"Tom" Thomas Henry PERRY
Born 31 March 1894 in Moonta, South Australia [16]
Son of James Cocking PERRY and Mary ROBERTS [55]
Worked at the Yelta Smeltering Works and then at copper mines in Moonta, South Australia [64]
Later worked as a Blacksmith and Farrier in South Australia [P242]
Married Ruby ANDREW on 3 January 1915 in Moonta, South Australia [55]
Along with his wife Ruby and their five children left Paskeville, South Australia in an Overland Whippet car on 26 March 1930 [P20]
The journeyed on a two wheeled track across the Nullarbor with all petrol and supplies on the running board of the car [P45]
Once they got as far as Merredin they left the main track and began following the rabbit proof fence towards Carnamah [P45]
Arrived in Carnamah, Western Australia at 8 p.m. on 3 April 1930 [P20]
They travelled to Western Australia to share-farm a property in Carnamah owned by FRANCIS Bros of Maitland, South Australia [P20]
Sharefarmer of Francis Bros' East End Farm in Carnamah in 1930 and 1931 [39: 14-Apr-1932, 1-Jun-1937]
East End Farm was 3,501 acres on the south side of the Caron Road and comprised of Lot M1563 of Victoria Location 2023 [3]
He sharefarmed East End Farm in partnership with Wilfred T. BARTON as "Barton & Perry" [39: 14-Apr-1932, 1-Jun-1937]
Francis Bros provided the land and machinery while they provided the labour and other requirements [39: 14-Apr-1932, 1-Jun-1937]
Barton & Perry had an account with Carnamah blacksmith, wheelwright and motor mechanics Henry Parkin & Son in 1930 [53]
Barton & Perry won 1st prize for Green Wheat for Grain at the Carnamah Agricultural Show in 1930 [4: 27-Sep-1930]
They grew 1,000 acres in 1930 and despite an okay yield "were compelled to give up, entirely owing to the low price of wheat" [39]
His partner Wilfred T. BARTON returned to South Australia and he remained on East End as its caretaker [39: 14-Apr-1932]
In 1932 he was to seed 600 acres for Francis Bros on East End in return for a percentage share [39: 14-Apr-1932]
At the end of the working day, while at East End, he had to cart water for ten horses from a well on ROCCHI Bros' farm [P20]
His children of school age attended the Billeroo State School in Billeroo, East Winchester [P20]
At the request of the school community he visited the Education Department in Perth about securing a permanent teacher [P20]
To make the journey from East End to the school easier he cleared a track through the scrub on CARMICHAEL's farm [P20]
Sharefarmer of FRANCIS Bros' East End Farm until at least 1933 [5: 28-Jul-1933]
After being declared bankrupt he assisted his wife with sharefarming in Carnamah [39: 1-Jun-1937]
Undertook contract ploughing, seeding, harvesting and fencing on farms in Carnamah [P20]
Also did some work in the blacksmith line of trade such as shoeing horses and welding binder knives [P20]
After leaving East End Farm resided at 45 Macpherson Street in the Carnamah townsite, rented form Charles ROBERTSON [P19]
By January 1937 he was reported to have taken up a block of virgin land at Five Gums in Carnamah-Perenjori [5: 8-Jan-1937]
A map of his location in Five Gums shows him on or near Lot M1578 on the north side of the Three Springs-Perenjori Road [278]
It is believed he share-farmed part of Hans HENNING-TVERMOES' Killawarra Farm, which Lot M1578 was part of [27]
Resided for a period in a house on HOLLINGSWORTH's farm prior to a house being built on his wife's 838 acre farm [P19]
Farmer of Karkarilla Farm in Carnamah 1935-1956 [3] [27]
During the 1934-35 financial year his wife Ruby purchased Arthur ALFIERI's 838 acre of farm in Carnamah [3] [61]
The 838 acres was Lot M1083 of Victoria Location 1935 situated on the south side of the Carnamah-Bunjil Road [62] [3]
On purchase the farm contained no house, had about 225 acres cleared and contained a well that wasn't equipped [P20]
They named their farm Karkarilla after a mine of the same name in Moonta, South Australia [64]
In addition to a house, he also eventually added stables and a shed and fenced the property [P20]
Applied with the Carnamah District Road Board for a road to be opened between ROCCHI's and POPE's farms [P20]
The road was opened almost immediately and made travelling easier as there weren't many roads in a North-South direction [P20]
The new road also meant his children no longer had to go through private property to get to the Billeroo State School [P20]
In the 1940s the farm was extended by 1,674 acres with the purchase of ROCCHI's farm (Lot M1216 of Victoria Location 1935) [64]
