Published on Sunday, 19 January 2025 at 9:58:00 PM
This edition of #TimeWarpTuesday we are celebrating the life of a local woman who was born, grew up, married, raised her family and lived her entire life within the suburbs of the Town of Victoria Park
Vale Jessie Alma Inman (1929-2024)
Born in Victoria Park, raised in Carlisle, married in, setting up their new family home and raising their children in East Victoria Park; Tom and Jessie Inman (nee Holmes) lived the Australian dream. Jessie was to call this part of our Australian paradise home for 95 years, 4 months and 18 days. She was living her 96 year and still living in the family home in Etwell Street, East Victoria Park to the very end. She is survived by three children, five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Some might be reading this post and wondering why it was written, and on the occasions this Local-History Coordinator met Mrs Inman, the later would modestly say, “but why would anyone be interested in my life?”. And in answer to our readers, and also how I explained it to Mrs Inman over the time, Mrs Inman had lived through many interesting times and saw much change in technology, World War II, school and family life and many other cultural and social changes amidst the development of the area we call the Town of Victoria Park. Her humility, her joyful smile and her love for her husband and family shines through her story, and I think when you read her story, you too will understand why it was a wonderful life.
I was first introduced to Mrs Inman’s story through her daughter entering the Local History Awards in 2021. Sharon Mitchell entered into the personal memoirs category of the Awards with the recounting of her mother’s then 91 years in Victoria Park. Sharon one equal first place for her entry and this week we are pleased to share it with you. We hope you enjoy:
“Jessie's Story: 91 Years in the Town of Victoria Park
“Victoria Park and its sights and surrounds have always coursed through the being of my 91‑year-old mother, Jessie.
“Her grandparents had arrived in Western Australia from Scotland in 1913 aboard the Zealandic with their five young children and spent their first months living in a canvas tent. They eventually bought land in Carlisle from Peet & Co and farmed with two cows, a horse, chickens, growing maize, peanuts, almonds, muscatel grapes and the most wonderful Black Adam fig tree.
“Their youngest daughter, also named Jessie, married William Holmes in 1929 and the teenagers set up their first home in Westminster Street. It was at the nearby Sister Seabourne’s Maternity Home on Berwick Street, near the corner of Mackie Street, where Nurse Urrie delivered my mother in August 1929.
“The 1930s were a difficult time for all due to the lack of work resulting from the Depression and with another four children arriving before the end of decade, the young Holmes family moved to a rented house in Sydenham Street, living next door to their grandparents. Outings to Tomato Lake and Como Beach (wearing itchy, red wool swimsuits) were undertaken in a horse and cart. Eventually the family moved to another rented house located at 20 Star Street, Carlisle.
“At the time, Star Street was a roughly paved road, however, the intersecting street of Roberts Road was then nothing more than a soft dirt track. Mum remembers two lines of jarrah railway sleepers being laid end-to-end creating a plank road which enabled the horse-drawn carts of the baker, milkman, and iceman to journey along without their wheels becoming bogged.
“Mum and her four younger siblings spent many hours running through the bush at the top of Star Street where they would often come across men training trotting horses. The children would spend hours happily make cubbies in the native Woolly bushes, using broken china they found as plates and decorations for their “house” - thinking they were so rich!
“The outbreak of World War II saw Mum’s father depart Star Street to join the Australian Army, leaving his wife to raise their young family. The children began their education and walked to Carlisle Primary School, always with a stop at 253 Orrong Road, diagonally opposite “The Big Tree” bus stop, to visit their Aunt Meg Spooner who was instrumental in founding the Presbyterian Church in Mint Street.
“In 1942 and 1943 Mum made the journey to Perth Girls School each day until, like so many of her era, she had to leave school to help supplement the family income - she was just 14 years old. She would walk from Star Street, along Archer Street which changed into Mint Street at the railway line, all the way to Albany Highway to her job at Aitkens Grocery store, near the corner with Basinghall Street. Here Mum worked as a shop assistant stacking shelves with jams, sugar, and flours, with most of her wage going straight to her mother.
