Pioneer Memorial Service 2018

Royal Western Australian Historical Society's

Annual Pioneers Memorial Service

on Sunday 1 June 2018 at St Bartholomews Church, East Perth Cemeteries,

Commemorating Carr and Guilfoyle Families

Citation by Ann-Louise Cahill

Read by Ann-Louise Cahill and Margaret McKenna

Carr Family

William Carr was born 1820 in the Parish of Loughguile, in or near the town of Ballycastle, Antrim the son of John Carr. William joined the 89th Regiment of Foot on the 18th January 1838 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. During William’s time in the military he spent most of it on recruiting duties. This is very unusual as the soldiers’ rolls varied between recruiting, cooking and other duties, so he must have been a very persuasive person. William only spent a very small amount of time in the camp kitchens, so he was obviously not very good at cooking.

During his service in Ireland, William was jailed from the 14th April to 9th June 1841 for assaulting the Night Watch (police). From the 26th to the 29th June 1843 William was given civil powers, the reason for this is unknown at this stage.

William and a detachment of men under Captain J.F. Stanley left England in May 1846 to join the Service Companies in Quebec, Canada where he spent 10 months. After serving in Canada, William return to serve in Ireland with the 89th Regiment.

On the 2nd January 1857, William arrives at the Invalid Depot, Chatham and 27 days later he is discharged from the 89th Regiment as being medically unfit due to large varicose veins. William served for nearly 19 years and left having received 3 Good Conduct Badges with pay.

It is interesting to note on the 89th Regiments Quarterly Pay Sheets that there is a Colour Sargent John Carr serving within the same regiment. John was also born in the Parish of Loughguile in about 1813. It is possible that John could be William’s older brother or cousin.

It is not known what William did after being discharge from the army. We do know that he was selected or volunteered to serve in the Enrolled Pensioner Force in Western Australia. During the period between being discharge and entering the Enrolled Pensioner Force William must have married and his wife gave birth to a son, William John.

William and his family arrived in Western Australia on the 11th February 1861 on board the convict transport ship the “Palmerston” as a pensioner Guard. He served at Fremantle jail as a Warder and at the Perth Goal as a Night Warder. In April 1876, William was one of the warders who went after the Fenians after they escaped from Fremantle Prison. A document which has his signature on it is in the Battye Library. On the 5th April 1881 whilst on duty as Night Warder at Perth Goal, William was reported drunk on duty. In 1881 he was assigned Perth Railway Block 151/V. William died on 15th July 1893 at Brown Street, Perth. He was interned in the East Perth Cemetery, East Perth.

Sarah Carr née Wasson or Mason was born in about 1828. Not much is known about her and her surname is very hard to decipher from the varies legal documents that are available, thus could be interpreted as Wasson or Mason. Sarah arrived on the Palmerston with her husband William and young son William John. Sarah gave birth to their daughter Mary Ann in Fremantle. Sarah died of Consumption (TB) on the 1st April 1870 and was also interned in the East Perth Cemetery.

Ann Carr nee Lyons was born in 1841. Ann’s 1st marriage was to Pensioner Guard Owen Cronin and it ended with his death in 1869. Owen had served in several different Regiments the last being the RA 6th Battalion 18th Brigade. Owen and Ann arrived in the colony on the Hougoumont on the 9th January 1868. After Owen’s death Ann married William Carr on the 2nd December 1871. Ann took on the responsibility of William’s two children and was a loving Grandmother to many grandchildren. Ann died 29th October 1922 and is interned in the Karrakatta Cemetery, Karrakatta.

William John Carr was born in about 1859. William arrived with his father and mother on the Palmerston. William’s occupation was carpenter and builder. William held the licences for the Royal Hotel in William Street, Perth in 1898 and the Australian Hotel in 1900. William married Mary Ann Elizabeth Peach on the 12th August 1885 at St Patricks Church in York, Western Australia. John Guilfoyle and Mary Ann Carr where witnesses to the marriage. William and Mary had 8 children; Frederick William Peach born 1886, Marion Elizabeth born 1887, William Lionel born 1889, Evelyn Mary born 1891, Alma Elizabeth born 1893, Harold Ernest born 1895, Reginald John born 1897 and Frank Lawrence born 1900. Frederick William Peach died in 1888 aged 2 years, Marion Elizabeth died 1888 aged 7 months and Frank Lawrence died 1901 aged 11 months. Marion and Frederick William Peach are buried in the East Perth Cemetery and Frank Lawrence is buried in Karrakatta. William John died on the 8th April 1942 and is buried in Karrakatta Cemetery.

