42 The Western Australian Historical Society The Lefroys at Walebing 43 The Lefroys at Walehing Here they paid £50 each in order to secure the undoubted asset of experience under colonial conditions. For twelve months or so, (Compiled by R. E. CRANFIELD) they were thus occupied, gaining the knowledge which they had decided was necessary before they could hope to succeed on the Much of the following information was obtained from a diary land on their own account. written by Gerald de Courcy Lefroy, which was found among some old boxes at her Guildford home by Miss Helena King, one of the "SPRINGHILL" diarist's grand-daughters. In an early month of the year 1844, the brothers had left Tipper. The earlier pages were perished, but with much labour and con­ ary, and were renting a property at Springhill where they grazed siderable difficulty the whole of what was still legible was typed sheep under the care of shepherds. This venture made progress, and and deciphered by Miss King III collaboration with Mr. E. M. Riley, we can learn much of their daily lives from the diary referred to of Darlington, whose wife is another grand-daughter of de Courcy which was kept by Gerald de Courcy Lefroy. Lefroy. The first entry in the diary is dated October I, 1844. It states: This article records the activities of an extension of the Irish "Made 251b. butter, and helping to prepare for shearing". Another branch of the Lefroy family which established itself in Western item that; month was, "Fleece weights are about 41b. for wethers Australia in 1842. The two first representatives of this branch in and 31b. the others." During the shearing period, de Courcy noted Western Australia were Anthony O'Grady Lefroy and his brother, down, "a little grog would be very nourishing at the end of the day." Gerald de Courcy Lefroy. Other entries in the Gerald de Courcy Lefroy diary throw light Before proceeding with a narration of events in this State, the on that period of their life at Springhill and a few extracts are as following details of family history are worthy of mention. follows: The Irish branch of the Lefroys was descended froin Huguenots Ocotber 29, 1844: "Preparing tobacco water to treat the sheep who in 1587 had migrated to England from France to escape the for scab." Next day: "Shepherd left with our 728 sheep for our oppression Protestants were then suffering in the latter country. 'station', twelve miles away; native John with him." The station These Huguenot Lefroys were in the course of time assimilated was apparently the nearby sheep run and its surrounding area of into the English population, and two centuries later, a descendant, feed. November 6, 1844: "Planting melons, Indian corn and pump­ one Anthony Peter Lefroy, held a commission in the British Army. kins. Cut down wild mustard. The price of wool bales is 10/-, if During the course of this officer's duties, he was stationed in Ire­ home made, 6/- each." land, and there two of his sons married Irishwomen. November 8: "Mowing our crop with scythes. Two of us are One of his grandsons was the Reverend Henry Lefroy, Vicar of doing 3% to 4 acres a day between us. Anthony won't take any Santry, near Dublin, who married Dorothea O'Grady, daughter of brandy for his stomach pains. Put on men at 14/- an acre, to help the O'Grady, head of the O'Grady family and grand-daughter on cut crop, less 12/- a week for grub." her mother's side of "The de Courcy", chief of another ancient Irish December 29: "Taking up and stringing onions. We have an family. advance of 10d. lb. on the wool. Parson Meares says the price of The two sons of the Rev. Henry Lefroy were respectively, wheat is 7/- a bushel." Anthony O'Grady Lefroy, born at Limerick in 1816, and Gerald de May, 1845: "Ploughed 10 acres in 7 days. C. Wittenoom here Courcy Lefroy, born at Tipperary in 1819. today. Got in wheat just in time before rain." C. Wittenoom was When these two young men were aged 25 and 22 years respec­ father of F. F. B. Wittenoom and granduncle of the principal tively, they were visited by a second-cousin from England, one, present owners of Cranmore Park. Henry Maxwell Lefroy, who told them of his determination to seek June 11, 1845: "Our wheat crop amounted to 34 acres." his fortune in Western Australia. He evidently transmitted his own June 23: "Helms wants to let Springhill to us for £40 a year. enthusiasm for the venture to his cousins, for in 1842, Anthony The mortgage is £800. It should suit us." O'Grady Lefroy and Gerald de Courcy Lefroy left Ireland together June 24: "Spent the day at Sam Moore's. Met Elizabeth and and became pioneer settlers in the Swan River Colony. was impressed. She is not yet 14 (Editor's note-this was Elizabeth Brockman, who later became de Courcy's wife). "TIPPERARY" July 14: "Tailed 394 Iambs." Soon after arrival here, the brothers went to the farm property October 21: "Killed a sheep, 581b. Butcher gives 9/- each. Sells "Tipperary" at York, owned by Sam, Lock and William Burges. in Perth for 5d. a lb." 44 The Western Australian Historical Society The Letrous at Walebing 45

