Over the Easter weekend we visited the St Patricks Anglican church in Mourambine during our return drive home from a few days staying with our family in the central Western Australian wheatbelt.
This church holds a place in our family history.
It sits on a small rise overlooking undulating grain fields which are drying golden in summer and sprouting green and fresh in winter.
The town of Mourambine developed around 1860 and the townsite gazetted in 1884, but it has disappeared over the years - it's fate sealed when the railway line came to nearby Pingelly in 1889. All that remains of Mourambine now is the church and its small cemetery, the rectory (now a farmer's home), the old inn (also now a home) and the house where my father lived between 1939 and 1942. He has told us many stories of his life there.
To keep reading and see more pics, please click on "read more" .....
"At the end of 1939 we left the farm at Kulyalling when it was sold after the death of my Grandfather. We moved to Mourambine six miles east of Pingelly. The house was built around 1872. It had two main rooms with walls 18 inches thick made of local stone. There was a veranda all the way around with the kitchen on one corner and bedrooms on the other corners. Originally the house was built with a thatched roof, but had an iron roof when we were there. Over a hundred years on the house is still lived in and is now Heritage listed." - Norman Lesley Clayden
Entering the gate of the church, the path is flanked by two large olive trees. I seem to recall that read somewhere years ago that these were planted by the Benedictine monks from the New Norcia Monastery north of Perth. A simple bell hangs between two tall uprights in the church yard.
A sheltered alcove protects the heavy wooden door. The church was built from local stone and was consecrated by Bishop Hale. in 1873.
The rows of dark wooden pews face towards the alter at the far end, a simple wooden cross stands on the window sill, there are three stained glass windows also of simple design, and on the side walls are glass lamps. My father told me that his grandmother played the organ for the church services. Church services are still held here and my Dad noticed on the weekend that they had new hymn books.
In the church yard lie pioneers of the district - including my grandparents (Frederick Robert & Roma Clayden nee Fairhead - my father's mother and father) and my great grandparents (George and Florence Fairhead (nee McBurney - my grandmother's parents), and many other members of his family, including our ancestor, my great great grandparents - James Fairhead arrived in Western Australia on the ship Pyrenees, as a convict in 1853. He was given Ticket of Leave on 1 May 1853, pardoned 15 September 1855, acquired land in Beverley in 1880, married Mary Welsh 1 December 1859 and fathered twelve children.
Note 2023 - I have been trying to find out information about Mary Welsh - how did she come to be in Australia and marry James - but up till now I have not been able to find anything, note even a photograph. I need to do more research.
You can read information from the State Heritage Council about the church here - State Heritage WA - Mourambine Church
Here is the church again which I have processed with a texture
Are there any little churches that you feel a connection with?
Thanks for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. Have a wonderful week. And for those of you who celebrate Easter, I wish you blessings.
I am linking up to Mosaic Monday, Travel Photos Monday, Our World Tuesday, Wednesday Around the World, Travel Photo Thursday, What's It Wednesday, and Oh the Places I've Been. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!
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I think it is always special to visit places with family history. And I agree about the peace and serenity that exists in the old churches. I love visiting them, too.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful building
ReplyDeleteMollyxxx
What stunning shots.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure this visit was quite special. The church is small and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteChurches do inspire reverence.
What a quaint little place. At least, its history is not lost. That's a good thing.
ReplyDeleteLovely place...
ReplyDeleteLooks very interesting place to visit! :)
ReplyDeleteI love stone buildings. How lovely for you to have such an intimate connection. Is the Church open on a daily basis or only when there is a service?
ReplyDelete"Life Images by Jill" has been included in Friday's Sites To See for this week. Be assured that I hope this helps to point many new visitors in your direction.
ReplyDeletehttp://asthecrackerheadcrumbles.blogspot.com/2014/04/fridays-sites-to-see_25.html
I always like little country churches, and that you have such a connection to this town makes the story extra interesting. I really like the view from the front where it's sheltered by trees.
ReplyDeleteOh I love the way you've captured the character of these churches. I am always so taken with the construction, the design and decoration of these places of worship that have transcended through the decades. Beautiful shots.
ReplyDeleteHi Jill, it's great that even though the town disappeared the church and the cemetery still remained - and your father's house, too! What a great history your family has. It must be a powerful feeling visiting the town and seeing a trace of your root. I love the church - it looks so intimate and peaceful. The abandoned church looks peaceful indeed. I bet it has a lot of story to tell as well.
ReplyDeleteHello Jill, This is such a beautiful post. I have long been fascinated by small churches, but there is always such mystery surrounding them. I've enjoyed reading this post which is brought to life by your family's historical links and your thoughtful photographs.
