Norrish Family
An interesting biography of a pioneer was read at the monthly meeting of the Katanning branch of the W.A. Historical Society on the evening of Thursday, August 26, by Mr. J. F. Hillman, of Broomehill, the subject person being Mr. Thomas Norrish, of “Sunnyside,” Broomehill. At the same meeting a paper on the memories of Mrs. Thomas Norrish, received from the parent body was read, and two sides of early pioneer life were thus presented. Mr. Hillman’s paper was compiled from diaries left by Mr. Thomas Norrish and gave additional information to that contained in the memoirs of his wife.
The paper is reprinted below:
THOMAS NORRISH
Great Southern Herald
4 September 1937
Thomas Richard Norrish was born in England in 1837. His father, Corporal Richard Norrish, the son of an English doctor, was born in the County of Middlesex in 1812. Richard Norrish enlisted with the 96th Regiment of Foot in 1831 for a period of 15 years and 250 days. In 1842 he was sent to Tasmania in charge of a draft of convicts, and from there to Western Australia, his wife and children accompanying him.
While in charge of a gang engaged on the construction of a bridge at Canning in 1851, he badly injured his back, and in July of that year applied for his discharge “for the purpose of becoming a settler of Western Australia.” He took up a selection at Warkalup, near Kojonup, where he and his wife suffered a great deal of privation and difficulty but reared a family of nine.
From 1852 to 1855, Richard Norrish held a contract for the carriage of mail from Albany to Bunbury, which he fulfilled sometimes by cart and sometimes on horseback. Once when the cart was out of action with a broken axle, he carried the new part as well as the mail in front of his saddle to the scene of the breakdown.
Another time he carried a setting of duck eggs on horseback from Bunbury to his farm and obtained a fine clutch of ducks. By the end of 1852 he had fowls, ducks, geese, turkeys, cows and pigs, in addition to the mail horse, but no sheep.
In 1850, when on his way to Albany, Richard Norrish met a man who said he had 25 ewes to sell; they had been given him by his employer in lieu of wages (a common custom in those days). A sale was made, and when Norrish’s sons went for the sheep, they found they had a better nucleus of a flock than was expected, for every one of the ewes had lambed.
In those early days the food problem was a grave one. The crops at Warkalup were seldom bounteous, and if there was a surplus to dispose of the storekeepers would give so little for it that by the time carting was done with a two-horse team (which could transport but a limited amount) the seller was out of pocket.
When tea ran out, two forms of drink were used to replace it. Roasted barley ground in a small mill and known as “Shingow” was a favourite substitute. Another was “Burnt Tommy,” obtained by throwing a piece of bread into the fire, burning it black and transferring the charred mass to a billy of boiling water.
On one trip to Albany, Mrs. Norrish approached numerous householders for tea, and, being unsuccessful, tried Mrs. Hassell, for whom she had done a little work on her first arrival in the colony. She obtained two pounds of tea at 3/-, which was considered very cheap in those days. On this occasion, at the Albany Hotel, the only meat available was kangaroo, the flesh of two animals shot by Tom Norrish on his way down and presented to the publican, who none the less charged full fare for meals.
On this trip they could only buy 50 lbs (23kg). of flour, so later, when some of the family and the team returned for more, young Tom Norrish, who was then only 16, went bush for eight days so that the little that remained would go to the younger children. He was able to bring them kangaroo meat but had nothing for himself except what he could get in the bush. On the ninth day, when he came home, the team had returned with no flour and only a cask of weevily biscuits. Owing to crop failures and the fact that no flour could be obtained at Albany, 1853 and 1854 were the hardest times experienced in their pioneering career.
In 1855 a good crop changed the family’s fortunes for a time, but that year saw the end of the mail contract, and in order to keep the home going young Tom started carting rations to the prisoners employed in making the Perth-Albany road. These men were engaged on a kind of piece work and were paid if they did more than a stated amount of work. They agreed to buy all their rations through Tom, allowing him 10/- ($1.00) above Albany price for each cask or case of flour, and a fair margin on all other articles. The casks and cases were bought from American whalers at £5 ($10.00) each and weighed 2cwt (102kg). Tom and his brothers were engaged on this contract for about two years.
