James UNDERWOOD
Born 1878 in Walthamstow, Essex, England [20] [21]
Son of gardener Amos UNDERWOOD and Mary WALDOCK [20] [21]
In 1881 was living with his parents and siblings Charles, Esther, Martha and Joseph in Marsh Street, Walthamstow, Essex, England [20]
Ten years later he was the only child at home with his parents, by which time they were living in Norwood, Middlesex, England [20]
Married (1) Elizabeth Gilbert LOWE in 1900 in Middlesex, England [21]
In 1901 he was working as a Saddler and Harness Maker and was living with his wife at 3 The Cedars in Harlington, Middlesex [20]
His wife Elizabeth passed away at the age of 31 years in Middlesex, England in 1907 [21]
He was living with his children and sister Esther in the ten-roomed Dower House in Harlington, Middlesex, England in 1911 [20]
In 1911 he employed a gardener, who lived with them in addition to three boarders [20]
On the night of the 1911 census also staying with them was a visitor, Kate TAYSON, who would later be his second wife [20]
Leaving his children in England, he departed from Liverpool on the steamship Persic on 4 May 1912 [203]
After a voyage of just over a month he arrived on the Persic in Albany, Western Australia on 11 June 1912 [372: 15-Jun-1912]
Soon after arriving he established a saddlery and blacksmithing business in Mount Barker [P333]
His children departed London with Kate TAYSOM on the steamship Australind on 19 July 1913 to join him in Western Australia [203]
Married (2) Kate Louisa TAYSOM in 1913 [66]
Saddler in Mount Barker, Western Australia in 1913 and 1914 [50]
Exhibited his trade at the Mount Barker Rural Association's 11th Annual Show in Mount Barker on Thursday 13 November 1913 [372]
At the show he won 1st prize for Collection of Saddlery & Harness made in the Great Southern District [372: 15-Nov-1913]
Saddler in Latham, Western Australia in 1921 and 1922 [19]
Farmer of Hill Crest Farm in Coorow, Western Australia 1923-1944 [6] [19] [44]
He and Percy H. RICHARDS purchased James L. LAWSON and Thomas P. HANNAFORD's 1,231 acre farm in Coorow [44]
The 1,231 acres consisted of Lots M964, M966, M1234 and M1235 of Victoria Location 2023 [44]
Farmed in Coorow in 1923 in partnership with Percy Heaton RICHARDS as "Underwood & Richards" [44]
Following his partner's departure from the district he appears to have become the sole owner of the 1,231 acres in Coorow [3] [19]
On 8 February 1924 he purchased a further 577 acres of farmland in Coorow from the Midland Railway Company for £656/19/8 [27]
The 577 acres consisted of Lots M967 and M1237 of Victoria Location 2023 on the north side of the Coorow-Latham Road [27]
Undertook clearing on the farm with the assistance of his sons Gilbert and Eric [P333]
Despite his farm being in Coorow his postal address was Winchester in 1924 [44]
In 1926 his "fine property" was classified as being in Waddy Forest [81: 24-Oct-1926]
6UX was his registered horse and cattle firebrand in 1924, at which time his farm name was spelt Hillcrest (one word) [80: 28-Oct-1925]
During December 1924 he sought information in on two Draught horses containing brand 2DB, which were missing [10: 11-Dec-1924]
Had 'three good farm workers' for sale at Elder's Horse & Dairy Cow Market in the Perth suburb of Subiaco in April 1925 [81: 12-Apr-1925]
He had two dairy cows with calves, a dry cow, afat steer and a shorthorn bull at the same market in September 1926 [39: 4-Sep-1926]
Extended his farm to an approximate total of 2,800 acres with a further two purchases of land from the Midland Railway Company [27]
On 21 October 1925 purchased the 595 acre Lot M1440 of Victoria Location 2023 for £327/13/7 (11/- per acre) [27]
On 1 July 1926 purchased the 393 acre Lot M1650 of Victoria Location 2023 for £197/5/11 (10/- per acre) [27]
Purchased in the name of his son Gilbert the farm of J. Norman LEACH before Norman returned to England in 1927 [3] [39: 6-Sep-1927]