The farm was fenced and subdivided and had a well equipped with a windmill, tank stand, tank and plenty of good water [P20]
The farm purchased from ROCCHI's also contained a house, or half of a house [P20]
Member of the Gimlets Cricket Club in 1930-31 [4: 22-Nov-1930]
Member of the Gimlet Hill Tennis Club in 1932-33 [5: 30-Sep-1932]
On Sunday 25 September 1932 the Gimlet Hill and Inering tennis clubs played matches against each other at his him [5: 30-Sep-1932]
Attended the Surprise 21st Birthday for George AUNGER in Carnamah on Sunday 2 October 1932 [5: 7-Oct-1932]
Attended the Dance & Bridge Party held at Maurice and Eliza AUNGER's home in East Carnamah on 8 October 1932 [5: 21-Oct-1932]
Foundation Member of Carnamah's Parkinson Tennis Club in 1933 [7: page 223]
Member of the Parkinson Tennis Club 1933-1936 - was Captain in 1933-34, 1935-36 and 1936-37 [5: 22-Sep-1933, 23-Aug-1935] [56]
Represented Parkinson at meetings of the Carnamah-Winchester-Coorow Tennis Association 1933-1936 [4: 4-Feb-1933] [5]
Patron of the Carnamah Parkinson Tennis Club in 1934-35 and 1935-36 [56]
President of the Carnamah-Winchester-Coorow Tennis Association for the 1935-36 season [5: 6-Sep-1935]
Sold some of his pigs to Carnamah butcher W. Frederick LEE in 1933 [5: 21-Jul-1933]
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 Carnamah Golf Club in 1933 [5: 18-Aug-1933]
Himself and his wife attended the Parkinson Tennis Club's Dance at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday 14 April 1934 [5: 20-Apr-1934]
The local newspaper revealed on 8 June 1934 that a parcel had arrived for him at the Carnamah Railway Station [5: 8-Jun-1934]
Attended the Inering School Dance held to raise money for books at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday 21 July 1934 [5: 27-Jul-1934]
Won both 1st and 2nd prize for Sheaf of Green Oats at the Carnamah Agricultural Show on Thursday 6 September 1934 [5: 14-Sep-1934]
Member of the Billeroo Cricket Club from 1934-35 to 1939-40 [4: 9-Mar-1940] [5: 23-Nov-1934, 15-Nov-1935]
He was the President and Vice Captain of the Billeroo Cricket Club in 1936-37 [5: 9-Oct-1936]
Hosted a Presbyterian Church service at his farm on Sunday 18 August 1935, which was conducted by Rev. D. H. DYKE [5: 16-Aug-1935]
Made the presentation at the farewell to Royston C. DRAGE in Carnamah on Saturday evening 23 November 1935 [5: 29-Nov-1935]
Delegate for the Billeroo Cricket Club at meetings of the Carnamah District Cricket Association in 1935-36 [5: 18-Oct-1935]
Advertised "Wanted" in late 1935 for board and accommodation Mondays to Fridays in Carnamah for two schoolchildren [5: 20-Dec-1935]
Thanked the competitors at the Parkinson Tennis Club's Tennis Tournament in Carnamah on Wednesday 1 January 1936 [5: 3-Jan-1936]
After a visit to Perth he arrived back in Carnamah on Monday 27 January 1936[5: 31-Jan-1936]
Played for the Carnamah District Cricket Association at Country Week Cricket in Perth during February 1936 [5: 14-Feb-1936]
Attended the public meeting on the question of Saturday Afternoon Closing in Carnamah on Thursday 19 March 1936 [5: 27-Mar-1936]
The proposition was to replace the half-day holiday on Thursday afternoons with a half-day holiday on Saturday afternoons [5]
The driving force was some of the local sporting bodies, who wished to play their organised sport on Saturday instead of Sunday [5]
He supported the proposal as playing sport on Saturdays would be convenient for farmers who came in then to get their mail [5]
He also thought it was a wrong upbringing for children to have Sunday regarded as a day solely to be given to sport [5]
Played for the defeated "The Rest" in a cricket match against Carnamah in Coorow on Sunday 22 March 1936 [5: 27-Mar-1936]
Paid a weekend visit to Perth over the weekend of 4-5 April 1936 [5: 10-Apr-1936]
Attended the Parkinson Tennis Club's Annual Social Evening at the Church Hall, Carnamah on Thursday 14 May 1936 [5: 22-May-1936]
Received trophies for winning the Club's Handicap Singles and for coming Runner-Up in the Club Championship Singles [5]
Member of the Carnamah Ratepayers & Citizens Association in 1936 [5: 12-Jun-1936]
Became a member of the Carnamah Masonic Lodge No.150 WAC on 10 July 1936 - was Worshipful Master in 1948 [96] [153]
Played in the Carnamah Masonic Lodge's Inaugural Annual Golf Meeting in Carnamah on Saturday 1 August 1936 [5: 7-Aug-1936]
Sold 34 suckers at 15/5 and 4 ewes at 13/3 per head through Dalgety & Co Ltd at the Midland Market in September 1936 [5: 18-Sep-1936]
Exhibited in the Pigs section of the Carnamah Agricultural Show at Centenary Park in Carnamah on 10 September 1936 [5: 18-Sep-1936]
