Anderson Archie
George Arthur "Archie" Anderson
Emily Clara (known as Clara) and John Joseph Brown lived at Barton’s Mill in its very early years. Clara, nee Dart, was related to Joseph Henry and Mary Dart who worked as a very experienced teamster for Mason & Bird’s Mill until he died after being crushed by a fallen tree in 1883. Clara was a midwife and also ran a “boarding house”. Clara died from a heart attack aged 68 years old. Records show that John was a teamster in 1914 and a blacksmith from 1916 till 1920. He died from being kicked by a horse 26th February 1935. They had a very large family of 12 children but 2 died very young. Emily Clara Brown died on the 16th February 1943.
"ARCHIE" ANDERSON #1
Emily Born 28th June 1894. Married George Anderson.
Joseph Edward Born 24th March 1896
Walter John Born 12th February 1898
Susan Born 25th October 1899. Married Eric Johnson
Mary Ann Born 14th July 1902. Married Jas. Goodchild.
Ernest Born 26th December 1905
Clara Born 11th October 1908. Married Hunter
Frank Born 5th March 1910
Olive Born 25th March 1912. Married George William Gibbs then Baynton.
Elsie Born 2nd January 1917.
Lucie (dec) Died 9th February 1914 aged 6 days old. Buried at Barton’s Mill by Robert Maitland (friend)
Agnes (dec) Buried at Barton’s Mill
JOHN JOSEPH BROWN'S BIRTH CERTIFICATE #2
EMILY CLARA DART'S BIRTH CERTIFICATE #3
Emily, known as Clara, and John Joseph Brown lived at Barton’s Mill in a standard mill house made from locally sawn timber. How they and their 10 children even fitted into this house, only they would know.
When their daughter Emily, married George Anderson in 1913, two of her younger sisters Susie and Mary attended her. Susie as bridesmaid and Mary as flowergirl. George Anderson also lived with his family at Barton’s Mill and worked there as a log hauler. Two years after their marriage, their first son, George Arthur Anderson was born on the 26th September 1915 at Barton’s Mill. He was followed later by a brother, Charles.
A TYPICAL MILL HOUSE AT BARTON"S MILL LIKE THE ANDERSON'S HAD #14
Archie’s father was a wood cutter, as most fathers were at the time. Supplying the population of Perth with household wood, which they brought into the rail siding of Karragullen, with a horse and cart.
CLARE AND EMILY'S GREEN TOMATO PICKLE RECIPE #15
GEORGE ARTHUR ANDERSON 'S BIRTH CERTIFICATE #16
George Arthur Anderson was better known as Arthur, but most people called him by this nickname “Archie”, was born on 26th September 1915. He lived a usual little boy’s life and spent his early schooling years at Barton’s Mill. Rose Giumelli (Nee Sala Tenna) remembers how embarrassed Archie was when he was asked to escort her to school on her first day of attending. Archie spent much of his happy childhood at Barton’s Mill with his younger brother Charlie, who was born 18 months later on the 13th April 1917. They did the things that children of his days did, such as taking his dog roo hunting, roaming the bush and getting into plenty of mischief with his mates.
As a young man, Arthur helped his mother Emily, with dairy cows at Barton’s Mill. Emily was badly gored by “Bevan” a pet bull whilst tending her herd one day.
When he was 12 he would go with his father in the truck to deliver piles of wood for the G.P.O. in Forrest Place, which was under construction, as the site had been a swamp and vegetable garden.
At the age of 15, Arthur went to work for his Uncle on a small timber mill. When working there he had his first experience on a steam engine, which was to be the greatest part of his life.
"BEVAN" THE BULL AND ARCHIE ANDERSON #26
HAND WRITTEN DOCKET FROM HEWISON'S STORE AT BARTON'S MILL ON ACCOUNT OF GEORGE ANDERSON #27
At 19, Arthur went to drive a steam engine for a small mill which was started up by a family friend. At 20, he passed his first steam certificate, being the youngest to do so at Tech College.
Later, Archie began working at the nearby Smailes’ Mill to run the steam engine which drove the mill. He lived in a small cottage supplied and owned by the mill. Though Arthur had no formal adult education, he appeared to have a gift for running steam engines. He had attended a course at the Midland Railway Workshops to acquire tickets of qualification, to be able to drive these steam engines.
At this time of his life he met Rita Culloton who lived in Guildford. Rita had been orphaned and placed in a Convent, at a young age when both her parents died. After leaving the Convent, she lived with the King family at Guildford, who treated her as one of their own. Romance blossomed and her and Arthur were married in the Catholic Church, at Guildford on the 12th April 1941. The wedding group consisted of a number of the King family members.
