"Andy" Andrew Smith CUMMING
Born 25 August 1893 in Williamstown, Victoria, Australia [16]
Son of George Robertson CUMMING and Annie SMITH [54]
His father gave evidence to the Court of Marine Inquiry in 1912 on the loss of the steamship Koombana off the WA coast [120]
He advised that trade regulations diverted ships into more danger due to the different nature of cycles in WA [120: 4-May-1912]
In 1913 his father found parts of the bridge ladder and a saloon seat from the Koombana on Middle Forestier Reef [313: 13-Sep-1913]
In 1915 was working as a Clerk and living at Grossmont on John Street, North Fremantle, Western Australia [94]
Enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in Perth on 18 August 1915 [30: item 3475066]
Upon enlistment he was 5 feet 11½ inches tall, weighed 149 pounds and had grey eyes, light brown hair with a fair complexion [30]
Gave his father George R. CUMMING as his next of kin, his address also being Grossmont, John Street, North Fremantle WA [30]
On 16 October 1915 in North Essendon, Victoria, Australia was appointed to the 6th Field Artillery Brigade of the A.I.F. [30]
Embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia for active service abroad on the H.M.A.T. A17 Persic on 22 November 1915 [30]
Gunner 7984 in the 6th Field Artillery Brigade in Egypt and then France during the First World War [30]
Promoted to Bombardier on 25 November 1916, to Corporal on 26 October 1918 and to Sergeant on 25 January 1919 [30]
On 8 April 1917 he was sent to England to be treated for trench fever, and returned to France in August 1917 [30]
Came down with trench fever again and was returned to England in September 1917; resumed duty in France in July 1918 [30]
Embarked France for England on 26 February 1919; departed London, England for his return to Australia on the Karagola [30]
Arrived back in Australia on 10 May 1919 and was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on 27 July 1919 [30]
From his time in the A.I.F. he received the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal [30: item 3475066]
In 1923 obtained the 804 acre Lot 11 of the Inering Estate in Carnamah through the Soldier Settlement Scheme [7: page 66] [8: page 20] [61]
Farmer on the Inering Estate in Carnamah 1923-1939 [6] [19]
Went into partnership with his brother Donald F. CUMMING who had settled on the adjacent Lot 12 of the Inering Estate [27]
In partnership with his brother Donald purchased a further 4,156 acres of land north of the Inering Estate [27]
They also purchased Charles B. DODD's nearby 683 acre farm (Lot 14 of the Inering Estate) [3] [61] [120: 9-Jan-1930]
Married Ella Mabel FARQUHAR in 1927 [66]
By early 1929, owing to his brother's ill-health, they had sold all of their farmland except for Lot 14 of the Inering Estate [120: 9-Jan-1930]
They held a clearing sale on their farm on Friday 15 February 1929 to sell their livestock, plant and machinery [4: 26-Jan-1929]
Although his brother Donald left the district he remained farming in Carnamah [120: 9-Jan-1930]
Farmer of Barrenian Farm on the Inering Estate in Carnamah [60]
Continued farming the 683 acre Lot 14 of the Inering Estate in Carnamah [120: 9-Jan-1930]
Also leased and later purchased the adjacent 750 acre Lot 15 of the Inering Estate from Louis JOHANSEN [3] [120: 9-Jan-1930]
Signed the petition in February 1923 for the Irwin Licensing Court to grant a hotel license for Carnamah [10: 9-Mar-1923]
Foundation Secretary of the Carnamah sub-branch of the Returned Soldiers' League upon its reformation in 1925 [9: 20-Nov-1925]
He was also elected Secretary when the sub-branch was reformed yet again in mid 1926 [9: 9-Jul-1926]
In 1926 it was "hoped that all diggers in the district will join up and help to make the branch a live one" [9: 9-Jul-1926]
He remained secretary until March 1928, when he tendered his resignation as he lived too far out of town [9: 23-Mar-1928]
Member of the Inering Progress Association - served as Secretary and President [276] [120: 9-Jan-1930]
On behalf of the Inering Progress Association he requested on 10 May 1926 that a school be established on the Inering Estate [276]
Although it took two years the request led to the Inering State School, which was opened on 24 May 1928 [276]
He was Secretary of the Inering Progress Association from 1926 until May 1928, and again in 1935 [276]
Member of Carnamah's Presbyterian Church Building Committee - was Treasurer in 1927 [4: 14-May-1927]
