Blundy Family. Blundy Family. Blundy Family. Blundy Family. Blundy Family. Blundy Family.
1910-1947
Written by Rae Guelfie (nee Blundy)
The Blundys arrived in the Kent District circa 1910. Grandpa (Alfred John Blundy) took up land on the east side of what is now Titicup Road – extending from Nyabing-Pingrup Road to what is now Reeves Road, naming his property “Hazelwood”. He also acquired the property on the west side of Titicup Road extending to the cross-roads, naming the property “Callignee” after dad’s birthplace in Victoria.
The eldest son, Rupert Alfred, married Ada Grace Quartermaine in 1916 and a small house was built for them on the west side of the road near Grandpa’s front gate.
A similar house was built on the second property when dad (Leslie John) returned from WW1 in 1919. He moved in there when he married Hilda Duckham from Perth in 1927. Two daughters came in quick succession – Win and Rae – and life settled to hum-drum routine in a small two room cottage with a lean-too enclosed for a kitchen and a second bedroom.
It was unlined (except for the living room) and had no bathroom, laundry, heating or cooling and certainly no electricity. The toilet pan system, at the bottom of the yard was shared by a variety of spiders, mice and the occasional snake. Bathing was in the laundry tub, in front of the kitchen stove – no change of water and only indulged in once weekly!
1000 gallons (4,500 litres) of rain water didn’t go far and every drop was precious. Laundry was done in dam water (cleared with the addition of lime), two tubs on boxes and a copper outside the back door.
Dads Farm vehicle 1936
1930’s were bleak years. Depression [2] meant lack of money and unemployment was high, so mums brother – William (Bill) Duckham – joined our household in the early 30’s. He worked for keep and pocket money since Dad could not afford a regular wage. His room was a corrugated iron lean-too on the east side of the house (it later became the laundry). He did all the farm work including working with a six horse team.
Dad owned a Rugby Car at this time, but the farm vehicle was cut down from car to ute with the tray extended. It didn’t hold too many bags of wheat! Uncle Bill never owned a drivers licence – no need, he couldn’t drive (except around the farm). He only left the farm about once a month for a day in Katanning. He didn’t dance, didn’t indulge in sport (except cricket) and never married. He was with us till 1947 when the farm was sold, with a break in 1940-44 when he served with the AIF.
Dads Rugby car early 1930’s with Grandpa and a cousin from Perth in the back
Amusement was of our own making when we were children. Dressing up and pretending to go shopping or visiting was a popular past-time. Dad usually tried to take us to Perth after harvest to visit Mum’s family – so we considered ourselves lucky.
Dress-ups were a lot of fun
School was a one room building with a porch on the back and a 1,000 gallon (4,500 litres) tank to catch rainwater – no other water was available. It was built on land donated by Grandpa and served the children of the area too far from Nyabing to go to that school.
Back of house on Callignee before verandah & extra room were added c1935
There was never more than 12-14 pupils at varying stages of primary school education, from kindergarten to year 7 (or 6th standard). One wonders how the teachers (usually fresh out of college) stayed sane. However, we all received a thorough grounding in the three R’s. Most left school at age 12-14 years, but Win and I were lucky and went on to Albany High School to round out our education. Quite a hardship for Mum and Dad during the war years.
Back of house at Callignee after Verandah and extra rooms added and with Win and I playing dress-ups with Nan and Steve 1939
Dad used to drive us to school in the car when we first started, and we walked home (a distance of about two miles) rain, hail or shine. We acquired bikes after a few years and life was easier.
“Just by the way” – If temperatures reached 100 degree F (37.7 c) , we were allowed to go home. One wonders about walking two miles (3.2 km) home at twelve midday, with the temp above 100 degree – Oh Well – we survived!
In 1935, then in 1938, our younger sister and then our brother arrived and our house was bursting at the seams. Dad added a verandah across the back with an extra room (occupied by a school teacher or two) and a bathroom – still no running water or taps and all water arrived by the bucket brigade. A front verandah served no other purpose than a weather break over the windows.
We always had a variety of orphaned animals to care for – dogs, cats, pet lambs, who eventually became sheep, calves, even the odd kangaroo, nothing seemed to want to leave home.
Dad and Steve in backyard about 1940
I used to ride my bike for miles around the farm and I knew every inch of it. Driving licence age was 18 years, so I never owned one till after I was married.
Sister Rae Blundy 1950 after hands on training at RPH
I left the farm in 1942 and spent the war years at Albany High School. I returned at the end of 1944 and helped Uncle Bill around the farm until it was sold to Bill Badger in 1947. At this time I started nursing training at Royal Perth Hospital completing the course in 1950. I worked for three months at Coleraine Hospital in Katanning, before spending most of 1951 in Adelaide doing midwifery training.
In 1952, I married Albert Guelfi and added four members to the Guelfi dynasty over the next five years. After sixty years of good times and bad – ups and downs, we now live quietly in retirement in Rockingham.
Rupert Horace Blundy
Rupert Horace BLUNDY was born on 26th February, 1919 in Wagin, Western Australia at Nurse Campbell’s Private Hospital.
His parents were Rupert Alfred BLUNDY and Ada Grace QUARTERMAINE, who were married in 1917 in Katanning, WA and divorced in 1946 – his father remarried in 1948 to Queenie Sexton and died in 1952 in Katanning – his Mother Ada remarried in 1947 to William J Mewhor and died in 1961 in Perth, WA.
Rupert enlisted on 15th April, 1941 in Claremont, WA with the 2/16th Infantry Battalion – he served in the Middle East (Syria) and returned to Australia and on 6th August, 1942 his battalion embarked for Port Moresby to fight in the Kokoda Campaign
He was Killed in Action on 8th September, 1942 and buried in Bomana War Cemetery – he is also honoured on the Australian War Memorial and Katanning Roll of Honour in Western Australia
Trove – IN MEMORIAM notices
BLUNDY – In loving memories of a dear Son and Brother, Private R H Blundy (Tommy) , AIF, Killed in New Guinea on Sept 8 (returned from Middle East), loved brother of Alf. Inserted by his loving Sisters & Mum “Safe in Gods Keeping”
BLUNDY – In loving memory of my dear eldest Son, Rupert Horace (Tommy) who was killed in active service at New Guinea. Inserted by his sorrowing Dad, R. A. Blundy “He fought the good fight”
BLUNDY (Tommy) On Service
“On our table stands a picture
A picture more precious than gold.
It’s a photo of our darling Brother
Whose Memory will never grow old”
ALWAYS REMEMBERED by Alf (AIF) , Dorrie & Fred.
Word has been received by Mr. R. A. Blundy of Nyabing that his eldest son, Rupert Horace, had been killed on active service in New Guinea. Tommy, as he was familiarly known, who recently returned from Syria was a well known and popular figure of the Nyabing – Pingrup District. He was a grandson of Mr. A. J. Blundy of Nyabing and also of Mrs. W. F. Quartermaine of Beaufort St, Katanning. Great sympathy has been expressed to the bereaved family.
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