Gnowangerup History

The first white person to settle close to the present Gnowangerup townsite was James Quinn. Of course there was no townsite in 1872 when Quinn settled here.
The story is told in A. H. Allardyce's "History of the Gnowangerup District," a copy of which is in the Battye Library.
James settled on what later became Location 102. It was miles further east from Broomehill than any other habitation and Jim was known as "the lone farmer."
Mr. Allardyce recalls that the first time he called at James Quinn's farm when he was looking for land himself, he was invited to make himself at home until he found land of his own. Mr. Allardyce says he accepted the offer. James Quinn was a respectable and clean, elderly man, estimated to be about 60 years of age. During Mr. AIlardyce's stay James Quinn told him of his reason for being in W.A.
He was a convict. He was one of those men transported from England between 1850 and 1868 to help this colony "get on its feet." Many of them had committed only minor offences, particularly those who arrived early in the years of transportation. For this made them suitable workmen because the colony's request was for strong, able-bodied men who could do a good day's work and who were reliable. (There was no secure place in which to keep them.)
Quinn's offence, as he told it to Mr. Allardyce, was that he took a tin of tea. James and his brother, Tom, were "boys together." They lived with their parents at Warrington and one morning, when feeling full of mischief, they noticed their grocer's van unattended in the street. They decided to inspect the contents and the sight of a tin of tea was too tempting and they made off with it. They were apprehended, tried and sentenced and later transported to W.A.
Quinn sustained himself by cutting sandalwood and carting it to Albany probably helping to form the tracks for present travellers. He did a little horse breeding and grew some wheat for hay for his horses.
Mr. Allardyce recalls that many times he saw James Quinn harness the horse in his old trap (as he called it) and drive several miles along the sandalwood tracks to inspect land. He also went to Broomehill for supplied. Although only 25 miles this was a considerable journey in those days. The road was in a bad state and in addition, there were many gates to pass through. It took a long day to do the round trip.
It is believed that James's brother, Thomas, settled in the Gnowangerup soak area in around 1872. He was in the census taken by the newly formed Broomehill Road Board in 1892. In the year 1878 the brothers applied for location 102 which was sixteen hectares of rich river flat near the fresh water springs, known as the Gnowangerup spring, and were successful.
The granting of Homestead blocks was a new act allowing settlers to purchase land in the midst of huge pastoral leases. Quinns' block was one small block in the Moir run. As the brothers were now licensed sandalwood cutters, owning horses which needed feeding, the hay they cut from their land made life a little more permanent. There would have been more work to do in fencing the land to keep the roaming sheep from the grass cutting and stooking the hay then carting and stacking it where the horses and sheep could not get to it before time.
Cutting and carting sandalwood was equally as difficult and by the turn of the century Thomas would have been content to leave the pain of his life behind him. He died in 1900 and it is not known where his remains are buried.
James continued on with life in his little house on the small block for another six years. During that time his house guest, Mr. Allardyce, was given a guided tour around the area to find land that could be suitable for farming. Allardyce helped him stack his hay as,by this time, James was beginning to feel his age.
James saw the area becoming quite populous. The first Progress Association meeting was held in his home on 4th March 1905 and eleven men were in attendance. The next meeting, attended by the same number, took place on 20th May 1905. This meeting seemed to be rather a heated one and ended, according to the secretary, "in confusion." The Gnowangerup Progress Committee, which was what they decided to call themselves, was formed to elect a representative for the East Ward of the Broomehill Road Board. This ward extended to the Eugenup Springs and onto George Moir's property of Mongup and J. Toppin of the Jerramungup Station (Manager for Hassells).
James passed away in September 1906, after a long illness. He left no will, so his land, stock and implements were passed to the Curator of lntestate Estates.
It is to be noted that after the May meeting of the Progress Committee in 1905 in which Mr. Allardyce wrote "the chairman was out of bounds and out of order,"the place where meetings were held was changed to"Yougenup." It is uncertain as to where Yougenup was, as the stone dwelling was always referred to as "Eugenup."
Neighbours felt regret at James's passing and decided that he must have a decent interment. They built a coffin from timber from his shed door. A few Christian words were spoken by his friend, Mr. Allardyce. Unfortunately, his memory was allowed to pass almost into obscurity for some years.
The Quinn property was administered by the Public Trustee. Then after the time required by law had expired, it was purchased by Mr. E. A. Moir of Sandalwood. In 1923 it was sold to the Gnowangerup Road Board, who retained it as a reserve in common.
Some years later, as Gnowangerup townsite began to grow, it was seen by the settlers that James' coffin must be returned to the new cemetery, where the grave would be unmolested and would be honoured by future generations. "All agreed and subscribed to the removal.
In 1928 James Quinn's remains were re-interred in the Catholic portion of the Gnowangerup Cemetery by Rev. Father F. Reidy. (Les Black was working on the Roads Board at this time and helped in transferring James Quinn's