The property was 1,175 acres in size and consisted of Lots M970, M1055 and M1333 of Victoria Location 2023 [3] [27]
Had tough times on the farm and during some of the early years they lived off rabbits and boiled wheat [P333]
His son Eric later studied at the University of Cambridge in England and sent home money from his scholarship [P333]
Eric later worked for the Department of Agriculture and was Professor of Agriculture at the University of Western Australia [200]
From 1927 until at least 1932 had an Oakland car licensed with the Carnamah District Road Board with plate CA-110 [4: 12-Nov-1932] [325]
Purchased a Chevrolet truck in November 1927 [4: 26-Nov-1927]
He reported on the credit balance of £4/4/- from the Coorow Bachelor's Ball in 1928, which went towards the next ball [4: 26-May-1928]
Along with Coorow farmer Robert WALLACE he wrote to the Carnamah District Road Board asking for road facilities [4: 8-Sep-1928]
The Road Board investigated the matter and eight months later resolved to do the requested work done 'this season' [86: 25-May-1929]
In October 1928 sold four bales of wool at 16½d. and one bale at 16d. per pound through Westralian Farmers [225: 13-Nov-1928]
Inaugural Chairman of the Coorow & Waddy Forest Progress Association in 1928 [4: 24-Nov-1928]
He met with Joseph J. POYNTON, Manager of Midland Railway Company, at Coorow on 20 November 1928 [39: 30-Nov-1928]
He and fellow local farmer Charles C. BOTHE motored Mr POYNTON on a tour throughout the district in the morning [39]
At noon he chaired the meeting with farmers at which a number of requests were made from the Midland Railway Company [39]
Local farmers wanted better facilities for handling wheat and stock, a goods shed and a crane [39]
Over a number consignments each year he sold sheep at Midland Market through Westralian Farmers Ltd, which included: [39] [120]
287 suckers from 11/1 to 16/1 per head in 1929 [39: 5-Sep-1929, 19-Sep-1929, 26-Sep-1929, 9-Oct-1929, 31-Oct-1929, 14-Nov-1929]
165 suckers ranging in price from 7/10 to 14/4 per head in 1930 [39: 11-Sep-1930, 16-Oct-1930, 23-Oct-1930] [120: 25-Sep-1930]
22 hoggets at 10/4, 43 wethers at 14/7 and 47 suckers at 8/10 per head in 1931 [39: 20-Aug-1931, 22-Oct-1931]
53 hoggets at 12/4 and 153 lambs (73 at 12/1, 24 at 11/1, 38 at 11/1, 18 at 8/1 per head in 1932 [39: 29-Jun-1932, 7-Jul-1932]
33 hoggets and lambs for up to 12/6 and 124 lambs ranging from 7/7 to 10/7 in 1933 [39: 22-Jun-1933, 26-Oct-1933] [120: 17-Aug-1933]
188 lambs ranging in price from 16/- per head up to 17/10 per head in 1934 [39: 28-Jun-1934, 19-Jul-1934]
497 lambs and hoggets at average prices from 11/7 to 16/-, 61 wethers at 12/7 and 35 ewes at 5/7 in 1936 [39] [120]
[39: 28-May-1936, 30-Jul-1936, 5-Nov-1936, 26-Nov-1936] [120: 10-Sep-1936, 5 & 12-Nov-1936]
54 hoggets averaging 21/7, 58 lambs averaging 14/4 to 15/- and 36 ewes averaging 9/6 in 1937 [39: 5-Aug-1937, 26-Aug-1937, 6-Oct-1937]
70 lambs at an average of 15/6 per head and 46 suckers at an average of 10/3 per head in 1938 [39: 28-Jul-1938, 5-Oct-1938]
Sold wool from his sheep through Westralian Farmers Ltd at the Perth Wool Exchange [39] [120]
In November 1929 sold 17 bales of wool - 12 bales at 13 pence per pound and 5 bales at 11½ pence per pound [39: 6-Nov-1929]
He sold 15 bales at 8¼ in 1930, 3 bales at 9½ in 1932 and 12 bales at 17¾ in 1933 [120: 9-Oct-1930] [4: 5-Nov-1932] [39: 28-Nov-1933]
Across three consignments in 1938 he sold 21 bales - 2 at 12½, 4 at 11¼ and 15 at 11¾ [39: 25-Jan-1938, 8-Jun-1938, 25-Oct-1938]
Sold 17 bales of wool in December 1939 - 16 bales at 15 pence per pound and 1 bale at 13½ pence per pound [39: 14-Dec-1939]
He sold a bale of pieces at 8½ pence per pound and a bale of crutchings at 5¾ pence per pound in May 1940 [120: 16-May-1940]
In November 1940 he sold 19 bales of wool at 14 pence per pound [39: 15-Nov-1940]
Said to have been the last farmer in the district to give away farming with horses when his son purchased a tractor [P333]