“At the age of 14 years and 10 months, Mum started work at Morris & Co Fashion House in Pier Street earning 14 shilling and 8 pence per week. Mum would catch the Carlisle Bus Service, owned by Bert Armstrong and Fred White, traveling along Star Street, to Howick Street, then into Gallipoli Street and on to Great Eastern Highway and across the Causeway.
“Each day Mum and her siblings were expected to help their parents make and move cement bricks that were being used to build their new home on a block purchased a few doors down from their rented house in Star Street. This was hard work for all the family; however, it resulted in a home they were all proud of.
“Walking each Tuesday evening to the Savoy Picture Theatre located on the corner of Mint Street and Albany Highway, opposite Craigs the Boot Maker, spending sixpence on a ticket to see the latest movie is a happy memory for Mum. At the end of the night, she would walk home never feeling worried or concerned in the darkness.
“In March of 1951 Mum was married to my father [Tom Inman] at St Peter’s Church of England in Leonard Street, Victoria Park by the Reverend Ralph Thomas. Mum estimates 50% of the people she knew were married in this church by Reverend Thomas - it was such a busy place for weddings and christenings.
“Dad was a returned serviceman and worked at the State Sawmill Building Supplies located by the railway on Mint Street (now the site of East Victoria Park Primary School). He was able to purchase a War Service block of land in the Millen Estate on Etwell Street, East Victoria Park for £100. Together with Mum’s father and brother, they set about building a house on land that was a stone’s throw away from the Collier and Bentley Pine Plantations.
“Mum, Dad and their 18-month-old son moved into their own home on 14 April 1956.
“Etwell Street was populated by many returned servicemen, their brides and children, providing a busy and friendly neighbourhood to raise a family. The rule of “come home when the streetlights come on” applied to all.
“Mum saw the now beautiful and green Higgins Park evolve from a yellow sand open space, being fondly known as “Higgins Desert” and remembers the ungrassed banks of Fraser Park being used by children for sand sliding on pieces of cardboard.
“Mum never learned to drive, so public transport on the old MTT routes of 25, 27 and 28 were her way of getting about with her children in tow or by walking. Many times, she would walk from her home in Etwell Street over to her mother’s house in Star Street, Carlisle, often with the children riding their tricycles. A walk to her mother’s house was never complete without calling into JW Cakes on the corner of Albany Highway and Canterbury Terrace for their delicious Spice Cake or Jam Roll. After leaving JW’s, it was a walk passing the shops of Hendricks Photography, McGee’s Newsagency, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Stephenson Jewellers with the revolutionary supermarket of Coles New World of Shopping opposite. A special treat for the children was a little boat cake purchased from the Ideal Bakery on the corner of Archer and Planet Streets, run by Mrs Hunter.
“The small cluster of shops on Etwell Street, including Mr Egar’s 4 Square Market or Pete & Jean’s Fruit and Vegetable Supply, provided the family with their groceries. Anything required beyond their stocked items, necessitated a walk down to Albany Highway. Many, many Fridays saw Mum walk “down the street” and return up the very steep Hampshire Street hill carrying full shopping bags.
“Albany Highway provided the young families with a myriad of shops and services. Mum’s memory is sharp and clear with memories of Mrs Dewar and her delicious small goods, Reynolds the Butcher, the original Sinclair’s Jewellers, Hulletts’ Hardware, Tip Top Arcade with Betts & Betts and Tom the Cheap, Mr Goldberg the Dentist, Manchester House, Macy’s Fabrics, Miller’s Sports and the Bluebird Lotteries with their colourful array of charity tickets secured to wooden boards by large silver bulldog clips.
“Mum was very involved in her children’s sporting lives and many weekends were spent watching Central’s Football Club playing their games at Higgins Park, Fraser Park and Raphael Park. Athletics competitions were held at McCallum Park, culminating in the Rotary Fair Carnival in the Spring.
