Henry Charles ARMSTRONG
Born C.1855 [2]
Son of William ARMSTRONG [293: 8-Apr-1882]
Married "Zarina" Sarah Jane ATKINS on 6 April 1882 at Saint George's Church in Malvern, Victoria, Australia [293: 8-Apr-1882]
Chemist in Perth, Western Australia [50]
Resided at Moorabin House at 75 Malcolm Street in Perth [39: 18-Nov-1909] [50]
Appointed to the first Pharmaceutical Council in WA in 1895, under the Pharmacy and Poisons Act 1894 [39: 4-Mar-1895] [81: 28-Nov-1909]
He acquired prospective farmland in Marchagee and established three "magnificent farming and grazing properties" [39: 23-Oct-1909]
They were the 4,727 acre Marchagee Estate, the 3,352 acre Mamboobie Estate and the 838 acre Pocamaya Estate farms [39]
Each of his three farms, or estates, were made up of Conditional Purchase leases which later became Victoria Locations [44]
Marchagee Estate comprised Victoria Locations 3121, 3122, 3123, 3124, 3125, 3127, 3128, 3129, 3734, 3735, 3186 and 3187 [44]
Mamboobie Estate consisted of Victoria Locations 3190, 3219, 3220, 3221, 3222, 3223, 3224, 3225, 3226 and 2227 [44]
Pocamaya Estate consisted of Conditional Purchase leases 15439/55 and 4162/56 (later Victoria Locations 3143 and 3188) [44]
H1A was his registered horse and cattle firebrand [80: 28-Oct-1925]
His premier property at Marchagee was his Marchagee Estate, which surrounded the railway siding at Marchagee [39: 23-Oct-1909]
It contained strong and deep fine rich chocolate soil and was timbered with york gum, jam and salmon gum trees [39]
In 1908 he purchased and added cows, heifers and store wethers to the farm and had 150 acres cleared and in crop [9: 31-Jul-1908]
The rest of the farm had been ring-barked by 1908, divided into six paddocks and with three tanks [9: 31-Jul-1908]
"Considering... the improvements already made proves his intention of making this estate one of the finest in the district" [9]
400 acres of the farm had been cleared by 1909 with 300 acres in crop "promising an exceptionally big return" [39: 23-Oct-1909]
The entire property was sheep proof fenced and divided into ten paddocks with water supplied by three dams and a good well [39]
In 1909 the trees on the uncleared portion of the farm had been ring-barked for years and a further 300 acres were being cleared [39]
The farm had an eight roomed house, 150 by 80-foot grain and machinery shed, men's quarters, 6-stall stable and harness room [39]
Adjoining the property he also held a large pastoral lease of "excellent sand plain" used to graze stock over the summer months [39]
In 1909 the pastoral lease was said to have been 28,000 acres, however in rate books it was listed as 25,000 acres [39] [44]
His Mamboobie Estate in Marchagee was six and a half miles northeast of the railway siding at Marchagee [39: 23-Oct-1909]
It contained rich chocolate loam soil claimed to be "probably one of the richest belts of wheat land in the State" [39]
The property was vegetated with salmon gum, manna and gimlet trees with patches of york gum and jam trees [39]
By 1909 most the trees had been ringbarked for four years, and the farm was boundary fenced and divided into three paddocks [39]
Water came from a dam of 2,000 cubic yards and a "well fitted with windmill, tanks, and piping to two paddocks" [39]
His Pocamaya Estate in Marchagee was about one mile north of his Mamboobie Estate and 12 miles southeast of Coorow [39: 23-Oct-1909]
It was of rich dark chocolate soil timbered with salmon gum, gimlet, manna and york gum trees [39]
By 1909 it had been sheep and dog proof fenced and had a good supply of stock water from a 1,500 cubic yard dam [39]
All of the trees on the property had been ringbarked for almost four years by October 1909 [39]
His Pocamaya Estate bounded part of Koobabbie Farm owned by Samuel B RUDDUCK of South Perth [39]
Due to his continued ill-health he employed the services of Charles SOMMERS to sell his three farms in Marchagee [39: 30-Oct-1909]
The sale date was set and advertised for 25 November 1909, however he died ten days before the auction [2] [39: 23-Nov-1909] [81: 7-Nov-1909]
Resided until his death at Moorabin House at 75 Malcolm Street in Perth [39: 18-Nov-1909]