But hard times came again. The price of kangaroo skins fell very low, for there was an export duty of 1/- (.10c) on every skin sent out of the State. At this time the storekeepers would never pay more than half the value of corn, wool, pigs and produce offered them. They told the settlers the goods could be bought cheaper from Adelaide and that if they were dissatisfied with the ruling rate of payment, they could take their produce home. Thus, there was no inducement to cultivate largely.
But, on the other hand, the expense of clothing the family was not great. Tom made all the jumpers and trousers from dungaree cloth, and his brother John manufactured boots from leather of their own rearing and tanning. While hunting they never wore boots, but moccasins made from the tails of large boomers (kangaroos). These could be cut off without spoiling the sale value of the skin.
At this time Tom and his brother, Josiah, and a man named Walton effected the arrest of a tramp who was going around the country robbing shepherds’ camps. The offender was sent to Fremantle, where he was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment.
In 1860 the family owned a good flock of sheep, but the highest price the Albany storekeepers would pay for wool was 7d. (.07c) per lb (.45kg). Even then they said they lost money on it. Unfortunately for them, Tom saw a catalogue showing that their wool from the previous year had sold at 1/8 (.18c) per pound, so for the next three years they carted the fleeces to York, an extra 60 miles (97km), but worth the additional transport, for Mr. Monger advanced 1/4 (.14c) per pound and they received another 2d. (.02c) after commission and charges were paid.
Anna Maria (Norrish) Treasure with her brother George Norrish (1844-1911)
In the early 1860’s the eldest sister of the family, Anna Maria, married Edward Treasure at Warkalup on 17 February aged 16 years. Edward was 21 years Anna Maria’s senior and had established Martinup in the East Broomehill district about 40 miles (64km) away. Then Richard and Josiah each took unto himself a wife and went to live on places of their own at Tambellup and Marleyup, respectively.
In 1867, Richard Norrish, Snr., suffered a severe illness which caused him to lose his power of speech. This meant that the management of the farm fell on the shoulders of Tom, who felt the responsibility keenly, particularly as he had received no schooling beyond the few weeks’ instruction given him by a Sergeant Scanlon when quite a child. None of the other members of the family were ever in a school.
On going into things, Thomas found his father was in debt to a Fremantle storekeeper to the tune of over £400 ($800.00), and that several smaller accounts were owing. Early in 1869 this merchant, Mr. V. D. Moore, made a personal visit to Kojonup and arranged to write off the £400 and pay the small debts if Tom would take over Eticup, which carried 824 sheep and a debt of about £700 ($1400). The proposition was that the capital debt, plus 10 per cent, interest, should be repaid over a period of years from the proceeds of the wool sales, and Tom accepted it. In August of that year he went to Fremantle and Moore supplied him with a plow, dray, harness for three horses, all the rations he needed, and a bill for £676 ($1352.00). The following November he took his first load of wool 196 miles (315km) to Fremantle, and returned to Eticup sixteen days later.
This he did for four years and found to his joy after the trip in 1872 that the final installment of debt had been paid by the proceeds of the clip, and the sum of £3/14/- ($7.40) remained for him. Besides this, two bales of wool, which he had been unable to get on the load, still remained on the farm.
During these four years he supplied hay by contract to the police stations at Gordon and Twonkwilyungup, the latter being the site of the “Police Pools,” three miles (5km) from the present townsite of Katanning. Wearing apparel and other necessities of life were dear at that time. Moleskin trousers cost 17/6 ($1.76) a pair, Crimean shirts 12/- ($1.20) to 16/- ($1.60), boots £1 ($2.00), sugar 6d (.05c). and tea 3/- (.30c) per pound, while blankets were £5 ($10.00) a pair.
