Lamp Family – Kwobrup
Taken from “Stories Across The Generations”
City of Belmont website
Walter Francis Lamp was born on the 15th of August, 1927 in Victoria Park to his father Walter Thomas Lamp and mother Gladys Cockerell. His parents married on the 10th of January, 1927 in Baptist Manse, Katanning, Western Australia.
Walter Francis Frank) Lamp
Frank’s father, Walter Thomas Lamp [2], was enlisted in the Australian Imperial Armed Forces at Blackboy Hill in WA and around 1916 served in the military during the World War I. However, Walter suffered from lung problems and retired from the military.
Walter Thomas Lamp
During the early 20th century Australia’s agricultural production had rapidly increased as a result of new and improved technology, including more productive grain varieties and advances in livestock breeding. As a retiree from the military, Frank’s father, Walter became a farmer and a freeholder of house and land at part Lot 40, Kwobrup.
The family home was situated near a general store with silos around it. It was in the vicinity of a railway line 32 miles east of Katanning, a small town located 277km south-east of Perth.
The Lamp’s livelihood in Kwobrup involved rearing sheep and growing wheat. Frank vividly recalls the walls of the house they lived in. His mother Gladys had transformed their farmhouse to have a better outlook. He fondly described it as a decent house with decorated walls handmade from bags that were dipped in whitewash, left to dry then stretched along the walls. Frank chuckles, “They dried to a degree like asbestos, it was a surreal atmosphere.”
Gladys Lamp from the far second right on the sitting row.
They lived a basic life. Ironically, Frank never fully engaged much in farming as his father and mother did. He envisioned a different world altogether which seemed unattainable due to the impact of the Second World War. Four years later Frank’s sister by the name of Marion Gladys Lamp was born. She competed at state level women’s hockey, following in her mother’s footsteps, but later on her father banished her from playing hockey.
Living on Kwobrup farm did not provide for conventional schooling, hence a set up in the Education Department brought correspondence schooling to the community. Frank commenced his primary education in correspondence school at Katanning with his mother tutoring him in his schoolwork.
Following the death of his mother, his dad remarried a second wife by the name of Thelma F Wanke in 1940, meaning his life was shattered once again. Mournfully, Frank aged 13 years rejoined his dad in Katanning.
Frank Lamp (last row) at Katanning Junior School
Frank managed to continue and finish his schooling in Katanning where fortunately, this time around, he got a fantastic local teacher by the name of Mrs Adeline Obourne. Mrs Adeline Obourne had moved to Katanning from England in 1910 and had a career which spanned more than 35 years, right through the Second World War.
Frank’s school in Katanning only went up to junior level. He exceptionally wrapped up his junior level in 1943 with a record pass of nine subjects; he was the first to accomplish such a good record at his school.
Frank Lamp served in the police service from 1951-1969. He immediately rose through the ranks to become the General Secretary of the Federation of Western Australian Police and Citizens Youth Club, a position he held for thirteen years.
He was heavily involved in weightlifting and, in 1950, he assisted in the formation of the first weightlifting club in Western Australia; the Marvel Barbell Club. In his first year of joining the police force he organised the Mr Perth Weightlifting competition (which he also took part in) which saw the Police Commissioner presenting the trophies to the winners. In 1951, Frank mobilised interested people and initiated the formation of the Western Australian Amateur Weightlifters Association, which he became the first President for a period of eight years. Read the full story HERE
Walter Francis (Frank) LAMP passed away peacefully in Mandurah on 5 March, 2019 aged nearly 92.
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