"Anna" Wilhelmina Anna BLOCHWITZ / ARNDT
Born 10 March 1878 in Nelena, Prussia [P106]
Daughter of Ernst Hermann BLOCHWITZ and Wilhelmina Christina KRETSCHMAR [24] [P106]
Herself and her brother Herman grew up under the care of their parents in Nelena [P106]
Married Franz Louis ARNDT on 23 July 1902 in Crimmitschau, Germany [P106]
Along with her husband arrived in Western Australia on the Damstardt in September 1902 [P106]
Resided with her husband and children for seven years at Lawlers and for one year at Warbrook on the East Murchison goldfields [4]
After purchasing prospective farmland from the Midland Railway Company they moved to Three Springs in 1909 [P106]
Resided with her husband and children on farmland Three Springs [19]
Initially they lived in a hessian and iron humpy on the farm, and later in a weatherboard house [P106]
They sometimes holidayed in Dongara during which time they slept on the back of their truck and cooked in the bush [P2]
She was said to have been a great cook and a beautiful knitter and sewing [P106]
Had a few fruit trees and grew vegetables, the surplus of which she sold for extra money, making £15 in 1915 [152]
Gave evidence to the Royal Commission on the Agricultural Industries of WA in Three Springs on 16 December 1916 [152]
She believed settling on Midland Railway Company land was a bad proposition as the repayments were too high [152]
Won 2nd prize for Plain Scones at the Three Springs Day on Moonlight Farm in Three Springs on 26 September 1918 [10: 4-Oct-1918]
At the Three Springs Day held Thursday 25 September 1919 she once again received 2nd prize for Plain Scones [9 & 10: 3-Oct-1919]
Awarded 1st prize for Cakes and 2nd for Scones at the Three Springs Day held on Thursday 23 September 1920 [10: 15-Oct-1920]
Won both 1st and 2nd prizes for Three Varieties of Cakes at the Three Springs Day on Thursday 28 September 1922 [9: 20-Oct-1922]
Helped provide the supper for the Hospital Ball at the Agricultural Hall in Three Springs on Thursday 5 April 1923 [9: 27-Apr-1923]
Won 1st prize for Plate of Cake exhibited at the Annual Show & Sports Carnival in Carnamah on 20 September 1923 [86: 4-Oct-1923]
Donated cakes and milk for the Refreshment Stall at the Picnic Race Meeting in Three Springs on Saint Patrick's Day in 1925 [124]
Attended the wedding of Alexander J. F. BROWN and Clara V. BERRIGAN at the Carnamah Hall on 28 August 1928 [4: 8-Sep-1928]
Attended the Three Springs Agricultural Society's First Annual Show and Show Ball on Thursday 20 September 1928 [4: 29-Sep-1928]
Exhibited in the Show, winning 1st prizes for Cream Puffs, Butter and Radishes, and 2nd prizes for Beetroot and Fruit Cake [4]
Attended the Ball after the Three Springs Races on Thursday 11 April 1929 in a dress of stripped radium silk [4: 20-Apr-1929]
Foundation Member of the Three Springs branch of the Country Women's Association in 1929 [206]
Assisted the North Midlands District Hospital in Three Springs in various ways, and provided food for poorer families [P106]
Provided the milk of milk coffees at balls held in Three Springs (it was skim milk as all the scalded cream had been taken off) [P106]
Attended the Three Springs Football Club's Welcome Home Social for two newly wedded couples on 1 November 1929 [4: 9-Nov-1929]
Donated cakes for the patients of the North Midlands District Hospital in Three Springs for Christmas / New Year of 1929 [4: 8-Feb-1930]
Purchased a new Ford sports phaeton car from Carnamah dealer Rupert LAFFAN in February 1930 [4: 1-Mar-1930]
Wrote to the Three Springs Road Board in March 1930 in regards to the deplorable state of the road leading to her farm [4: 15-Mar-1930]
The Three Springs Road Board referred her to the Main Roads Board, as part of the road came under their jurisdiction [4]
In 1931 she sued the Three Springs Road Board for compensation for blocks of land that the Road Board had resumed [4: 15-Aug-1931]
The case went before the Mingenew Court and then the Supreme Court, who awarded her £55 compensation and costs of £32 [4]
Exhibited in the Poultry section of the Fifth Annual Three Springs Agricultural Show on Thursday 22 September 1932 [5]
Won 1st prizes for the Champion Male Bird in Show and male Black Orpington; and a 2nd prize for female Black Orpington [5]
Also received 1st prizes for Diary Butter and a Knitted Article, and a 2nd prize for Fruit Cake [5: 30-Sep-1932]
