Born 26 May 1912 in Tyndrum, Perthshire, Scotland [28]
Son of butcher Robert NIVEN and Annie MUNRO [28]
He was born at 6:15 in the evening at Clifton in Tyndrum [28]
Arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia on the steamship Orvieto with parents and twelve siblings on 4 August 1914 [P13]
After a short stay in Perth travelled with parents to their pre-purchased farm in Carnamah [P13]
Resided with parents and siblings and later mother and siblings on Craigend Farm in Carnamah [P13]
Student at the Carnamah State School [97]
Won 1st prize for Lower Pads in the children's section of the Annual Show & Sports Carnival in Carnamah in 1923 [86: 4-Oct-1923]
Attended the Carnamah Children's Fancy Dress Ball as a "Chinaman" on Saturday 15 October 1927 [9: 21-Oct-1927]
After leaving school helped his brothers run Craigend Farm in Carnamah[P13]
He was among those who attended the Centenary Ball held at the Carnamah Hall on 26 July 1929 [86: 3-Aug-1929]
The ball was to celebrate 100 years since the founding of Perth and the establishment of the Swan River Colony [86]
Member of the Carnamah Football Club 1931-1934 and in 1936 [4: 1-Aug-1931] [5: 9-Jun-1933, 14-Sep-1934, 5-Jun-1936]
Left Carnamah by train on Monday 9 October 1933 for a weeks holiday in Perth[5: 13-Oct-1933]
Attended the Carnamah Tennis Club's Dance held at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday 9 December 1933 [5: 15-Dec-1933]
Attended the Carnamah Church of England's New Year Ball held at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday 30 December 1933 [5: 5-Jan-1934]
Attended the Carnamah Tennis Club's Flannel Dance held at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday 3 February 1934 [5: 9-Feb-1934]
On the evening of Thursday 15 March 1934 attended the Carnamah Race Club's Annual Dance at the Carnamah Hall [5: 16-Mar-1934]
While practising football on the morning of Sunday 15 April 1934 he fell, dislocated his elbow and injured his wrist [5: 20-Apr-1934]
Following his fall he travelled by train to Midland Junction on 19 April 1934, where he intended remaining for a few months [5]
Owing to his injuries he was unable to play football, and he was sadly missed by the Carnamah Football Club [5: 4-May-1934]
In later June 1934 himself and Kenneth W. BUSSENSCHUTT left Carnamah for six weeks to go prospecting [5: 29-Jun-1934]
The two of them set off by truck for the goldfields at Mount Magnet and Wiluna, loaded with supplies and three drums of petrol [5]
Attended the Carnamah Football Club's Premiership Ball held at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday 20 October 1934 [5: 26-Oct-1934]
Member of the Carnamah Cricket Club in 1934-35 [4: 22-Dec-1934] [P13]
Played for the victorious latter in the Married verses Single men's cricket match in Carnamah on Sunday 3 February 1935 [5: 8-Feb-1935]
Played outstandingly for the victorious Carnamah Football Club in the Grand Final against Arrino on 6 September 1936 [5: 11-Sep-1936]
Attended the Carnamah Football Club's Premiership Dinner at the Carnamah Hotel on Sunday 6 September 1936 [5: 11-Sep-1936]
Came 2nd in the Carnamah Athletic Club's Hurry Scurry Bike Race in Carnamah on Sunday 4 October 1936 [5: 9-Oct-1936]
Played for the Carnamah Cricket Club in their victorious special match against the "Bulk Handlers" on 11 October 1936 [5: 16-Oct-1936]
After a visit to Perth he returned to Carnamah by car with local bank clerk William H. MOORE on 17 January 1937 [5: 22-Jan-1937]
Had probably left Carnamah by June 1937 when the North Midland Football Association granted him a clearance [5: 11-Jun-1937]
Later worked in mines at Kalgoorlie and on graphite mines at Donnelly River [P13]
Resident of Midland Junction WA when he enlisted in the Australian Army on 5 May 1942 [16]
Leading Aircraftman 80379 in the Australian Army's 27 Air Stores Park during the Second World War [16]
Discharged from the Australian Army on 5 February 1946 [16]
Married Eunice Joy ROWLAND in Perth on 4 July 1949 [P13]
Contractor and Farmhand in Carnamah in 1949 and 1950 [6] [19] - for a time worked in Carnamah for the Main Roads Board [P7]
After marrying left Carnamah and settled on a farm in Rocky Gully [P13]
In 1972 sold the farm in Rocky Gully and retired to the Perth suburb of Bedford[P13]
Resided in the Perth suburb of Bedford until his death in 1987 [2]
Father of Graham, Caroline, Ronald and Margaret [P13]
Died 27 Nov 1987; ashes buried Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth WA (Presbyterian, DA, 358) [2]
Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Archibald Matthew Niven' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 18 November 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/archibald-matthew-niven [reference list] |
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