By Heather Wade, 2024.
Originally, John Septimus Roe, the first Surveyor General of Western Australia, owned Leschenault Location 22 of 560 acres at the head of the Leschenault Estuary. Marshall Waller Clifton leased the land from Roe in 1842 and named the holding Rosamel after a chateau in France close to where his family had lived, prior to coming to Australind. MW Clifton purchased Rosamel in 1856 and the Clifton family continued its association with Rosamel farm for close to a century. The Rosamel barn was a focal point for the scattered families in the district and Arthur Ernest Clifton lamented its sale in 1951 after 63 years of use:
Rosamel Barn – Built 63 Years Ago
(By A. E. C.)[1]
A landmark of the Old Coast-road—the old Rosamel Barn—was recently sold by auction and realised over £400, probably more than it cost to build 63 years ago. Built by the writer’s father,[2] then owner of Rosamel, with the assistance of an old carpenter by the name of Max Thurgood, who together split the timber for the sides at a site about a mile away.
The timber was brought in by a team of four bullocks on a tip dray and driven by the writer and his younger brother. The wall plates and the beams were tuart cut on the marl flats opposite the 12-mile post on the old road, about half-a-mile from the building site. The main supports of jarrah squared to approximately 12″ by 12″ were obtained from the same locality as the slabs. The timber was all chalk lined and squared with the carpenters’ axes until they fitted neatly; the plates and tie beams were pegged—not bolted —no bolts being available in those days, and the corrugated iron was screwed, not nailed, on.
The fact that this shed (approximately 60ft x 30ft) has withstood all the coastal storms for over 60 years could be regarded as a tribute to the builders. Loads of hay or grain were drawn by a team of horses, sometimes bullocks, through the shed and unloaded either side to be chaffed or threshed, as desired. The centre of the shed, where the teams came through with the loads was a threshing floor on which the grain was flailed out by Paddy Cahill,[3] who was expert at that work. Seemingly the present owner has no further use for this wonderful structure and has offered it for auction and demolition. [4] No doubt it will be re-constructed and continue its usefulness not as a hay and grain barn, as was its original purpose, but perhaps for potato storage.
There being no public hall or meeting place in the locality it was freely used for cricket club meetings and dances which attracted large numbers of visitors from Bunbury and other places. Lit by Chinese lanterns, many enjoyable dances took place there.
The demolition of the Rosamel Barn is a sad reminder that settlement of the land on the Old Coast-road, which provided nearly all the foodstuffs of Bunbury, has been sadly neglected for unexplained reasons. Its potential as a food producing land remains the same today as when that barn was built and many happy, healthy families were reared along the Old Coast-road. It will be done again, some day, but when?[5]
The sale by auction notice for the demolition and removal of the shed was advertised as:
Hay Shed with lean to verandah—all over width 33ft. —length 80ft.—height 25ft.— roofing comprises approximately 250 sheets of heavy galvanised 8ft. iron, excellent order—screwed, round timber uprights and sawn timber bearers, situated on farm at “Rosamel” on Old Coast Road, approximately 12 miles from Bunbury.[6]
Arthur Clifton, the writer lamenting the demise of the barn would, no doubt, have been a helper and a participant at the December 1892 Cricket Ball held in the Rosamel Barn. The write-up in the newspaper was similar to balls held in country towns describing the decorations, dancing, supper and what the ladies of the district wore:
The Wellington Cricket Club gave a ball last Friday evening in aid of the funds of the club, in the Rosamel Barn, which fine building was kindly lent to the club for the occasion. Dancing was commenced at eight o’clock, and although the evening was rather blustery, still a good number of young folks turned up, both from the neighborhood and surrounding districts. The barn was got in readiness by a few of the most energetic members of the club, who did wonders in transforming the barn into a very picturesque ball-room. The floor was termed by all present as perfect, and as for the supper, which was prepared by the local ladies, it was simply splendid. The table was very tastefully decorated with flowers, but better still, was heaped up with the most delicious delicacies, which were done full justice to.
