"Ken" Kenneth Edmund JONES
Born 1 February 1899 in Fremantle, Western Australia [16]
Son of John Edmund JONES and Edith Adelaide MANUEL [15]
He was the eldest of three children with a sister Rita and brother Adrian [P479]
Their father was a School Teacher with the Education Department of Western Australia [P480]
Grew up in Donnybrook and was attended the Donnybrook State School and then on a scholarship at Perth Modern School [P480]
Graduated from the University of Western Australia on 22 April 1921 with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture [P480]
In 1921 he grain practical farming experience on farms in the Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales [240: 11-Mar-1933]
He was then a Science Master and Experimentalist at the Agricultural College in Narrogin, Western Australia for 18 months [240]
Studied further at University of California in the United States of America and visited agricultural colleges in the States [240]
Farmer of Berkley Farm in Waddy Forest, Western Australia 1923-1950 [5: 30-Aug-1935] [19]
The farm was initially 1,296 acres in size and had been purchased as virgin land by his father on 6 September 1922 [27]
The 1,296 acres was Lot M1280 of Victoria Location 2023 and cost £1102/-/6 (17/- per acre) [27]
On 31 December 1924 his brother Adrian took out a contract to purchase an adjoining 1,296 acres of virgin land [27]
Their second 1,296 acre block was Lot M1281 of Victoria Location 2023 and cost £810/3/11 (12/6 per acre) [27]
Both blocks were purchased from the Midland Railway Company and were payable by instalments over 15 years [27]
Later both his father's and his brother's blocks were transferred into his name - on 2 April 1925 and on 5 October 1926 [27]
After extending the instalments for both blocks he completed paying for Lot M1280 in 1941 and Lot M1281 in 1943 [27]
He farmed the property with his brother Adrian until Adrian's departure for Perth on Monday 5 June 1934 [5: 8-Jun-1934]
Their parents visited the farm during school holidays and his father would help them on the farm while holidaying [P480]
He and his father helped a builder to build a weatherboard house on the farm [P480]
Vice Chairman in 1925 and President in 1926 of the Coorow & Waddy Forest District Progress Association [9: 13-Feb-1925] [81: 24-Oct-1926]
From 1926-27 had a Oakland car and Ford wagon licensed with the Carnamah District Road Board with plates CA-84 and CA-85 [325]
Grew 1,000 acres of wheat crop on his farm in 1926 and in 1930 [4: 31-May-1930] [81: 24-Oct-1926]
Married Norma Clark BELL in Perth in 1927 [66]
Inaugural Secretary of the Coorow and Waddy Progress Association on its reformation in 1928 [4: 24-Nov-1928]
With Baxter D. BOTHE interviewed the Minister for Health about the establishment of a hospital in Coorow in 1930 [4: 23-Aug-1930]
Attended the Surprise Party tendered to John and Eliza LAMPARD at their home in Waddy Forest on 24 May 1930 [4: 31-May-1930]
He and Charles GRONOW won the Ping Pong Tournament that was conducted at LAMPARD's Surprise Party [4: 31-May-1930]
Foundation Chairman of the Coorow-Waddy branch of the Primary Producers Association in 1930 [4: 25-Oct-1930]
Executive Member of the Primary Producers Association of Western Australia in 1932 [5: 9-Dec-1932]
Chairman of the Greenough Zone Council of the Industrial Section of the Primary Producers Association in 1932 [5: 12-Aug-1932]
Became a member of the Carnamah Masonic Lodge No.150 WAC on 13 May 1932 [96]
In 1932 he owned an Oakland car and Chevrolet truck with license plates CA-84 and CA-280 [4: 12-Nov-1932]
Attended a large meeting in Three Springs to form a North Midlands Chamber of Commerce on 18 November 1932 [4: 26-Nov-1932]
Attended the meeting of wheatgrowers on the Wheat Hold-up issue at the Carnamah Hall on Sunday 4 December 1932 [5: 9-Dec-1932]
Vice Patron of the Coorow-Waddy Forest Districts Agricultural Society in 1933 and again in 1937 [5: 23-Dec-1932, 20-Nov-1936]
Won 1st prize for Three Fat Crossbred Sheep at the Coorow-Waddy Agricultural Show on Thursday 7 September 1933 [5: 15-Sep-1933]
Member of the Waddy Forest Tennis Club in 1933-34, 1934-35 and 1935-36 [5: 20-Oct-1933, 7-Dec-1934, 25-Oct-1935]
Purchased four Southdown rams at the stock sale after the Royal Show in Perth in 1933 and had them railed to Coorow [5: 20-Oct-1933]
Member of the Coorow-Waddy Forest Progress Association in 1934 [5: 8-Jun-1934]
Exhibited in the Sheep and Grain & Fodder sections of the Coorow-Waddy Agricultural Show at Maley Park on 30 August 1934 [5]
Received 1st prize for Three Fat Sheep and 2nd prizes for Three Fat Lambs in the Wool and for Wheaten Chaff [5: 7-Sep-1934]
Attended the funeral of Mrs Christina B. D. FORRESTER of Carnamah at the Winchester Cemetery on 31 August 1934 [4: 8-Sep-1934]
Represented Waddy at meetings of the Carnamah-Winchester-Coorow Tennis Association in 1934-35, 1935-36 [5: 7-Sep-1934, 20-Dec-1935]
Competitor in the Parkinson Tennis Club's Open Championship Tournament in Carnamah on Tuesday 1 January 1935 [5: 21-Dec-1934]
