WATER BAG [BOANS]

Water bag purchased from Boans department store in Perth. Boans was opened in 1895 on a block of land between Murray Street and Wellington Street. Customers from across Western Australia could either visit the store or purchase items from it via mail-order. The business closed down in 1986 and the store was demolished to make way for a new shopping development.
The canvas water bag was popular in Australia from the mid-1800s through to the late 1900s. It was a light, reliable and easy way to transport a personal source of water. The bags would become wet from the water inside so users would often hang them up when there was a breeze or placed at the front of motor vehicles to allow the wind to evaporate the condensation on the bag which would in turn cool the water inside the canvas bag.
It is believed that this water bag was used by the Legeune family who leased and worked at Boondanoo Station just outside of Mount Magnet. The family operated the station from the 1910s through to 1948. The water bag was kept Patricia who grew up on the station.
Patricia Mary Singleton (nee Lejeune) was born in Perth in 10 June 1920 and grew up on Boondanoo Station near Mount Magnet where she lived with her parents, sisters Joscelyn and Ayris and brother David.
The family leased the Boondanoo Station and Patricia grew up helping around the station, rounding up cattle on horseback, repairing fences and shearing sheep as well as helping tend the vegetable garden. Patricia and her family also attended numerous social events in the district from fancy dress balls to fundraisers for the local hospital.
When she was growing up she loved to play with her toy animals. She had a set of metal zoo animals and wooden farm animals. Some of the animal toys were possibly sent to her by an Aunty who lived in America. She also had porcelain dolls which she kept and treasured when she grew into an adult.
In May 1931 tragedy struck the family when Patricia’s father, Edward Russell Lejeune was accidentally shot and killed by a kangaroo shooter on the property. Newspapers reported that Edward, his wife Rachel and their three children were talking to a roo shooter when Edward was shot. A second roo shooter shot a roo, the bullet passed through the kangaroo, travelled for approximately half a mile before striking and killing Edward.
Rachel and the family continued to live at the station, hiring a station manager to run the stations daily operations. Following a long drought in the mid-1940s, Rachel sold the lease in 1948 moved to Subiaco to live with her sister.
Patricia decided to move over east and continued to work at a number of stations. It was during this time she met and married Bob Singleton who she met though a local tennis party. Patricia and Bob continued to work on stations. During this time Patricia gave birth to twin girls. While living in Queensland, Bob was struck in the back by a falling log and died at Toowoomba hospital.
Following Bob’s death Patricia decided to return to Western Australia with her two girls, driving across the country. It took her ten days. On returning Patricia spent time working in Geraldton and spent the new few years moving around a lot depending on where she could get work.
Eventually Patricia settled down in Armadale where she spent the rest of her day, passing away in 2010.