Samuel Rowe's 100th Birthday Celebration

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Overview

Samuel Rowe in his living room being presented with a Claremont Town Council gift by Mayor Harry Milner. Councillor Peter Mews and Mr Rowe's daughter on left, Councillor Hodgkinson on right. Table with refreshments in front of curtained window.

Historical information

Born in Ballarat on 8 October 1867, Sam Rowe, moved to WA in 1888. He visited Cossack before settling in Northam and starting building. There he met and married Kate Murphy Gibbings on 8 February, 1896. They moved to Coolgardie where he worked as a builder before starting a Timber Yard selling timber, glass, wallpaper and rain water from the roof! A skilled competitive cyclist, he rode to Kalgoorlie by bicycle twice a week to bring mail to Coolgarie. He later established a Timber Yard in Kalgoorlie to which he travelled daily over rough tracks by bicycle. In 1911 Sam and his wife and children (Sydney aged 14, Beatrix 11 and Kath 4) moved to the Subiaco/Shenton Park area before Sam bought land in Claremont in 1913. He built his home.at 9 Langsford Street and established his building and carpentry business, S Rowe & Son., in which he played an active part until the age of 95. He lived in this home with his son, Reg, until his death on 3 July, 1974. In 1965 he was the oldest licensed motor driver in Australia, regularly and very slowly driving his Morris Minor to shop in Bay View Terrace, until relinquishing his licence at the age of 98. A keen sportsman, Sam established and captained a rifle club in Coolgardie and played lawn bowls for many years in Claremont, enjoying a game on his 100th bithday .

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-28--3-208-

Item type

Photographs

Links to additional resources

Claremont Museum.