He and his wife departed Waddy Forest on Friday 11 January 1935 for an extended holiday at the beach [5: 18-Jan-1935]
The steering of his truck faulted near the turn off onto the Coorow East Road in Coorow on Wednesday 6 February 1935 [5: 8-Feb-1935]
His truck crashed into a tree and the vehicle was completely wrecked, however he fortunately escaped with just bruises [5]
After travelling to and from Melbourne he arrived back in Waddy Forest on Saturday 28 September 1935 [5: 4-Oct-1935]
Member of the Coorow Golf Club in 1935 [5: 9-Aug-1935]
After spending a holiday with himself and his wife his mother returned to her home in Greenmount on 30 September 1935 [5: 4-Oct-1935]
Sold four bales of wool at 15d. per pound through Westralian Farmers Ltd on Monday 25 November 1935 [5: 29-Nov-1935]
Accompanied by Ivor B. ROBERTS motored from Waddy Forest to Perth on Monday 20 January 1936 [5: 24-Jan-1936]
Travelled from Waddy Forest to Perth on Sunday 9 February 1936 [5: 14-Feb-1936]
Attended the public meeting on the question of Saturday Afternoon Closing in Carnamah on Thursday 19 March 1936 [5: 27-Mar-1936]
The proposition was to replace the half-day holiday on Thursday afternoons with a half-day holiday on Saturday afternoons [5]
The driving force was some of the local sporting bodies, who wished to play their organised sport on Saturday instead of Sunday [5]
His opinion was that it wasn't feasible unless it was also adopted within the Three Springs and Mingenew road board districts [5]
Played for the combined Winchester-Waddy-Coorow tennis team against Carnamah-Parkinson on Sunday 5 April 1936 [5: 3-Apr-1936]
During the afternoon he presented W. George & Ester F. MULLIGAN with a gift on behalf of the local Tennis Association [5]
The gift was as a token of appreciation for hosting meetings of the Carnamah-Winchester-Coorow Tennis Association [5: 10-Apr-1936]
He was among the 200 farmers who attended the meeting in Carnamah on 31 July 1936 about local Bulk Wheat Handling [5: 7-Aug-1936]
He and Carnamah farmer John BOWMAN had put in a lot of work into the preparatory work prior to the meeting [5]
It was also due to their efforts that Joseph J. POYNTON, General Manager of the Midland Railway Company, attended [5]
The meeting led to an agreement between the farmers and the Midland Railway Company for Bulk Wheat Handling facilities [5]
As a result Bulk Wheat Handing facilities were to be made available at eight railway sidings between Marchagee and Mingenew [5]
The terms were 1/6 per ton above existing wheat freight charges reducible by ½d. per 1,000 tons after 30,000 tons per siding [5]
Vice Patron and Committee Member of the Coorow-Waddy Forest Districts Agricultural Society in 1936 [5: 13-Mar-1936]
Played in the Carnamah Masonic Lodge's Inaugural Annual Golf Meeting in Carnamah on Saturday 1 August 1936 [5: 7-Aug-1936]
Sold one bale of wool at 14½d. per pound through Westralian Farmers Ltd at the Perth Wool Sale on 5 October 1936 [5: 16-Oct-1936]
Attended Roy M. PATTON's birthday at the dam on Longforest Farm in Waddy Forest on Sunday 8 November 1936 [5: 13-Nov-1936]
Sold 19 sheep hoggets at 12/10 per head through Dalgety & Co Ltd at the Midland Market on 11 November 1936 [5: 13-Nov-1936]
He and his wife played a pianoforte duet at the Social Evening at the Waddy Forest Hall on 15 December 1936 [5: 18-Dec-1936]
Competitor in the Parkinson Tennis Club's Tennis Tournament held in Carnamah on New Year's Day 1 January 1937 [5: 8-Jan-1937]
Attended the Official Opening of the Carnamah Tennis Club's four new courts at Centenary Park in Carnamah on 31 January 1937 [5]
On behalf of the visitors at the opening he congratulated the Club on their new colas courts, which he found almost faultless [5]
The only fault he found with the courts was that you had nothing to blame but yourself if you made a faulty stroke [5: 5-Feb-1937]
He paid a visit to Perth during the first week of February 1937 [5: 5-Feb-1937]
Wrote a Letter to the Editor of The North Midland Times which was published in the newspaper on Friday 26 February 1937 [5]
He wrote the letter in response to one from New South Wales that had urged a NO vote in the Marketing Referendum [5]
He very strongly urged people to cast a YES vote as it would ensure a profit for wheat sold for Australian consumption [5]
He stated this was something farmers had never had, and that they would never forget selling what at half its cost [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]
After being away himself, his wife and their children returned to Waddy Forest on Tuesday 29 June 1937 [5: 2-Jul-1937]
Sold 92 sheep through Westralian Farmers Ltd with two consignments to the Midland Market in July and August 1937: [5: 9-Jul-1937]
48 lambs at (46 at 27/4, 2 at 19/-) and 39 ewes (17 ay 21/4, 11 at 17/10, 11 at 16/7), and 5 suckers at 23/4 per head [5: 13-Aug-1937]
Travelled to Perth in mid July 1937 to attend a meeting of the Growers' Advisory Council of the W.A. Wheat Pool [5: 23-Jul-1937]
Private in Coorow's local Volunteer Defence Corps during the Second World War[16]
