McLaren Family. McLaren Family. McLaren Family.
1910-2008
Grandfather James Watson (45), his wife Jane (43), and children Gavin (24), John (18), Maggie (14) and Jeannie (9) sailed mid-November 1909 from Southampton, England on the “Gneisenau”. Their destination was the Port of Fremantle, Western Australia.
The “Gneisenau” berthed at Antwerp, Belgium calling at Algiers, before entering the English Channel via the Bay of Biscay. The ship entered the Mediterranean by the straits of Gibraltar, continuing through the Suez Canal before calling at Bombay to re-coal the ship.
The single men on board were accommodated in one compartment. It was a long, tedious journey, arriving in Fremantle on New Year’s Day 1910. Upon arrival and unaccustomed to the heat and harsh climate, Gavin sat on some hot railway irons in the Port and suffered severe burns to the fair skin on his backside!
James McLaren also immigrated to Australia on board the ship “Gneisenau” in 1910. At this stage James and Maggie were not married, but their courtship started on that voyage. James and Maggie started their life in Australia, working around the York area, before hearing about land available for selection in the Pingrup area.
This sounded appealing, so James and others walked to Pingrup to look at the land before walking back to Perth to make his selection. Needless to say, this gentle stroll was somewhat taxing with them running out of water on the journey home. To prevent certain death, James tracked kangaroos and found where they had been digging for water, where they were able to replenish their supplies.
After finally making it back to Perth, he loaded everything in a wheelbarrow before heading off. Bad idea. Wheelbarrows are not easily moved – went back to Perth for take two and this time a horse.
After settling in Pingrup the great depression [2] set in. Looking for work they headed to Woodyarrup where James worked as a farm hand. He then gained work in the Broomehill Roads Board and later returned as a farm hand to Nyabing. He worked for the Charsley family and at Boongadoo for a number of years. Finally they purchased their farm “The Laurels” and this is now owned by the Ferry family.
Pearlie, Guild, James, Maggie and Ame McLaren
During this time James and Maggie had three children; William Guild (known as Guild), James Watson (Ame) and Maggie Pearl (Pearly).
Guild’s first job was as a farm hand for his grandparents at Pingrup (The Watson Family). Leaving Pingrup he returned to Nyabing, working for the Patterson family (Red Hills) and also worked for Robert and Louisa Webb of Datatine.
In 1939, Guild purchased a block at Napier, and in 1940 he married Ivy Jean Webb. The couple had two children; a daughter Fay and a son Laurie. In 1949-50 the family moved back to Nyabing to ‘The Laurels”.
The Mclaren House Aspendale Street
Plane flown by John Dounie
Later they lived at George and Molly Cheetham’s second farm. Whilst contract carting Guild built the house at 21 Aspendale Street Nyabing. He was also the school bus contractor on the North Nyabing bus run, the longest bus run in the state for some time. Guild continued the bus run for about 25 years.
Nyabing Races 1955
Guild McLaren with his horse “Red” and jockey Colin Boyle in the saddle.
Guild, Jean and family were involved in several sports including tennis, golf, polocross, local shows and horse racing. Guild won the Nyabing Cup with his horse ‘Red” in 1955 which was ridden by Colin Boyle (who worked at Stephen’s shop – Nyabing Store). Jean also helped with the Brownies and Guild was a Shire Councillor (1972-73). They retired to Albany in 1977.
Polocross
Les Quartermaine, unknown, Bert Hobart with glasses, unknown,
Harold Reid kneeling, Don Payne, Billy Payne, Laurie Mclaren,
Lottie Hobart, unknown, Ame McLaren, and Gilbert Warren.
Fay worked in Katanning where she met and married Keith Fewson, a cousin to Ray & Arty Fewson. They had four children.
Donna, Kerry, Mary, and Laurie McLaren
Laurie share cropped with Ross Moore at “Homelands” for 21 years and married Mary Caddy in 1973. They had two daughters and moved to “Coyrecup” Badgebup in 1986 farming there for 20 years. They eventually retired to Wundowie in 2008.
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