WEDDING OF ARTHUR GEORGE ANDERSON & RITA CULLOTON 12th April 1941 #31
Left - Right: JOHN CANNING, FRED KING, MAVIS JOHNSTON, MORRIS KING, RITA ANDERSON, ARTHUR GEORGE ANDERSON, AUDREY KING, PHIL KID, Mrs. A. BRIMSON.
They had there first home at the mill and Archie continued to manage the steam engine which controlled all the power for the mill to operate. During World War 11 he was “manpowered” at Smailes’ Mill. Their first child, a daughter, Margaret Ann was born in 1942. Many years later Rita was able to re-unite with her orphaned brother, Allan, who had been put into another institution. Archie’s father, George Anderson died on the 7th March 1943.
In 1921, the Western Australian Government purchased six new Fowler Big Lion “B6” stump pulling steam traction engines, that had mainly for use in Group Settlement Scheme properties in the south-west. Each machine weighed 16,326kg and had a top speed of 14km/hour and had an 18hp engine.
The first Fowler Traction Steam Engine that Archie bought, was one of two been unloaded in pieces, in Fremantle in 1921. The wave of post-World War 1 migration made it necessary to use the 18 horsepower monster to clear land in the Manjimup area for the Group Settlement Scheme. In 1925, it was in the Goldfields, clearing a swath for the Eastern Goldfields Railway. In 1943/44, it was bought by Archie Anderson and used as a tree puller.
Arthur’s fascination with steam engines tempted him to own one of these steam traction engines. He worked very hard during the war years so he could purchase one. He originally bought one of these steam powered traction engines which he worked in the hills area during the late 1940’s and the early 1950’s. Archie paid 400 pounds for one of these monster machines. After the war had finished, Archie purchased two more engines and employed ten men.
The reason for the steam traction engine being so powerful, is that it uses the two most powerful natural sources of strength – fire and water. This enables it to pull down the most stubborn and the largest tree. It has been known that the front end of the traction engine has been lifted because of a tree, but it would finally pull down the tree.
They were used for many years pulling trees and for general clearing on many orchard properties. The traction machines easily uprooted trees where bullocks gave up in frustration. Many huge tree stumps had been left behind after the mills had logged the areas and these were very difficult to remove. As no bulldozers were around at this time, the options to remove these stumps were to dig them out, which took ages, or blow them up with dynamite. But the best option, was Archie’s very powerful traction engine, which wrapped a steel cable around the stump and then, with full power applied, gently pulled the stump out of the ground.
During the days when land was cleared by the steam traction engines there was a long process. Before clearing, “Dolly” the horse was used to drag the heavy metal cables out and around the trees and back to the steam puller. Once this was done, the cable had to be raised towards the top of the tree at the far end. Then the slack was taken up by the engine, once done, the engine starts the hard work by pulling the cable through the bush. The cable which is high up on the trees, is pulled through the bush which uproots all the trees in its path. This was actually quicker than cutting the trees down. The steam traction engine did not have any brakes so therefore, it was parked against a tree which would stop the engine.
This method proved so successful that Archie managed to get some contracts when the Government Tree Pulling Program was implemented to help in the establishment of the soldiers settlement scheme. Leon Neaves, John Shaw and Joe Giglia worked with Archie, operating these machines. Many trees on the properties around Pickering Brook in the scheme, were tree pulled before being occupied by the settlers. The Sala Tenna children played a game of “how far can you go without touching the ground” by walking from one tree log to another on their property.
Archie bought many vehicles in his life, cars, trucks and traction engines. He got his first car in 1931 at sixteen years of age. Later he bought a Chrysler and then a huge Pontiac.
Arthur and his family later shifted to a house in Union Road, Carmel, owned by Ernie Mason, who worked at the mill. At about this time, Arthur acquired a 12 acre property on Carmel Road, Carmel. This was achieved via a “barter system”. For every acre of land that Archie cleared for the gentleman he gave Archie an acre of uncleared land on this property. Over a period of time, 12 acres were cleared and 12 acres were handed over to Archie in lieu of payment. Their second daughter, Pamela May was born in 1947.
Mac and Pam Beard of Pickering Brook, have fond memories of this house as it was on the verandah that he made a very bold move and kissed her for the first time. They both remember that moment many years later.
Archie and Rita and their children, spent many happy times holidaying at Rockingham. They were joined by the Gibbs’ and Browns’ from Smailes’ Mill. Their holiday “camp” contained everything necessary, and even the old Metters stove was transported down there for cooking.
Archie also had a steam roller which was built in 1905 and came to Western Australia in 1906. Archie bought it from the Northam Shire in 1950. Over many years he worked on rebuilding the old Fowler steam powered roller. He won a contract with the Main Roads Department for work on the building of Brookton Highway. This involved work for both his steam traction engine and his steam roller. If the traction engine could not pull the stump out, then the road was re-aligned to go around it. Money was very tight during these development years, and a lot of bartering was done in lieu of payments.
