| Notes |
- 1942 'THE LATE MRS ROBERTS
THE LATE MRS ROBERTS.
The death of Mrs Charlotte Ro berts, the widow of the late Mr Edward Roberts, of Yathroo, Dandarragan, which took place in Perth on Wednesday, removes another link with the early pioneers of this State.
Mrs Roberts was the second daughter of Mr and Mrs James Nairn, of Cooroo, who were among the earliest pioneers, arriving in Western Australia in 1829. She was married in Guildford when she was 17 and went to live at Yathroo where she spent most of her married life.
Her husband predeceased her about 25 years ago. They had eight children, four sons and four daughters, all but two of whom are living, 28 grand children, and 17 great grandchild ren, nine of whom are serving with the various services.
Mrs Roberts was in her 92nd year. She was much loved and respected in the Dandarragan district, her sympathetic kindly personality endearing her to all with whom she came in contact. She was ever ready to help neighbours in time of sickness or difficulties.
She and her husband kept open house, and the hospitality of their home was known far and wide. Mrs Roberts was a splendid mother and a great homemaker. Her home came first with her always and her family was devoted to her. She too had great courage, and Dire so many pioneer women met the difficulties of early day life very bravely.
She used to tell stories of early travelling in buggies, and later she and her husband were the first people of the district to have a motor car. Mrs Roberts was very good to the natives in the district, looking after them when they were sick and helping them in many ways.
After Mr Roberts retired they lived at Kayanaba. Later she came to live in Perth and for the last 10 years had resided with one of her daughters, Mrs Lucy Hennessey, at South Perth. She was wonderful for her years and well and active until comparatively recently. Her funeral took place yesterday at Dandarragan where she was laid to rest with her husband in the district in which they had lived so happily for so many years.
[1]
- 1937 'Woman's Realm
Woman 's Realm MRS. EDWARD ROBERTS OF YATHROO.
Eighty-Sixth Birthday Today. By F.W.G.
SHE was on her knees weeding the garden when I called on her unexpectedly yesterday. I had been prompted to do so by an invitation to attend her 86th birthday party which will be attended by a few old friends today. With the assistance of a walking stick lying beside her, Mrs. Edward Roberts rose to greet me.
It is 29 years since I first saw her at Yathroo. She was then the busy chatelaine of that historic homestead. The walking stick she was now using belonged to her grandfather, William Nairn, who was among the first to arrive at the Swan River Settlement. Mrs. Roberts was born in Busselton on September 21, 1851, close to the old church there.
Her father, James Nairn, married Sarah Pettit, who belonged to a family well known in Busselton at that time. James Nairn's brother, Charles, accompanied Frank Gregory in the exploration of the country east of York in the fifties of the last century, and was Walter Padbury's manager of the first settlement in the North-West, on the De Grey. He went down with the Emma, a boat owned by Walter Padbury.
Mrs. Roberts had five brothers, William, Frank, Walter, Charles and Henry Robert Rollington. The last named, who is known as Rolly, is the only survivor of them, and now lives at Dongarra with his daughter.
An old family Bible contains the records of the Nairn and Roberts families, and on the fly leaf there is an inscription which shows that it was presented to Mrs. Edward Roberts by Mrs. Walter Padbury on January 1, 1878. It was a gift from one Charlotte Nairn to another Charlotte Nairn, for they both bore the same maiden names.
When Mrs. Roberts was still a small child she was brought by her parents to Dallak, in the York district, a property which her father rented. It later became the prpperty of the Mongers (or was probably theirs at this time). At the age of 10 she was taken to Noolooloo, a property which her father had acquired on what is now known as the Midlands area.
It was situated between Carnamah and Coorow, and their nearest neighbour was Mr. William Long, at Coorow. The latter is buried in the Coorow cemnetery. "The clergyman who christened me was the Rev. Mears," said Mrs. Roberts. "I remember him quite well. In after years he went quite blind."
