Framed Picture - Eleanor Dorinda Guerin (nee Berckelman)

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Overview

Wooden rectangular frame with coloured portrait of a woman seated with hands resting on her lap

Historical information

Eleanor Dorinda Guerin (nee Berckelman) - wife of Roger Guerin
Born: 1809 (Clare, Ireland)
Died: 16 Jan 1878 (Wonnerup, Western Australia) 69 years old

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-124-2021.142

Item type

Themes

Material

Contextual information

The Guerin family built the original cottage "Pigeon Grove Homestead" in Wonnerup.
(The house was named “Pigeon Grove” because of the abundance of bronze‐wing pigeons in the area.)
Eleanor and Roger were married in 1830, and raised their family of eight children on this farm.

Backstory: Charles Hutchins was born in the Busselton area of Western Australia around 1892. He was the son of Annie Harris and a bush worker Charles Hutchins.
Annie was the daughter of a highly respected stock hunter and farm hand Timothy Harris and Caroline Mulaney who were both of Aboriginal descent.
By the age of three, Charles had been placed in the Vasse Native and Half Caste Mission under the care of Charles Layman and his wife, Catherine (nee Guerin).
Following the death of Charles Layman in 1900, Charles was fostered by Catherine’s sister - Eleanor Guerin, a teacher and boarding housekeeper in Busselton.
The Chief Protector of Aborigines in Perth provided Eleanor 4p a day for maintenance, as well as a suit of clothes and a blanket each year.
Charles attended the Busselton State School from around 1902 through to 1907 along with Frederick Leslie Sayers, Later on, the two were both members of the Busselton Scout Troop.
Prior to enlisting with the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in Bunbury on 5 March 1915, Charles had been working as a mill hand at Kirup, some 50 kilometres to the east of Busselton.
On his application form, he listed Lucy Pries, another sister of Catherine and Eleanor, as his guardian. Within 24 hours, Charles had made his way to Blackboy Hill where he commenced training,
On 2 June 1915, Charles was assigned to the 28th Battalion (for more information regarding Charles' military history, refer to "Australian Army Museum of WA", ID Registration No: cwa-org-32-54-705)

Keywords

Portrait

Wonnerup

Place made

Western Australia, Australia

Primary significance criteria

Historic significance

Social or spiritual significance

Last modified

Tuesday, 30 September, 2025

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