Sunday, June 2, 2024

Bulletin #44

 

 When the President is "Wounded in Action"...Rotary still goes on as usual!

Vice President Brian opened the meeting and advised President Veronica had suffered a fall in Singapore, while attending the International Conference. She is “battered and bruised, but luckily nothing broken…”

 

Lew Thomas may need to “spill the beans” later..

Guest Speaker Allen Graham - "Inns and Outs of Fremantle"

Author Allen Graham was born in 1938 in Beaconsfield and has lived in the area most of his life. He has worked as an HR Manager for a number of Councils and is now retired and living in Shoalwater. He has previously written two e-books ('I AM DEAD! What Do I Do Now?' and 'Beyond The Martial Arts' which has sold in 23 countries). These are also published in print by 'Lulu.com'.

He has taken a great interest in the history of Fremantle and has written another book, as you will hear today.

Allen’s book “Inns and Outs of Fremantle” is an emphasis on the “Inns”, but is really a book about Fremantle in general. It has been 40 years in the making, he started writing in 1983 ending with a 300,000 word manuscript. At the suggestion of his sons, he has published this as Part One of a Trilogy. Although the title is “Inns and Outs of Fremantle 1829-1929”, this Part One is really 1829-1856.

We are on the eve of “WA Day”, previously known as “Foundation Day” (1st June). Also we are now only five years away from our 200th Anniversary. If you really want a feel for what things were like in WA, this book will help you out. The decades of the 1830-1840 were the toughest times we’ve ever had.

Allen took us through the hardships the early settlers experienced since the arrival of the Challenger. There were two classes of settlers – capitalists and servants. Drunkenness was rife and the Governor resorted to withholding land grants to any new settlers selling alcohol without a liquor licence. He told of the many iconic hotels, amongst them the “Stirling Arms” (Robert Thompson also of Thompson Bay, Rottnest), “George IV” and “Collins Hotel”. Later there was the “Swan” and “Albion” Hotels.

William Keats built the “Kings Arms”. It was his sons who ambushed and killed Yagan, after whom Yagan Square is named. William Keats himself was a shady character, described as “better known than respected….”

The brewing industry developed, with the Gold Rush seeing local beer exceed imported beer. This was also a time when many American whalers were in port. They were very important for bringing money into the town, but with it also came many drunken brawls. In 1855 the new Governor thought there were too many hotels and introduced new taxes and laws to reduce drunkenness. There were at this time nine hotels in Fremantle and eleven in Perth.

The second part of the Trilogy deals with 1857 onwards, where the number of hotels in Fremantle was reduced to five and Perth to eight.

Allen concluded with a quote from Englishman Marcus Clarke, author of the 1847 novel For the Term of his Natural Life when comparing Australians to other national groups – “They are not a nation of snobs like the English, or of extravagant boasters like the Americans, or reckless degenerates like the French. They are simply a nation of drunkards…”

Host Gerry McGann directed questions from “us drunkards” and thanked Allen for his presentation.


Directors Reports and Announcement

Brian (Vice President)

  • John O’Sullivan has had a fall at home, resulting in a hip replacement. He is out of hospital and will be out of action for a while.
  • Please return the Directory proformas. The committee and portfolios relate to RY2024-25. If unsure I can fill in.

 

David Rowell (Vocational)

  • Pride of Workmanship 12th July. Final nomination of participants requested.

 

Lyn Metcalf (Treasurer)

  • Advised Club Dues should be in your mailboxes now. Pleased to note that 15 members (25%) have already paid in first three days. There is provision on the Square to pay your dues with credit card, but club incurs $5 fee, so you are encouraged to put directly into bank if possible. Changeover can also be paid for on the Square.

 

Raelene George (International)

  • We donated $5,000 to the Bali Water Pump Project in conjunction with Como and Moora Rotary clubs. The official handover is on the 20th June in Bali and we have been invited to attend. Please advise me if you wish to come.

 

Ian Kremmer (Community)

  • The Sunday Charity Drop-Off with Como RC was very successful, thanks to the six members who assisted. There were four large truckloads of useful and high quality goods – one to SOS, one to ParaQuad and two to “Vinnies/Sammies”. It may continue in the future.

Fines session - Wayne (the Elder)

  • More enthusiasm please…the amount of happiness in the world is a constant, and I am the only one here who is happy…
  • Warren McCamey for sending spam emails about laryngitis.
  • Tricia Smith for not introducing Rob.
  • Margaret Walton for being late (having an issue with the front door?).
  • Baby Boomers, born 1946-65, the richest generation (20% of population) with 52% of wealth in the USA. Baby Boomers a penny in…..
  • Wayne part of the “silent generation” 1928-45…some say “Stone-age”.
  • If you are not a Baby Boomer, penny in….


Winner of Heads and Tails - Howard Nelson

Attendance

36 attendees in all, including guest speaker Graham Allen and visitors Rona McGann and Rob Hubbard.

 

 

 

at