A fire, probably caused by a spark from a tractor, burnt a small bit of his crop and several bags of wheat in January 1930 [39: 17-Jan-1930]
Made the presentation to Miss Mary R. MORCOMBE at her kitchen tea held in Waddy Forest on 11 October 1930 [4: 18-Oct-1930]
Through Westralian Farmers Ltd he sold pigs at Midland Market in the Perth suburb of Midland Junction [39] [120]
Sold 10 baconers (4 at 45/6, 6 at 46/6), a sow for 58/6 and 15 porkers (6 at 32/6, 9 at 26/6) on 22 July 1931 [120: 23-Jul-1931]
On 26 January 1936 he sold 4 baconers for 52/6 per head, 1 baconer for 45/- and a sow for 56/- [39: 27-Feb-1936]
Purchased for four guineas a ram from the Warrengabbie Stud at the Stud Sale in Moora in October 1933 [4: 14-Oct-1933] [120: 19-Oct-1933]
He also sold cattle at the Midland Market through Westralian Farmers Ltd [39]
Sold eight on 14 January 1936 - 3 cows for average of £3/8/4, a steer for £7/126, and 4 calves for average of £2/16/3 [39: 15-Jan-1936]
On 9 November 1938 sold a stag for £8/17/6, a cow for £4/7/6 and 4 steers for an average of £4/3/6 each [39: 10-Nov-1938]
Sold a bull for £11/2/6, 3 cows for an average of £10/15/10 each and a heifer for £7/17/6 on 2 October 1940 [120: 3-Oct-1940]
Master of Ceremonies at the Show Ball following the Coorow-Waddy Agricultural Show on Thursday 7 September 1933 [5: 15-Sep-1933]
Sold twelve bales of wool at 17¾d. per pound in Perth at the fourth wool sale of the season in December 1933 [5: 8-Dec-1933]
Travelled to Perth on the morning of Friday 22 June 1934 to attend the wedding of his son Eric UNDERWOOD [5: 29-Jun-1934]
Member of the Waddy Forest Group of the Adult Education Scheme - hosted some of their meetings in 1935 [5: 12-Jul-1935]
Sold 75 wethers and hoggets on 13 May 1936 - received 19/8 per head for the wethers and 18/3 per head for the hoggets [5: 15-May-1936]
After some time away, he and his wife returned to Coorow towards the end of March 1936 [4: 28-Mar-1936]
Sold 65 hoggets at 16/- per head through Westralian Farmers Ltd at the Midland Market on Wednesday 27 May 1936 [5: 29-May-1936]
Attended the Surprise Linen Tea for Miss Mary E. GREENWOOD at Maryland Farm in Waddy Forest on 22 July 1937 [5: 23-Jul-1937]
Attended the local wedding of Albert E. MILES and Mary E. GREENWOOD in Carnamah on 18 August 1937 [4: 28-Aug-1937]
Purchased a new Chevrolet truck in November 1937 through the agency of Stan O'GRADY's Garage in Carnamah [4: 18-Dec-1937]
In June 1939 he was a patient at a private hospital in Perth after receiving treatment for a serious eye injury [4: 10-Jun-1939]
Made donations of £1 in 1940 and £1/1/- in 1941 to to the Coorow-Waddy Forest War & Patriotic Fund [4: 19-Oct-1940, 13-Sep-1941]
Donated ten shillings to the New Sydney Appeal in December 1941 [4: 20-Dec-1941]
One of the speakers at the farewell to William G. and Alice M. MORCOMBE at the Coorow Hall on 17 March 1941 [4: 22-Mar-1941]
Father of Gilbert, Marjorie and Eric [P333]
Died 29 August 1944; ashes scattered over the Rose Garden at the Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth, Western Australia [2]
Following his death his son Gilbert became the owner of his 2,800 acre farm in Coorow [3]
His younger son, Professor Eric UNDERWOOD, visited Coorow and was highly regarded by local farmers [P8]
His wife Kate, late of the Perth suburb of Bentley, passed away at the age of 107 years on 28 August 1994 [2]
From The West Australian newspaper, Wednesday 30 August 1944:
Deaths
"UNDERWOOD. – On August 29, 1944, at Perth, James Underwood, of Coorow, loved husband of Katie, and loved father of Gilbert, Marjorie (Mrs H. Edwards), and Eric (of 2 Wattle Avenue, Dalkeith)."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'James Underwood' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 26 December 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/james-underwood [reference list] |
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