Old Eticup History
OLD ETICUP
AN HISTORICAL REVIEW.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
Great Southern Herald
7 May 1938
An interesting paper, compiled by Mr. J. F. Hillman, of “Moulgerup,” Broomehill, titled “The Settlement and Settlers of Eticup,” was read before a recent meeting of the Katanning branch WA. Historical Society. The settlement and settlers of Eticup had such an important bearing on the history of the Katanning and Broomehill districts afterwards that the story, as related by Mr. Hillman, is published below.
THE FIRST SELECTIONS.
Something over 30 years before the towns of Katanning and Broomehill came into existence, the first block of land was selected at Eticup, or “Yeticup,” to give it its native name. This was surveyed about 1855 by Surveyor Gregory for John McKail. Solomon Droelf, a Dutchman, came three years later, and as far as can be ascertained he was still in possession in the late 60’s, but by 1869 he was too heavily in debt to be able to carry on.
About 1865 the Trimmer family came from Pootenup and settled near Droelf,. and Mr. W. H. Graham settled at Fairfield in about 1862. Early in 1869, Thomas Norrish took over the property of Droelf from the mortgagee, W. D. Moore, of Fremantle, together with 824 sheep and a debt of nearly £800 on this property and that of his father at Warkalup. It took the whole of his wool proceeds for the next five years to pay off this debt, each clip being carted 196 miles to Fremantle. In 1872, being free of encumbrance, Tom Norrish married an Albany lady, Miss Chester Wray, and brought his bride to the bush.
There were then only three other women living within ten miles. These were Mrs. Trimmer, about half a mile away; Mrs. Pat. Garrity, at Greenhills; and Mrs. Graham, at Fairfield. The latter properties are now owned by Messrs. L. C. Rae and Vivian Cockram, respectively.
Fairfield was settled in about 1862 by Mr. W. H. Graham, who lived there for several years. He afterwards went to England and leased the property to Louis Vanzuilecom, who was still there in the 1880’s. About 1888, Graham returned and was first president of the Great Southern Districts and Agricultural Society, in 1891, and first chairman of the Broomehill Road Board when it was formed in 1892.
In 1895, Graham’s son, Farquhar, received spinal injuries when chasing a kangaroo on horseback. His father left to take him to England for treatment, but the youth died at Albany. Fairfield was then carried on by Harry and Charlie Vanzuilecom, until Harry was killed.
The property was then sold to Albert (Bob) McKenzie, and after the Great War was bought by A. E. Cockram for his son. There are three graves at Fairfield in a small enclosure, and Mr. Cockram has planted trees at the head and foot of each. They are reputedly the resting places of (1) Mrs. Vanzuilecom, wife of Captain Vanzuilecom and mother of Louis; (2) a Searle child; (3) an Englishwoman servant of the Grahams, Eliza Leigh who could not settle down to Australian conditions.
There is some doubt as to whether Mrs. Vanzuilecom was buried at Fairfield. I am almost certain she was buried with her husband, Captain Vanzuilecom, under the rocks on their property near Kojonup. A Rogers’ child and Mrs. McEvoy, wife of Peter McEvoy, a shepherd, are also buried somewhere on Fairfield.
At Fairfield, also, was the first flour mill in this district. It was still working in 1884, but the writer cannot find how long before that date it first started grinding the wheat of the settlers.
The oldest portion of the house at Fairfield is reputed to be haunted, but the present occupants have never seen the ghost in the 15 years they have been there. The tragedies that occurred at Fairfield, and the fact that W. H. Graham kept a number of relics taken from an Egyptian tomb, including the hand of a mummy, are attributed by the Vanzuilecom family to have given rise to the superstition.
Goblup, which was first owned by Edward Spencer, must have started in 1870. In 1874 it came into the possession of Lady Alex. Campbell, through her mother, Mrs. Trimmer, who was a sister of Edward Spencer. At first it was a small freehold selection, but later a large pastoral lease was added.
It was leased from 1879-83 by Thomas Norrish, and from 1884-85 by a Mr. Lott, from York. Lady Campbell lived there until 1889, when the property was bought by Lord Brassey, one-time Governor of Victoria, who fenced it in 1892. The Krakouer brothers put up the posts and W. P. Wray and the Thomas’s from Albany did the wiring. Lord Brassey held the property until 1904. At first, Mr. J. F. T. Hassell acted as his agent, while Mr. Thomas Norrish managed the property. Later, a Mr. Nicholson was manager, and for some time before it was sold Nicholson was leasing it.
