"Clarrie" Clarence Oswald BAKER
Born 1894 in Jung, Victoria, Australia [54]
Son of Albert BAKER and Emily GOODING [54]
Grew up on his father's 400 acre farm at Werrap near Rainbow in Victoria, Australia which he later took over from his father [P129]
Married Margaret LAMPARD in 1917 in Victoria, Australia [54]
Worked the farm in Werrap by horses until selling the property [P129]; his postal address was Box 50, Rainbow, Victoria, Australia [34]
Visited Western Australia and his brother-in-law John LAMPARD of Waddy Forest showed him prospective land to buy [P129]
Travelled to WA with his wife and daughter while their son Max stayed with his parents and son Phil with his wife's parents [P129]
On 5 February 1929 purchased from the Midland Railway Company 3,362 acres of virgin land in Winchester, Western Australia [27]
The 3,362 acres was Lot M1792 of Victoria Location 2023 and cost £1,596/19/- (9/6 per acre), payable by instalments [27]
In early 1929 left Victoria by train with his wife and their three children and four days later arrived in Western Australia [P129]
Wheat Farmer at Winchester in the Carnamah district of Western Australia 1929-1933 [P129]
Prior to their arrival his nephew Benjamin W. J. LAMPARD ploughed up 50 acres of the farm that had very little scrub on it [P129]
This 50 acres was used for their first crop in 1929, and he later cleared another 500 acres with a Sundercut [P129]
In March 1930 purchased a new Fordson tractor from Carnamah Ford salesman Rupert LAFFAN [4: 22-Mar-1930]
Initially used a 14-disc Sundercut but it was too big for his Fordson tractor, so swapped it with a neighbour for a 10-disc one [P129]
Won the Married Men's Race at the Sports Day and Picnic held at Centenary Park, Carnamah on 9 October 1930 [4: 18-Oct-1930]
In 1932 was the owner of a Chevrolet truck containing the license plate CA-259[4: 12-Nov-1932]
Paid £3/10/- in Vermin Bonuses by the Carnamah District Road Board in January and February 1934 for killing seven foxes [300: page 42]
Began leasing Cornelius SHEAHAN's farm two miles north of the Carnamah townsite in February 1934 [5: 2-Feb-1934, 2-Mar-1934]
Around 20 February 1934 shifted with his wife and children from his farm in Winchester to the leased property in Carnamah [5]
In 1934 he farmed his own property in Winchester and the property in Carnamah leased from Cornelius SHEAHAN [5: 2-Mar-1934]
He also farmed 200 acres of Gregorfields Farm in Winchester, which he leased from LEISHMAN Bros in 1934 [5: 2-Mar-1934]
Wheat and Sheep Farmer on the leased property north of Carnamah from 1934 to 1938 [P129]
In February 1934 he increased his sheep to 600 after purchasing 100 at a sale in Mingenew and 150 from Winchester [5: 2-Mar-1934]
Grew 800 acres of crop in 1934, spread between his farm and the leased land in Winchester, and the leased farm in Carnamah [5]
His employee on the farm in Carnamah, Ronald S. MURRAY, remarked that Clarrie "was a heck of a nice guy" [P53]
His Fordson tractor was extremely difficult to start so he later purchased a 1530 McCormick Deering tractor [P129]
Whenever the tractor needed repairs done local mechanic D. Standish O'GRADY travelled out to the farm [P129]
Competitor in the Parkinson Tennis Club's Open Championship Tournament in Carnamah on Tuesday 1 January 1935 [5: 21-Dec-1934]
Sold 171 suckers and five ram lambs through Elder Smith & Co Ltd with three consignments to the Midland Market in 1935 [5]
The 171 suckers consisted of 28 sold at 16/1 per head, 31 at 14/7, 13 at 12/4, 9 at 12/1, 42 at 10/7 and 48 at 8/7 per head [5]
The five ram lambs consisted of 2 at 17/7, 1 at 10/- and 2 at 13/10 per head [5: 13 & 27-Sep-1935; 11-Oct-1935]
Sold ten bales of wool at 13½d. per pound through Elder Smith & Co Ltd at the Wool Sale in Perth on 7 October 1935 [5: 11-Oct-1935]
Attended the funeral of Miss "May" Mary L. LANG of Carnamah at the Winchester Cemetery on 26 November 1935 [5: 29-Nov-1935]
The Midland Railway Company rescinded the sale on his farm in Winchester on 9 April 1936 [27]
His Winchester farm was subsequently leased and later sold by the Midland Railway Company to Edwin W. LUTZE [3] [27]
He'd been unable to make a go of the Winchester farm due its poor quality sandy soils and large proportion of yellow sand [P129]
Never got more than three bags an acre from his crops on the farm in Winchester, despite being told he would get six [P129]
It was in days before trace elements to improve soils, and the seasons had been so wet their tractor got bogged many times [P129]
When they shifted to Cornelius SHEAHAN's farm in Carnamah the weather turned and the years went from wet to dry [P129]
There being only a dam on the farm in Carnamah he bored for water several times but it all came up too salty [P129]
Carted water for his sheep from a well in the Carnamah townsite five times a day for up to five months of the year [P129]
During their years in Winchester and Carnamah they spent fishing holidays at Dongara [P129]
Sold 164 sheep through Elder Smith & Co Ltd with two consignments to the Midland Market in 1936 [5: 28-Aug-1936, 18-Sep-1936]
The 164 sheep comprised 134 hoggets (9 at 24/1, 85 at 11/7, 40 at 10/7), 29 lambs (15 at 17/1, 14 at 14/1) and 1 wether at 28/- [5]
Sold 11 hoggets at 16/10, 11 wethers at 12/1, 15 ewes at 10/10 through Elder Smith & Co Ltd in January 1937 [5: 8-Jan-1937]
Lost part of the verandah from his house during a horrific 36 hour dust storm that raged over 9 and 10 February 1937 [5: 12-Feb-1937]
The Carnamah Sunday School picnic was held at the lakeside on his leased farm in Carnamah on 4 September 1937 [5: 10-Sep-1937]
At the end of 1938 his lease of Cornelius SHEAHAN's farm expired and on 12 January 1939 he held clearing sale [0: image 02910]
At the clearing sale sold his sheep, cattle, poultry, machinery, furniture and sundries [0: image 02910]
Along with his wife and children left Carnamah in January 1939 and shifted to Portland in Victoria, Australia [P129]
Purchased a 110 acre property in Portland which consisted of 30 cleared acres and 80 acres of heavy timber [P129]
Kept a few cows on his property in Portland and worked at a nearby sawmill [P129]
Father of Max, Phil and Dorothy [P129]
Died 1969 in Portland, Victoria, Australia [54]
From The North Midland Times newspaper, Friday 2 March 1934:
"By taking over on lease the Sheahan property, Mr. Baker, of Winchester, is able to go in for sheep, the big boom these days. By purchasing 100 at Mingenew at the sale last Friday and 150 more from Winchester, both lots being landed on his property on Monday, he brings his number up to 600. Mr. Baker intends cropping 800 acres this year, between the Carnamah property which he has leased, his Winchester property, and a further 200 acres on lease from Leishman's."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Clarence Oswald Baker' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 10 November 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/clarence-oswald-baker [reference list] |
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