Family Histories
Family Histories
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WHYATT Charles Arthur Charles known as Arthur was born at Norton Creek, Horsham, Victoria on 25 September 1894, son of Allan and Helen (nee Richards). Allan and Helen were married in Victoria and had eight children. In 1901 the family migrated from N.S.W. to W.A. and proceeded to Broomehill by train where they took up land. When Charles was 10, the first school in the area was opened but Charles was by then considered old enough to work on the farm. He worked for his uncle Jim Richards; then at Arthur Aylmore’s; he also worked dam sinking on both the Gnowangerup & Ongerup Railway Dams. Charles enlisted in November 1914. He joined his battalion in May 1915 at Gallipoli. On 11 June he was wounded - shrapnel passed through his left hand. He was evacuated and after 13 days in hospital he rejoined his unit. In September he was admitted to hospital with dysentery, rejoining his unit in October. In January 1916 he departed for Alexandria and was detached to the Instructional School then transferred to the 3rd Machine Gun Company. In April he disembarked in France.
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Charles was now a ‘shoeing smith’ for the unit. Charles was promoted to ‘Corporal Farrier’ in November 1918. Following the cessation of hostilities Charles embarked to return to Australia. During his service he suffered measles, dysentery, pneumonia, trench feet and trench fever. On his return journey he became seriously ill with influenza, and was hospitalised on board until the ship arrived in Albany. Charles was admitted to the Albany hospital until February, 1919 and was then discharged from the AIF. He married Florence Elsie the daughter of Albert and Emma Aylmore. Charles worked for Ted Aylmore, then at a millers yard in Perth. At a welcome home for Returned soldiers, Mr Bell and Dr House tried to persuade Charles to buy a Soldier Settlement block, but he decided against it as he felt the blocks were too small and there would be many applicants. However, two years later he bought the block which was owned by Bert Johns as Bert wanted to return to England. So Charles and Florence returned to Gnowangerup and in 1922 and he started ‘with an axe and billy can and all my debts’ settled on a block of 643 acres (valued at 448 pounds in 1920) at Pallinup. (Kojonup Location 7107) They named their farm ‘Brookdale’, his brother Ambrose came to help out every weekend for some time. Charles was one of the 10th Light Horsemen who formed a guard of honour for the Governor, Sir Francis Newdegate, when he opened the Gnowangerup Memorial Hall in 1923. He was a member of the VDC in Gnowangerup during WWII and was listed a 1st Class Vickers Machine Gunner. Charles and Florence had a daughter Doreen (1921-1970) and a son, Ron (1925-). Following his son Ron’s marriage in 1947, Charles and Florence moved onto a property just north of the Gnowangerup swimming pool. This had been willed to Florence from her father’s estate, and they lived there for about 7 years, with Charles travelling out to the farm to work with Ron. They then built a house in Aylmore Street, Gnowangerup. ‘Brookdale’ was sold to Dick Parnell 1959 and Ron took up another Pallinup Soldier Settler farm. Charles died on 23 October 1969 aged 75. Florence died in November 1976 aged 76. Elsie and Charles Whyatt 1958
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Every endeavour has been made to accurately record the details however if you would like to provide additional images and/or newer information we are pleased to update the details on this site. Please use CONTACT at the top of this page to email us. We appreciate your involvement in recording the history of our area.
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References: Article: Research by Merilyn Stewart
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Copyright : Gordon Freegard 2024 |
