Monday, April 06, 2009
From H. E. Wells autobiography, son of James Wells and Mary Murray
When about six years of age. I have a vivid recollection of my first “home” built by my father for his family’s reception. It consisted of a double row of long saplings forming the wall, and joggled at the ends and laid at direct angles some six to eight inches apart, and the centre filled with clay “pug”, with a large doorway at one end and oil lamps and open fire at the other, with openings at each side and with calico for windows.
Later we moved to the more commodious residence in the nearby village of “Barry’s Reef” . One of our favourite games in those days was to play at “Kelly Gang”.
At the early age of 12 years, I worked with my father prospecting alluvial in the numerous creeks in the locality. I was apprenticed to a boot maker in the village and learned the rudiments of bootmaking.
A few years in the city at various jobs brings one to the disastrous Victorian depression of the early nineties when the noted land boom burst, banks failed industry lagged, all leaving in their trail unemployment, poverty, and misery through the state. I became unemployed. With a view to obtaining better condition, my father borrowed the bus fare and decided to go to Queensland.
After spending twelve months in Gympie, I returned to Melbourne. The Coolgardie goldfields were then booming, 1894. I was now 22 years of age I was penniless, and it was too far to swim. I borrowed £2/10/- from a “friend. bought a two guinea steerage passage and a four and ninepenny portmanteau and still had a cash balance of 3/3, and the prospects looked rather gloomy. I was stowed away in a bunk, the top one of three, above and alongside of the dining table which ran along the centre of the open dormitory. During our brief stay in port I visited the “City of Churches” from my still intact 33/3, I in my extravagance, drew 3/3 which I spent on oranges and a few lemons to tone up my appetite
On reaching the open seas we were immediately caught in a terrific storm and the old ship rolled, pitched and tossed, now on top of huge breakers and then down in the vortex of the howling tempestuous sea. The old vessel creaked, vibrated and groaned as if a plunge into the mighty deep would have been a welcome release. The second day out, the decks were battered down. Much deck cargo was washed overboard. And so we plodded along for eight days against heavy seas and boisterous winds across the Great Bight before reaching Albany. There, anchored ion that serene harbour, a tired crew, sick and weary passengers, all relaxed in warm, delightful sunshine.
On sitting down to breakfast I was delighted to see an old school pal and workmate who had preceded me to the West by some 6 months. He had just come down from Coolgardie with glowing stories of gold and adventure. He entreated me to return with him. He had started a boot shop and repairs ( in a tent ) in Bayley Street, where big money and prosperity was assured. The dreaded typhoid fever was then rampant on the Goldfields but nevertheless, but for a promise made to my mother on leaving home I would have returned with him.
Seeking experience and adventure ( and a little more money ) I was offered a job as a warden in the Fremantle prison and thus became a servant of His Majesty’s Government.
One year had now passed since I trod up the gang way of the old ship “Buninyong”! I had saved enough to bring my parents and brothers and sisters to this land of promise, had jobs for all who could work and saw them comfortable.
Then to the Goldfields, having a cousin working on a “show”, on the Murchison I decided to make this my destination. Boarding the old Midland train to Mingenew, I took passage on a rough buckboard coach drawn by a pair of weedy brumbies, but their stamina was wonderful;
After a tedious train journey down the Midlands, I arrived at Fremantle, spent a few days with my people, and then entrained for Coolgardie, My friend whom I spoke of earlier had asked me to undertake the management of his new Boot Shop, and I was proceeding thereto.
An attack of the dreaded typhoid fever put me out of action, and for six weeks I lay in the first iron roofed Hessian side walls, with a temperature usually over 100 in the shade. I lay helpless for days, and while I saw big strong men of 12 and 14 stone carried out, I felt confident of recovery. Robust men gave the fever something to live on, but I was a lean 10 stone, 6 ft and lived it out. It was here I met the young lady who was to be my wife a little later. This was 1898. Seeking a place to open business in the cool southern part of the state, I visited Donnybrook some 140 miles south of Perth, where a gold find was reported, then on to the coalfields of Collie.
At the time, most of the meagre population lived in tents or huts on the mining leases. All town lots were held under a ninety nine years’ lease. The town consisted of 2 hotels, 3 stores, a boarding house, post office, and a police station. This was in 1898. The Police quarters were a weatherboard hut with a tree in the yard to which culprits were then chained. A “Roads Board” was then instituted and I nominated for election. After addressing the electors, I was selected as one of its members, being the first to address a meeting of Ratepayers in the district.
During my occupancy of the Mayor Chair, I record a very pleasing and interesting incident. I related how the youth on the bakers cart in Queensland saw an engine driver elected to the State Parliament. Years later in Collie at an auspicious function, the Baker’s boy, now Mayor of the town, had the pleasure of proposing the toast of the once engine driver, now the Prime Minister, the Right Hon. Andrew Fisher.
I now felt that many public duties and my own business were getting too much for me. I sent my resignation as a Justice of the Peace to the Premier of the State, Sir Newton Moore, and received the following reply:
Compulsory military training was then in operation and a ½ company of the W.A. 16th Infantry Regiment was raised in the town. I was persuaded to apply to Headquarters for a commission, I having served previously in 1895 at Fremantle with the then volunteer West Aust. ( Imperial ) Infantry Regiment. I heard nothing of my application until the declaration of War. I received a telegram:
“Your commission gazetted, report at Blackboy camp tomorrow.”
Here was a nice position, wired reply:
“Impossible to leave business such short notice, what alternative”
Came the prompt reply:
“Report next day”
And so my soldiering days commenced
Due to a earlier leg injury Lieutenant Wells served as a quartermaster with the 44th Battalion. With them, he went to England, where he served as quartermaster with the Third Division under General Monash. Lt. Wells was promoted to Captain, and sent to Weymouth. From there, he was placed in charge of a party of 80 invalided Western Australian being sent home on a hospital ship.
Returning to Collie, I found my pre-war business had been usurped by others, so decided to try my fortune in the city of Perth. It was in this period I lost my eldest son, a bright lad of 16 years, who died of peritonitis
I joined the Victoria Park branch of the Returned Soldiers League, and was for 3 years its President. Again the “urge” for public life. I nominated and was elected a member of “Perth City Council”
I was successful and defeated a strong Labor man by 94 votes and so fulfilled the prophecy of my Sunday School address. During my three year term a disastrous depression befell Australia as well as other countries. The people clamoured for a change of government and as a result 14 government members lost their seats, including the Premier Sir James Mitchell, 2 other ministers and I was among the remainder. I had other attempts to gain lost laurels, but Labor was too strong having now held the reins of government for 9 years.
I now nominated for election for a seat on the South Perth Roads Board, and after serving several in that capacity, I resigned at the age of 75 years.
¶ 6:54 PM