In 1950, Kalamunda depended upon rain tanks and wells for their water supply, and also, water was carted into the town. The Water Board called for Tender via the paper, for a pipeline to be constructed from Mundaring Weir to Kalamunda, and there was a lot of clearing involved. Arthur was hired to do the clearing for this important source of life. Arthur and his brother also did a lot of clearing for the Main Roads Department at Dwellingup. He also cleared for the Brookton Highway and also Bunning Road to Toodyay.
MARGARET & PAMELA ANDERSON AND DIAMOND "T" TRUCK #77
In 1950, Archie bought a brand new American Diamond “T” truck from Wesfarmers for two thousand two hundred pounds and twopence. It came in pieces, and was assembled in Wesfarmers James Street depot. This was the largest truck in the hills in those days. He bought the truck so that he could get into the timber carting business.
At about this time he cleared his own 12 acre property and began building a house. The house grew in size over the following years with builder Alec “Robbie” Robinson doing a lot of the additions. Their third daughter, Lorraine Kay, was born in 1952.
Rita was a strict Roman Catholic and went to Mass every Sunday. Whilst this was on, Archie and his mates would meet at Fred Macri’s packing shed for what was called “Sip and Nip” gatherings to pass the time away. This gathering was known throughout the district and remembered by many.
The erection of the ABC Channel 2 television transmitting tower at Bickley in 1959 by EPT Construction who employed Archie Anderson with this project.
Margaret & Pam attended St. Brigid’s College at Lesmurdie from 1952 till 1960. Margaret’s first job was as a Receptionist at Wesfarmers for a year. She then worked at the Perth Dental Clinic as a Receptionist and later as Manager, till 1963 when she married Ross Holdman.
Archie continually bent or broke rules. It was built into his nature. He did things then faced the consequences afterwards. There are stories of him moving his steam traction engine along Wellington Street very early in the morning, because he didn’t have a premit. Road workers laid out planks for him to drive it over so it didn’t mark the road.
He was a strong supporter of the Pickering Brook Sports Club and regularly pushed the rules a bit, particularly by taking his dog into the bar with him.
Archie continued clearing land with his steam traction engines but eventually the bulldozers appeared and took over that role. Charlie Della Franca purchased a traction engine and was trained by Archie on how to use the monster. He retired the last Big Lion in 1954 and it stood in his backyard for many years until it was bought in 1982 by Richard Harvey and Roger Fry for restoration. It was fully restored and when completed, was the only working machine of its type in Western Australia.
The restored machine was sold to the West Australian Museum for 40,000 pounds ($80,000). It was the first purchase from the Museum’s Markham Fund, set up from the sale of vintage cars from the Markham Collection. Owing to lack of space, it was later moved to Whiteman Park where it is still on display.
A change of occupation then occurred with Archie entering the truck transport business. He first bought a Diamond T Truck in 1952 and followed by buying an International 180.
In 1956 he managed to get a contact carting pre-fabricated homes from Edison’s Mill, located at West Dale off Brookton Highway, to Land Settlement areas all throughout the Great Southern. Because he had no permit to transport these large loads, they would start in the dark of the early morning with Archie grabbing any of his mates that were available to drive the truck for him. Tony Radici, Harry Godbold and others.
In about 1960, he bought two more trucks, International 190s, they were very powerful for that time and did only 4 miles per gallon of fuel. He later acquired another contract, hauling logs from the bush to a mill at Jarrahwood.
Archie continued log hauling until on the 24th January 1961 a major bushfire destroyed Millar’s Dwellingup Mill. Because he had a great rapport with Millar’s Timber & Trading and they had timber contracts to complete, they approached Archie to come back and re-open the closed Smaile’s Mill and take charge of the steam engine with which he was familiar. Not many people knew how to work the steam engine that was there, but Archie was the man!
There were 10 – 15 tough timber men working at Smaile’s Mill that came mainly from the Dwellingup area. They rarely, if ever, left the mill site and lived a lot on locally killed kangaroo and plenty of alcohol. Kim Riches remembers going out to the mill on Sundays to clean out the boiler. The steam engine drove everything at the mill through overhead belts, even the pump that pumped water up to the mill from the creek. Whenever a big log came in to the twin saws it put a huge load on the steam engine so ever alert Archie would anticipate what was needed and stoke the engine up to full steam so it could cope. Archie’s second talent was saw sharpening at which he was an expert. He developed a great skill of saw sharpening for his father and other men. He sharpened all the saw blades at Smailes’ Mill whilst he was there. He continued there until about 1968 when he was replaced by “Sonny” Armstrong.
SYD SMAILES & GEORGE ANDERSON AT PICKERING BROOK #110
Thinking back Archie’s father, George Anderson had one of the first working trucks in the hills with Syd Smailes working for the Weston & Smailes’ Mill at Pickering Brook. Four generations of the family have been in the trucking industry. Archie’s Son-in-law, Kim Riches and his son are still in the trucking industry. Kim Riches reminisces how things have changed over the years. Their first truck was 18 h.p. and today they produce over 600 h.p.
