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ALLARDYCE Arthur

Arthur Allardyce returned to Australia in 1903/1904 following a successful gold prospecting adventure in the Yukon around 1900/1901. Arthur came to Gnowangerup in 1904 and purchased a farm with the proceeds of a 189 oz gold nugget which he discovered in September 1903 and was valued at the time at US$3285 which is about $220,000 based on gold prices today. The nugget is thought to be Alaska’s largest found up to that time. Arthur met and married Anne Euphemia McDonald (known as Pheme). They were married in 1911.


 

 ARTHUR ALLARDYCE                #1
 

     GOLD PROPECTING IN THE YUKON 1900          #2
 

     GOLD NUGGET FOUND BY ARTHUR ALLERDYCE            #3
 

ARTHUR & PHEME ALLARDYCE ON THEIR WEDDING DAY                #4
 

Arthur selected a block which he named “Anglesey” on the Jackitup Road about 7 kms from Gnowangerup. The original farm consisted of 1,100 acres, and was cleared ‘by hand’ with the aid of an employee. Most of the property was cleared by hand over a period of four years. At one time the farm increased to 2,500 acres, and at that time Arthur also owned farms in Tambellup and Cranbrook. Arthur and Pheme had a daughter Elsye Mary born in 1912 and later a son Gordon. The family moved to a farm at Cranbrook which was also named “Anglesey” during the 1930’s, and Arthur wrote this series of stories whilst living there over a period of time between 1938 and 1940.

 
 

THE ALLaRDYCE's PROPERTY "ANGLESEY"                #5

 

    PHEME ALLARDYCE FEEDING THE CATS           #6
 

     PHEME KALLARDYCE NITTING            #7
 

FIRST SELF-PROPELLED HARVESTER IN GNOWANGERUP DISTRICT            #12
OWNED BY ARTHUR ALLARDYCE DRIVEN BY ARTHUR JONES
 

   PHEME ALLARDYACE AND HER CHILDREN             #8
ELSYE AND GORDON
 

Elsye attended Kobeelya College in Katanning, and later worked in Perth for the Ministry of Munitions and a West Perth dentist. Arthur passed away in 1945 aged 73, and is buried at the Mt Barker Cemetery. Gordon continued on the farm at Cranbrook. Arthur’s wife, Pheme moved to Perth just after the end of World War II.

Elsye married Frederick Brough Stanwell in October 1946 and their only child Phillip was born in September 1949. Pheme died in 1972 aged 95 years. Frederick followed in June 2007, aged almost 94. Gordon died in 1971 aged 55 and Elsye passed away in 2000 in her 88th year.”

 

 
 

 PHEME & ELSYE ALLEADYCE              #9
 

    ELSYE ALLARDYCE           #10
 

 ELSYE & PHEME ALLARDYCE              #11
 

Glen Oliver: “Gordon Allardyce couldn't have continued farming in Cranbrook after his fathers death. The farm was sold in 1947 and Gordon served in the RAAF from 1941 until his discharge in 1950


Pheme’s grandson Phil Stanwell sent the following piece:

(1) I cannot recall how many times I heard the story of "Pheme", my grandmother, going into town in the very early days to buy provisions for the homestead. As Arthur and helpers were always flat out working on the property, she often walked the 14-mile round trip to Gnowangerup from Jackitup Rd to procure what they needed for the home. She never drove to my knowledge and this was also possibly before they had their first car. That feat was often repeated and probably explains why she had such great legs, even into her 80's and 90's. She could still vault a two and a half foot fence when I was seventeen, and by that stage she had reached the age of 89!! Also not a bad kick of a footy!
This was to me quite a remarkable independence for a tiny woman who came from Crystal Brook, South Australia, as a fairly well protected female member of the large McDonald family. The things she did on the farm would have been huge challenges but she managed very well indeed.
(2) Much of the progress Pheme made in those days can (as I mentioned much earlier) be attributed to the domestic help she received from the late Nellie Denny, who not only was the great support at Anglesey but became a a much loved friend of the family rather than an employee. I think Nellie may also have been responsible for developing some of my grandmother's cooking skills, especially with the best beef stews I have ever tasted.
Pheme died on 30 December 1972 aged 95 years and was buried at Karrakatta. Arthur was 73 when he passed away, and shortly afterwards ‘Anglesey’ was sold. Arthur’s son Gordon ran the farm for a short time but was not successful. Their daughter Elsye Mary was born in 1912 and passed away in 2000 aged 88. Elsye moved to Perth during WWII and worked in the Ministry of Munitions and for a dentist in West Perth. Pheme also moved to Perth after the end of WW2. Gordon died in Perth in 1971 at the age of 55.

 

 
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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:      Phil Stanwell

                                  Image:    1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11                     Phil Stanwell
                                                12           Gus Jones

 


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