"Jock" John LEASK
Born 11 September 1885 in Turriff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland [28]
Son of farmer George LEASK and Margaret Chalmers LAMB [28]
He was born at fifty minutes past two o'clock in the afternoon at Durra Farm in Turrif, Aberdeenshire, Scotland [28]
Grew up in Scotland and England with his seven elder siblings George, William, Elizabeth, Margaret, Ann, Mary and James [20]
Resided with his parents on Durra Farm in Turriff, Aberdeenshire and later at Upper Darley in Auchterless, Aberdeenshire [20]
In 1901 was with his parents and siblings Elizabeth, Margaret and James at Sulby Grange in Sulby, Northamptonshire, England [20]
Married "May" Gertrude May LOCK in 1916 in Devonshire, England [21]
He is said to have been a Major in the British Army [P399]
In 1919 his address was care of C. G. LOCK of The Grove at Kingston in Taunton, Somerset, England [217]
Departed London, England on the steamship Benalla and arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia on 17 February 1923 [70]
Farmer of Lagoona Farm in Carnamah, Western Australia 1923-1935 [19] [4: 30-Jun-1934, 1-Jun-1935] [50]
His farm was the 746 acre Victoria Location 6923 on the Yarra Yarra Estate in Carnamah [39: 27-Oct-1923] [44]
Yarra Yarra was one of four soldier settlement estates in Carnamah, and had previously belonged to Donald MACPHERSON [244]
He likely tendered for the farm after the Agricultural Bank called for tenders for its purchase in October 1923 [39: 27-Oct-1923]
Tenders closed on 12 November 1923 and by December 1923 he was farming in Carnamah [19] [39: 27-Oct-1923]
In 1923, when he acquired the farm, 421 of its acres had been cleared and a further 33 acres were partially cleared [39: 27-Oct-1923]
At that time the farm contained an 80-foot well, 183 chains of six-wire fencing and 62 chains of five-wire fencing [39: 27-Oct-1923]
The farm also came with a three-roomed jarrah weatherboard house and a partly built machinery shed [39: 27-Oct-1923]
646 acres of the property was good clay soil and sandy soil of York gum, jam, salmon and ti-tree vegetation [39: 27-Oct-1923]
The remaining 100 acres of the farm was clayey soil with scattered York gums, wattle trees and salt bush vegetation [39: 27-Oct-1923]
On a later occasion the land of his property was described as being mainly of mallee and York gum country [9: 21-Oct-1927]
Obtained the telephone in 1925 - was telephone number Carnamah-9F from 1925 to 1931 [60]
In 1927 had 475 acres of wheat growing on his farm, which was estimated at averaging 12 bags an acre [9: 21-Oct-1927]
He donated a trophy to the Carnamah Rifle Club in 1927, which was known as the "Leask Trophy" [9: 19-Aug-1927]
Had an account with Carnamah blacksmith, wheelwright and motor mechanics Henry Parkin & Son from 1927 to 1934 [53]
From the volume of business he conducted with Henry Parkin & Son he appears to have been one of their best clients [53]
Committee Member in 1928 and Vice President 1930-1934 of the Carnamah Race Club [4: 31-Mar-1928, 21-Dec-1929] [5: 24-Nov-1933]
Attended Charles ROBERTSON and Winifred LANG's wedding and reception in Carnamah on 27 March 1928 [4: 31-Mar-1928]
Member of the Carnamah Rifle Club in 1928 [4: 29-Sep-1928]
His wife died in England in May 1928 while spending an extended holiday with relatives [4: 19-May-1928]
Member of the Carnamah Presbyterian Church's Board of Management in 1929 [4: 26-Oct-1929]
One of four people who purchased the Church Bell for the Carnamah Presbyterian Church in 1929 [4: 14-Sep-1929, 26-Oct-1929]
In 1929 collected the necessary signatures for the ordination of local Presbyterian Missionary Charles W. T. HEADEN [4: 26-Oct-1929]
Attended the Massey Harris Wallis tractor demonstration held on GregorfieldsFarm in Winchester on 31 January 1929 [4: 2-Feb-1929]
Attended the Carnamah Football Club's Opening Season Ball held at the Carnamah Hall on 18 May 1929 [4: 25-May-1929]
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]
Attended the Grand Ball following the Carnamah Show and opening of Centenary Park on 19 September 1929 [4: 28-Sep-1929]
Saw in the new year of 1930 with the singing of Auld Lang Syne at the Church of England's Dance at the Carnamah Hall [86: 4-Jan-1930]
Founding Member of the Carnamah Masonic Lodge No.150 WAC on 21 March 1930 [96]
Committee Member of the Carnamah Ratepayers & Citizens Association in 1930 [4: 22-Mar-1930]
Won 1st and 2nd for Best All Round Dairy Cow and 2nd for Jersey Cow at the Carnamah Agricultural Show in 1930 [4: 27-Sep-1930]
Member of Carnamah's branch of the Primary Producers Association in 1930 [4: 18-Oct-1930]
From 1930 to 1935 his sister, Miss Ann LEASK, resided with him in Carnamah [4: 22-Mar-1930, 1-Jun-1935]
Had the telephone disconnected in 1931, probably due to the strain of the financial depression [60]
Financial Member of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society in 1932 [13]