October 25: "Looked in at Miss Meares. Once a year quite He decided to set out again. together with a Mr. Butcher. and enough! Our sheep numbers now 1036. Borrowed a wool screw." a native. in a northerly direction, and go at least a hundred miles. (This rudimentary wool press was used at Walebing until about He reached the Priests' Station on New Norcia where Salvado had 1900) . recently arrived. on December 2, and from there borrowed a fresh "Sold 150 bushels of wheat by tender for 6/6 a bushel." horse which enabled him to ride on another twenty-one miles to June 18, 1846: "Had a long wongi about prospects of W.A. and what is now Walebing and a total distance of seventy miles. advantages of Ceylon. Decided nothing could be done here unless a On his return to "Priests'," he had seen in the vicinity, the lot more good land is found to feed the sheep." station prior to settlement, which became Walebing, and which he Coming. as the Lefroy brothers did, from the lush land of Ire­ described as "very good." His words are: "Some fine. open country. land. it was only to be expected that they would not be wholly with some bad, intervening." The latter would be between the satisfied with prospects at Springhill, and so their eyes turned to present New Norcia settlement and Walebing, which is scrub, look for better opportunities elsewhere, and they made all possible ironstone hills and some poison undergrowth. De Courcy left enquiry about other districts. "Priests'" on December 2 and was back at Bolgart on December 4, 1846. AN EXPLORATORY TRIP On December 8, 1846, de Courcy went to Perth and secured his Now follows a significant entry which records the beginning squatting licence. Back at Springhill (which was still his head­ of the Lefroys' contact with Walebing: quarters) a week later. de Courcy drove a pair of bullocks attached June 17, 1846: "Hillman, a surveyor, and I, are going out for a to a cart, to the sheep camp. From the latter he returned with the month into the bush, exploring." shepherds and some personal belongings. O'Grady brought back June 22: "Started on trip. Anthony came part of the way. Our the sheep. party consists of Hillman, two natives and myself. with three On December 15, 1846, the brothers started the journey from horses and a dog. We did fifteen miles the first day." Springhill to "Victoria Downs," as Captain Scully's farm at Bol­ June 23: "Started 8 a.m. Stopped 4.30 p.m., travelled 20 miles gart was called. De Courcy reached Bolgart on the evening of the N.E. by E. Slept at Wooremaning." 20th. and Anthony arrived the day following at 10 a.m. with the The diary continues the story of the trek; an average of about sheep. ' 20 miles a day being maintained for the next six days. On June 30, A start was immediately made in making sheep yards from 1846, they reached a salt lake which they called Lake Synot. On local timber, which indicates the proximity of Scully's to the future the following day, proceeding then in a N.N.Westerly direction, Bolgart township. they reached three lakes which they named respectively, Hillman. Thus Victoria Downs, near Bolgart, took on importance in the de Conrey and O'Grady, By June 2, water supplies were nearly Lefroy brothers' interests and became the stepping stone from exhausted, and so the party split up to search for more. They which they went on to develop their flocks in the occupation of found water the following day, after being sixty hours without it. Walebing about sixty miles North. a most frightening ordeal. Replenishing their bottles, and drinking It would appear that the sheep were soon after shepherded up their fill. they pushed on with renewed vigour, and reached the to, and on. the Walebing property, but continued to be shorn at "priest's place" (New Norcia) on July 9. Their return journey to Bolgar-t, until 1848. Springhill was completed on July 15 after they had covered a total We learn from the diary that Mr. Clinch, who had a station distance of 276 miles. lease he called "Berkshire Valley", eleven miles North of what was Their farthest North-East approach was to the foot of Lake to be Walebing Station. sometimes called at Scully's. On one Moore, near the site of the present town of Mollerin, but every­ occasion, he reported favourably on the condition of the flocks. where they found sandplain and scrub country, no better suited for There are many other references to Mr. Clinch in the diary, the purpose of grazing. and it is evident that a cordial relationship existed. Mr. Clinch was An entry dated November 28, 1848, records that O'Grady "re­ an excellent example of the practical English farmers who success­ turned to Springhill with the news that he had rented Scully's farm fully adapted themselves to the conditions of the Colony. at Bolgart on behalf of the Lefroy Partnership." This property was On a visit which Mr. Clinch made to Bolgart on July 28. 1847, forty miles distant in what the diarist calls "the good direction." where de Courcy still lived. he brought notice of resignation from The news inspired de Conrey to see what he himself could do two of the shepherds now at Walebing, stating that they would to find land better to his liking. leave on September 1 to go shearing. De Courcy wrote down: "This 46 The Western Australian Historical Society The Lefroysat Walebing 47

is from the great shortage of labour. If they leave, they will serve November 17: "All hands drunk." No comment. in gaol or forfeit their wages." The following day, de Courcy made a reckoning. He says: "Our Under date June, 1849, we read: "We are preparing 58 rams for sheep are in debt to us about £200. We must fight it out and hope fattening. It is a sin to do so with such rams, the only pure-bred for better times. If this is made a penal settlement, we will remain Merinos in the country. I exchanged eight of them with Clinch for here; if not, we will start again, Heaven knows where." twelve wethers." Also: "I received a letter from Clinch. His servant's December, 1948: "Expense for year £412/9/-, including shear­ child dead. Would I read the burial service? I read the service." ing costs plus sheep medicine for scab, £10. Nil for self. At the 18<18-1849 local market the value of our wool is £207/15/8, leaving a debit of £204/13/4. Wages are fearfully high. Lambing little more than By mid-May, 1848, it had been arranged by the Lefroys that makes up for losses of the old sheep." a Mr. Beer should take over the lease hitherto held by O'Grady at In this history, one characteristic of de Courcy constantly Bolgart, and that all