ReplyDeleteHi Jill,
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of family history connected with this church my Great x 5 grandparents were very involed William and Mary Ingram ,they are both buried alongside the church.
beautiful pics .
thank you for stopping by and commenting. I will look for William and Mary's graves next time we are there.
DeleteHi they are also my great great grandparents would love to know who posted from Geraldton
DeleteHi Jill, what wonderful pictures and info,
ReplyDeleteI have two relatives buried at Mourambine
William Atkins (died 1902) and his daughter Frances (died 1876. William and his wife Ellen Taylor married in the Mourambine Church (1875)
Hope its not too much to ask but would you mind getting a pic of their gravesites for me?
My mother was born in Pingelly in 1920,
Hi Maree, lovely to hear from you. I am not sure when I will be in Mourambine again as it is about 3 hours from where I live. It is such a lovely little church. I will try to remember to look for your family graves and take a photo for you next time I am up that way. I wonder if my father knew your mother - what was her name?
DeleteMy great GG grandfather William Ingram's Cottage is behind the Atkins homestead
DeleteHi Beverly their my great great grandparents aswell.im Robert Higgins daughter.
DeleteHi unknown, I’m Robert Higgins half sister, claude Higgins was my father.
DeleteMy mother was Dorothy Atkins, her parents were Ernest and Everal (Nee Watts)
DeleteOur family history also claims our William Atkins as building the church and being a lay preacher there.
Another William Hawkins who for some reason went by the Atkins name also claim same. married there under the Hawkins name and had children with that surname, not sure when they adopted the Atkins name. The William Atkins buried there is my Great Grandfather. he died at Westbrook his widow remarried to Samuel Wise.
Louisa Atkins buried there was his daughter,
He also put down the Ingrams well in Pingelly my great great grandparents along with Higgins family also Helena Higgins aged six years old is buried in the church yard cemetary
ReplyDeleteHi Beverly. Who was Helena Higgins. I'm Robert Higgins daughter in Canberra thanks.
DeleteMy gd grandfather's daughter aged 6 she died from burns
DeleteI have just read your story on the above. I had two Great Great Grandfathers who were one of first settlers in that area.
ReplyDeleteTheir names were John Patricks Higgins and William Ingram - both convicts. Both helped build St Patricks Church and many other dwellings in and around Pingelly and Mourambine. By father’s cousin produced a family history of all of the descendants. We all have a copy of that book. It is sad, but I have not visited the towns - I intend to do that very soon.
Thank you for your wonderful story.
Jennifer Riley
fascinating connections with this tiny place in the wheatbelt. And such history!
DeleteHi yes we are related Lesley did the family book be great to meet
DeleteJenifer Riley I'm in that book and Patrick Higgins is my great grandfather claude Clement Higgins was his son my grandfather your father must be my dad's cousin what's your dad's name
DeleteJennifer Riley, I would love to see that book!
DeleteI also have the family tree book by my cousin Lesley Lane
DeleteMary anne Welsh is my grandmother. And Ingram cottage was built by my great great grandparents I'm a Higgins. Thankyou for your beautiful pictures.
ReplyDeleteMary Walsh was your grandmother? We muat be related. I'm trying to find information about her.
DeleteMy grandparents graves are also there. Jock & Daisy Duncan. We scattered some of my fathers & mothers ashes on the 7th June 2021.
ReplyDeleteMy great grandfather, William [Hawkins] ATKINS who was a convict and arrived in Western Australia in 1862, built St Patricks Church in Mourambine and was the first to marry there in 1873. He was also responsible for many buildings in Mourambine including Atkins Cottage.
ReplyDeleteHe married Mary Ann GOODENOUGH. She was the daughter of another convict, James GOODENOUGH, who arrived in 1858. Mary Ann, her sister Elizabeth and their mother, Mary Dell, arrived in 1862.
William and Mary raised 9 children. The eldest, William, died of typhoid fever, aged 20 in 1897. Another son, Frederick, was killed in WW1 in 1916. The youngest daughter, Eva, never married. The remaining 6 married and all had families.
William died in Narrogin Hospital in 1926 and is buried in Narrogin Cemetery. Mary died in 1935 and is buried in the churchyard at Mourambine as are both her parents James and Mary GOODENOUGH.
William Ingram was the stone mason who helped build the church I believe Ingram's cottage parts remain my great great grandfather did Ingram's Well in Pingelley
ReplyDeleteYes she is was married to John Patrick Higgins I've sent you a pm
ReplyDeleteHello, Ive just read your comments. I too am related to James Fairhead and Mary Welsh. The are my 2 x Great Grandparents. Their son Ephraim, His daughter Myrtle Irene, then my father Eric Blight and me. I would be ever so grateful to find a photo of James and Mary too. We have nothing in our family photos that I can find.
ReplyDeleteSo many memory's, great to see born in Pingelly good to see
ReplyDelete