Died 15 November 1909; buried Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth WA (Anglican, AA, 395) [2]
Among those at his funeral was F. W. Gustav LIEBE, who later established the renowned Waddi Farm in Waddy Forest [39: 18-Nov-1909]
The West Australian Trustee, as executor of his will, decided for the auction to proceed in accordance with his wishes [39: 19-Nov-1909]
Those interested could catch the train to Marchagee, would be met at the railway siding and given a tour [39: 19 & 22-Nov-1909]
His Pocamaya Estate was sold to neighbouring landowner Samuel B. RUDDUCK of South Perth for £357 [120: 4-Dec-1909]
His Marchagee Estate and Mamboobie Estate farms were sold at the auction for £2,900 and £2,475 respectively [120: 4-Dec-1909]
The latter two were reported to have been sold to John P. DOSCAS, who was a merchant in the Perth suburb of Cottesloe [50] [120]
Either DOSCAS on-sold the farms, or the sale to him fell through, as by 1910 both were owned by Samuel C. EMERY [39: 14-Jul-1910]
His livestock, implements, furniture and sundries at Marchagee were auctioned at 10 a.m. on Friday 17 December 1909 [39: 16-Dec-1909]
The auction, which was also conducted by Charles SOMMERS, was held at the homestead on the Marchagee Estate Farm [39]
A special train was arranged to transport people from Moora to Marchagee free of charge, leaving Moora at 8 a.m. [39]
Interested buyers in Perth were advised to catch the Geraldton express train to Moora, leaving at 5.35 p.m. the day before [39]
His wife Sarah, late of Perth, passed away at the age of 58 on 13 January 1912 and was buried in the same plot at Karrakatta [2]
He and his wife had no children but had taken abandoned child Aubrey C. J. HARDWICKE into their home [333: 7-Jun-2014]
While under their care Aubrey attended Perth Boys' School, Perth High School and Perth Technical College [333: 7-Jun-2014]
Aubrey enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in 1914 and was Killed in Action at Gallipoli, Turkey in April 1915 [30: item 4968352]
He was one of 1,024 men from Western Australia who died as a result of the Gallipoli campaign during the First World War [357]
From The West Australian newspaper, Thursday 18 November 1909:
Funerals
The funeral of the late Mr Henry Charles Armstrong (late of the W.A. Apothecaries Co., Ltd., Perth) took place yesterday (Wednesday) morning, and was very largely attended. The cortege moved from his late residence, "Moorabin," 75 Malcolm-street, Perth, and proceeded per road to the Anglican Cemetery, Karrakatta, where the remains were interred. The Rev. Archdeacon Lefroy, assisted by the Rev. R. J. Craggs, of Subiaco, and Rev. J. Needham, of Leederville, conducted the burial ceremony at the graveside. The pall-bearers were Messrs. J. F. Conigrave, R. McClure, E. Mayhew. S. B. Allen (representing Technical School), H. Bingemann (representing W.A. Apothecaries Co., Ltd), A. L. Tilley, David Milne (representing Freemasons' Club committee), and J. D. Stevenson (Worshipful Master of Bonnie Doon, to which Lodge deceased belonged). The chief mourners present were Messrs. Geo. Armstrong (brother), H. G. and W. N. Armstrong (nephews), F. R. Plummer (brother-in-law); and amongst those present were: Major Sherwood (representing the Grand Lodge, W.A.C.), Capt. F. O. Parks, D. Milne, and R. G. Bagot (representing the Freemasons' Club committee), J. Parsons (representing Perth Boys' School), J. Reford Carr and J. R. McAuley (representing Our Boys' Institution), Mr. Geo. Rae (representing Messrs. Foy and Gibson), J. B. George (representing Pharmaceutical Council), F. Southee, F. Freeman, F. W. Collett, E. S. Sands (of Sands and Osborne), E. A. Sager (of Cottesloe), T. Lovering, C. Kruger, Ralph S. Fletcher (secretary Technical School), F. W. Carter, A. K. Constable, E. Danker (representing Swan Drug Co.), F. W. G. Liebe, C. Sommers, C. Cuthbert, A. Freecorn, R. Vines, T. Illbury, H. Sandicock, T. Ayres, E. Levinon, Hardwick, Evans, Capt. Oates, members of Our Boys' Institute, and representatives of the Waifs' Home. Many wreaths, floral tributes, and letters and telegrams of sympathy from all parts of Australia were received. The funeral arrangements were carried out by Messrs. Bowra and O'Dea."