Attended the Farewell Evening tendered to local pioneer Mrs Blanche M. KOCH in Three Springs on 3 December 1932 [4: 10-Dec-1932]
Attended and won the prize for bridge at the Bridge and Euchre Party held in Three Springs on Saturday 22 July 1933 [5: 28-Jul-1933]
Won 1st prize for a female Black Orpington in the Poultry section of the Three Springs Agricultural Show in 1933 [5: 29-Sep-1933]
Also received 1st prize for the Champion Female Bird in Show, presumably for the same female Black Orpington [5]
Her husband passed away at the age of 64 years on 14 August 1934, and was buried at the Three Springs General Cemetery [24]
Following her husband's death she ran a boarding house on Railway Road in the Three Springs townsite [P2] [P42]
From 1937 to 1940 she was listed as the proprietress of a Boarding House and Dairy in Three Springs [6]
She returned to Germany for a holiday, during which she had her mail re-directed from Three Springs to Germany [P42]
Won 1st prizes for Dairy Butter and a female Black Orpington at the Three Springs Agricultural Show in 1934 [5: 21-Sep-1934]
Attended the Saint Patrick's Day Picnic and Sports held at the Three Springs Show Ground on Monday 18 March 1935 [5: 22-Mar-1935]
Herself and Robert BLACK Snr won the "Old Timer's Waltz" at the Grand Ball in the evening, after the Picnic & Sports [5]
Won a cushion at the North Midlands District Hospital Ball at the Three Springs Hall on Easter Monday 22 April 1935 [5: 26-Apr-1935]
Attended the luncheon tendered to Primate of Australia Rev. Henry F. LE FANU in Three Springs on Monday 1 July 1935 [5: 5-Jul-1935]
Winner of the Art Union conducted at the Hospital Appeal Grand Ball held in Three Springs on Thursday 21 May 1936 [5: 29-May-1936]
In March 1937 she called for tenders for the sinking of a dam of 1,000 yards in Three Springs [5: 25-Mar-1937]
Member of the Three Springs Anglican Church Vestry and the North Midlands Anglican Church Vestry in 1937 [5: 4-Jun-1937]
Attired in black crepe de chine at the local wedding of her son Frank and Carolina W. F. WOLTER on 14 July 1937 [5: 23-Jul-1937]
Later left Three Springs to travel overseas, during which time she spent a year in Germany [P16]
Departed London, England on the steamship Orcades and arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia on 11 October 1938 [63]
Resided of late in the Perth suburb of Bicton [2]
Mother of George, Rudolf, Frederick, Frank, Elsie, Dorothy and Charlotte [P106]
Died 12 October 1939; buried Fremantle Cemetery, Perth suburb of Palmyra (Anglican, A6, 387) [2]
From the Progress Report of the Royal Commission on the
Agricultural Industries of Western Australia on the Wheat-Growing Portion of the South-West Division of the State:
Saturday 16 December 1916 at Three Springs
"Mrs. WILHELMINA ANNA ARNDT, wife of Franz Louis Arndt, Farmer, Three Springs, sworn and examined:
We came here in 1909. My husband had been working in the firewood trade on the East Murchison. We hold 450 acres of Midland [Railway] Company's land; 200 acres are first class [land] and the rest sandplain. The price is 21s. It is 3½ miles to the railway. We have 190 acres cleared. The whole is fenced. We have on well 85ft. Deep, a two-roomed hessian and iron humpy, and a bough shed. I have five children, three of them are at school. We have no stable and no implement shed. We have all the necessary farming implements and four working horses, a cow, two calves, a colt, and a pony. We had £500 cash when we came here and we had £50 from my brother-in-law. To last March we were clear. We paid all the instalments to the Midland [Railway] Company with the exception of £48 which is due this year.
We have 180 acres under crop, 18 acres was fallowed and it looks no better than the other. It is sandplain. The highest average yield we have had was in 1912, when we got 20 bushels over 100 acres. This year it will go about 15 bushels.
Last year we had rust. We have been pickling our wheat, but have noticed no difference. We put it through a winnower. We have three or four fruit trees, some vegetables, and we made £15 out of the garden last year, but nothing this year. We keep a few pigs for ourselves and poultry. I would not advise anyone to go in for Midland [Railway] Company's land, for rents are too high. The land is not worth the money, and they are very hard people to deal with.