sheep would be placed 011 the Walebing Lease. They transferred themselves and their remaining sheep to the comes to notice- his sense of humour, which however was occas­ latter, and very shortly work was begun on the first small house ionally sardonic. The setbacks and many difficulties encountered there. It may be noted that this portion of the Walebing property did not blind him to the fun of the situation, and he evidently often has retained the name Walebing, and the station of that name is smiled to himselt' at the foibles of his fellow pioneers. Here is a the original one. note made on April 20, 1849: "Miss Drummond married yesterday to McIntosh, one of the Scotch shepherds. He is as ugly a man as O'Grady went to live in Perth in 1849, and de Courcy, when he ever nature formed, and she is no beauty. As two negatives make was not away, and until the house was finished, lived in what he an affirmative, it is to be hoped the children will not be monsters." called a mia. This was in fact, in mid-1848, a hut made of stone and On another occasion: "Dined at Government House. Mrs. Fitzgerald earth, with a rush roof, that remained in existence until 1892, when was trying to play and sing. A sore trial to my nerves, but she is it was destroyed by fire. very good-natured." Willing but inexpert vocalists invariably found De Courcy made frequent trips further north, on one of which, him critical. Referring to one such, he said: "A self conceited ass to while he was accompanied by Gregory, the explorer, he travelled get up on the table and sing. He has as much voice as a pig under 230 miles on horseback. He reached the Irwin River, and recorded a gate." Of another he remarks: "We had some exquisitely funny that the land was given up entirely to "grass like wild oats" and singing, or rather squalling." geranium, with many everlastings. "No good in summer," he wrote, "would dry up and blow away-the splendid country that Roe, ELIZABETH BROCKMAN Gregory and others had reported as the finest in the world." He There are many passages in the diary referring to Elizabeth observed the different layers of coal in the river bank, which he Brockman, whom he married on March 18, 1852. He met her in thought was "the best coal for steam engines." When he got back June 1845, as has been said, when she was only fourteen years old, from this trip, he confided in his diary, "I do not think there is while he was visiting Sam Moore. He notes in February, 1846: any more good country on this side of New Holland, at least for "Miss Brockman is not pretty but is the nicest girl in the place! sheep farming," but then he goes on: "the land about The Irwin Talks on history and more useful conversation than novels." They that I saw seems very good for growing anything the climate would saw one another at infrequent intervals during the next five or six agree with." He noted the now well-known Depot Hill near years, and de Courcy remained constant in his growing affection. Mingenew, which he referred to by that name. In 1850, her father, W. L. Brockman, of Cheriton, near Gingin, On September 16, 1848, de Courcy records that the shearers ordered him to keep away from Elizabeth for twelve months, an had arrived, "They were a fortnight early, but would have to wait. injunction which de Courcy faithfully observed. It is pleasing to We are not ready yet." Two weeks later shearing began, the first know that he received his reward for good behaviour. On August to take place at Walebing; previously the Lefroy's sheep had been 21,1851, Mr. Brockman called de Courcy into his study and stated shorn at Bolgart. that he and Mrs. Brockman fully approved of his conduct during On October 21, over a month later, shearing was still proceed­ the past year. He had great pleasure in giving him his daughter in ing slowly, and no wonder! De Courcy notes: "Only five of the marriage. This announcement and the accompanying blessings were shearers could work; the rest got a gallon of grog and lay down to received by de Courcy with many expressions of delight, and his it." The shearing cost £85; of which the shearers received £65, after prompt proposal to and acceptance by his beloved was a very happy deducting £23 for their food. episode in his life. He spent the next nineteen days at Brockman's 48 The Western Australian Historical Society The Lefroys at Walebing 49

house and demonstrated his state of bliss by rising each day at work. The latter were single furrow mouldboard type until the first dawn and bringing in, and assisting in milking, 52 cows, so that his double furrow plough arrived in the 1890s. The stripper was brought future father-in-law might enjoy a rest. into use in 1888, and was made by a firm called Kingston and Best, Adding to the information from these and similar extracts in at Toodyay, Gerald de Courcy Lefroy's diary, certain aspects of life at Walebing Shearing in the days of the shepherd and even until 1895 was in those days may now be mentioned. preceded by sheep washing, The animals were swum through a pool in one of the brooks called the "washpool" to remove as much as WALEBING possible of the thick dirt embedded in the fleeces as a result of Being over 100 miles from Perth, from the markets for their the constant yarding and driving. produce, from a doctor, and from the many other amenities to The shearing shed was a large, square barn, to which the sheep which English and Irish people were accustomed, there were real were brought in by the shearers from a catching pen, and taken to hardships, apart from the loneliness. The roads were but bush the positions reserved for the individual shearers. tracks, and the only transport was the bullock cart with its limited After wool removal, the sheep were put out through a door load capacity. Light horse-drawn vehicles for passengers