A Town in the Making - Early Recollections

14 July 1939

In 1864 at the age of eight I came down from Fremantle with my family on board the cutter "Wild Wave" owned and also captained by a Mr. G. Cross of Vasse. There was no wharf so we all landed on the beach not far from where the silo now stands. Some people named Wenn lived in the Strand at that time. There was also a brick store near the corner afterwards turned into a mill by the Forrest family. The only lighthouse was a small watch house about 6ft. square and about 8ft. high with a 20ft. post with a lantern that used to be pulled up by and let down by a Mr. Costella, a pensioner who lived on the White road.

There were no streets made at this time. We came along the Estuary and passed a wooden shed used as a blacksmith's shop. Alongside was a wooden room, 12ft. by 10ft. About a chain away was a brick building which a Mr. Morgan had built some time before, and which was used as an hotel. Near the weighbridge corner in what is now known as Victoria-st., was the Wellington Hotel, a very small place at that time, kept by Mr. E. Spencer and Thomas Ashford as partners. On the other side of the street was a butcher's shop and outhouses belonging to a Mr Ramsay, who had a farm at a place called Minninup, about 12 miles down the coast. On the next corner back from the road was a cottage. A man named Mick White had a bakery where Wills and Co. now are and a three roomed brick cottage was opposite. Where the wine saloon now stands was a cottage belonging to a Mr. Ben Elems who lived there. 

The Rose Hotel was built soon after by a Mr. Sam Rose. His wife looked after the hotel and he had a farm down at Minninup and used to ride in every Saturday and spend the Sunday here. Nearly opposite was a store and dwelling house kept by a Mr. Lipschitry. There also was a wooden cottage where Colletts now stand, used as a bootmakers shop by a man named Beer. In front of that a Mr. Hough had a brick house of about six rooms and also a butcher's shop. He and his three girls used to take turns to serve the few customers. On Futcher's corner was a shop with a lean-to at the end, but no one lived in it. Mr. Jas Moore had a cottage where Cronshaw's shop is and a carpenter's shop was alongside. On the Bon Marche corner back from the street was a shop and dwelling house kept by a Mrs. Gillman. The property belonged to Mr. Geo. Elliott, R.H., who lived on Bury Hill on the site St. John of God Hospital now occupies. Opposite that where the Cathedral now stands, was a small wooden church. On the site of Forrest's office was a wooden cottage with a thatched room, a policeman named Fee lived there with his family. Where Sherry's now stands was a cooper's shop and two rooms. A man named Kelly lived in it. The grant belonged to his wife's father, a pensioner named White who lived in Stirling-st. About a chain from the corner further along was another pensioner's cottage belonging to a Mr. Deadman. Also on the corner where the school now stands was the hospital. A Dr. Vines was the Government doctor at that time. It was only used for prisoners.

A little back from that was the Commiserate building, used as a school with two rooms. On the southern end were three rooms where one of the warders of the prison lived and a spare room on the other end across the street a Mr. T. C. Carey had a house, back from the street. He was the Government Surveyor. I believe he was also chairman of the Town Trust. All the grants and streets were marked out with posts marked B.T.T. They were about 3in. x 5in. and stood up about 4ft. 6in. with a pointed top. 

The streets though surveyed were not made, but only, at that time, not made but only formed at that time.