In 1871, Richard Norrish died, but his wife lived on until 1890 and left 75 descendants. In 1872, Tom Norrish married Christen Ann Wray, who had come with her parents to Albany in 1853. When he brought her to Eticup there were only three women living within a radius of 10 miles of them – Mrs. Trimmer at Eticup, Mrs. Garrity at Greenhills, and Mrs. Graham at Fairfield. Mrs. Annice lived a little further afield at Corinyup.
In 1878, Thomas Norrish rented the Goblup Estate for five years from Lady Campbell, a daughter of Mrs. Trimmer, of Eticup. Goblup carried 5,000 sheep and the rent was £500 ($1,000) a year. When the lease expired in 1883 he built the “Sunnyside” homestead, where he now owned 1,100 acres (445ha), and lived there until 1890, when he returned to Goblup as manager for Lord Brassey, who had bought the estate. In 1894 he was dealt a sad blow when his eldest son was killed in an accident at Southern Cross.
Two years later, at Broomehill, he met with an accident which nearly cost him his life. While on a journey to the township his horse stumbled and fell upon him, breaking his collar-bone and several ribs. He lay critically ill at the hotel for three months, unable to be taken to his home, which was only three miles distant. After three doctors had virtually abandoned hope for his recovery, his good wife applied her own homely remedies and, after long vigils at the bedside, nursed him back to life.
Soon afterwards Goblup was leased to a Mr. Nicholson, who had been managing the estate during Thomas Norrish’s illness, Tom himself returning to “Sunnyside.” He died in 1909 at the age of 71, being survived by his wife, who was living at Armadale with her daughter, Mrs. Hector McDonald. Mrs. Thomas Norrish, who was aged 92 (at the time of this report), had two sons and five daughters living, most of them residing in the vicinity of Katanning.
Tom Norrish lived a strenuous private and a full public life. For 25 years he was a member of the first Kojonup Road Board, and afterwards of the Broomehill Road Board, and for many years was chairman of the latter. He was a Justice of Peace and one of the first members and a trustee of the Katanning and Broomehill Agricultural Society.
He acted as a lay reader of the Anglican Church, the little place of worship at Eticup being erected by himself with the assistance of neighbouring settlers in 1884. He was a splendid shot with the gun or rifle and took a keen interest in the sport of the district, particularly cricket.
NORRISH FAMILY
WARKELUP PROPERTY
From the inHerit website
All that remains of the old Warkelup Homestead are some bricks and stone walls and a chimney. A gravestone and memorial, surrounded by a wrought iron fence, are found on the property. Also on the property is the Warkelup Spring, also known as Joseph’s Well.
Homestead Ruins at Warkelup
These ruins have historical significance as they are all that remain of the original home of Richard Norrish and his wife Honora, who were hard working pioneers of the district in the 1850’s-70’s. The Norrish family continue to be active and prominent identities in the Kojonup area.
A gravestone memorial on Warkelup
Richard Norrish first came to Kojonup as corporal-in-charge of the 96th Regiment of Foot who took up service at the Barracks in 1847. His wife, Honora, and family joined him there. After two years he was transferred to Perth, but he soon requested a discharge and in 1849 the Norrish family returned to Kojonup. They found that John Hassell had relinquished his pastoral lease at Warkelup, where a water source, later known as Joseph’s Well, was located. This location was once considered as a suitable location for the Kojonup townsite, but Hillman preferred the Spring Location, and promoted it as the future townsite.
Norrish settled on Warkelup, managing to purchase 20 acres, including Kojonup Location 2. The first cereal crop in the district in 1849-50 was attributed to him. The Norrish family was hard working and resourceful and faced many hardships. Richard Norrish had a stroke in 1867 from which he never fully recovered. He died in 1871 at the age of 59. Norrish and his wife, who died in 1900, were both buried on the Warkelup property. In 1928, the land holding was surrendered from the Norrish family to L. D. Forrest.
From the inHerit WA website
DEATH OF AN OLD SETTLER
THE LATE MR. T. NORRISH.
The West Australian
25 April, 1908
Katanning, April 24.
