Family histories

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WEIR Joseph Barr

Joseph came out to Australia from Scotland when he was about 18 years old with his mother and her sister, Mary Weir Joseph is a well-known identity from Ongerup/Needilup area in the ‘olden days’ and worked at various jobs. He was a boiler maker by trade.

Joseph married Harriet Catherine Lamont. Harriet's parents were Norman Thomas Lamont and Jane Eliza Hughes.
The Lamont family had originally come to Australia from Pitlochry in Scotland.
Joseph and Harriet had three children, Norma (married -- House), Douglas Joseph Gordon, and Leonard who was still farming in the Ongerup area in 2009.
One of the jobs Joseph worked on when he first came to Australia was the road built from Gnowangerup to Ongerup. In 1913, during their initial time in the Ongerup area, Harriet was given the honour of cutting the ribbon which was strung across the railway line to let the first train into Ongerup.

 

 

WEIR             #1

 

Joseph and Harriet moved to Perth for a few years, where Joseph followed his trade.
Some time later Joseph's father-in-law told him of the land opening up in the lower South West of the State.
His father-in-law had connections with the Lands Department and told him about the “beautiful little mallee blocks south of Ongerup”.

 

 ADVERT FOR JOSEPH WEIR'S STORE     #
 

They settled on a property named ‘Blytheswood’ which was just out of the Ongerup townsite.
They lived in a four roomed house made from mud batts, which was built by Old Dick Handorf. Joseph’s son, Digger, remembers helping make the bricks when he was a child, so it is likely it was added to at a later date.
The bricks were made on site, just south of the house. The house was not lined or sealed, but this house was still standing in 1989.
Joseph never really had any great aspirations as a farmer, and in the early 1930s he had an opportunity to run a store. Joseph built the business through hard times but with some good agencies such as Dalgety's he became very successful.
It is thought that Joseph held in the Dalgety agency longer than any other person in Western Australia. He bought wheat for John Darling and Hemphill’s.
At that time there were three agents in Ongerup Wesfarmers, John Darling and Bungey's. There was also Burridge and Warren who bought wheat.
In about 1927 Joseph secured the agency to buy wheat for Wesfarmers at Ongerup, Toompup and Laurier sidings. His brother-in-laws Gordon and Clarence (known as ‘Spot’) Lamont joined him. Spot was the tally clerk and Joseph did the lumping.

 JOSEPH WEIR'S STORE           #

 

The practice in those days was the was a set price for wheat but the buyers would come out and if it was a good crop they may offer you a farthing more to try to get it.
At this time the price for wheat was about one shillings and sixpence a bushel so for a good crop a farmer might be offered one shilling six pence and three farthings.
This was how cut throat things were at that time when a good client could be bought off another buyer for an extra farthing or bushel.
The buyers would chew on the wheat and if it ‘seemed like good solid wheat’ then more would be offered.
Each bag was weighed on scales and stacked. There was an art to building a wheat stack and they were many metres high.
Each buyer had their own stack and was great competition to secure the empty rail trucks when they arrived, as there was always a shortage. Children would play on them.
Harriet provided the travellers with accommodation and meals for up to a week. Most of the commercial travellers were employed by Dalgety’s, Union Insurance and Wigmore’s.
Harriet opened the Ongerup Museum which was supported by the local families and active for several decades. Len and Eunice Faulkner kept the tradition going, and many oral histories of local people are kept at the Battye Library.
Harriet was an animal lover and an excellent horsewoman.
Before seeding started their family would go to an area behind the back of Palmer’s block to collect their eight horses for the team.
There were around 60 horses in that mob, and Harriet was an expert at cutting out cows and horses. As her son Digger said:“she was one of the best....she did all the work...she was the star”.

 

Every endeavour has been made to accurately record the details however if you would like to provide additional images and/or newer information we are pleased to update the details on this site. Please use CONTACT at the top of this page to email us. We appreciate your involvement in recording the history of our area.

 

References:                 Article:      Oral History Battye Library
                                                 James Cammeron, Joseph's Great Grandson
                                                 Spot Lamont & FAmily

                                  Image:     

 


Copyright : Gordon Freegard 2023