were not which led to a yard, where the boss made a count for comparison in general use until the late 1870s, and even sixty years ago any­ with the shearer's tallies. Each shearer had a board and a piece of thing better than a spring cart was available only to the compar­ chalk near his "stand." As a sheep was shorn, a chalk mark was atively wealthy. Men travelled on horseback as a general rule, and made on the board, and groups of five marked down. A sheep not the few women who made journeys did so in the discomfort of drays properly shorn was marked with coloured chalk by the boss and or bullock wagon. was not included in the count. Another rule was: no swearing in As has been said, the first living quarters of the Lefroys at the shed. Walebing was a mere hut; but a house, completed in 1852, was Sheep scab was a curse for many years, but was finally better able to provide protection from the elements. There is little eradicated in local flocks through the efforts of the Chief Inspector doubt but that de Courcy intended to take his wife to live in the of Stock, Mr. Morton Craig, a member of the old York family of latter, but so far as we know, he never did; although there is a gap that name and an uncle of the Hon. Leslie Craig, M.L.C. in our knowledge of what he was doing for four years immediately subsequent to his marriage. The squatting licence at Walebing was increased in August, 1851, to 80,000 acres and by that time the house de Courcy had started CROPS to build the previous November was nearing completion; despite Up to about 1888, crops were cut with sickles or scythes. Stooks minor disasters such as "30 feet of wall fell down, flat as a pancake. were formed and tied with twisted wisps of hay, being then left to Provoking, cannot be helped." The outside walls were of stone dry. Then they were carted to the farmyard and a stack was made. foundations, and the interior walls were of rammed earth. The floor Next process was for the hay ties to be removed and the stalks of was of ants' nest, lime and sand in equal proportions. The rooms wheat or oats spread on an antbed floor. A wooden roller made were quite large: 20 by 17 feet; 11 by 17; 10 by 17 and 8 by 17 feet. from a large tree, and shaped by axe into a hexagon, with one end De Courcy was assisted in the work by a man named Pike, who thicker than the other for the outer edge of the work, was drawn agreed to erect stonework at 3 pence a yard, and be paid 5/- a day by a horse over the stalks, thus separating the chaff from the for the brickwork. Mud bricks and pug mortar. grain. The straw was raked aside and the wheat put through a This house was burnt down, together with the original mia, winnower, and then all was ready for milling. about the year 1892. It was forthwith rebuilt, using the same walls The flour mill was in a loft adjacent to the horse-works, and and foundation, and did duty for many years as the station over­ comprised a heavy pair of stones, which with the iron mechanism, seer's residence. It was the home of H. B. Lefroy for the eight had been imported from England. Later in the century, the New years prior to his marriage in 1880. He and his wife in subsequent Norcia community installed a steam engine driven mill with which years occupied the present homestead. Lately it has been occupied they ground wheat for others in the district. by married farmhands. As local flour did not keep wholesome in summer, it was long Further information on the price of labour in those days is con­ the custom to supplement local supplies with importations from tained in the following entry in de Courcy's diary, dated July, 1850: South Australia. "Went to Perth, hired a man and wife for £16 a year and a shep­ Until about 1900, there were no stump-jump ploughs, and all herd for £15. A boy for shepherding £10. The present cost of this tree stumps had to be dug completely out to allow set ploughs to lot," says de Conrey, "is £41. The old rate was £96." 51 50 The Western Australian Historical Society The Lefroys at Walebing

The reason for this decrease in reward for labour was the In Ireland, they recommenced farming at Ballyloghey, where influx then taking place of migrants, both free and bond. they continued for a few years without making much progress. Finding agricultural conditions in the land of his birth so unreward­ ANTHONY O'GRADY LEFROY ing, de Courcy decided to try his luck in New Zealand. O'Grady became engaged to the third daughter of Captain He chartered a vessel for the purpose of bringing with him a (later Colonel) John Bruce, on April 29, 1851, she being then 15 considerable number of emigrants, whom he intended to disembark years and 8 months. Captain Bruce was for many years Military in New Zealand, in return for a grant of land. Commandant of the Colony. De Courcy's comments on the engage­ Upon arrival, he found that the offer had been withdrawn, and ment: "This is the young man who would never marry in the he was compelled to re-ship his living cargo at considerable cost to Colony. Well! He is for it now." himself. He caused the ship to call at Sydney, but was not en­ O'Grady did not spend nearly as much time at Walebing as couraged by what he could learn of the prospects there, and so he did his brother. De Courcy records: "Anthony was made Private decided to return to Western Australia. Secretary to Governor Fitzgerald at £100 a year." This was under date December 23, 1849, so it is apparent that O'Grady was living DE COURCY BACK IN W.A. in Perth at that time. He landed at Busselton in the year 1860, being then in posses­ Many references in the diary are made to the need for a bigger sion of three of the ten children he and his wife were destined to population in the Colony. For instance the following: "There is a have. great deal of fine wheat land but it cannot