cont part 6 The Harris family of Derbyshire – pioneers of the Swan Valley, Western Australia from 1833.
Arriving on the Cygnet with his family at age 15 William Edward Strelley Harris made the most of life in the new colony. He was the third child and second son in the Harris family.
W.E.S. Harris worked on properties owned by his father and brother Joseph Strelley Harris. He is described as a pastoralist and District Magistrate but he was also a Painter, Sketcher, Artist and draftsman. As a young man he worked on his father’s pastoral land in the Swan and according to the Colony’s 1837 Census also on brother Joseph’s grant at Williams.
His naïve watercolors record rescue scenes during the floods of 1872. Some of his paintings “Floods at Guildford” and “Hamersleys’ Preston Homestead near Guildford “, recording rescue scenes during the floods of 1872 are held in Art Gallery of WA and were donated by Frank Mason Anderson.
“ Floods at Guildford”
“Hamersleys’ Preston Homestead near Guildford”
He settled at Rainsworth Guildford from 1859-1890 after residing in the Victorian goldfileds from 1852-53. At first he leased Rainsworth in 1859 but purchased it in 1863. Frances Gregory, HC Gregory’s mother had recently passed away and as the rest of the Harris (Yule, Gregory, Harris family members) family were returning to live in England in early 1860 this presented an opportunity for William to purchase the property from the Gregory brothers.
The property today with rebuilt homestead
After returning to England briefly he married Emily Ann Jones in Brentwood Middlesex on 23 December 1896. The passenger list for RMS ORUBA has- Mr and Mrs Strelley Harris returning from England on 30th January 1897.
Emily Ann Jones – photo supplied by Kevin Anderson
So with William nearly 79 and presumably childless to date, he and Emily aged 34 proceeded to have two children when they returned to Perth. This increased the Harris grandchildren to 4.
William Edward Strelley Harris m Emily Ann Jones
1818 – 1901 1863- 1926
Frances Gwendoline Alice Strelley Harris William Herbert Robey Strelley Harris
1897 – 1973 1899 - 1902
William and Emily’s daughter Frances Gwendoline Alice Strelley Harris was born in Perth in 1897. In 1935 she traveled to Australia from London to Fremantle on the Orama aged 38. Later she appears in 1936, 1937, 1943, 1949, 1954, 1963, 1968, 1972 electoral rolls performing home duties at 41 Helena St Guildford and 63 Swan St Guildford. Helena St seems to be near the address of the family estate Rainsworth. She died a spinster in Perth Western Australia in 1973. Ross Anderson, her step brother’s son, remembers her as Auntie Gwen rather than Frances. “She was always thought of as being a bit strange, never having married and lived alone in a large rambling house in Guildford. She had a ritual at every Christmas of traveling down to Fremantle where we lived to personally deliver gifts.”She was in fact profoundly deaf and Frank Anderson, her half brother and his family were able to look after her until her death in 1973.
“Queenie” Frances Gwendoline Harris
Frances Gwendoline Strelley Harris Photos compliments of her nephew Kevin Anderson
William Herbert Robey Strelley Harris the only son of William and Emily was born in 1899. His was to be a tragically short life marred firstly by the death of his father in March 1901 and on 17th February 1902 a terrible accident resulted in his painful death several hours later. His estate which it appears may have been contested was finally resolved in 1928 in favour of his sister 26 years after his death.
The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Thursday 20 February 1902, page 5
After a short 6 year marriage William Edward Strelley Harris died on 22nd March 1901 at Nurse Stewart's private hospital and was described as the “Squire of Rainsworth ". “His end was peace" in death notices in The West Australian Perth WA 3/4/1901.
“Squire of Rainsworth” Photo compliments of Kevin Anderson
William’s grave adjoins his sister Lucy’s. Photo courtesy of St Mary’s Anglican Church.
Probate in England of £8717 was granted to Emily Ann Strelley Harris his wife in 1902. A land sale was reported in the Western Mail on 1/8/1903. However there must have been some dispute or legal problem with his will for another Probate notice was issued in England in 1913. Former grant of Administration (with will limited) on the 6 May estate.
In response to an order from the Supreme Court of WA an auction Land Sale was held on 24/7/1903 of the Rainsworth Estate (1988 acres more or less) from estate of WES Harris. It was described as having large frontages to the Swan River and the West Swan Road being situated near the rising towns of Midland Junction and Guildford. It realized £4350 and was purchased by a Mrs. Cusack. The photo above is the house which was built after his death. Rainsworth Homestead still has some of the Mud Brick Cottage Remains of Joshua Gregory’s house where WES Harris also lived on Middle Swan Rd, West Swan, WA. (Swan location K1). At the same auction a half share or interest in 10 acres of land at the North Beach known as “Marmion’s Whaling Station” was also sold. (Swan location 591)
After her husband’s death, Emily married Arthur Henry Anderson in Hay NSW in December 1902. The year had started tragically with the accidental death of her son in February. The reason for the contracted dispute over William’s estate and subsequently her little son’s estate was probably due to the short lived marriage of the elderly William and Emily, the sudden death of her son and Emily’s quick remarriage.
Later Emily and Arthur had three more sons, Arthur Ernest Strelley Anderson in 1904, Frank Mason Anderson in 1905, and Roby Lister Sommerville Anderson born in 1908. Electoral rolls show Emily and Arthur Anderson continuing to live at Rainsworth, the family property Middle Swan WA in 1903, 1906, 1910, 1916. After her death in April 1926 Probate documents processed through England show Emily Anderson of Helena St Guildford with effects of £ 1501.
William, his son Herbert and his wife Emily are buried together next to Lucy Yule’s grave. Photo courtesy of St Mary’s Anglican Church
After Frances Gwendoline’s death in 1973 William’s paintings were donated to the Art Gallery of Western Australia by her half brother Frank.
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