by Jenny Golding
Updated 19 February 2024
Goannas and Red Poppies
Herbert Sanquay was a respected herbalist and handyman farmer, living, before World War I, in Dardanup with his parents and half-sister.
Dardanup farmer Bernard Brett said, as a school boy, he had been paid “two bob” by Herbert for every goanna brought to him – not a sale sanctioned now!
The herbalist was the son of Ernest Sanquay, gardener, and Emily Peacock who married on September 30 1866 in the Holy Trinity Church, York, W.A. Ernest had been born in China but spent most of his life in W.A. Emily was of British nationality.
Her heart-breaking story was researched for a thesis Linda McGowan wrote in 2022 for her “Master of Philosophy” degree from Notre Dame University.
The thesis “The Lives of Impoverished Women in Fremantle 1890-1914” tells of Emily, aged 19, coming from London on the Daylight to Fremantle in 1877. She was one of 18 young women who came as assisted immigrant domestic servants giving an undertaking to remain in this State for three years.
She worked for a couple in Fremantle for 12 months but travelled to Geraldton when she received an offer of marriage, marrying convict expiree Henry Brocklesby in the Dongara Anglican Church in August 1878.
Just one week later, he deserted Emily, crewing on a ship bound for London, never to return. Emily found she was pregnant.
Daughter, Queenie Kathleen, (Kate) was born in May 1879. The young mother supported herself and her baby by undertaking housework and washing, eventually moving back to Fremantle and then to York where she married Ernest.
Emily, Ernest and Kate moved to Guilford where Herbert was born in late 1886. In 1903, the family came to Dardanup.
Linda’s thesis speaks of marriage between European and Oriental people as being extremely unusual at that time.
Online research discovered that Emily Sanquay wrote several letters to the government requesting naturalization for her husband and herself, giving her address as Nine Pines, Boyanup.
Bernard Brett said that Herbert owned a few cows and worked for local farmers, particularly for the Fee family. He used a horse and ancient buggy for travel and could be employed digging potatoes, shifting cattle to country near the Leschenault Estuary, handling gelignite (used then to destroy tree stumps) or packing chaff bags into sheds.
Katie was also employed, casually, by the Fee family.
From George Fee’s diary:
- January 11 1905: Katie Sanquay washing for Mrs. Fee today.
- March 1910: H. Sanquay caught a Kangaroo.
- September 1911: H. Sanquay helped me gather the cattle out of the Commonage.
- February 1912 – staying over at Sanquay’s hut in Cleary’s Paddock while going from Australind to Lake Preston for cattle. We made a very good supper of roast ducks. Shared herding of cattle for Garveys, Clearys.
- In May 1912 Herbert felled a tree for the Fees to make into split posts. When the job was completed, he was paid for 657 at fourteen shillings per hundred.
- August 1913: H. Sanquay ringbarking Fee’s paddock on contract.
World War I and a Send-off
World War I came and Herbert enlisted at Blackboy Hill, WA. He gave his birth-place as Guildford, his age as 28 and a half years, his next of kin as mother Emily Sanquay, his address as Dardanup. His service number was 1520 and he was described as five feet, five and a half inches tall with a dark complexion, black hair and brown eyes.
George Fee’s diary 18 November 1914; Another social send-off was held in the Hall this evening in honour of another lot of volunteers for the war. The guests were Joseph Harris my brother-in-law, Herb Sanquay, Harry Page and F. Jones, all of whom are leaving for encampment tomorrow morning.
Herbert was in the 16th Battalion, which landed in Gallipoli and continued in France. George Fee noted in his diary in September 1918: Wrote a letter to Private Herbert Sanquay tonight who is somewhere on the Western front.
During this time Emily was writing to the government regarding naturalization for her husband and herself and giving their address as Nine Pines, Boyanup.
Herbert returned to Australia on the Burma, disembarking at Fremantle in January 1919, and was discharged in March 1919. A “welcome home” was given him in February in the then new Boyanup Hall.
In October 1919 George Fee recorded: H. Sanquay called to get a paper signed in connection with land he is taking up under the Repatriation Scheme.
A description of the land chosen appeared in the Sunday Times in May 1924.
Area, 1120 acres, standing in the name of H. Sanquay situated 4 miles south of Dinninup: 220 acres Ist. Class chocolate and sandy loam; 190 acres sandy and gravelly redgum; balance 3rd. class gravel and sand, jarrah, redgum and sand; 130 acres cleared; 2 dams 300 c.y. each; 2 wells, 4-roomed house, man’s room, hay shed and shed.
Sunday Times, May 1924
Katie Brocklesby died in Perth Hospital in April 1929 and was buried in Karrakatta.
Emily died in her home in South Bunbury, in 1932, aged 77. She was considered deeply religious and Ernest placed a notice in the South Western Times, just days later, thanking “kind friends and particularly the members of the Church of Christ, Bunbury, for their kindness extended to me during my recent bereavement.”
Ernest died in January 1935, described in the South Western Times as “well-known throughout the district.” He and Emily are buried in the Bunbury Cemetery.
Herbert Sanquay died at the Old Men’s Home in Claremont WA, in February 1936, aged 52 years. A funeral director’s notice stated “late of Margaret River.” Members of the 16th Battalion cast red poppies into his grave at Karrakatta signifying “We Shall Never Forget.” Listening Post Perth reported that visits from old war-time cobbers did much to cheer him during his final illness.
References:
- George Fee’s diaries 1886-1942, edited by Norm Flynn.
- Bernard Brett interview, July 1985, Jenny Golding.
- Jenny “Venn” interview, 1988, Jenny Golding.
- The Lives of Impoverished Women in Fremantle 1890-1914 ,Thesis (2022) by Linda McGowan
- W.A. BMD
- Army records
Newspapers:
- South Western Times articles
- Sunday Times, May 1924.
Dardanup Heritage Collective 