Mary Ann Elizabeth Carr nee Peach was born 26th October 1859 in Perth, Western Australia to Mary Johanna Farrell and Frederick Peach. When Mary was 4 months old her father a Jeweller watchmaker died returning from Newcastle (now known as Toodyay). He drowned in the Swan River in Guildford and is buried in the East Perth Cemetery. In 1864 Mary’s mother remarried when she was 5 years old to George Kemp (an expiree). Later that same year Mary’s half sister Sarah was born. Mary died 19th May 1929 and is buried in Karrakatta Cemetery.

Mary Ann Guilfoyle nee Carr was born 10 July 1862 in Fremantle, Western Australia to William Carr and Sarah Wasson/ Mason. Mary wanted to enter the Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy but didn’t have the dowry to do so. Mary instead taught children at the Convent of Mercy, Victoria Square, Perth. Mary married John Guilfoyle on the 30th August 1885 at the Roman Catholic Church and they had 10 children. These children where Mary Josephine born 1886, John Michael born 1888, William Thomas born 1890, Denis Paul born 1892, Cecil Aloysius born
1893, Delia Kathleen born 1896 and died 1896 aged 2 months, Joseph Carr born 1897, Francis Patrick born 1900, Veronica Mary born 1903 and died 1905 aged 2 years and Michael Perrill born 1905 and died 1910 aged 4 years and 9 months. Mary was quietly involved in charity and also helped to the run the Australian Hotel whilst bring up her children. Mary never recovered from the death of her youngest child and died on the 7th January 1911. She is buried in the East Perth Cemetery.

Guilfoyle Family

John Guilfoyle was born in Scariff, County Clare, Ireland on the 27th September 1858 to Michael Guilfoyle and Mary Peril. He was educated at Whitegate School in Galway, Ireland.

In 1878 John and his brothers Michael, William, Denis, Patrick and Thomas came to Western Australia and his Mother Mary and sister Bridget arrived later. John 1st cousin Patrick Maloney also came to the colony, so John and his family either followed Patrick or came out with before him. John’s father and 2 sisters had died in Ireland.

John got a job navyving on the northern railway line between Geraldton and Northampton. He then started work on the first section of the Perth to Fremantle line. John was the 1st Porter at the Perth Railway Station and was then promoted to Guard on the Perth to Fremantle line.

In 1891 John had to go to York to identify the body of his younger brother Denis, who was a Railway Guard killed when the train he was working on ran over him at the York Station.

On the 30th August 1885, John married Mary Ann Carr. In the same year, he resigned from the railways and took on the license of the Victoria Hotel for 4 years. Finding that boring he then went into business as a Financier and Builder with not a lot of success. He returned to Hotel- keeping in 1890 when he brought the Oddfellow Hall and renamed it the Australian Hotel. For 2 years John ran the hotel, then he subleased it when he accepted the Government contract to erect the Beverley to Broomehill telegraph line. John resumed control of the Australian Hotel in 1902.

John’s mother Mary Guilfoyle nee Peril dies on the 20th April 1919. She is buried at Karrakatta Cemetery, Karrakatta.

In August 1924 the Licensing Board decided that John had to build a hotel “worthy of one of the main City thoroughfares”. John eventually secured a loan of £45,000 with the help of Mr Tom Molloy and the Abraham brothers Louis and Alfred from Melbourne. The new 3 storey hotel was built and was called the “Hotel Australia”.

In later years John’s sons where all partners of the Hotel Australia and took over the running of the hotel and John went to live with one of his sons Dr. Francis Patrick Guilfoyle and his wife Lilian Gwynne Helena Guilfoyle nee Degnan. On the evening of 15th July 1930 in a heavy rain storm, John was hit by a tram and killed outside his home. He was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery.

Mary Josephine Guilfoyle was born 13th August 1886 in Perth. Mary’s father John nicknamed her Toots, and she was known by this by all family members throughout her life.

Mary was educated at the “Sisters of Mercy”, Victoria Square Perth and performed very well at school. After leaving school Mary wanted to enter the Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy. Mary’s mother was happy for this to happen, but her father did not want her to enter the religious order.

John decided to take Mary on a trip overseas to the old Country, England and the Continent hoping that this would change her mind. This didn’t change Mary’s mind at all and on returning to Western Australia, Mary entered the Sisters of Mercy as a postulate on the 21st November 1907. Mary’s profession occurred on the 4th August 1910 and she took on the Religious Name of Sister Stanislaus.

Mary taught in many of the schools of the Sisters of Mercy and she would often walk many miles during the week to visit the poor and the sick.