Member of Carnamah's branch of the Wheatgrowers Union in 1933 [5: 1-Dec-1933]
Along with his sister Ann LEASK spent an enjoyable holiday at Cottesloe Beach in part of February and March of 1933 [4: 4-Mar-1933]
Due to illness spent a week at the Carnamah Private Hospital at 14 Robertson Street, Carnamah in May 1933 [5: 26-May-1933]
Assisted the Carnamah Golf Club with the creation of their new golf course at Centenary Park in Carnamah in 1933 [5: 28-Jul-1933]
Purchased from local agent D. Standish O'GRADY a new McDonald "Imperial" Super-Diesel Crude Oil Tractor in October 1933 [5]
He was the first in Carnamah to own one of such tractors, which ran at a third of the cost of a kerosene tractor [5: 3-Nov-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]
A public demonstration of the Imperial crude oil tractor was given on his farm at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday 5 April 1934 [5: 30-Mar-1934]
The demonstration was given to local farmers by the tractor's manufacturers A. H. McDonald & Co of Perth [5: 30-Mar-1934]
He woke up from a barking dog to find one of his sheds of fire on the night of Wednesday 28 March 1934 [5: 6-Apr-1934]
Neighbouring farmer Reg DIAMOND helped him save some sundry items from the shed and prevented half of it from burning [5]
His car, harvester, binder, drill, spring cart and numerous sundries were lost in the fire, the larger of which were insured [5]
The fire was believed to have started from a rubbish fire which had been burning a short distance away from the shed [5]
In 1934 and 1935 his sister Mrs Margaret DURGET appears to have also been living with him in Carnamah [4: 8:-Sep-1934, 1-Jun-1935]
Sent a wreath for the grave of Christina B. D. FORRESTER of Carnamah at the Winchester Cemetery on 31 August 1934 [4: 8-Sep-1934]
During mid September 1934 he was an inmate of the Carnamah Private Hospital [5: 14-Sep-1934]
He and his sister Margaret were to have sailed to Melbourne for a holiday on Friday 14 September 1934 [5]
Owing to ill-health he leased his farm in Carnamah and made plans to travel to England for medical treatment [5: 17-May-1935]
Held a clearing sale on his farm three miles west of Carnamah to sell his household furniture at 2 p.m. on Thursday 30 May 1935 [5]
The clearing sale was conducted on strictly cash terms by local Elder Smith & Co agent William B. SHERIDAN [5: 17-May-1935]
At his clearing sale sold two wardrobes, two wash stands, two dressing tables, two Cyclone beds with Cosy Sleep mattresses, [5]
camp bed, double bed with spring mattress, oak extension table with six chairs, two basket chairs, one easy chair, book case, [5]
Frister & Rossman sewing machine, two kitchen safes, kitchen table, three kitchen chairs, set scales, two lanterns, two lamps, [5]
eight day clock, barometer, picture frames, books, two three-gallon milk buckets, mincer, baking boards, frying pan, cutlery, [5]
saucepans, glasses, crockery, dinner set, cake baskets, brass candlesticks, tea caddy, brass kettle, bed linen, tray cloths, [5]
four large Irish Damash tablecloths, two Coolgardie coolers, 40-gallon McCormick Deering separator, two churns, .303 rifle, [5]
riding saddle and bridle, large heap of mallee roots, quantity of fowls, quantity of turkeys, two Bay gelding horses, [5]
black pony with foal at foot, cow with calf at foot, and a Buick car in good order [5: 17-May-1935] [4: 1-Jun-1935]
After a period at the Moora Hospital it was recommended he take a sea voyage in the hope that it would restore his health [4: 1-Jun-1935]
Departed with his sisters Ann LEASK and Margaret DURGET on the steamship Largs Bay on 1 June 1935 [4: 1-Jun-1935]
They arrived on the steamship Largs Bay in Southampton, England a month later on 2 July 1935 [204]
Following their arrival their intended address was 85 Mount Ararat Road in Richmond, Surrey, England [204]
His farm in Carnamah may have been managed or share-farmed as sheep were sold in his name in March 1937 [5: 12-Mar-1937]
The sheep were 17 ewes at 14/9 and 18 ewes at 13/7 per head sold through Elder Smith & Co Ltd at the Midland Market [5]
In 1939 he was "totally disabled" and was living at the Commandant Hospital For Officers in Brighton, Sussex, England [412]
Advertised in 1940 in The North Midland Times newspaper that his farm was available for lease for 12 months [0: image 03062]
From 1940 to 1945 his farm was leased to neighbouring Carnamah farmer "Anster" Anstruther P. TUCKER [3]
He was an Army Disability Pensioner [0: image 04384]
Died C.1945 [0: image 04386]
His farm remained in the name of his estate until being sold on 1 August 1945 [3]
499 acres of his farm was sold to Mrs Agnes S. SHARP and the remaining 247 acres to Anstruther P. TUCKER [3]
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'John Leask' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 18 November 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/john-leask [reference list] |
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