Framed Photograph of John Abbey I

In 1841 Thomas Abbey I arrived in the Vasse District from Newtown, Ireland, with his wife Mary Ann (nee Minion). During the labour shortages of the 1840s Abbey worked for John Bussell. Abbey lived for a short while in Wonnerup before buying land to the west of Busselton, in Broadwater, and becoming an independent farmer. In 1851 Abbey began construction of the family homestead, Newtown House, possibly with the aid of convict labourers, who had recently arrived in the district. Thomas and Mary Ann had 4 children David, Nathaniel, John (Nathaniel and John were twins) and Thomas II .

John and Nathaniel were apparently the first twins to be born in the district. They were both tall and bearded and became known locally as ‘The Abbey Twins’. John was familiar with the Noongar languages and practices and was often used to help in negotiations with the local indigenous people.

Ellen Weetman was the daughter of Irish immigrants, Christopher and Judith Weetman, who arrived in the colony in 1855 on board the Berkshire. Christopher Weetman was a mason and master bricklayer who acquired a property, located one mile from Busselton Post Office and ¼ mile from the main road and appropriately called it ‘One Mile Farm’. This site matches the location of what is now known as ‘Phoebe Abbey’s house’. Around 1865 he built the first sections of ‘Phoebe Abbey’s House’ and lived in it with his family until he tragically drowned 1867, at the age of 45.

John Abbey, married Ellen Weetman (1848-1915) in 1870 and they took over the Weetman property. John and Ellen Abbey lived at the farm with their family of seven children, Edith (1871-1938), May (1872-1927), Agnes Rose (1875-1949) , Christoper John (1877- 1937), Nathaniel Thomas (1881-1948) and Kathleen Mabel (1884-1969).

When Ellen Abbey died in 1915, John’s twin brother, Nathaniel and his wife Adelia relocated from Abbey Farm to ‘Phoebe Abbey’s house’. The house remained with John Abbey until his death in 1933 and was then occupied by family members until the 1983 death of Phoebe Abbey (nee Mewett), the wife of John’s eldest son Christopher.