During the 1930’s Mary was made Reverend Mother of the Queens Park Covent and then later she was appointed as the administer of St. Anne’s Hospital. Mary undertook this role for many years until in the later stages of her life she was given the less arduous role of running the small hospital “tuck Shop” which she ran with quite efficiency.

Mary reached her Golden Jubilee in about 1960 and was celebrated with her family, priests and Nuns at the chapel at St. Anne’s Hospital. A citation from the Pope was read by the officiating priest.

Mary died 6th July 1964 at St. Anne’s Nursing Home, Mt Lawley and is buried at Karrakatta Cemetery with her citation from the Pope.

John Michael Guilfoyle was born 12th August 1888 in Perth. He was known in the family as Jack.

John was educated at Christian Brothers College (CBC) in Perth. John also did well at school, enough for him to go to Oxford University and graduate in 1911 as a Doctor of Medicine. Whilst at England John met and married Olive Violet Prendergust in 1914 in London. Their only child John Patrick was born in Paddington, London on the 6 March 1915. Whilst living in England, John worked at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London.

On returning to Western Australia in December 1921, John set up a practise in Perth and was also involved with the running of the Hotel Australia.

John eventually retired and live in Marine Parade, Mosman Park where he died on the 12 January 1964. John is buried at Karrakatta Cemetery.

William Thomas Guilfoyle was born in 1890 at Australia Hotel, Perth. William also went to CBC Perth. He worked at the Hotel Australia for many years and as a Public Servant.

William married Ellen Mary O’Dea on the 21st November 1912 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Perth. William and Ellen had 6 children. Mary Teresa born 1913, William John O’Dea born 1st August 1915, twins Joseph Michael born 1920 and died 30th October 1921 and Michael born 1920, John Denis born 25th July 1924 and Kathleen born 1927.

On 6th March 1916, William enlisted as a Private in the 43rd Battalion of the Australian Imperial Force. He arrived in England on the 29th December 1916 and proceeded overseas to France in the 20 March 1917. Whilst in France he was admitted to hospital on the 10th April 1917 with Pleurisy, again on the 6th July 1917 with Pyrexia of unknown origin and again on the 4th October 1917 when he was wounded. William suffered from Trench Fever on the 21st April 1918.

2nd August 1919, William disembarked in Fremantle and was demobilized. He was discharge from the Australian Imperial Force on the 10th September 1919.

William along with his brothers was involved with the Hotel Australia.

William died in 1956 and was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery, Karrakatta.

Denis Paul Guilfoyle was born in 29th June 1892. Denis also went to CBC Perth. Denis also did well at school, enough for him to go to Oxford University and graduate in 1918 as a Doctor of Medicine. Denis also trained at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London. It was said in a newspaper article that Denis served in the Imperial Forces during the First World War, but I haven’t found his records yet.

Whilst in England Denis met and married Kate Lilian Poole in September 1914 in Moorfields, London. Their only child Joyce M was born in 1915 in Islington, London.

On returning to Australia in 1919 with his family he set up practice at 621 Hay Street, Perth. In 1921, Denis went to Sydney for a short period and on returning to Western Australia he went to Albany for 3 weeks. Denis’s wife Kate was not coping with the move to Australia and in November 1921 she went back to England taking their daughter. This move back to England was to be for twelve months only. In 1926 he transferred to Bega, New South Wales and returned to Perth in 1934 to take over Frank’s practise when he entered the Navy.

When Frank returned from the Navy, Denis returned to Sydney where he set up practice again.
In 1937 Denis filed for Divorce on account of desertion by his wife. Kate and their daughter had never returned from England. The divorce was granted in December 1937.

Six months later Denis died on the 10th June 1938 in Waverley, NSW. He is buried in the Catholic Cemetery, Botany, New South Wales.

Cecil Aloysius Guilfoyle was born in 6th October 1893. Cecil also attended CBC Perth and graduated in 1912.

On the 15th January 1916 Cecil married Edith May O’Dea (sister of Ellen Mary O’Dea). They had 5 children, Edith born 1917, Veronica born 1919, Cecil Aloysius born 1922, Mary born 1928 and Francis born 1931.

Cecil worked as clerk, barman and casually for the Western Australian Railways 30 January 1929 to 27 April 1935. From 2 May 1935 Cecil was employed full time with the Railways as a Porter at Perth Station. Cecil did 2 stints in Albany working as a shunter. From the 27 April 1942 until his death Cecil worked as Head Shunter at Midland Junction.

Whilst working in Albany in 1941 for the Railways he nominated to contest the Albany seat for the Albany District Council of the A.L.P in the Legislative Assembly election for the next year. He was unsuccessful.