Financial Member of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society in 1940; also donated 10/6 cash to the society in 1940 [13]
Around 1950 sold his farm in Waddy Forest to Norman F. HYDE & Sons of Coorow [3]
His wife, Mrs Norma Clark Jones, late of Mount Pleasant, passed away at the age of 81 years on 20 August 1981 [2]
Resided of late in the Perth suburb of Hilton [2]
Died 24 May 1985; ashes interred at the Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth, Western Australia (Lawn 2, Rose Memorial, GGD, 39) [2]
From The Irwin Index newspaper, Saturday 29 April 1950:
Valedictory - Departure of Mr Ken Jones - Function at Coorow
"In the Coorow Hall on Wednesday night of last week a farewell social was tendered to two highly popular residents of Waddy Forest in the persons of Mr and Mrs K.E. Jones, who have left that portion of the North Midlands to reside in the metropolitan area. There was quite a large attendance of residents from all parts of the surrounding district, a fact which was a striking testimony of the high popularity of the guests of honour. Mr E. Chapman officiated as master of ceremonies and kept the evening's proceedings moving along with a very happy swing, and music for the dance programme was dispensed in generous measure by an orchestral combination comprising Miss B. Pearson and Messrs Bronte Waldeck and Colin Hyde. During intervals in the proceedings Miss Pearson also rendered a pianoforte number (Rhapsody in Blue), Mrs V.Broun contributed an elocutionary number called 'The Inventor's Wife' and Mr C. Robertson sang two vocal numbers with Mrs J. Hogbin as accompanist.
Following the supper interval Mr S. A. Rudduck made feeling reference to the departure of Mr and Mrs Jones from the district, stating that the former had rendered excellent service to the Primary Producers' Association during its lifetime and latterly to the Farmers' Union, putting into everything he undertook the strongest effort and the fullest measure of sincerity. He added that all this had been made possible by Mrs Jones carrying on so nobly on many occasions during which his absence on business with the organisations with which he was so actively associated.
Mr P. Thomson referred to the work of Mr Jones as a member of the Liberal and Country League, and even though he had been unsuccessful in a recent election he felt that the residents of the district should feel proud to have been associated with a gentleman of the calibre of Mr Jones, whose departure he very much regretted.
Mr T. Morcombe, in speaking on behalf of the residents of the district, gave an outline of the pioneering work undertaken by Mr and Mrs Jones when the area now known as Waddy Forest was first opened. They had both been actively associated with many district organisations and had been very staunch supporters of the Waddy Forest Tennis Club. Mrs Jones had also very faithfully and earnestly fulfilled the duties of president of the Corow branch of the Red Cross Society and secretary and president of the Coorow branch of the Country Women's Association. At the conclusion of his remarks Mr Morcombe presented a silver salver to Mr and Mrs Jones, stating that such was a token of the esteem from the residents of Coorow, Waddy Forest and Marchagee.
Mr E. Franklin, manager of the North Midlands Farmers' Co-Operative Company at Coorow, after apologising for the unavoidable absence of the chairman of directors (Mr Milton Williamson), referred tot he excellent service Mr Jones had rendered to that company in the capacity of a director, a position he had fulfilled for twenty years and during which period he had worked most sincerely for co-operation. On behalf of the directors, Mr Franklin then presented Mr Jones with a handsome clock in appreciation of services rendered over such a lengthy period.
Mrs Jones was the first to respond and stated that whatever she might have done or accomplished for the district had given her a very great pleasure, and in many ways she regretted the break with such a large circle of old and genuine friends. Mr Jones said that it was with very mixed feelings that he and his wife and family were leaving the district. He said that it was hard to leave a district which had meant so much to them, but he pointed out that all their children were now centred in the city and they felt that home ties were rather greater than any others. In such circumstances they have decided to leave the North Midlands, but the departure would be with feelings of great regret. Mr Jones expressed thanks for the happy gathering arranged in honour of himself and Mrs Jones, and also for the presentations, adding that the latter would always serve to remind them of the happy years they has spent in and around Coorow.
The gathering was then terminated with a farewell waltz and the singing of 'Auld Lang Syne'."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Kenneth Edmund Jones' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 15 November 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/kenneth-edmund-jones [reference list] |
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