The ladies were very tastefully dressed. Miss Clifton wore black silk; Miss Rose, black silk covered with lace of same color; Miss Ada Rose, white muslin blouse, with crushed strawberry skirt; Miss Clifton, pink chiffon; Miss Lovegrove, red delaine; Miss Jeffrey, black lace; Miss Teede, white silk; Miss Vincent looked charming in white delaine, with pink ribbons; Miss Hutchison, white dress with red circingle; Miss Milligan, white blouse, black skirt, etc. The music was provided by both the accordeon and piano, the ladies and one or two gentlemen playing with untiring zeal, there being over sixty dances. The Wellington Cricket Club feel grateful to Mr. Clifton for the trouble and interest he has taken on their behalf in providing so efficient a room, also for his untiring energy, as M.C. The whole affair was pronounced to be a great success, both in a pecuniary way and as a happy spent evening. £5 was taken at the door.[7]
Another Ball was held at Rosamel in March the following year in aid of the Wellington Cricket Club and was written up in both the West Australian and the Bunbury Herald.[8]
There was a long interval when the barn did not appear to act as a ballroom, but in November 1922 the festivities were again described in the local press, with an emphasis on the entertainment:
BARN DANCE. On Friday, November 24, a large number of people gathered from all quarters of the district to enjoy an evening’s dancing in Mr. F. M. Clifton’s big barn at Rosamel. It is many years since the swirl of dancing feet has been heard there — not since the days when cricket was, in these parts, the game, and the young men of those days travelled the whole South-West for the honor and pleasure of cricket, while their womenfolk prepared feasts for victors and vanquished, and the evenings rang to their jollity. Many of those present had taken part in those good old times, and rejoiced to see and again enter into the dancing and amusement in the barn, with as much zest and enjoyment as ever.
Visitors came from Brunswick, Harvey, Bunbury and Australind, so that funds for the Parkfield School prizes and library grew very considerably, a substantial sum resulting. The barn had been decorated and hung with many lamps, so that it looked very pleasant and inviting, while the floor was in splendid order. Mr. S. Bowers was a most efficient Master of Ceremonies. The music was supplied by Miss Eileen Rooney (violinist) and Mr. Frank Haycox (pianist), and gave great satisfaction to both dancers and non-dancers. Mr. George Jones played an extra in the good old style, and it was much appreciated. Miss Evelyn Lucas sang “Little French Baby” and “Teddy Bear” in her usual captivating manner, and also interested the audience with a whistling solo.
The supper room in one of the big extended wings of the barn was gay with colored lights and beautiful flowers, while the great tables groaned under their burdens of good things to eat. After refreshments were partaken of, dancing continued till the early hours of the morning, everybody having had the amplest opportunities for the greatest enjoyment.
Thanks are due to those who came so far that the evening might prove a success, and also in full measure to the ladies of Parkfield School district, Mesdames G. Jones, Fletcher, Cargeeg, E. L. Clifton and F. M. Clifton for the hearty and energetic way they worked together that everyone might be happy and feel that present times are equal in every way to those way off times we hear were such “good times.”[9]
In 1922 the proceeds went to the nearly Parkfield School for prizes and library books [see ‘Parkfield School (1869 – 1937)’ on this website] and in 1924 ‘to augment the funds of the Bunbury Ambulance Association’.[10]
……………………………………………………………………
[1] Arthur Ernest Clifton born 1873 at Rosamel
[2] John Edward Martin Clifton
[3] Patrick (‘Paddy’) Cahill, (Convict No. 7968), arrived in WA aboard the Merchantman in 1864, after being charged as a military man with having fired his gun into an army store-room, and was sentenced in Columbo to transportation for life. He married Sarah Woodley, daughter of Charles & Emma Gardiner, in Bunbury in 1875.
[4] Harold Gartside
[5] Harvey Murray Times, 20 July 1951, p. 7.
[6] Farmers’ Weekly (Perth, WA : 1947 – 1954), Thursday 28 June 1951, page 7
[7] (Bunbury Herald, 14 December 1892)
[8] West Australian, 22 March 1893, p. 6 & Bunbury Herald, 22 March 1893, p. 3.
[9] South Western Times, 7 December 1922, p. 3.
[10] Bunbury Herald and Blackwood Express, 28 October 1924, p. 2.