Cecil was injured on the night of 6th May 1942 at the Cresco Siding, Bassendean when he was crushed between railway trucks after being thrown from the leading truck. He died at 3am the next morning. Cecil was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery, Karrakatta.

Delia Kathleen Mary Guilfoyle was born in 1896 at Brown Street, East Perth. Delia unfortunately died after 2 months on the 20 June 1896 at Brown Street, East Perth of Diarrhoea which she had for 14 days. This was probably the result of some other illness not diagnosed. Delia was buried in the East Perth Cemetery with her Mother and Grandparents.

Joseph Carr Guilfoyle was born in 1897. Joseph was also educated at CBC.

On the 25th February 1916, Joseph enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force as a Private. His joined the 25th Battalion. Joseph’s occupation at time of enlistment was noted as clerk. He sailed for England on the 18th July 1916 and disembarked in England on the 9th September 1916. On the 4th December 1916 he was transferred to the 28th Regiment. On the 1st October 1917 Joseph was admitted to hospital, he re-joined his Battalion on the 24 December 1917. On the 11 December 1918, Joseph was serving with the 13th Reinforcements of the 28th Battalion when he was wounded. Joseph’s father John was notified of his wounding, but his name was recorded as Private Joseph Carr Guilford and after correspondence with his father

John the Australian Imperial Force amended his documents to show his correct surname as Guilfoyle.

Joseph returned to Australia onboard the “Ormonde” on the 24 July 1919 and was then medically discharge from the Australian Imperial Forces on the 7th September 1919

On the 22nd January 1923 Joseph married Constance Eileen Horan at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Perth. They had 3 children, Constance Mary born 1923, Maureen Rosa born 1926 and died 31 October 1927 and Joseph Bernard Carr born 28 August 1928.

Joseph was working as the clerk of the Australian Hotel in 1941.

Joseph died on the 14th July 1942. At the time of Joseph’s death, his occupation in the Probates was noted as fitter’s assistant.

Francis Patrick Guilfoyle was born 27th December 1900 at the Australian Hotel, Murray St, Perth. Francis was known as Frank to family. He was educated at CBC Perth until his mother’s death in 1911. After this Frank was educated at the Marist Brother College at New Norcia. Frank did well at school which allowed him to go to Oxford University where he graduated as a Doctor. He then practises at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London. Whilst in London Frank met Mary Hilda McKay whom he married on the December 1921 in Chelsea, England. Francis and Mary arrived in Fremantle on January 1927. Frank went to work out at Quairading and on the 30th October 1927 his wife Mary died. She is buried at Karrakatta Cemetery, Karrakatta.

Frank then met Lilian Gwynne Helena Degnan who was working as acting Matron at the Quairading Hospital. Frank and Gwynne (as she was known) got married on the 17th April 1929 in Quairading.
Frank and Gwynne came back to Perth to live at the Hotel Australia. There first child Pauline Gwynneth was born in 1929. Their son Gerald Francis was born in 1931 and he died in 1937. Frank and Gwyn’s youngest daughter Margaret was born in 1935.

Frank joined the Australian Navy for a short service on 7th April 1934 as Surgeon Lieutenant. He served in the top end of Australia and resigned his commission on the 18th September 1936 so that he could return home to Western Australia to help run the Hotel Australia. On returning to help run the hotel Frank set up his medical practice inside the Hotel.

Frank died on 6th March 1953 on board M.V. Kanimble, berth at North Wharf, Melbourne, Victoria. Frank is buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery, Carlton.

Veronica Mary Guilfoyle was born in 1903 and died 2 years later, on the 10 July 1905 at Murray Street, Perth. Veronica died of bronchitis which she suffered from for 3 weeks. On Veronica’s death certificate it states that she was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery, Karrakatta, but her name is inscribed on her Mother’s and Grandparent’s headstone at East Perth Cemetery. There doesn’t seem to be any record of a burial in Karrakatta Cemetery.

Michael Perrill Guilfoyle was born in 1905 and died of meningitis on 4 May 1910 at the Australian Hotel. On Michael’s death certificate it states that he was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery, Karrakatta, but his name is inscribed on his Mother’s and Grandparent’s headstone at East Perth Cemetery. There doesn’t seem to be any record of a burial in Karrakatta Cemetery.

I would like to thank Margaret McKenna, Tresna Back, Kerry Katich, Pauline, Harper, Robyn Hovell, Trish Cahill, Michael Guilfoyle and Lorraine Clarke for their help in researching the Carr and Guilfoyle Families. Your help has been invaluable.