In 1904 the Anderson brothers bought the place and subdivided it. Each took a portion, Tom keeping the old homestead while Ross built at Illareen. Other portions were sold to the late W. C. Ball, to T. E. Richardson and Thomas Carter.
Illareen Homestead Homestead soon after construction in 1906.
From the WA State Library Collection (c)
Between 1874 and 1883, George Whitton, Pat Garrity, Ned Brown, Joseph Nelson, the Carmody’s, Rogers and Tylor’s and, about 1887, the Carpenters, all came to live at Eticup. The Krakouer brothers built a store at the junction of the Kojonup – Broomehill Road and the road to old Eticup. It was in this store that the children of the settlement first saw dolls, and the sight of these toy babies made a lasting impression on their minds.
Pat Garrity ran a “pub” on one side of the road, and his son, John, had a store opposite. Joseph Nelson conducted a blacksmith’s shop about 100 yards from Krakouer’s along the old Eticup Road and lived about quarter of a mile from his shop. Dick Tylor started his blacksmith’s and plumber’s business nearly opposite where the church now stands. Whittons, Rogers and Carpenters all lived between Garrity’s and Tyler’s, and Carmody lived about a mile away due south from the church.
When the Great Southern Railway was being surveyed, the first two trial surveys passed through the Eticup settlement. The line was finally built some miles east of it, with the result that the township of Broomehill started and Eticup began to dwindle.
The Krakouer’s were among the first to go. They moved their store to Broomehill and the Betteridge family took over their home at Eticup. Nat. Nelson, a son of Joseph, married Miss Cull, of Albany, and built on the block adjoining his old home. Alf., his brother, married lassie Carmody and lived at the old home. Later, they moved to Perinellup.
Tom Betteridge married Lizzie Garrity and lived in the old Nelson house. John Betteridge also married a Garrity. The Tylor’s, Rogers’, Carpenter’s and Carmody’s all left, but Garrity stayed on and lived in the house he had formerly used as an hotel. Prior to this, Mrs. Trimmer and her son, Algy, had died, and the two daughters had married the Cockburn-Campbell’s – father and son.
Sunnyside was built in 1883 by Tom Norrish and remained in possession of the Norrish family until 1928, when it was bought by the late T. E. Richardson. Recently it was sold to Will. Nelson, a grandson of the first Nelson at Eticup. Old Eticup was sold to T. E. Richardson at the same time as Sunnyside. He also bought Garrity’s and Nelson’s properties.
Trimmer’s was sold to the R. H. Jones and is still owned by one of his sons. Of the houses of the settlement, only Fairfield, Sunnyside and Garrity’s are now occupied. Goblup was pulled down and a new homestead known as Condeena built in its place. Only ruins remain of the others, most of which were built with mud bricks.
Early map of “Ettakup” (Eticup)
Cottage – Condeena Estate
OLD ETICUP
AN HISTORICAL REVIEW.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
Great Southern Herald
14 May 1938
Following is the concluding half of a paper prepared by Mr. J. F. Hillman, of Broomehill, dealing with the history and settlement of Old Eticup, and read at a recent meeting of the Katanning branch W.A. Historical Society.
THE OLD HOMES.
Nothing remains at Old Eticup of Solomon Droelf’s house except a few small stones on the plowed field, and these could not be distinguished unless one knew exactly where to find them. Some of the stake fence erected round his garden, however, is still in existence.
Mention must be made of the ruins of a dyke fence which he made by digging two parallel trenches and throwing the sods into the middle to form a wall, on which was built a post and rail fence. Portion of the wall still remains, and also a few of the posts.
Tylor’s house and shop, Carpenter’s house and Nelson’s shop, the last built of timber, have all quite disappeared and the plough now passes over where they stood. Ruins only remain of Trimmer’s, which was later Lady Campbell’s, Krakouer’s, Rogers’, Whitton’s, Carmody’s, Nelson’s house and Garrity’s store.
THE FAMILIES.
