William Robert COLPITTS
Born 31 December 1871 in Cowpen, Northumberland, England [P48]
Son of Joseph COLPITTS and Mary Jane THOMPSON [P48]
In 1881 was living with his parents, sisters Jane and Isabella, and brothers James and George at Isabella Pit in Cowpen [20]
Coal Labourer in 1891 and Coalminer in 1895 at Isabella Pit in Cowpen, Northumberland, England [20] [P48]
Married Isabella Jane Cruickshanks ANGUS on 27 October 1895 in South Shields, Durham, England [P48]
Joined the Lancashire Constabulary / Police Force on 18 June 1898 [P48]
On joining the constabulary was described as being 5 feet 10½ inches tall with blue eyes, brown hair and a dark complexion [P48]
Police Constable in Lancashire, England 1898-1924; promoted to Sergeant on 1 December 1912 [P48]
In 1901 was resident with his wife and children at Kitchen Terrace in Grimsargh with Brockholes, Lancashire, England [20]
After an "exemplary" service of 26 years and 186 days retired from the Lancashire Constabulary on 20 December 1924 [P48]
On his retirement was described as having grey eyes, grey hair and a fresh complexion [P48]
Prior to his retirement he had been on an annual salary of £293 and on retirement received a life pension of £195 per annum [P48]
Prior to leaving England he's worked as a Steward and lived at 5 Brook Avenue, Swinton in Manchester, Lancashire, England [203]
Departed London, England with his wife and four younger children on the steamship Largs Bay on 7 May 1927 [203]
After one month and two days they arrived in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on the Largs Bay on 9 June 1927 [63]
After residing in New South Wales for seven months shifted with his wife and children to Western Australia [P48]
In February 1928 wrote to his cousin John Watson COLPITTS stating he had arrived in Perth and was looking for land [4: 16-Feb-1929]
Shifted with his wife and children to his cousin John's Heppleholme Farm in Winchester in March 1928 [4: 16-Feb-1929]
Made arrangements to crop 430 acres of his cousin's farm in Winchester on a share-farming arrangement [4: 16-Feb-1929]
His cousin supplied him with a four roomed house, the land, seed, super, plant and the use of his 14 working horses [4]
He had to provide the labour to plant and harvest the crop, repair all breakages to equipment and employ a stack builder [4]
Once the crop was harvested he would receive one third of the crop and his cousin would receive two thirds [4]
Resided with his wife, four younger children and daughter-in-law in a house onHeppleholme Farm in Winchester in 1928 [4: 16-Feb-1929]
Had an account with Carnamah blacksmith, wheelwright and general repairers Henry Parkin & Son in 1928 [53]
In early May requested his cousin buy a tractor; his cousin hesitantly agreed but said it was up to him to buy fuel and oil [4: 16-Feb-1929]
At the time he was unable to buy the fuel or oil for the tractor so his cousin purchased it for him [4: 16-Feb-1929]
Of the 430 acres of crop planted, 340 acres were stripped for grain which resulted in a total of 996 bags of grain [4: 16-Feb-1929]
His share of the crop, 322 bags, was valued at approximately £200, minus around £20 for the cost of bags etc for the grain [4: 16-Feb-1929]
Believed to have left Winchester after the harvest was finished in early 1929[4: 16-Feb-1929]
In 1936 himself and his wife were living in retirement on Waterfall Road in the Perth suburb of Maida Vale [50]
Returned to England on two occasions, staying for twelve months on the first visit and three months on the second [63] [203] [204]
Departed Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on the Dominion Monarch and arrived in Liverpool, England on 2 August 1945 [204]
Departed London, England on the Dominion Monarch and arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia on 17 August 1946 [63]
Departed Fremantle, Western Australia on the steamship Orontes and arrived in London, England on 6 December 1959 [204]
Departed London, England on the Arcadia for Sydney, New South Wales, Western Australia on 11 March 1960 [203]
On both occasions he stayed at Swinton in Manchester, Lancashire, England - at 1 Green Avenue and 14 Bourne Avenue [203]
Resided of late in the Perth suburb of Forrestfield [2]
Father of May, Isabella, Joseph, Minnie, William and George [P48]
Died 14 February 1967; ashes interred Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth WA (Crematorium Rose Gardens, Niche Wall, WH, 35) [2]
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'William Robert Colpitts' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 26 December 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/william-robert-colpitts [reference list] |
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