be made use of owing to Proceeding to the Warren District, Gerald de Courcy Lefroy the enormous price of labour and the scarcity of it." The import­ applied his energies once more to farming, and succeeded in making ation of convicts was regarded as one solution of the problem, and a payable proposition of his holding. Still restless, however, he took O'Grady attended a large meeting in Perth in February, 1849, which a job in the Civil Service as Sheep Inspector, and after a lengthy was convened to petition the Governor to obtain convicts. "Some­ tenure of that office, was gazetted Resident Magistrate at Bunbury. thing," says de Courcy, "might yet turn up for this place if they After a short while he secured a lease of the property known as made it a convict settlement." The brothers were elated when on "Jayes", owned bySir James Lee Steere, and there he followed his June 17, 1850, a ship arrived at Fremantle. with 76 convicts and 56 calling of farmer until the end. pensioners. The convicts, de Courcy noted, apparently with surprise, At the age of 58 years, Gerald de Courcy Lefroy died, follow­ were not in chains; no guard over them; only the overseers. ing an accident involving a mowing machine, and he was buried "They are a fine set of men, none coarse looking," he said of in Picton cemetery. His widow survived him for many years, and the convicts, but of the pensioners: "Most are a drunken, dirty set, she lived in a house close to Barker's Bridge at Guildford. Her their wives worse, going around with artificial black eyes." remains were interred in Middle Swan Cemetery. This first shipload of convicts and pensioners was followed by It is believed that Anthony O'Grady Lefroy became owner of others at intervals, and in a note dated May, 1851, de Conrey wrote: the Walebing property when de Courcy married, but as will be "Heard from Clinch's man that a vessel was in from England with seen presently, O'Grady's many public duties prevented his residing 230 convicts and 80 pensioners on board. Good news! Hope they will there, at least continuously. soon send more." THE LABOUR PROBLEM Most of the story, so far, is of course derived from de Courcy's Day-to-day work on the station was therefore under overseers, diary, but unfortunately, none of it dated after February 14, 1852, has so far come to light. the chief of whom was named Joyce. This man was undoubtedly a working overseer employed by We do know that Elizabeth and de Courcy were married by O'Grady, and under his care, the development of the Walebing the Rev. Mr. Mitchell at Middle Swan Church on March 18, 1852, property, begun by the manual work of de Courcy and O'Grady, but as has been said, there is no evidence that they went to continued successfully. Walebing to live. By 1852, convict labour of useful quality was obtainable, and RETURN TO IRELAND the erection of stone buildings at Walebing resulted. Many of these In 1856, W. L. Brockman, de Courcy's father-in-law, engaged stone buildings are still in use; one of the largest, the shearing shed, him to take a consignment of horses to India and after fulfilling the barn and the mill under one roof, carries an inscription with that commission, the de Courcy Lefroys went on to Ireland. the date, 1859. 52 The Western Australian Historical Society The Lejroys at Walebing 53

Another stone building comprised the store, cook's room, men's Langlois Lefroy, who was Lord Chief Justice of Ireland. and take dining room, and kitchen. Another, a bulk store plus a commodious up law. dormitory for the men. There were too, well-appointed stables, At school, Henry was a keen and successful athlete, and in cartsheds, a workshop, and a spacious cowshed. deciding on the choice of a career he naturally felt drawn to an In the green feed period, about 25 cows were milked and open air life. butter was made from cream taken from scalded milk set out in' ·It is not surprising, therefore, that twenty years after his uncle. the dairy in large dishes. The butter was salted and stored in Gerald de Courcy Lefroy, had completed his Walebing house, Henry earthenware jars for summer use. took up residence there and began what he hoped was to be his By November, 1862, we learn from a letter written by Henry life's work. Maxwell Lefroy (referred to earlier in this paper) to his sister in In 1880, he married Rose Wittenoom, a daughter of Charles England, that "Anthony and his wife and family are going Home Wittenoom, whose property was at Gwanbygine and whose sons by wool ship in January next. They will probably stay in England were Sir Edward and Frank Wittenoom. The couple lived for the and Ireland about two years. The Lefroy family in West Australia next seventeen years at the homestead and their family spent their is growing apace; there are now fifteen of them. Anthony, Gerald early childhood there. and I have each two sons and three daughters. Anthony is a pros­ Mrs. H. B. Lefroy died in 1902, in London, where her husband perous man. Gerald and I have made little progress that way, and at the time was Agent General. our capacities to do so have yet to be proved." Like O'Grady, however, H. B. Lefroy's possession of a good Despite O'Grady's preoccupation with his public work, such as education interfered with his work as a farmer, and he found him­ his Colonial Treasurership, a position he held for 34 years, he yet self drawn into public duties. Under pressure from Bishop Salvado, was able by his control, to continue to develop the Walebing prop­ of the New Norcia Mission, he accepted the office of Justice of the erty on prosperous lines. Peace, which amounted virtually to resident magistracy, and this As has been said, he was withdrawn from much of the pioneer­ responsibility was thrust on him when he was only 21 years old. ing work his brother was carrying out, firstly