Heritage Graves

The heartbreak of the death of one or more of their young children was experienced by many pioneer families.

Because of the lack of medical back-up, terrible living conditions, and limited knowledge, many babies died very young. A lot were buried in bush graves, quite often near the family home, and sometimes marked with wooden headboards.

Unfortunately over the years these headboard have either deteriorated or rotted away leaving very little evidence of where these graves were.

Few records have survived and from these we have compiled a list of such graves within our immediate area, that we have information about.

GIBBS Family - Grave Site & Death Details

GIBBS Daisy

Died 30th June 1893 aged 2 days at Lot 8, 550 Canning Road, Carmel. Daughter of Annie (nee Burton) and Arthur Lacey Gibbs. She died of convulsions.

GIBBS May

Died 7th April 1894 aged 2 hours at Lot 8, 550 Canning Mills, Carmel. Daughter of Annie (nee Burton) and Arthur Lacey Gibbs. The informant was Susan Gibbs, cousin, Canning.

One Sunday night early in March 1894 a fire burnt their home. Arthur had just engaged a new gardener, Francis Bortelsmeier, who demanded entry to the house, when the family had retired for the evening, as he had a chill. Mr Gibbs would not allow him in, whereupon he became very agitated and aggressive, which alarmed the family, as there was a loaded shotgun in the shed where Bortelsmeier slept. Thinking they were about to be killed, Gibbs and his wife (who was pregnant with baby May) and children hurried for help to their neighbours, the Mottrams, who unfortunately were not home. They then proceeded to the Wallis home where they took shelter. On returning to their home in the morning, they found Bortelsmeier sitting, wrapped in a blanket, beside the remains of their house, which he had burnt to the ground. Bortelsmeier was charged and committed to an asylum.

GIBBS Amelia

Died, 10th April, 1895, aged 1 day. Buried with her sisters between two fig trees (which have been cut down) at Lot 8, 550 Canning Road, Carmel. The property is now the Carmel Rose Farm (2010). The informant was Edward Gibbs, Canning.
The daughter of Annie (nee Burton) and Arthur Lacey Gibbs. Arthur died 2nd February 1898 aged 30 years. The other children of Annie and Arthur Gibbs were three daughters – Violet, Myrtle and Arthurina. After Arthur died, Annie became the Cannington postmistress, a position she held for many years. She later became the Kellerberrin postmistress and is buried in the Kellerberrin cemetery.

GILBERT. Emma - Grave Site & Death Details

GIBLETT Emma

Died 4th May 1909 aged 17 years at the Darling Range School, Heidelberg. Buried at the Darling Range School, Heidelberg (now Carmel) by H. Blunden and H. Piper (Seventh Day Adventist). Witnesses present at the burial were H. Smith and George Wise. Death certified in writing by H. Blunden, friend, Heidelberg.

A student, who died of typhoid fever and heart trouble. She was born 9th February 1892 at Balbarrup – daughter of Lilly (nee Clarke) ad Jesse Giblett (farmer).

Emma and her sister Ruth, together with other students, attended a family gathering at Subiaco in the later part of March 1909. This was where it was suspected that she contacted the typhoid fever. Emma took sick on April 7th 1909, followed shortly afterwards by a number of the students and Harry Martin, the principal. It was a serious crisis, which warranted urgent calls for medical help. Emma, diagnosed with typhoid fever, fought valiantly to keep up her work schedule of work and study but eventually was confined to bed, with Ruth giving special care. Consequently, on May 1st, Ruth also became ill. The parents were notified and Mother Giblett began the long journey to be with her daughters. Horse-drawn conveyance took her to Bridgetown, where she caught the train to the city. She was met by Arthur Mountain at Kelmscott and driven to the College by horse and gig, the route taken via rough bush tracks, On arriving at midnight, she was given the sad news that her beloved Emma has passed away just hours earlier.

McCASKILL Family - Grave Site & Death Details

McCASKILL (Baby)

Died 26th August 1903. Buried in the bush off Canning Mills Road, Karragullen. Son of Emma (nee Austead) and Roderick McCaskell (labourer). Death occurred during labour, owing to delay in delivery from want of medical assistance.

This grave is heritage listed.

WESTON Family - Grave Site & Death Details

WESTON. Francis

Died 19th January 1876 aged 2 days at Mason’s Mill.Carmel. Born 17th January 1876 son of Mary and Richard Weston (wheelwright and carpenter).

This grave was officially listed on the Register of Heritage Places by the Heritage Council Of Western Australia in 2009. It was recognised as the last remaining timber headboard in the Perth Metropolitan area and a rare surviving example of a custom bush burial. It has been maintained by the Weston family.

OTHER - Pioneer Family Death Details

BROWN. Lucy

Died 9^th February 1914 aged 6 days at Barton’s Mill, Pickering Brook. Buried at Barton’s Mill by Robert Maitland. Daughter of Emily Clara (nee Dart) and John Joseph Brown (teamster)
The informant was R. Maitland, friend, Barton’s Mill.

BROWN. (unnamed baby)

Few details known. Daughter of Emily Clara (nee Dart) and John Joseph Brown (teamster). Buried at either Canning Mill or Barton’s Mil.

CORRIE. (Baby)

Died 9th January 1912 aged 12 days at Heidelberg (later named Carmel). Buried at Heidelberg by H. R. Martin, Elder of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Witnesses present at the funeral were J. Simcock and N. M. Simcock. The baby daughter of Ada (nee Wright) and Walter Ernest Corrie (mill employee).

FRENCH. (Stillborn baby)

Died 20^th August 1908 at Pickering Brook. Buried at Pickering Brook by his father in witness of Annie Sullivan. The son of Margaret (nee Gately) and Claude Tasman French (orchardist).

FRENCH. (Stillborn Baby)

Died 24^th October 1911 at Pickering Brook. Buried at Pickering Brook by her father. Witnesses present at the burial were F. Lindley and L. Humphreys.

KING. (Stillborn baby)

Died 4th October 1911 at Heidelberg. Buried at Heidelberg (now Carmel) by his father. Witnesses present at the burial were Mary Ellen and Thomas H Barrett. The baby son of Ellen Louisa (nee Styants) and Herbert King (wood Contractor).

NEWBOLD. (Stillborn baby)

Died 17th March 1918. Buried at Darling Range School, Carmel by R. H. Canstandt. Death certified in writing by G. T. Newbold, father, Darling Range School, Carmel. Born in Carmel – the son of Myrtle Havergal (nee Shearer) and George Teasdale Newbold (teacher).
Died 10th March 1882 aged about 36 hours at Canning Saw Mills. The prematurely born (uncertified) baby daughter of Robert Peel.

NEWBOLD. (Stillborn baby)

Died 17th March 1918. Buried at Darling Range School, Carmel by R. H. Canstandt. Death certified in writing by G. T. Newbold, father, Darling Range School, Carmel. Born in Carmel – the son of Myrtle Havergal (nee Shearer) and George Teasdale Newbold (teacher).

PEEL. Adelaide Frances

Died 10th March 1882 aged about 36 hours at Canning Saw Mills. The prematurely born (uncertified) baby daughter of Robert Peel.

Reference Articles:

Lonely Graves of Western Australia (by Bray)
More Lonely Graves of Western Australia (by Yvonne & Kevin COATE)
Glimpses of Carmel Adventist College 1907-2007

Photographs:

100, 101 – City of Kalamunda Municipal Inventory 1997
5 – Marilyn Weston
2 – Glimpses of Carmel Adventist College 1907-2007
3 – Kalamunda & Districts Historical Society