STAND, CRUET

The cruet stand was used by the Skeet family as an example of dining items used in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Cruet sets were designed to contain condiments for a meal such as salt, pepper, oil and vinegar. Cruet sets could be dated back to the 1600s. By the 1800s and early 1900s they were a common feature on many tables. By the 1920s though the popularity of cruet sets began to wane and by the 1950s had all but disappeared. Today salt and pepper dispensers are still popular along with olive oil dispensers which have come back into fashion.
The Skeet family were one of the original founding British families of East Jandakot, today Forrestdale, in the early 1900's. They owned farmland along the western and northern edge of Forrestdale Lake. The Skeet family consisted of Alfred Tunbridge Skeet and George Tunbridge Skeet, until February 1912 when Alfred married Lillian Dumsday and together had five children. The Skeet family were very heavily involved in establishing the local community. Alfred Tunbridge Skeet was the local Justice of the Peace from 1910 and campaigned for numerous local amenities including a community hall and school. The hall was built, thanks to the generosity of the community in 1914 and would later house the areas first school with Miss Jeffery as the original teacher. Alfred was also the districts first Post Master with the post office located in a front room of the family home.
In 1915 following a campaign headed by Lillian Skeet the region's name was changed from East Jandakot to Forrestdale, in honour of Sir John Forrest, Western Australia's first Premier. Lillian was also an accomplished musician, having come from a very musical family. She was involved in organising the Christmas Tree Fêtes, which were held by the lake. By the 1950s the Skeet family had left Forrestdale.