One of the largest funeral processions ever seen in the Great Southern district followed the remains of the late Mr. Thomas Norrish to the Eticup Cemetery yesterday afternoon.
Mr. Norrish was born in England in 1837 and came to this State in 1847 with his parents, who settled at Kojonup. His father had charge of the convict contingent there, and his mother at the time was the only white woman in the district. When he grew to manhood Mr. Norrish took up land at Eticup. and for a time leased the Goblup Estate from Lady Campbell. Later on, when Lord Brassey owned that estate, he managed it for him, and afterwards devoted himself entirely to his own property, on which he has ever since resided. In 1872 he married Miss Christina Wray.
Mr. Norrish was a member of the Kojonup Road Board till the Broomehill Roads Board was formed, and he then became a member of the new board, a position which he held most of the time as chairman till some two years ago, when failing health compelled him to retire. He was also for some years president, of the Great Southern Pastoral and Agricultural Districts Society, and always took a lively interest in district affairs .
About two years ago Mr. Norrish met with a driving accident, which proved a serious blow to his strong constitution, but it was not till six months ago that he became seriously ill. Mr. Norrish, whose death took place on Wednesday last, has left a widow, two sons, Messrs. Richard and William Norrish, and five daughters, Mrs. L. McDonald, Mrs. F. M. Gare, Mrs. R. H. Jones, Mrs. H. McDonald, and Miss Norrish.
.
JOSIAH NORRISH
Farmer, “Glen Idyll,” near Tambellup
From Cyclopedia of WA 1913
Josiah Norrish was a son of George Norrish, who came to Western Australia in 1847 from his native State of Tasmania. He was born on June 20, 1884, and received his education chiefly by private tuition in his father’s home.
At an early age he began to make himself useful on the property, and continued to reside under the parental
roof during the whole of his life. The major portion of his time was given up to the development of the home farm. In addition to this he had interests of his own in the Tambellup district, having taken up a selection of nearly 800 acres.
In 1912, Mr. Norrish went abroad, visiting New Zealand and other places outside the Commonwealth.
WEDDING AT ETICUP
Great Southern Herald
2 November 1907 – P4
McDonald – Norrish
On Wednesday, October 23, at the Eticup Anglican Church, a marriage was celebrated by the Rev. Dr. Parish, assisted by the Rev. A. O. V. Knight, the parties being Mr. Hector McDonald of ‘Hiawatha,” son of Mr. Donald McDonald of- “Burnham Wood,” and Miss Sarah Norrish, daughter of Mr. T. Norrish, J.P. of “Sunnyside”. The bridesmaid was Miss May Norrish, sister of the bride. The church was tastefully decorated by friends of the bride.
After the service, the guests adjourned to the residence of the bride’s parents for the wedding breakfast where Dr. Parish proposed the health of bride and bridegroom. The bridegroom responded, and afterwards, proposed the toast of the bridesmaid, for whom Mr. Hillman responded. The other toasts were “The parents of the bride,” proposed by Mr. Mark King and responded to by Mr. Norrish; “The bridegroom’s parents,” proposed by Rev. Knight, and responded to by Mr. McDonald.
The bride’s dress was of creme floral silk voile, the bodice; being made with deep yoke and cuffs of lace and trimmed with bretelles of insertion and lace edged with glace silk. The skirt was lightly trained with frills and sprays of orange. A tulle veil and wreath of orange blossom completed a charming toillette, and the bride carried a bouquet of white carnations and asparagus fern with streamers of chiffon.
The bridesmaid, Miss May Norrish, wore cream silk with yoke and cuffs of fine net kimono of insertion, and ribbon, the skirt trimmed with narrow frills. She wore a hat of heliotrope straw trimmed with lilac and roses and carried a bouquet of coloured carnations and fern.
The bride’s travelling costume was of fawn tweed, braces of material latticed with green velvet ribbon, vest and cuffs of cream lace, hat of crinoline straw trimmed with pink roses and foliage.
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