Archie’s youngest daughter Lorraine met Kim Riches in 1968 at the Walliston Pony Club. They were both only 15 years old. They married four years later in 1972. Archie and Kim became good mates and worked together a lot. Lorraine and Kim have three children. Andrea Louise born 2nd June 1979, Matthew Steven born 30 December 1980 and David William born 28th November 1985.
In 1970 Archie went with Kim Riches to West Toodyay in an old International Ute with a tank of water, some wood, waste rag and oil to fire up an old disbanded traction engine that had been sitting under a tree for 10 years or more. He oiled her and then fired her up and she came to life. Next day it was loaded on a Bell Bros low loader and brought back to Perth and eventually ended up at Channel TVW 7.
In 1972 – 74 he carted logs for the Pickering Brook Sawmill. Ernie Bechelli was the faller for the mill. They had an old International 190 with a single axle jinker and worked an area from Munday’s Gully through to out the back of Barton’s Mill. Kim Riches would go out on the weekends and clear a landing site and pull logs down to it, for Archie to load the following week. Each day Archie would cart one load and sharpen the saws for the mill. Archie worked in the timber industry for many years and knew many people in all areas of the industry. He was well known and respected throughout. He had a very good understanding of the bush and how it all worked and he knew where every thing should be in it. As he got older he starting carting firewood and he always knew the best places to find the good timber for that purpose.
Whilst out in the forest, 15 kilometres from home, cutting firewood with Ernie Mason in 1985, a serious accident occurred and Archie had a close brush with death. The chainsaw that he was using, clipped a protruding branch and jumped back at him. At full throttle it cut into his body passing within one centimetre of his heart and throat. He was cut from the neck to the breastbone. “There seemed to be a lot of blood but it didn’t hurt and as I only had three logs to go I thought I’d just finish them before going home. But my mates would have nothing of that and one stripped off his singlet and pushed it into the hole.” said Archie.
"ARCHIE" ANDERSON AND HIS PET DOG #111
He was taken to the Kalamunda Hospital and then transferred to Royal Perth Hospital. For Archie this was the first serious wound he had had since he started working in timber mills from the day he could walk. “Timber has been my life. I helped clear the land for the pipeline between Kalamunda and Mundaring with my steam traction engine and the very same vehicle was called into operation last year for a small part in the T.V. Mini Series ‘A Fortunate Life’, ” the bushman said. He survived this and a few days later was back in the bush cutting those last three logs.
There is a story told about a bet that was placed at Charlie Marchetti’s property at Pickering Brook. Arthur was very tough and extremely strong. The bet was for 10 Pounds ($20) between Arthur and a Mr. Karasketti as to who could lift the Fargo Truck. Hands were shaken confirming the bet. Arthur then laid on his back under the truck and lifted it by extending his legs. Quite a feat. Mr. Karasketti tried to lift it with his hands but failed. He then grabbed a long pole which he used as a lever and lifted the truck. Arthur protested strongly that was not on but it was disputed and the bet was never paid.
In the late 1970’s Archie worked at the Midland Abbatoirs for a number of years. Archie did a lot of local community work often free of charge including being involving in volunteering labour for the erection of Mazzenod College as did many other men in the district.
In 1986 his original steam traction engine that had been fully restored, formed part of a huge Display at the Royal Show exhibited by Bunnings Timber Merchants. Archie was on hand to stoke it up and demonstrate its ability. Also displayed was a scale model of the big machine which Arthur had handmade himself over many years. The original machine was bought in 1990 by the W. A. Museum and has appeared at the Royal Show, at machinery field days and on the television series “A Fortunate Life”. It is now on display at Whiteman Park tractor museum.
Because he held a Marine Dealer’s License, he conducted a bottle collection round until he was 77 years old when he fully retired. Archie was a timberman, employer and a steam engine driver most of his life. Unfortunately, he passed away peacefully in his sleep on 31st August 1994. Rita Anderson passed away at Byford in March 1999.
References: Article: Pickering Brook Heritage Group
Lorraine & Kim Riches
Mac & Pam Beard
Rose Giumelli
Margaret Holdman
Images: 1, 118, 119 120 Bill Muir
2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 51,
52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87,
88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 121, 122, 123 Margaret Holdman
4, 5, 10, 21, 23, 40, 41, 42, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 59 Lorriane Riches
27, 43, 44 Kalamunda & Districts Historical Society
33, 109, 110 Ted Smailes
50 Helen Ross
60, 63 Mrs. A. Anderson
61, 62 Tom Price
105, 106, 107, 108 Unknown
111 Kalamunda Echo
112 Ken Ellery
124 Mac & Pam Beard