Won 1st prize for Sow for export breeding, 1st for Porker, 1st and 2nd for Sow with litter, and 2nd for Boar for export breeding [5]
Attended the Inaugural Sale of the North Midlands Stud Stockbreeders Association in Carnamah on 18 September 1936 [5: 2-Oct-1936]
Purchased two Merino rams, one at 4½ guineas and one at 4 guineas, from William A. T. SARGENT of Wongyarra, Carnamah [5]
Member of Carnamah's South Australian Sports Committee in 1936 [5: 25-Sep-1936]
Won the Old Buffers Race at the Reunion of South Australians at Centenary Park in Carnamah on 26 September 1936 [5: 2-Oct-1936]
In early December 1936 he was a patient at the North Midlands District Hospital in Three Springs [5: 11-Dec-1936]
Sold seven pigs at £2/17/8 per head through Dalgety & Co Ltd at the Midland Market on Wednesday 6 January 1937 [5: 8-Jan-1937]
In 1937 his postal address was P.O. Box 73 at the Carnamah Post Office [278]
Purchased a new Fargo truck and a "All Steel Horse" crude oil tractor from local agent Andrew SMART in early 1937 [5: 8-Jan-1937]
Attended the Official Opening of the Carnamah Tennis Club's four new courts at Centenary Park in Carnamah on 31 January 1937 [5]
On behalf of the Parkinson Tennis Club he thanked them for their invitation and congratulated them on their courts [5: 5-Feb-1937]
Attended the meeting at Five Gums on 10 March 1937 to discuss the establishment of a state school at Five Gums, Carnamah [278]
Member of the Five Gums School Committee - taking over from Leo V. GREEN he was Secretary in later 1937 [278]
Their application was turned down as too few of the children lived within the "compulsory radius" of the proposed school [278]
As a result they proposed that a bus service be provided to transport children from Five Gums to the Inering State School [278]
The costly bus service was endorsed by the Acting Director of Education but was turned down by the Minister for Education [278]
By March 1938 he was no longer living in the Five Gums locality of the Carnamah district [278]
Advertised in April 1937 that he was wanting to buy a masher dray or sulky in good order [5: 9 & 16-Apr-1937]
Helped transport 55 children to a Sunday School picnic at Mulliah / Yarra Yarra Lakes in Carnamah on 4 September 1937 [5: 10-Sep-1937]
Most successful exhibitor of the Pig section at the Carnamah Agricultural Show on 9 September 1937 [5: 17-Sep-1937]
Won 1st and 2nd prizes for Sow and Baconer, and 1st prizes for Boar and Porker [5]
Also exhibited in Poultry and Grain & Fodder, winning 1st for Bronzewing Turkey and 2nd for 1936-grown Oaten Hay [5]
Vice President and Committee Member of the Carnamah Tennis Club in 1937-38 [5: 13-Aug-1937]
In 1937-38 he was also a Member of the Five Gums Tennis Club[89]
In 1939 won most prizes in the pig section of the Coorow, Carnamah, Three Springs and Mingenew Agricultural Shows [0: image 03851]
In 1939 also took 13 of his pigs to the Geraldton Agricultural Show and won eight 1st and five 2nd prizes [0: image 03851]
Financial Member 1938-1971 and Committee Member 1939-1941 of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society [13]
Steward of the Pig section at the Carnamah District Agricultural Society's Annual Shows in 1939, 1940, 1941, 1947 and 1949 [13]
Member of the Billeroo School Hall Committee in 1940 [0: image 03958]
In 1940 was on his way home from Perth in a truck when the brakes failed [0: image 03045]
To save the truck running off the road and into the unknown he steered the truck into a guide post [0: image 03045]
He, his wife Ruby, young daughter and Mrs Beatrice BENTLEY were in the cab and escaped any serious injury [0: image 03045]
On the back of the truck were Jack, Leila, Tony and Russell BENTLEY and they were all thrown off and onto the ground [0]
Amazingly no one received any serious injuries [0: image 03045]
On 23 November 1940 while chaff-cutting on his farm with Jack ROCCHI, Jack's tractor started a fire [0: image 03957]
The fire spread from cut chaff to a 15 ton stack of chaff and within a very short time the entire surrounds were ablaze [0: image 03957]
Through the fire lost his chaff shed, stables, tools, chaff cutter, ten bags of oats and approximately 60 tons of hay [0: image 03957]
His eldest son Gordon died on 27 January 1941 following an accident in a well on the farm [4: 1-Feb-1941]
He was unable to attend the funeral of his son Gordon as he had just undergone an operation at the Perth Hospital [4: 1-Feb-1941]
Private in the local Volunteer Defence Corps during the Second World War [16]
