Latest research:

• Locating the United Service Tavern

  

  Wherein, I solve a mystery no-one had ever considered had been a mystery before and correct the historical record on a minor fact that — in the grand scheme of things — is completely irrelevant. The Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal, 22 May 1841, Page 2 This is the earliest dated confirmation in the press …

• Rank Hypocrisy

  

  The story of the original United Service Hotel & Tavern Perth Allotment L3 in the town of Perth, in the Colony of Western Australia, was originally gifted to colonial merchant and all-round important person George Leake, by virtue of him already having a lot of money. He swiftly on-sold it to a consortium consisting of a …

• Are you … kidding me?

  Star Wars… there’s an appropriate quote for any situation. When I started writing my book on the Dyson family, very little was known about James Dyson’s first wife Fanny nee Hoffingham. They married in 1842, they had four children, the last of whom was an infant daughter who died in 1849, a year before Fanny herself …

• Bio: Richard Edwards (jr)

  

  He was born about 1807, probably in the village of English Bicknor, part of the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, an ancient western county of England near the border with Wales. He died… well that’s one of the many facts up for debate about his life.

• How 2020 ended…

  

  Restoration of the Dyson Grave in East Perth Cemetery has begun.

• A little bit of war profiteering

  

  Sam Dyson was was among the first to sign up for the Great War and was among the first quota of Western Australians in the AIF. He would be one of the first on the beach at ANZAC cove, and would survive for his Dad to tell that story. His father was Andrew “Drewy” Dyson …

• New Government House

  

  Snarky commentary to come later. Meanwhile, here are the pictures.

• Reconstructing old Perth out of cardboard (so it lasts, this time)

  

  Or, what you do when you are single, don’t smoke, don’t like alcohol very much, and are stuck in a remote location on your own after working hours in the pre-COVID19 era….

• What has been left unsaid..

  

  There is a particular family in Australia who trace their lineage back to a William Murrells who arrived in the colonies of Australia as a young man. He married a very young lady called Emily Buffin and they proceeded to breed like rabbits. This is not their story.

• Going to the Fairies…

  

  fairy in flight My sister asked her Miss Nearly-three what sort of cake she would like for her impending birthday. Her mother hopefully showed her a picture of a cake in the theme of her new all time favourite television show “Bluey” (her psychopathic devotion to “Peppa Pig” having waned of late). “Nah!” said my niece. …

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