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Chipper family
John Chipper was born in 1805 in West Tarring, Sussex, and died 29 January 1871 in Claremont. He married Mary Whidby on 22 April 1829 in Broadwater, Sussex, England. She was born 10 August 1811 in Tarring, Worthing Borough, West Sussex, and died on 29 October 1878 at her residence, Hay Street, Perth. John Chipper was buried after 29 January 1871 in East Perth Cemetery, plot 509. He had arrived 12 October 1829 per Caroline with his wife, who was buried 29 October 1978 in East Perth Cemetery, plot 509.
CHIPPER, John, b. 1805 (England), d. 29.1.1871 (Perth), arr. 12.10.1829 per Caroline with wife. m. (U.K.) Mary WHIDBY b. 1809 d. 28.10.1878 (Perth). Chd. Thomas b. 1831 d. 1903, Richard William b. 1833 d. 1888, Stephen James b. 1835 d. 1886, Mary Jane Olive b. 1837 d. 1839, George Fred Whidby b. 1843 d. 1878, Jane Frances b. 1845 d. 1931, John Charles b. 1847 d. 1906, Henry Edward b. 1649 d. 1856. Labourer, indentured to Hentys & with them to Tasmania without his family 2.1833 per Thistle returning at end of year. 1st paid Police Constable Perth 1843-1850; poundkeeper & collector & member of Town Trust; Bailiff 1849-1871. Merchant & Inspector of Weights & Measures 1860s.
John Chipper's third son, Stephen James Chipper, with his wife, Maria Sophia Campbell, had a number of children, among whom was Donald John Chipper (1868-1917). He was the founder of the firm of funeral directors, a business carried on by his son, another Donald John Chipper (d. 1979).
Vernon Whidby Chipper was born 25 December 1922 and died 23 October 2001.
Perth Gazette and West Australian Times, Friday 3 February 1871, page 3.
MR. JOHN CHIPPER.—We regret to announce this week the death of an old and well-known colonist, Mr. John Chipper, which sad event took place at his residence in Hay Street on Sunday last. Mr. Chipper was one of the early settlers and by perseverance and industry secured for himself and family a competency. The deceased had also been for more than twenty five years Bailiff of the Supreme Court, and there are few settlers to whom the deceased was not well known and highly respected. His remains were followed to their last resting place by a large number of friends and citizens and by the members of the Perth Lodge of Oddfellows, of which the deceased was a member.
Inquirer and Commercial News, Wednesday 8 February 1871, page 2.
DEATH. CHIPPER.—At his residence, Perth, Jan. 29, after an illness of long duration, Mr. Jno. Chipper; aged 65 years. Deceased held various and responsible offices under the Local Government for a period of thirty years, and was much respected throughout the colony. He was one of the earliest settlers of Western Australia, having arrived by one of the first ships - the Caroline - in the latter part of the year 1829.
Western Mail, Thursday 11 February 1932, page 23.
CHIPPERS LEAP.
Memorial Tablet Dedicated.
About 300 persons gathered at the base of a huge granite rock at the top of Greenmount, and listened with interest on the night of February 3, while speakers tried to recreate for them the life of a century ago. and particularly the thrilling incidents of February 3. 1832, when John Chipper and Reuben Beecham were attacked by blacks. The occasion was the unveiling of a tablet placed by the Western Australian Historical Society on the rock known as Chipper's Leap. The deviation in the York-road, which is being constructed by the Main Roads Board, sweeps in a graceful curve around the foot of the rock. On the other side of the road the ground falls steeply down a virgin gully. Far to the west, on the coastal plain, myriad lights of the city were twinkling. The listeners, with that scene before them, were carried back to the time when the whole population of the State was a matter of hundreds, when the chief agricultural area was just above Guildford, and the largest crop of wheat was one of 15 acres, and when all that was over the hills was a handful of settlers in the newly-opened district of York. Carrying provisions to those settlers, John Chipper and Beecham, a boy, were driving a cart over Greenmount when they were attacked by blacks. The boy was killed almost instantly, but Chipper, though wounded in one arm and having a spear sticking in his side, escaped by jumping over the rock that now bears his name. None of the blacks dared to follow him. The dedication of the tablet last week was performed by Mr. Steve Chipper, a grandson of John Chipper and a member of the council of the Historical Society and other speakers on historical subjects included Mr. Aubrey Green (a grand-nephew of Beecham) and Mr. P. Hasluck (hon. secretary of the society). Mr. I. T. Birtwistle (chairman of the council of the society), who presided, made an appeal for the preservation of historical monuments and for the furthering of research. Votes of thanks were moved by Mr. P. E. C. de Mouncey and Mrs. E. D Cowan.
References, links, acknowledgements
Many thanks to Robert Ward for an invaluable, comprehensive genealogy of the Chipper family, and for the photo above.
Thanks to Kim Chipper for the correction of the name Whitby > Whidby, which the DoWA (Erickson) had wrong. This mistake may also be found in some newspaper articles. Thanks also for the information about the father and son Donald John Chipper.
Erickson, Dictionary of West Australians.
Biography of Donald John Chipper (1868-1917), grandson of John Chipper, in the ADB.
Wikipedia page for Chippers Leap.
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 19 January, 2020 and hosted at freotopia.org/people/chipper.html (it was last updated on 25 January, 2024), and has been edited since it was imported here (see page history). The donated data is also preserved in the Internet Archive's collection.