Member of the Carnamah Race Club - was Vice President in 1927 [9: 8-Apr-1927]
Committee Member of the Carnamah Race Club in 1928 [4: 31-Mar-1928]
One of the Costume Judges at the Plain and Fancy Dress Ball at the Carnamah Town Hall on Thursday 8 August 1929 [4: 17-Aug-1929]
One of four people who purchased the large Church Bell for the Carnamah Presbyterian Church in September 1929 [4: 14-Sep-1929]
Founding Member of the Carnamah Masonic Lodge No.150 WAC on 21 March 1930 [96]
Had the telephone from 1930 to 1935 - was initially telephone number Carnamah-9J and later number Carnamah-9 [60]
Had an account with Carnamah blacksmith, wheelwright and motor mechanics Henry Parkin & Son in 1931 [53]
Attended the funeral of "Father of Carnamah" Donald MACPHERSON at the Winchester Cemetery on 14 August 1931 [4: 22-Aug-1931]
In 1932 was the owner of a G.M.C. truck and a Chrysler car with license plates CA-129 and CA-301 [4: 12-Nov-1932]
Paid a £1 Vermin Bonus by the Carnamah District Road Board in August 1933 for helping to control vermin by killing two foxes [300]
The local newspaper revealed on 25 August 1933 that a parcel for him had arrived at the Carnamah railway station [5: 25-Aug-1933]
In February 1934 purchased a stud Illawarra Shorthorn Bull from Sydney C. GOOCH of Three Springs [5: 2-Mar-1934]
Advertised in April 1934 that he had for sale a S.H. Sunderseeder in good order and would accept any reasonable offer [5: 13-Apr-1934]
Attended the funeral of Mrs Christina B. D. FORRESTER of Carnamah at the Winchester Cemetery on 31 August 1934 [4: 8-Sep-1934]
The Inering State School, which two of his children attended, was closed due to low attendance on 25 October 1935 [276]
As Secretary of the Inering Progress Association he corresponded with the Education Department to get the school re-opened [276]
Himself and six other fathers signed a guarantee that they would regularly send their children to the school if it was re-opened [276]
His efforts were successful and the Inering State School was re-opened on 3 February 1936 [276]
In seven consignments sold 231 sheep through Dalgety & Co Ltd between July and December 1935 [5: 19-Jul-1935, 9-Aug-1935, 6-Dec-1935]
114 were suckers consisting of 19 at 16/8, 36 at 16/7, 4 at 16/6, 8 at 16/4, 35 at 16/2, and 12 at 14/10 per head [5: 6, 13 & 27-Sep-1935]
The remaining sheep were 113 lambs (33 at 16/6, 15 at 15/7, 39 at 15/4 and 26 at 14/7 per head) and 4 ewes at 11/10 per head [5]
Motored from Carnamah to Perth with nearby farmer John BOWMAN on Thursday 5 March 1936 [5: 6-Mar-1936]
Attended the Annual Meeting & Smoke Social of the Carnamah Sub-Branch of the R.S.L. on Wednesday 11 March 1936 [5: 20-Mar-1936]
Attended the R.S.L. Social to farewell "Chitter" George F. BROWN at the Carnamah Hostel on Friday 24 April 1936 [5: 1-May-1936]
Attended the Carnamah Repertory Club's Social Evening & Play Presentation at the Carnamah Hall on 17 June 1936 [5: 19-Jun-1936]
A demonstration and fuel test of a diesel tractor pulling mouldboard ploughs was held on his farm on Saturday 8 August 1936 [5]
The demonstration was held in one of his paddocks bounding the Iles-Murray Road (now the Back Inering Road) [5: 7-Aug-1936]
Sold 34 lambs at 13/6, 28 wethers at 18/7, and 8 stags at 15/- per head through Dalgety & Co Ltd on 12 August 1936 [5: 14-Aug-1936]
In September sold 49 wethers an d 1 ewe at 26/7, 11 ewes at 18/7, 120 wethers at 17/9, 10 suckers at 16/1 [5: 18-Sep-1936, 2-Oct-1936]
Accompanied local Road Board secretary Arnold C. A. BIERMANN to Perth by car on Friday 30 October 1936 [5: 30-Oct-1936]
After spending the weekend in Perth he returned to Carnamah on Tuesday 3 November 1936 [5: 6-Nov-1936]
Sold four bales of wool at 17¼d. per pound through Dalgety & Co Ltd at the Perth Wool Sale of 23 November 1936 [5: 27-Nov-1936]
Session Clerk of the Carnamah Presbyterian Church in 1936 [5: 20-Nov-1936]
He was admitted to the Carnamah Private Hospital at 14 Robertson Street in Carnamah on Monday 16 November 1936 [5: 20-Nov-1936]
Sold 70 sheep through Dalgety & Co Ltd on 6 January 1937 - 37 wethers at 16/10, 31 lambs at 12/7, 11 ewes at 12/1 [5: 8-Jan-1937]
After an absence arrived back in Carnamah by train on Wednesday evening 24 February 1937 [5: 26-Feb-1937]
Competed in the Carnamah Tennis Club's Easter Tennis Tournament at Centenary Park in Carnamah in March 1937 [5: 2-Apr-1937]
