Received other 2nd prizes for Draught Gelding, 2 year old Fraught Filly, Pair of Farm Horses and for Brown Oats [5: 25-Sep-1936]
Attended the Fifth Annual North Midlands R.S.L. Reunion Dinner in Dongara on Saturday evening 24 October 1936 [5: 30-Oct-1936]
Sold 13 bales of wool through Elder Smith & Co Ltd in 1936 - five bales at 15½d. and eight bales at 15¼d. per pound [5: 30-Oct-1936]
Vice President of the Three Springs Cricket Club in 1936-37 [5: 16-Oct-1936]
Himself, Albert R. STRUTTON and S. Bert EVENSEN holidayed at the coast west of Three Springs in February 1937 [5: 26-Feb-1937]
Attended the meeting in Three Springs about extending telephonic facilities to East Three Springs on 9 March 1937 [5: 12-Mar-1937]
Geraldton storekeeper Ernest F. SANDER crashed into the back of his parked truck in Three Springs on 13 March 1937 [5: 19-Mar-1937]
Ernest F. SANDER, as he was pulling up to the curb to park, had accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brake pedal [5]
The force caused his truck to move and crash into Dr Mario A. MAYRHOFER's car - which then displaced a verandah post [5]
Nine days later his truck overturned on the Three Springs-Perenjori Road at about 1 p.m. on Monday 22 March 1937 [5: 25-Mar-1937]
He was returning to his farm with a load of water and drew to the side of the road near the cemetery hill to let a car pass [5]
His truck ran into loose sand on the side of the road and he was thrown out and clear of the truck as it overturned [5]
He required several stitches for a cut on his arm, while the canopy and steering wheel of the truck were extensively damaged [5]
Won 1st prize for Brown Oats in the Grain & Fodder section of the Carnamah Agricultural Show in 1937 [5: 17-Sep-1937]
Speaker at the Smoke Social tendered to departing resident Keith S. GLYDE in Three Springs on 16 February 1943 [4: 20-Feb-1943]
Private in the local Volunteer Defence Corps during the Second World War [16]
Financial Member of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society in 1946 [13]
Farmed and resided in Three Springs until his death in 1956 [132]
Died 26 October 1956 in Three Springs; buried at Dongara Cemetery in Dongara, Western Australia (Anglican, Plot 15) [132]
He was buried next to his late mother, Mrs Lucy A. B. GOOCH of Dongara, who had died on 23 July 1942 [132]
His wife Priscilla, late of 4 / 225 Port Denison Drive in Port Denison, died at the age of 96 years on 8 December 1994 [132]
From The Irwin Index newspaper, Friday 2 November 1956:
Three Springs Farmer's Death
"The death occurred under peaceful circumstances during Friday night last of a well known identity of Three Springs in the person of Mr. Sydney Cornelius Gooch, who had for many years been the victim of abnormal health conditions occasioned by war service, but which at all times he had borne with great fortitude. The funeral took place on Saturday last in the Dongara Cemetery, in which the remains of his parents were laid to rest some years ago. The late Mr. Gooch, who was of a jovial and kindly disposition, was born at Sale (Victoria) and was sixty eight years of age. With his parents and two brothers and two sisters he arrived at Three Springs in 1909 and commenced commercial farming operations. A few years later, however, he enlisted for service in World War I as a member of the 44th Battalion of the Australian Imperial Forces and saw lengthy service in France, but was discharged from military service with war disabilities which he retained until the time of his death. Despite his health condition however, he took over the farm again on his return from overseas and transformed the holding into a highly developed property. In addition, he founded a stud and became well-known as a breeder of Koonoona blood sheep. Twenty years ago he married Miss P. Vince, a member of an old family on the Greenough Flats, and in addition to the bereaved widow he is survived by one son and two daughters. In his younger days the late Mr Gooch rode with quite a large volume of success at race meetings at Three Springs and also at other centres, and in addition to the Three Springs Race Club and other district organisations he evinced quite an active interest in the Three Springs Agricultural Society and the Three Springs - Arrino Sub-Branch of the R.S.L. Some few years ago he was compelled to enter Hollywood Hospital, in which institution he remained for treatment for over a year. Apparently restored to health he then returned to Three Springs, but early this year he was again stricken with ill-health. On this occasion, however, he chose to remain in his own home, in which he passed peacefully away in his sleep during last Friday night."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Sydney Cornelius Gooch' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 20 April 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/sydney-cornelius-gooch [reference list] |
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