From The Western Mail newspaper, Saturday 20 November 1909:
Obituary - Mr H. C. Armstrong
"The many friends throughout the State of Mr Henry Chas. Armstrong, of the W.A. Apothecaries Company, and Malcolm-street, Perth, will regret to learn of that gentleman's death, which took place last Monday. The late Mr Armstrong contracted a severe attack of pneumonia as long ago as July last, and though he managed to throw that off he never really fully recovered his strength. Latterly his condition had been such as to cause his medical attendants, Drs. Saw and Leschen, great anxiety, and notwithstanding that all that was possible was done for him he passed away at his home in Malcolm-street. The deceased was 54 years of age. He was born in Country Cavan, Ireland, where his family had been established on the land for some generations. He came out to Australia with some members of his family in 1870, at the age of 15, and studied chemistry at Ararat, in Victoria. Five years later he became dispenser at the Ballarat Public Hospital, and later started in the business of a chemist on his own account at Hay and also at Wilcannia, New South Wales. Afterwards he became largely interested in station property in Queensland, but on adverse season and financial losses being experienced, he came to Western Australia 14 years ago, and started the W.A. Apothecaries Co. in Perth and Fremantle. Mr Armstrong became known very quickly as an active and energetic citizen, and he was highly respected in the community. He was a man of large sympathies, of kindly nature and philanthropically disposed, warmly responding to any cause of charity that might be brought to his notice. He took a great interest in the establishment of the Home of Peace - one of the most useful of our charities - and was one of the chief promoters of 'Our Boys' Institute, as well as a staunch friend of the Waifs' Home at Parkerville. The deceased was always ready to help any deserving lad to make a start in life, and during his last illness he was much touched by the many tokens of gratitude and affection received from those whom he had befriended in this way. The late Mr Armstrong leaves a widow and several brothers and sisters."
From The Sunday Times newspaper, Sunday 28 November 1909:
The Late Mr H. C. Armstrong
"Sincere regret was felt in the community at the death of Mr H. C. Armstrong. For the last fifteen years the deceased gentleman has been intimately connected with the life of the State. He joined the Pharmaceutical Society of W.A. on Aug. 22, 1894, and was appointed by the Governor as one of the members of the first Pharmaceutical Council in 1895, a position he held for 15 years. He also assisted materially in promoting reciprocity between the various State and Imperial societies. The late Mr Armstrong was a very charitable man, childhood appealed to him irresistibly, as the interest he took in the Boys' Institute, the Waifs' Home, and other kindred institutions amply testified. No case of distress was ever neglected by him, and hundreds of unfortunates have reason to remember him with gratitude."
From The West Australian newspaper, Monday 21 March 1910:
Pharmaceutical Society of Western Australia - Annual Report - Obituary
"The death of Mr Henry Charles Armstrong, for many years a member of the Council, has left a gap in the Western Australian pharmaceutical world which will be hard to fill. He was ever to the fore in educational matters and helping the youth of the profession in every way possible."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Henry Charles Armstrong' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 21 November 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/henry-charles-armstrong [reference list] |
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