EDDY Family of Cornwall

Notes from Shyama Peebles: Trained at Kalgoorlie Joinery Works: constructed buildings for WAGR. Farmer at Williams 1921-1931. In Perth worked for Bunnings. WW2 for Dept of Munitions at Parkeston Kalgoorlie WA with wife both well known singers at Kings Hall. Educated Kalgoorlie State School.

Notes from David John & Lorraine Eddy: Bertram was the first born child to James & Emily Eddy, while they were living at California Gully, Sandhurst, Victoria, where his where his close knit paternal family all worked on the Goldfields. When his father left South Australia for the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia alone to establish quarters, his uncles Samuel and John, accompanied his mother Emily and the children aboard RMS "Oraya" (1895) disembarking at Albany. Bertram was only 9 years old when they undertook the harrowing journey north-east to the Goldfields, every possession going by foot and dray with water incredibly scarce. A journey beyond imagination 100 years on! After attending Kalgoorlie State School he joined the Kalgoorlie Joinery Works, none of the older generation wished to see their young down the mines and suffer the dreadful ills they had endured, besides the poverty of being raised without a father. He worked along the railway lines from Parkeston to Naretha, constructing weatherboard buildings. He met Leila Richards, and her mining family who like so many others from the Yorke Peninsula had made the journey in search of work, at Kalgoorlie. They became engaged as her parents left for a property they had purchased at Williams, called "Montrose Farm", in 1910. After their marriage the couple made their first home in Lake Street, Trafalgar (a suburb towards Boulder), and their first two children Ruth and Bevan were born there. The street is now (in 1990's) part of a large open cut mine. Their second home was at 10 Broadarrow Road, in Kalgoorlie where Joan and Hartley, their third and fourth children were born. During this period Bert worked at joinery along the lines and around Kalgoorlie. He played football for the mines Rovers Football Club where he won many medals, and ran for the local athletics also winning many medals. He was an active volunteer Fire Brigade Officer and won several gold & silver medals in the competitions. His great-grandson David Eddy has a gold one and Joan Eddy, his daughter has a silver one. Lured by his "in-laws", Caroline and James Henry Richards, he purchased the adjoining farm to "Montrose" at Williams and named it "Naretha", which he owned but didn't farm as such from 1921-31 where their two children Desmond and Neil were born. The farm was on the Perth-Albany Road, now called the Albany Highway, and the well was used by travellers, and is believed to be where the old 112 mile peg was mounted. While at Williams, Bert continued his joinery in and around the district to boost family income as times were hard. He was mentioned in the book "The Williams" published during the 150th Anniversary celebrations of the State of WA, in 1979. He and Leila both sang in Kings Hall, Bert a baritone and Leila a mezzo-soprano, accompanying them with one hand on her chord- organ, which she sold in the later 1960's. The farming venture was brought to an end by the Depression and in 1931 they moved to Perth. Over the years they lived in homes in Subiaco, Mt. Lawley, Inglewood, North Perth, Mandurah and finally to Monmouth Street, Mount Lawley. Bert's Uncle Ambrose ended his days with him at this address, and his sister Rubina lived in flats around the corner. While living over a shop in Subiaco, he purchased a Chevrolet truck and went into the carrier business with his son Bevan, carting all manner of goods. He eventually joined Bunnings, and at the outbreak of WW2 in 1935-45, he was conscripted into the Ministry of Munitions and given an office in the Foy & Gibson Hay Street Store, initially, and then transferred to Parkeston, along the Trans-Continental Railway Line. He was put in charge of the installation of crushing plants for ballast at Naretha and the construction of railway sheds, plant and housing along the line. Plans that he drew up for this are now located in the Melbourne branch Office of the Transcontinental Railways (in Archives somewhere in the 1990's). After WW2, Bunnings sent him to Mandurah to construct weatherboard house. He saw 2 houses made of wood & iron (roof), purchased them and transported them to Mandurah where he re-erected them in Cooper Street with the aid of his son's Desmond and Neil. He, Leila and these sons lived in Mandurah. Neil eventually worked for his father after his apprenticeship in carpentry with Bunnings. Bert's granddaughter, Kay Laycock, was being raised by them at the time, while her mother lived in Kalgoorlie. While living in Mandurah Bert built himself 2 Jarrah weatherboard houses for investment and in 1948 sold them for the combined price of 2,000.0.0 pounds (about $4,000.00 +). They organized the Mandurah version of the "Minstral Show", which proved to be very popular. Bert suffered a massive stroke and was taken to St. Anne's Hospital in Mt. Lawley. The family returned to their home at 4 Monmouth Street, Mt. Lawley, where Bert lived for several years very much an invalid. He was never frightened of hard physical work, and firmly believed in never borrowing money even to purchase a property. He never drank alcohol or smoked, was known to be a good father and helped all of his children financially. To his grandchildren he was known fondly as "Pamps"and while dearly loved by them he was known to have a rough manner and was avoided by them. He stood 5'10" tall and weighed 14 stone.

Leila Gladys May EDDY, nee' Richards: Leila was 18 stone when she married Bert, and stood approximately 5'4", though she never appeared short. She was known as "Nanna" to her grandchildren and was very much the Matriarch of the Eddy family. She remained at Monmouth Street until 1966 or thereabouts, and purchased a home-unit in a large development along Canning Highway, Como. After several years, and a visit from her son Bevan, living in Northern Ireland, she was unable to look after herself well enough to live alone, and moved to "Moline House", an Anglican Home for the Aged, in Karrinyup. She remained fairly active beyond the age of 88 years in her membership of the Temperance League, fondly called the XYZ's by her family. She passed away at the age of 90.