Of the families, Trimmer’s and Campbell’s have disappeared. Mr. I Graham and son, Farquhar, died at Albany; Lily, a daughter, married a Singer of sewing machine fame and lives in America, and Montrose, a son, was burnt to death in Tasmania about 18 months ago.
Blanche Vanzuilecom is Mrs. Jack Warburton, and her brother Fred is also in the Kojonup district; Cecil is in Perth. H. W. A. Tylor and his sister, Mrs. W. E. Richmond, live in Katanning. The Carpenters are represented by Mrs. John Norman in Katanning, Mrs. J. J. Treasure at “Martinup” Broomehill, and Mrs. Jas. Thompson at Wagin. Of the Whitton’s, one son, George, lives in Katanning, and Roy in Broomehill.
The Garrity’s all have left the district, except a daughter, Isobel (Mrs. Lomas Richardson), at Broomehill, and a grandson, Arthur, at Cartmeticup. Nat. and Alf., sons of the first Nelson, live at Perth and Albany, respectively and Charlotte is Mrs. George Thomas at Albany. Will, a grandson, whose mother was a Carmody, lives at “Sunnyside,” and his sister, Mrs. F. O. Dawson, about eight miles east of Broomehill.
The Carmody’s all have gone. “Chub” Krakouer is at Kojonup. Tom Rogers and his sister Rosie (Mrs. Tom Norrish, Jnr.) live at Kojonup. Of the Norrish’s, Dick is at Pootenup, Will at Guildford, Mrs. Gare at Maylands, Mrs. L. McDonald at Katanning, Mrs. H. McDonald at Armadale, and Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Hillman at Broomehill.
Mrs. Thomas Norrish, the last of the original pioneers of the settlement, who came to Eticup first in 1872 and should be known as the mother of the settlement, is now in her 93rd year and lives with her daughter at Armadale.
EARLY SPORT.
Cricket seems to have been the only sport of the settlers. The first club was formed in 1883, with Mr. Louis Vanzuilecom as captain, and matches were played against Kojonup and Martinup. There was also an annual match between the shearers of Goblup and those of Fairfield. For one match against Martinup in 1884 there were 120 people present to watch the play, and a grand ball was held at night in the big room of Mrs. Joseph Nelson’s home.
In the same year a match was arranged to take place on a Friday against Kojonup, at Kojonup. The players began to assemble at Sunnyside on the previous Monday, and although they practiced right up to the day before the match, they were badly beaten by their opponents at Kojonup.
At the annual shearers’ match in 1883 the rum keg was very much in evidence, and as the Fairfield men had the stronger heads, they won the game easily.
THE ETICUP CHURCH.
The story of Eticup would be incomplete without some reference to its church. In the earlier days of settlement, a service was held monthly at Goblup, the officiating clergyman, Mr. Withers, coming from Williams.
In 1884 the settlers decided to build a church from their own resources. Each contributed something towards the finding of materials, and all helped toward the building. A vestry was added later from funds donated by Lady Brassy. The church filled a long-felt want in the community and was also used as a school until the end of 1892. The first teacher was Miss Gegg, daughter of Dean Gegg, of Perth, and the last were Eleanor Grover and Norah Norrish, the latter for three months only. When the school was established each child had to bring 4d. every Monday morning as its fee for the coming week.
The church, like the houses, is fast going to ruin. No services have been held there for many years and white ants have ravaged the timber, while damp mould is spoiling the walls.
GOD’S ACRE.
About three-quarters of a mile from the church is “God’s Acre,” where some of the pioneers of the settlement and a few of their children are at rest. Among those sleeping in the little cemetery are Thomas Norrish and his eldest son, George, who was killed in a riding accident on the Goldfields, Mrs. Louis Vanzuilecom and her son, Harry, who lost his life in a trap accident between Fairfield and Broomehill. These are the only graves with headstones.
Algy Trimmer, Mr. and Mrs. Peate, George Burchell and Mrs. Rogers are also buried here, but with the exception of Algy Trimmer and George Burchell, the writer was unable to identify the graves. There is one by itself in a corner and another just outside the back of the cemetery. The writer was told they were the resting places of Mrs. Rogers, who was not Church of England, and Ned Brown, who killed himself. Another informant declared Mrs. Rogers’ grave was among the others in the middle of the cemetery and that the one in the corner was that of Ned Brown.
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