Over Door Carving

Marion St Clair Layman, known as Clair, was born at Wonnerup House on 6 July 1869, the fifth child of George Layman II (1838-1921) and Amelia (nee Curtis) (1842-1916). She was one of eleven children who all lived to adulthood. Clair was educated at Wonnerup School and then attended Bishop’s College in Perth, Western Australia. She returned to Wonnerup in 1886 and taught her younger siblings at her former school for one year.

Clair spent some time in Perth after her graduation where she became acquainted with Henry Charles Prinsep and his wife Josephine (nee Bussell). H.C. Prinsep was a competent artist and photographer, being a founding member of the West Australian Society of Artists. Clair became very accomplished at needlework and exhibited all over Australia, reputedly winning prizes in Melbourne, Coolgardie, and Perth.

In 1903 Clair travelled to Hawaii where she spent time with her Aunt Harriet, and it was here that she learnt chip carving. After returning home, she spent several years with relatives in Bridgetown. Whilst living there she became involved in the town’s social and political circles and began taking lessons in woodcarving from Gordon Holdsworth. In later years (1927) she studied woodcarving in Perth with William Howitt.

In 1930, Clair moved permanently into her new Busselton home at 70 Duchess Street where her carvings featured strongly in the furniture and fittings throughout the house. She also carved a fireplace surround for her parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. This can still be viewed at Wonnerup House, along with several other pieces of her work.

Clair Layman left Busselton and moved to Guildford where she died in 1949. Following her death, the house had several owners including the St. Vincent de Paul Society from 1991, before the building was demolished to make way for the Woolworths supermarket in 2012. The footprint of the original house can be seen in the carpark. These carvings – a pair of mantle shelf carvings, a cupboard front and over door piece – were displayed in the store until October 2024 when Woolworths management agreed to transfer ownership of the carvings to the Busselton Historical Society.