Katanning Lands Office
The announcement of the death of Richard Cobham, aged 80 years, which occurred suddenly at his residence in Proclamation Street, Subiaco, last Thursday, will be received with regret by many friends throughout these districts.
On reaching retiring age, he continued to live in Katanning until some years ago when he and his wife went to live in Perth. He leaves a widow and two daughters – Muriel and Fay – both of whom are married.
A Victorian by birth, “Dick” Cobham, as he was affectionately known by many old friends, belonged to the “First” families in Victoria, being related closely to the Henty’s, Manifold’s and Synnott’s, all of whom were of the pioneering stock of that State.
Before coming to Western Australia, he had varied experiences in his youth, having served a term at sea before taking up surveying in his home State. He was on the Victorian goldfields in their heyday, migrating to Coolgardie in the ’90’s, where he was interested in a large transport and forwarding business. Later, he went to Perth, where he joined the Government service in the Survey Branch. He transferred to the land settlement section, coming to Katanning in the early 1900’s to take charge of the Katanning Lands Office. At that time, it had a staff of about a dozen, including draughtsmen, clerks, etc.
Mr. Cobham held the position of Government Land Agent at Katanning for about 25 years, during which time the major settlement of these districts – west to Boyup Brook, east to Pingrup and south to Mt. Barker – took place.
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Writing of Mr. Cobham brings to mind the whole history of the Government Lands Office and land settlement in these districts. The first lands office, with Mr. H. S. Randford as Chief Land Agent, was in a mud brick building on the site of the present power station of the Katanning Flour Mills. The then staff, besides the chief, included the two Starrs (Harry and George), two Randford boys (Charlie and young Harry), Bertie Johnston (now Senator), Uren, Caffyn, Wardel, Barlee, Parry and others, not forgetting Augustus “Pegg” Farmer, the guide.
Augustus Pegg Farmer
The district was only then being opened out and land settlement was taking place at a great rate. Mr. Randford, with Peg as guide, would set out in a large waggonette capable of carrying up to six land-seekers, drawn by two-three and sometimes four big, upstanding horses, much after the type of the old Cobb and Co.’s teams. This was followed by other vehicles with the overflow. This cavalcade would make out east or west, as the case might be, into country, which was uncharted and practically devoid of settlement, but which first had been spied out by the chief and Peg. The way Farmer earned his nickname was that he had the reputation of being able to go back to the pegs placed as landmarks by himself and Mr. Randford, when they were on their, exploratory trips.
When Mr. Randford was promoted to a senior position in Perth office, Harry Starr took over the control of the Katanning office. Later there was a readjustment of duties, and Mr. Synnott was appointed acting Land Agent, his staff including “Bunny” Richmond (it’s queer how nicknames stick in one’s mind when the real name is forgotten), Wardel and Caffyn.
Then came Mr. Cobham, but gradually, as the first flush of settlement phased, the functions of the office changed; land settlement becoming of minor importance and other jobs being introduced. At one time Mr. Cobham carried out the duties of Clerk of Courts, Public Works officer and Agricultural Bank representative (no managers locally in those days).
It was after Mr. Randford was transferred to Perth and while Harry Starr was in charge, that the new Lands Office was built. That was at least 30 years ago, but the only changes to the office since are those brought by the passage of time.
It was Mr. Cobham who “found” Pingrup and Ongerup and who placed the first settlers in those areas. As Land Agent, areas. It was he who rediscovered the old route through Jerramungup to Ravensthorpe and the back track from Ravensthorpe through Pingrup and Nyabing to Katanning.
It was in the early days of his regime that mallet became commercialised, and the district was over run by “cruisers” and strippers. The “Good Old Days” indeed.
SEND-OFF TO MR. H. S. RANFORD.
A PLEASING CEREMONY.
West Australian
17 March 1897 – P7
A pleasing ceremony took place in the offices of the Lands Department yesterday afternoon, when the officers of that branch of the Government service accorded a hearty send-off to the Chief Inspector of Surveys, Mr. H. S. Ranford.
Mr. Harry F. Johnston, the Surveyor-General, alluded in feeling and friendly terms to the long and honourable service which Mr. Ranford had given to the colony. Ha explained that his old friend was not, fortunately, going to leave them altogether but was transferring his energy and ability for a time to another sphere.
The department, in consequence of the great demand for land in the southern districts, had decided to try an experiment which, he believed, would be equally satisfactory both to it and to the general public. This was the establishment of a branch lands office at Katanning, and Mr. Ranford had been chosen by the Government to open the new branch. He need hardly say that if anyone could make the venture a success it was Mr. Ranford. He asked them all to join him in wishing all success and good health to Mr. Ranford. The toast was enthusiastically honoured.
Mr. R. C. Clifton, the Under-Secretary for Lands, said that before Mr. Ranford responded he would like to say a few words. He could endorse every word spoken by Mr. Johnston of their friend and, although the new move was only an experiment, he felt certain that under Mr. Ranford the happiest results to everyone concerned would ensue.
Mr. J. S. Brooking, ex-Surveyor-General, said that he was extremely glad to be present that day. He could bear out every word that had fallen from his friends, Mr. Harry Johnston and Mr. Clifton, as he had known Mr. Ranford for over 25 years – more than a lifetime of some of those present. He wished Mr. Ranford every success in his new work.
Mr. Ranford, who was received with cheers, returned thanks. He said that he felt he had personal friends among those present. He could not express his gratitude to them for their kindness to him and had not expected more than that perhaps a few of his older friends and companions would have come down to the station to see him off.
It was very kind of the Surveyor General, the Under-Secretary for Lands and Mr. Brooking to say what they had. He had only tried to do his duty and if he had failed, he asked them to remember that he had honestly tried to do his best. This would not be his first visit to Katanning, because as long ago as 1872, when Mr. Brooking was deputed to undertake certain contract surveys down there, and was unexpectedly given another appointment, he (Mr. Ranford) was ordered to go and carry out the work. He would like to say that what pleased him most in Mr. Throssell’s speech the other day, when he was introduced to the officers of the department by the Premier Mr George Throssell, was a little remark to the effect that he (Mr. Throssell) had heard high praise bestowed on the way in which the work of the department was carried on.
This was satisfactory to those who, like himself, had been connected with the Survey Office for many years, and had spent half a lifetime in the service of the colony. When he first joined the department things were very different from what they were now. Then, it was a most difficult task to get sufficient assistance to carry on the work, and they had to struggle along in the face of great difficulties, even of neglect, by those in power, but no one could say that of the present Government. He had only to look round that crowded room to see how the service had grown and prospered and now, if men were needed, the Government gave them to the department. That was one of the reasons why the department was so efficient.
In bidding them all goodbye for a while, he could assure them of his best wishes for their health and prosperity; and he trusted one day to come back and find that every man in the room was well and prosperous.
The proceedings then terminated and, later on in the afternoon, Mr. Ranford left by the 3.30 o’clock train for the scene of his new duties. Several of the gentlemen who were at the send-off went down to the train to bid their colleague farewell.
Katanning Lands Office