In 1944 and 1945 appears to have leased or share-cropped Harold R. ROBINSON's 1,999 acre Belvoir Farm in Carnamah [3]
He was equal winner with Cyril MARTYN of the Poultry section at the Carnamah Agricultural Show in 1945 [0: image 04367]
Member of the Carnamah Presbyterian Church's management board in 1947 [0: image 04468]
Served on the Board of the North Midlands District Hospital in Three Springs 1949-1960 [4: 3-Sep-1949] [109]
President in 1947, Patron in 1955 and President in 1957 of the Carnamah Tennis Club [0: images 04511 & 94787] [4: 15-Mar-1957]
Member for Carnamah on the Dr Mayrhofer Memorial Trust Fund committee in 1950 [4: 16-Dec-1950]
Member of the Carnamah Bush Fire Brigade - was one of its Lieutenants in 1951 [4: 8-Sep-1951]
Served on the Carnamah District Road Board from 1952 to 1959 [7: page 112]
Member of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society - was Secretary in 1952 and Vice Patron in 1953 and 1969 [58]
Member of the Carnamah Golf Club 1952-1958 [0: image 04634] [4: 11-Jul-1958]
Upon Carnamah's branch of the Red Cross Society being reformed on 23 September 1952 was elected President [7: page 178]
Member of Carnamah's branch of the Red Cross - was President in 1952 and received the 20 year Long Service Medal in 1973 [64]
Won the trophy for gaining the most points in the Grain and Fodder section of the 1954 Carnamah Show [0: image 04749]
By 1956 had been made a Justice of the Peace for the Victoria Magisterial District of Western Australia [22]
As a Justice of the Peace presided as Magistrate at criminal and traffic cases that went before the Carnamah Police Court [22]
Presided over his first case on 18 September 1956; between 1956 and 1961 presided and made rulings at 23 cases [22]
Won the trophy for the most points in the poultry section at the 1956 Coorow-Waddy show [4: 21-Sep-1956]
Pallbearer at the funeral of James Hostley ROWLAND at the Winchester Cemetery on 27 September 1958 [4]
Member of the Carnamah Bowling Club [P45]
Served on the Board of the North Midlands District Hospital for a number of years [P45]
On 31 March 1957 convened a meeting in Carnamah in regards to obtaining an Ambulance to be stationed in town [4: 12-Apr-1957]
St. John Ambulance volunteer - helped establish the North Midlands Sub Centre and later became a Life Member [P45]
His family was said to have regularly had friends and relatives from South Australia visit them in Carnamah [0: image 04782]
During the 1950-51 financial year purchased from Maurice S. B. AUNGER the house at 13 Yarra Street in Carnamah [3]
Had the telephone connected to the house - which was telephone number Carnamah-56 from 1951 to 1959 [60]
Along with his wife Ruby shifted to the house at 13 Yarra Street, leaving his elder children to do most of the farm's running [P45]
Received electricity at his home from local firm Henry Parkin & Son; electricity for the month of July 1952 cost £1/4/9 [53]
In 1956 [3] they sold Lot M1084 of Karkarilla Farm to their son Allen J. PERRY [P19]
Also in 1956 the other part of the farm, known as ROCCHI's, was transferred to their son Maurice L. PERRY [3]
In 1960 shifted to Perth with his wife Ruby [64] and resided on Liverpool Street in the southern coastal suburb of Safety Bay [3]
Retained ownership of his Yarra Street home and 1960-61 it was rented out to J. H. KINCAID [3]
By 1965 they had returned to Carnamah and resumed living in their house at 13 Yarra Street, Carnamah [60]
His Yarra Street home was telephone number Carnamah-97 from 1965 [60]
In 1973 shifted with his wife Ruby into the then newly constructed Lady Brand Lodge in Three Springs [147]
Resided at the Lady Brand Lodge in Three Springs from 23 July 1973 to 11 May 1993 [147]
Remarked in 1982 that he and his wife "only have one regret, the accidental death of our eldest son" [P20]
Attended the "Day of Pioneers" luncheon held at the Shire Council Chambers in Carnamah on 13 October 1982 [253]
On 11 May 1993 shifted to the North Midlands District Hospital in Three Springs, where he died at the age of 99 years [P45]
Father of Eileen, Gordon, Mervyn, Kita, Allen, Vonnie, Maurice and Shirley [P45]
Died 23 November 1993 in Three Springs; buried at the Winchester Cemetery in Carnamah, Western Australia (Row D, Plot 13) [1]
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Thomas Henry Perry' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 26 April 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/thomas-henry-perry [reference list] |
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