by his appointment as He was made a member of the Victoria Plains Road Board, and Private Secretary to the Governor. This position gave him scope was for over 30 years its Chairman; also as no engineer was em­ for the display of his ability for offices of trust in high civil em­ ployed by that body, his talent in that capacity enabled him to be ployment, and promotion soon came his way. engineer when need arose. In 1851, he was made Clerk to the Legislative Council and to In 1893, Mr. George Randell resigned his seat in the Legislative the Executive Council. Then a further mark of confidence was Assembly, and Henry Bruce Lefroy, yielding to the solicitations of shown by his being made Treasurer of Western Australia in Jan­ his friends, was duly elected as representative of the Moore Con­ uary, 1856. He was Acting Colonial Secretary from JUly, 1875, to stituency, which, incidentally, covered 10,000 square miles of terri­ August, 1877, while still holding the office of Treasurer. tory. When Responsible Government was granted to the Colony on One of his first acts was to obtain improvement of the State's December 30, 1890, the Honourable Anthony O'Grady Lefroy, who fencing laws, and his lucid and practical speech in submitting a Bill had been created Companion of St. Michael and St. George in 1878, to the House was said to be a masterpiece. It was certainly success­ retired from public office. Amongst his many interests were the ful in obtaining the desired result. Board of Education, of which he was chairman, and the Pensioners' In May, 1897, Henry Bruce Lefroy became Minister for Edu­ Board, of which he was Paymaster. cation under the Premiership of Sir John Forrest. Later he was Minister of Mines. HENRY BRUCE LEFROY From May, 1901, to December, 1904, he held the position of O'Grady's elder son was Henry Bruce Lefroy, born in Perth in Agent General in London, and following the death of his first wife, 1854. His other son, Anthony Langlois O'Grady Lefroy, was born in 1902, he married again in 1904. His second wife was Miss Madel­ in the same place in 1862, but died at the age of fifteen years con­ ine Walford. daughter of a Norfolk Rector. Their children were sequent on an accident while he was at Harrow school. Mollie. John and Robert. John is present owner of Walebing Henry Bruce Lefroy was also educated in England; first at a Station, Robert is farming at Waterloo and Mollie holds a respon­ private school and then at Rugby. It was intended by his parents sible position at Eton, in England. that he should follow in the footsteps of his father's uncle, Thomas H. B. Lefroy retired from politics at the age of 65 years and de- The Lefroys at Walebing 55 54 The Western Australian Historical Society

voted the remainder of his life to supervising and actively managing further work might only have been for the benefit of others. As it transpired, financial and other reasons delayed completion of the his Walebing property. railway and the line was not opened for traffic to Walebing until He died in his seventy-eighth year, leaving Walebing to his 1894, as we have seen. sons by his second marriage, John and Robert, with equal shares to go to Lady Lefroy and to a sister in England. Very little land was alienated before 1905, and not until 1907 Subsequently, Robert married a daughter of C. Clarke, of was the Walebing area auctioned by the Midland Railway Company. Waterloo, and acquiring an interest in his father-in-law's property, Under the old lease system, the Lefroy family had held up to sold his share of the Walebing estate to his brother John. about 100,000 acres, but only about 15,000 acres comprised their John Stewart Bruce Lefroy, in partnership with his wife, now first purchase at auction at Walebing itself. owns Walebing, and it IS continued as a sheep and wheat holding. With the encouragement that ownership conferred, fence These people are keenly following the occupation that is now making and well sinking were resumed with vigour, and additional traditional with so many of the West Australian Lefroys, and clearing went on apace. The retarding feature in the early days, Walebing remains in good and capable hands. was limitation of funds. Wheat was then bringing only 3/- a bushel and wool was sold at 8d. per lb. There was very little excess of IN RETROSPECT income over expenditure at that period, and it is remarkable that Conditions at Walebing showed little change over the twenty­ in view of the high cost of improvements in relation to profits, so five years to 1907, which was when the land was subdivided and much was achieved. put up for auction by the Midland Railway Company. An innovation of 1906 was the use of superphosphate to stimu­ The railway line had been gradually creeping nearer; for some late crop growth, although only very small quantities were tried at years Toodyay was the nearest railway to Walebing; next the Mid­ first. It was the beginning of the changeover from Guano, hitherto land line extended as far as Gingin; then Mogumber; then Moora, a fertilizer used to some extent; but stable and stockyard which served until Walebing was reached about 1894. manure, carefully prepared by the use of straw, and spread on the As time went on, small holders took up their 40 acre lots in fields, was the only fertilizer applied for many years. scattered areas of the old Walebing lease; one of the first of these CRANMORE PARK being an ex-sailor named Clarke, who settled at Indarrie, which was about 8 miles East from the Lefroy Holding. What is now Cranmore Park, is an important portion of the In a larger way was a Mr. Bishop, of Pankie, also the pioneer original Walebing lease. It was purchased by F. F. B. Wittenoom in settler Broad, who took up land in 1868 which he called Round Hill 1908, and his idea was to divide the area into