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Fremantle Stuff > Cemeteries > Carrington St > Heritage Trail >
Stories from the Heritage Trail
I propose that this could perhaps form the basis of a Fremantle Heritage Walk Trail Two. There has been a Fremantle Heritage Walk Trail One (since 2003!), but as yet no 'Two' (tho there are two at Karrakatta).
Links under numbers go to a photo of the stone; other links go to a page about the person.
First Section, 'Rockery Walk' - to Humble Avenue
Henry Vincent, #29, who died 1869, and his daughter Amelia who died 1871, are remembered on the same gravestone (as well as her infant son). Vincent was the superintendent of the Aboriginal prison on Rottnest Island. My Henry Vincent page is here.
The story of John Higham, #42, who died in 1858 aged 41, becomes the story of his wife, Mary Higham. As he died so young, she had to take over their burgeoning business and continue its development. She became one of the 'Merchant Princes' of Fremantle, tho being female she was not allowed to be a member of their political, business and social organisations, and her son Edward had to represent her. More information and links here.
Lionel Holdsworth who died 1901, and Margaretta his wife, who died 1886, are remembered at #46. He arrived as a white-collar criminal convict in 1868 on the last convict ship, Hougoumont. Margaretta came to join him, and, as a free immigrant, was able to receive a grant of fifty acres of land. With this (re)start, he became a very successful businessman (again), built a fine house, Braeside, and has a street named after him. More information and links here.
Second Section, 'Bridge Walk' - Humble to Higham Avenues
The memorial stone for Philip Webster, who died 1893 aged 64, is at #62. He is the originator of all the Moreton Bay fig trees in Fremantle, including the Proclamation Tree, all the fig trees around Fremantle Park, and the tree in front of his own house. Webster's first wife is remembered at #103. She was Maria Elizabeth Webster, who died 9 December 1862 aged 37, his first wife of three, the daughter of W.J. Murray. Their daughter Minnie Webster died only nine days later, on 17 December 1862, aged 9. See Philip Webster's page here.
Charles Metcalf[e] Grain, #67, who died in 1860 aged 3, was the son of Lt-Col. Edward Metcalfe Grain RE, who was a Crimean War veteran. He arrived in WA with his wife in 1859 on board the Sultana, as Commander of the 20th Company of Royal Engineers. Though only here for four years, 1859-1862, he made a significant contribution to Western Australia. He had to clear up the administrative details of the Royal Engineers after they all departed. Two of his children were born while he was here, and one died: Charles, who had been born in England. See a profile of Grain [1]on Diane Oldman's page here.
Minnie Isabel Reddell, #71, died 1892, Captain John Alfred Reddell, aged about 60, and their son Leslie Harcourt Reddell are all memorialised. The two men were murdered in 1899 near Broome by the mutinous crew of the brig Ethel. Capt Rendell's page is here.
Hannah Elizabeth Owston, #73, who died 1893 aged 62, may possibly (though this is yet to be confirmed) have been the second wife of William Owston (1824-1903). His first was Sarah Eustace Caporn (b. 1820), who died 1880 in Cambs. Owston had an adventurous, seafaring early life, and was a successful businessman whose name is still on a large building in the first block of High St. See the page about him here.
Peter Dandie's memorial stone, #76, is one of two in memory of men 'who (with the harbourmaster and his crew was drowned in the port of Fremantle June 23rd 1867; having in the discharge of his duty put off to a ship in distress. To commemorate the event this stone was erected by public subscription.' See also the Isaac Price and Samuel Akers memorial at #79 whose inscription is identical. The harbourmaster was Captain James Harding. The remains of him and his family were all exhumed and reinterred in Fremantle Cemetery, at Anglican AA1649, not far from the Heritage Trail. His page is here.
Peter Gallagher, #82, who died 1871 aged 36, 'sergt of HM 3rd Regt Buffs', was a Crimean War veteran who came to Fremantle in 1858 on the Edwin Fox as an Enrolled Pensioner. He had been wounded in the left hand by a shell fragment at Sebastopol 25 August 1855, losing two fingers, which rendered him unfit for further military service. His page is here.
William Congdon, #83, died 1865 aged 65. He was the father of Daniel Keen Congdon, Mayor and MLC. William Congdon's page is here.
Edward Leigh Scott, #85, died 1862 aged 52. What did he do wrong? His epitaph suggests something bad: 'Behold, happy is the man whom God corrected. Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the almighty.'
Donald McKenzie, #87, died 1887 aged 51; his daughter Helena died 1884 in infancy; and his widow ('relict') Sarah died 1906 aged 57. He was a Crimean Veteran. See Diane Oldman's profile for him on this page.
The Stafford children, #88, all died in two months, April-May 1898. They were children of the unfortunate Henry and Harriet Stafford: Viola, 13, died 25 April, Wesley, 5, died 31 April, and Stella, 10 months, died 1 May. What killed them?
Third Section, 'Ruins Walk' - Higham Avenue to Wilson Drive
Ellen Taaffe, #121, died 25 Oct 1879 aged 15, and May Margaret Taafe her sister died 15 Jan 1884 aged 17. When Ellen (aka Helen) was 11, she was a witness in a case which was heard by magistrates Slade and (Charles) Finnerty (after whom the street is named). They both accused a priest of tampering with the witness (tutoring her in what evidence to give), which caused a furore in the Catholic church. Diane Oldman tells Finnerty's story here. He was Commandant of the Enrolled Pensioner Force; my page is here.
William H. Townsend, #129, who died 8 Nov 1897 aged 63, was a Royal Engineer who, as 'instructing warder' (supervisor) was responsible for many public buildings and structures, including the second (1879) Arthur Head lighthouse. His page is here.
Patrick Hagan, #133, lucky miner, publican, and donor to the Catholic church, died 25 April 1891 aged 56. His wife Margaret Hagan had died 25 Aug 1877 aged 34. The Hagans page is here.
References and Links
MCB History Walk[2] of Fremantle Cemetery, and map
Heritage Week tour 2014
This page incorporates material from Garry Gillard's Freotopia website, that he started in 2014 and the contents of which he donated to Wikimedia Australia in 2024. The content was originally created on 26 May, 2016 and hosted at freotopia.org/cemeteries/heritagetrail/stories.html (it was last updated on 26 August, 2022), and has been edited since it was imported here (see page history). The donated data is also preserved in the Internet Archive's collection.