School and Marriage.
Mrs. Roberts was sent to Perth for her education and spent her early girlhood at the homes of the first Mrs. Strickland and Mrs. Walter Padbury, who lived near each other in St. George's terrace. Mrs. Strickland and her mother were life long friends. Each winter young Charlotte Nairn would accompany her uncle and aunt (Mr. and Mrs. Walter Padbury) to Yathroo, and used to ride there on horseback, a distance of 120 miles.
It was here that she came to know Edward Roberts, who was manager for Walter Padbury there. Mr. Roberts also made frequent visits to Perth to see Mr. Padbury, and these also gave the young couple the opportunity of getting to know each other. They were married in the Guildford Church on April 19, 1871 and proceeded at once to Yathroo in "a four-wheeled buggy," a distinction of which Mrs. Roberts still feels proud, despite the fact that a week or two ago she was travelling over the Albany road at the pace of 60 miles an hour.
Sixty-six years ago Yathroo was a great centre of hospitality for all who travelled north or south. To undertake the arrangements of such a great homestead was no small task to a girl of 20 years. But the record of the years bears witness that she did it creditably, and reared a family of eight children.
"Welcome Shelter."
There are many thousands of people still living who will think of Mrs. Roberts today, but always their memories will be of the Yathroo days. If only the dead could speak there would be given to of a fairly complete account of the development of all that country that lies direct north of Perth.
They could tell of the nights at Yathroo when Governor Weld arrived unannounced, of the visit of Lord Gifford, and the happy days which Sir Arthur and Lady Lawley spent there. There are records of the visits of Bishops Hale, Parry and Riley. There are multitudes of those who have played a smaller part on the stage of life who recall the welcome shelter which Yathroo afforded them in the years that are past.
There was no railway north of Guildford. All stores had to be carted from that centre. When Mrs. Roberts arrived at Yathroo the only other home steads in the district of Dandarragan were Yere-Yere (then known as the Dandarragan Springs) owned by James Drummond, a son of the famous natura list; Bulgamarra, owned by Mr. W. L. Brockman, who used it for horse breed ing for Indian export; Noondal owned by the MacIntosh family; and Cholsey, the station -f Charles Clinch. It is now known as Chelsea, and owned by Mr. Maitland Roberts. The de Burghs at Cowella were the nearest neighbours on the south.
There were no made roads, but long dreary tracks of loose sand which made'travelling a slow thing. For medical attention they had to depend upon their own wit, or take the slow drive of days to the nearest township at Guildford. If their children were to receive any education they had to make provision for it.
Education Difficulties:
My husband paid various teachers and governesses to give our children their early education, and they were later sent off to the best schools we knew of in Perth or Fremantle," said Mrs. Roberts. "After some time we built a school in Dandarragan, which still stands. It was known as St. Mary's School. After some time we decided to hand the building and property over to the State. My uncle, Walter Padbury, advised us to do so, as he considered that it would relieve many settlers of the expense of private education, and give opportunities to those who could not afford to pay for the education of their children to receive equal benefits.
The building which is now used as a State school at Dandarragan was built first of all with the intention of being used as a church and school. That explains why it looks more suitable for a church than a school. It was many years after I arrived at Yathroo before we began to receive visits from a clergyman for church services. Before that time my husband used to have a reading of Evening Prayer on those Sundays he was at home.
Then the Rev. George Sadler started to visit us, and after him came the Rev. Canon Allen, the Rev E. Pritchett and others. When I called on Mrs. Roberts there came to my mind many hundreds of people and scores of scenes which I felt ought not be allowed to perish. I hope they will not perish, for they tell of a quality and habit of life which went to build up this State on sound lines.
It is only the sure knowledge that there are many hundreds still living who will desire that some small honour should be paid to one of our pioneer women that has prompted me to set down these few details of a great mother and the friend of thousands. [2]
|
1850 - 1942 (92 years)