several paddocks, and which is still retained by the fifth generation of his descend­ sink dams, ringbark the timber and cut down the scrub. This land, ants. he thought, would then grow great quantities of feed, and could The occupation of the Lefroy's Walebing holding can be divided be used as a depot for fattening sheep and cattle, to be brought into several main phases. from the Murchison stations belonging to the same owner. At the beginning, shepherds cared for the sheep on the open Edward Henry Bruce Lefroy had been in F. F. B. Wittenoom's range, and cattle and horses were given a free run. (his uncle) employ at Boolardy station since he left school in 1905, and in February, 1909, young Edward was brought down to Cran­ Natural pools were the principal source of water supply, and these pools, incidentally, have since become salt as a result of more Park to take charge and carryon development of the sheep flocks. land clearing. In addition, there were a few wells. There was little agriculture. Wittenoom's original plans of campaign were not fruitful. Instead of grass following the rmgbarking, forests of seedlings and Phase 2 .was a period when some cropping was practised, in order to provide feed for horses and milking cows, and. also to meet suckers grew up. Most of the dams went salt, although they had domestic requirements of flour. As development progressed, more been made on low land and along creeks where salt was not pre­ viously in evidence. wells were sunk and fences were made from jam stakes. The home­ stead was enclosed in a tidy fashion. It was obvious from what was happening, that the country needed to be cleared and farmed if it were to yield. Ploughing and Then came phase 3. A start had been made in dividing the Walebing lease into paddocks for the sheep, but this work ceased fertilizing had brought good results in the growth of useful fodder abruptly when the Midland Railway Company's concession was plants, and so work continued on those lines for the time being. granted in 1886 by the Government. Lack of security was felt, and By 1915, at Cranmore Park, 2,000 acres were in crop, a quant- 56 The Western Australian Historical Society The Lefroys at Walebing 57 ity more than has been regularly planted since, although wheat and taking efforts of many years, and that although E. H. B. Lefroy, oats have been produced to meet needs. now Sir Edward Lefroy, has relinquished active managership, his Further search for well sites was gradually rewarded and the work has been carried on successfully since 1946 by his eldest son, water problem thus overcome, care being taken to keep away from Peter Bruce Lefroy, on the Cranmore Park properties. salt areas. "Cranmore Park", it may be noted, is one of the holdings of The last major phase included the introduction of subter­ the Boolardy Pastoral Company Pty. Ltd., a concern which was ranean clover. Until 1936, despite many attempts, this useful founded by F. F. B. Wittenoom in 1918, and of which the present pasture could not be persuaded to thrive, and it looked as if the Chairman of Directors is Sir A. L. B. Lefroy, known to us all old theory of its unsuitability to a dry climate was right. However, through his many public benefactions as Sir Langlois Lefroy.* that year proved to be the turning point, thanks to many years of experiment at Cranmore Park and from then on a much more sat­ COLVIN isfactory age of pasture production has existed. Colvin has not been brought into our picture very much, but it At first, subterranean clover was not an unmixed blessing, for is an important section of the original Walebing lease. It adjoins it was responsible for serious trouble from Distokia in ewes, and Cranmore Park on the West and the North. consequently heavily reduced lambing. Again however, local ex­ It has been developed since 1910 by E. H. B. Lefroy, the year in perience has triumphed, and the disease has been eliminated from which it was acquired from the Midland Railway Company. It too, the flocks. Subterranean clover nowadays plays a vital, and indeed is a sheep farming property on which are both stud and flock invaluable, part in providing feed for the livestock. and in the Merinos derived from Cranmore Park stud sheep. building up of the soils for greatly improved pastures and crops. Colvin, since 1945, has been managed by David Bruce Lefroy, who The difference it, and the complete extermination of rabbits have is E. H. B. Lefroy's youngest son, and again continuity of methods made to the wool production, is illustrated by the following figures. is practised, and the same standards maintained. Capable work is In 1920, the Cranmore Park wool clip consisted of 94 bales: in 1930 bringing its reward, and this property too, has become a valuable it was 165 bales; 1940, 285 bales; 1942 and onwards have shown source of highest grade Peppin Blood Merino sheep, an annual average of about 311 bales, each weighing 350 lb. or so. Colvin is owned by a partnership comprising, Sir E. H. B. As has been said, 1907 saw a start of the development of the Lefroy, David Bruce Lefroy, his son; Dr. Richard Lef'roy, together Walebing properties into their present type of production. Progress with the latter's mother. It is the country home of David Lefroy's had been such that in 1917, the Cranmore Park Merino stud parents, assumed sole responsibility for providing the requirements of the CONCLUSIONS Boolardy flocks. It has since been the source of foundation and There are one or two observations to be made before con­ augmentation of many other studs and sheep properties in the cluding. State. Sir Edward Lefroy, by whom most of the foregoing information Although we are now dealing primarily with Walebing holdings has been supplied, desires it to be known that Mr. Michael Lanigan, it is fitting here to record