Gnowangerup History

 His partner Boucher had borrowed heavily from the British and Australasian Bank in London but when it failed in 1841 he assigned his assets to the bank. Hassell thus had the bank as partner in his enterprises and had a long struggle until accounts were settled. From 1840, apart from three years in England in the 1860s, he lived mostly at Albany where he had a business importing merchandise and station supplies, keeping the accounts of his properties and arranging wool shipments to England. He died on 15 August 1883, survived by his wife, five sons and a daughter.

His eldest son, John Frederick, was born in Tasmania on 24 June 1839 and his second son, Albert, at Albany on 15 November 1841. Both grew up in Albany and worked on Kendenup where J. F. became manager in 1856. In 1861-63 Albert managed Jerramungup and was the first white settler to travel overland for 200 miles (322 km) to Esperance. In 1864-78 the brothers were in partnership: J.F. ran the business in Albany and Albert managed Kendenup and, apart from two years, the other stations. From 1882 J.F. was agent in Albany for the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. until Fremantle became its port of call in 1900. In 1893-94 he was a nominee in the first Legislative Council under responsible government. In 1900-01 he represented Albany in the Legislative Assembly. In 1894 when the family properties had been divided, he received Kendenup and remained sole proprietor until it was sold and cut up for closer settlement after he died at Albany on 15 February 1919. He was survived by his wife Isabel, née Morison, whom he had married in 1868, and by their five daughters.

Albert Hassell won a by-election and in 1871-74 represented Albany in the colony's first part-elective Legislative Council. Under responsible government he represented Plantagenet in the Legislative Assembly in 1890-1904 and in 1897-98 was an elected Western Australian representative at the Australasian Federal Convention. He was an active member of the Plantagenet and Albany Road Boards in 1871-1910 and a justice of the peace in 1872-1918. In 1878 with his youngest brother, Arthur Wollaston (1851-1906), as partner he had leased most of the family properties. With Saxon rams imported by J.F. and careful breeding, Albert improved their flocks and in 1889 at the Paris Universal Exposition was awarded a grand prix for twenty-five fleeces and in later exhibitions in France and Western Australia won gold medals for his wool displays. Interested in horse-racing and breeding, he won the Plantagenet Cup in 1877 and 1879 and the Metropolitan (Perth) Cup with Corisande in 1879. He bred Satyr which won two Onkaparinga Cups in South Australia, and Bas Blanc which won many races in Western Australia. In 1894 he received Jerramungup in the division of the family properties. It was held by his family until 1950 when it was sold to the government for a land settlement scheme. He died in Melbourne on 20 September 1918, survived by his wife Ethel, née Clifton, whom he had married in 1878, and by three sons and three daughters of their ten children.

The success of the Hassell family depended on the co-operation of John and his sons, the whole enterprise operating as one entity. A resolute pioneer who despite depression and isolation never lost confidence in the colony, John Hassell contributed greatly to southern settlement and his name is commemorated by a highway from Albany to Jerramungup.