With E. Nellie HELLEWELL won the Mixed Foursomes Handicap at the Carnamah Golf Club's Season Opening in 1937 [5: 7-May-1937]
Won the Mixed Foursomes 9 Holes Handicap with Mary ROBERTS at the Coorow Golf Club's Season Opening in 1937 [5: 21-May-1937]
Sent apologies for being unable to attend the R.S.L. Valedictory for Charles A. METTAM in Carnamah on 28 July 1937 [5: 30-Jul-1937]
Spent a lengthy period of time in Perth in 1937 to receive medical attention [4: 7-Aug-1937]
On his return to Carnamah in August 1937 after medical attention in Perth he was an inmate of the Carnamah Private Hospital [4]
Chairman of the committee who organised the evening to honour John BOWMAN in Carnamah on 15 December 1937 [4: 25-Dec-1937]
Left Carnamah in 1939 or 1940, however retained ownership of his farm on the Inering Estate in Carnamah [3] [6]
Leased his farm on the Inering Estate in Carnamah initially to Percival L. MILLARD and then to John BOWMAN [P73]
After leaving Carnamah resided at 17 Keightley Road in the Perth suburb of Subiaco and worked as a Civil Servant [3] [6] [50]
Enlisted in the Australian Army in Perth on 17 July 1940 [3] [16]
Lance Corporal WX4894 in the Australian Army's AAPC O/Base during the Second World War [16]
Discharged from the Australian Army on 4 January 1941 [16]
Later served during the war as a Representative of the Australian Red Cross in the Middle East [0: image 04136]
He spent a few days of his leave in December 1941 in Carnamah [0: image 04057]
After the war continued to reside with his family at 17 Keightley Road in the Perth suburb of Subiaco until 1949 [3] [6]
Resided at 99 Victoria Avenue in the Perth suburb of Claremont from 1949 [3] [50] [61]
Sold his farm in Carnamah, consisting of Lots 14 and 15 of the Inering Estate, to Cyril J. T. MARTYN on 21 May 1951 [P75]
Moved interstate, living and working as a Civil Servant in New South Wales and then in retirement in Queensland and Victoria [50]
Resided in Sydney in the 1950s and early 60s at 28 William Street, Double Bay and then 1 Truscott Street, North Ryde [50]
In 1968 he and his wife were living at 24 Michel Drive at Currumbin on the Gold Coast in Queensland [50]
They were living at 94 Saint Andrew's Street in the coastal Melbourne suburb of Brighton in Victoria in 1972 and 1977 [50]
Father of Bonnie, Peter and David [P9]
Died May 1979; ashes scattered at the Springvale Botanical Cemetery in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia [131]
From The Listening Post newspaper, Friday 20 August 1926:
Personalities
"Andy Cummings, who played a leading part in forming the Carnamah Sub-Branch, was in town last week with a deputation from his district seeking better postal and telegraphic arrangements for that rapidly growing district. Andy and his brothers have made good and are the live wires of Carnamah."
From The Western Mail newspaper, Thursday 9 January 1930:
Country Towns and Districts - Carnamah's Advancement
"In 1923 Messrs A. S. and D. F. Cumming, both returned men, took up 2280 acres of the Inering Estate, and later purchased 683 acres from another soldier settler. Owing to the ill-health of Mr. D. F. Cumming the original holding was sold in 1928, and the partnership dissolved last year, Mr. A. S. Cumming taking over the 683 acres, and leasing 750 adjoining with the option of purchase. Owing to the dissolution only 300 acres were cropped this season. An average of 24 bushels was obtained from 180 acres of Nabawa [wheat] on fallow. In 1926-27 on Mr. Cumming's property, the firm, with a yield of 38 bushels of Yandilla King, won the 50-acre crop competition. Since 1923 a crop average of about 20 bushels has been obtained. Mr. Cumming has a very attractive property, most of it consisting of red clay flats. It is now running 650 sheep. This year Mr. Cumming intends to specialise in fat sheep production, and hopes, with Dorset Horn rams, to obtain suitable crossbreeds. He has a big reputation as a farmer. Mr. Cumming was the foundation secretary of the Carnamah Progress Association, and has been president and secretary of the Inering Progress Association."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Andrew Smith Cumming' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 15 November 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/andrew-smith-cumming [reference list] |
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