that since the first World War, Francis of Mt. Mary, Mogumber, has been very helpful in providing details (Frank) Charles Bruce Lefroy, another son of Sir Henry Bruce of the old days. Lefroy, and a nephew of F. F. B. Wittenoom, has been Manager of Mr. Lanigan has attained a ripe age, and with his naturally the Boolardy Pastoral Company's Murchison properties. retentive memory unimpaired, has been able to bring back many of The Cranmore Park Stud, established in 1906 at Boolardy, has the scenes before the turn of the century. become one of the larger and best-known among Australian studs, His wife, incidentally, was a daughter of Mr. Joyce, the over­ and is an example of what tenacity to an ideal over several gener­ seer referred to earlier who played so valuable a part in establish­ ations can achieve. ing Walebing on to a payable footing. In 1929, its owners adopted and have since rigorously imple­ Reference is also due to Steve Sheridan, the employee at Waleb­ mented a system of progeny testing of their rams. The result is a ing station who rendered the longest service: It is believed. 47 most desirable and uniform type of sheep that can be relied on to years. His father was an Irishman, Captain Sheridan, who came to reproduce its own good qualities in its offspring. This subject is, the Colony in the very early days. Soon after arrival, Captain however, a technical one and will not be pursued further here, im­ Sheridan's wife died, and left him with a small child-Steve. He portant as it is to the sheep industry of the State. took the child to New Norcia to be cared for there and set up a Sufficient to say that success was achieved through the pains- * Sir Langlois Lefroy died on November 1st, 1959.-Ed. 58 The Western Australian Historical Society Mingenew Story 59 farm in the vicinity. When Steve was old enough, he went to Walebing to work and was employed principally with sheep. As Mingenew Story time went on, he became overseer, and when H. B. Lefroy joined the Forrest Government in 1897, Steve became Manager at Wale­ By ROBERT STEPHENS bing. He remained in that position until he retired to work his own FOREWORD farm in 1905. Steve Sheridan's eldest daughter is Mrs. M. A. Brown, of The purpose of this monograph is to present, as in an hour Wembley, and she says that she clearly remembers the burning glass, a brief record of one small facet of the early pastoral expan­ of the house de Courcy finished building in 1852. At the time of sion of the Swan River Settlement from which the State of Western the fire, Mrs. Brown was a child of ten, and was living in the house A ustralia has emerged. with her father and other members of the family. Confined to an area of the watersheds of the Upper Irwin River Finally, I think we may rightly pay tribute to what has been and its tributaries the story provides a cameo of the pioneer settle­ achieved. In all three of the present Walebing holdings of the ment growth and development of that portion of the Victoria Dis­ Lefroys, Walebing itself, Cranmore Park and Colvin, the same trict within the boundaries of the Upper Irwin Road Board District established principles are being observed. (now Mingenew) and of the town of Mingenew, its civic, bus'iness Through periods of tribulation and prosperity alike, good and cultural centre located on and surrounding the age-old spring seasons and bad, the Lefroys have remained steadfast to their trad­ from which both the town and the road board district derived their itions. They have invariably enjoyed public respect and they have names. served the State well by their perseverance, enterprise and hard work. Prior to the arrival of Captain James Stirling, R.N., at Swan The land they hold has returned over past years, .and continues River commissioned to found a Colony in south-west New Holland, to yield, a valuable contribution to the State's rural wealth. Dutch navigators during the previous three centuries had roughly A good augury for the future is the fact that children of the charted its long coastline. This, more often by accident rather than fifth generation of the Lefroys now live with their parents on design, on their trading voyages to the East Indies. On their charts these Walebing properties. Their upbringing is such that in the they had named the most prominent physical features but had years to come they too may certainly be relied on to continue the gained little, if any, knowledge of its vast interior. good work of their predecessors. Captain Stirling's first datum peg of the Western Australia to be was driven at the mouth of the Swan River on the 1st June, 1829, where, a month previously the leader of his advance guard, Captain Charles Fremantle, R.N., had formally claimed possession for the British Crown of the whole of Australia not already occupied as New South Wales. After fixing the site of Perth on the 12th August fol­ lowing he promptly organised an examination of the country and coastline southward as far as King George's Sound (where an out­ post of New South Wales had been established late in 1826) and east­ ward to the sources of the Swan and Avon Rivers. His object the locating of the land-hungry settlers who had arrived with him and the larger numbers who continued to arrive in later ships. During 1830, already apprehensive of a shortage of suitable land for those who sought it, he sent the cutter "Colonist" northward as far as lati­ tude 29° South to spy out the prospects for settlement east of the coastline. The cutter's master, Lieutenant Preston, R.N., closely hugged the shore but found neither inlets, harbours, rivers nor even fresh water in any useful quantity. His report confirmed the opinions of the Dutch navigators as to its sterility. This discouraging survey prevented any further examination northward for almost two decades.