What are the conditions under which you took up the land? We had 15 years to pay the purchase money and 4½ per cent interest. We paid £230 cash down. Dairying would not pay here itself. One year the company made a mistake and demanded 2d. interest for each day after the date of payment was due.
Why did you take up Midland Company land instead of Government land? My husband went to the Lands Department and an official told him that the nearest land he could offer was 40 miles from the railway and school and advised him to get Midland Company land. A sale of Midland land came on, so he got this block. If you got a couple of good prices for wheat, say 3s. 6d. in good seasons, we would make a living without any assistance. We require a doctor or an experienced nurse in this locality. The nearest live at Moora or Dongara. We lost a boy of eight years of age for want of medical attention."
From The North Midland Times newspaper, Friday 20 October 1939:
Obituary - Late Mrs Anna Arndt
"The death of Thursday last of Mrs Anna Wilhelmina Arndt, widow of the late Franz Lewis Arndt, of Three Springs, was the source of widespread regret. The deceased lady, who was 61 years of age, was for some years proprietress of the Springs Hostel and during her sojourn in the district she made many close and lasting friendships. At the time of her demise she was residing with her son (Mr Rudolph Arndt) at Bicton. The funeral took place on Friday afternoon, when the remains were interred in the Church of England portion of the Fremantle cemetery. Three sons, George, Rudolph and Frank and three daughters, Elsie, Dorothy and Lottie are left to mourn their loss. The sympathy of a wide circle of friends goes out to the bereaved relatives."
From The Irwin Index newspaper, Saturday 21 October 1939:
Obituary - Late Mrs A. W. Arndt - Well Known Three Springs Resident
"Wide spread sorrow was felt in the Three Springs district when news was received of the demise on Thursday of last week of Mrs Anna Wilhelmina Arndt at the residence of her eldest son at 108 Petra Street Fremantle. The deceased lady, who was born at Nebra, Germany, in the year 1878, came to Western Australia in 1902. After having spent six years at Lawlers and one year at Warbrook, she settled with her husband and family at Three Springs in 1909. She was a naturalised British subject of many years. The deceased lady was highly esteemed, and took an active interest in social work, being one of the founders of the North Midlands Hospital. She was also a member of the committee of the Anglican Church. Her husband, the late Mr F. L. Arndt, predeceased her five years ago. She is survived by three sons and three daughters, for whom deepest sympathy is felt in their bereavement. The funeral took place in the Anglican portion of the Fremantle Cemetery on Friday of last week, the service at the graveside being conducted by the Rev. C. A. Walsh. The pall bearers were Messrs Carl Arndt, J. P. Price, C. Kroschel, V. McMillan, W. Ayling and R. Seminara. Wreaths and floral tributes were received from the following: - Ruby and Marge, G. H. Bickford, Marge, the chairman, members and secretary of the Three Springs Road Board, the chairman and members of the Hospital Committee (Three Springs), Dr and Mrs Mayrhofer and Peter, Matron McNally, Mr and Mrs Johns and family, the staff of the Three Springs Hospital, Frank, Elsie, Dorrie, Lottie and Kath, George and Patricia, the boarders at home, J. E. Jefford, Mr and Mrs Roach (South Fremantle), Mr and Mrs R. Barnhart (Hotel Imperial Perth), Mr and Mrs J. Kuhnberg and family, companions of the Commercial Chapter No 17 W.A.C., directors and staff of the North Midlands Farmers Co. Ltd, Lambert, Morgan and family, �M. Smith, Mr and Mrs Clarke, Basil, Kevin and Lorna, Mr and Mrs C. F. Thomas jun, Matron and Sister Coffey, Mr J. Mulcaby, , Mrs Peterson, Mrs Caldow, Mr R. Young, fire brigade, Mr Lex Stewart, Mrs W. J. Clarke and Lorna, Mr George Renbach and Mrs Renbach, Mr G. S. Pearce, Mr H. Falls, (North Midlands Farmers' Co-Operative Co. Ltd. And the Westralian Farmers Ltd), Mrs Wilson (Subiaco), Miss A. Coffey, Mrs Rebbie, Mrs C. Carbon, Mr Clem Ruben, Mr George John and Mrs W. H. Ayling."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Wilhelmina Anna Blochwitz / Arndt' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 25 April 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/wilhelmina-anna-blochwitz [reference list] |
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