“Mum raised three children with her husband of 58 years in the house he built and still lives there independently. She often reflects on what an amazing time she has lived through from seeing horse-drawn carts making deliveries to man walking on the moon; from being a schoolgirl knitting socks for the soldiers in World War II to seeing the terror attacks of 9/11; from setting up her family home as a young bride to becoming a proud great-grandmother - 91 wonderful years all lived within the Town of Victoria Park.”
Thank you to the family of Mrs Inman, for graciously sharing this story and photographs with us, they are a priceless treasure that marks the passage of time as it was within the Town of Victoria Park and testify to a truly wonderful life.
Rest In Peace Mrs Jessie Alma Inman (1929-2024)
#LoveVicPark
References:
Mitchell, Sharon 2021, ‘Jessie’s Story: 91 Years in the Town of Victoria Park”, 2021 Town of Victoria Park Local History Awards entry, https://www.victoriaparklibrary.wa.gov.au/local-history/local-history-awards/past-awards.aspx
PH00329-04 Jessie Alma HOLMES, circa December 1929 (to become INMAN in 1951), eldest granddaughter of Alexander John Spark DARGIE at Hawkstone Street, Carlisle shaded by a lace parasol. Courtesy of Sharon Mitchell and the Inman Family. Local History Collection, Town of Victoria Park Library Service.
PH00329-09 Jessie Alma HOLMES (later INMAN) c.1931 near woodpile at Hawkstone Street with family dog and cat. Courtesy of Sharon Mitchell and the Inman Family. Local History Collection, Town of Victoria Park Library Service.
PH00333-01 Jessie and her class at Carlisle Primary School, Jessie has a white ribbon and is in the middle of the second row from the front. Courtesy of Sharon Mitchell and the Inman Family. Local History Collection, Town of Victoria Park Library Service.
PH00333-02 - Jessie and her class at Carlisle Primary School, Jessie is the little girl with a black ribbon in her hair, last on the right in the back row. Courtesy of Sharon Mitchell and the Inman Family. Local History Collection, Town of Victoria Park Library Service.
PH00044-05 Bill Holmes beginning construction of his house at 28 Star Street, Carlisle laying handmade cement bricks. April 1948. Courtesy of Sharon Mitchell and the Inman Family. Local History Collection, Town of Victoria Park Library Service.
PH00331-02 Jessie Alma Inman (nee Holmes), studio wedding portrait, 3 March 1951. Courtesy of Sharon Mitchell and the Inman Family. Local History Collection, Town of Victoria Park Library Service.
PH00332-05 The newly married Tom and Jessie Inman exit St Peter’s Anglican Church, Leonard Street, Victoria Park, 3 March 1951. Courtesy of Sharon Mitchell and the Inman Family. Local History Collection, Town of Victoria Park Library Service.
PH00327-01 - Construction of Rupert Allen “Tom” and Jessie Alma INMAN (née Holmes) War Service home at 75 Etwell Street, East Victoria Park. Block cost 100 Pounds and construction was undertaken by Tom Inman, his father-in-law William Edward “Bill” HOLMES Snr and brother-in-law William Edward “Bill” HOLMES Jnr, circa 1955. Courtesy of Sharon Mitchell and the Inman Family. Local History Collection, Town of Victoria Park Library Service.
PH00327-02 - 75 Etwell Street, East Victoria Park - home of Rupert Allen “Tom” and Jessie Alma INMAN (née Holmes) - red brick front foundation, light blue painted asbestos, mottled red and dark red Bristile clay glazed tiles, red painted cement verandah and path, circa 1955. Courtesy of Sharon Mitchell and the Inman Family. Local History Collection, Town of Victoria Park Library Service.
PH00327-06 - 75 Etwell Street, East Victoria Park - home of Rupert Allen “Tom” and Jessie Alma INMAN (née Holmes) - the family moved in on 21 April 1956, circa 1956. Courtesy of Sharon Mitchell and the Inman Family. Local History Collection, Town of Victoria Park Library Service.
PH00327-03 - 75 Etwell Street, East Victoria Park - home of Rupert Allen “Tom” and Jessie Alma INMAN (née Holmes) - children Ken and Carol INMAN on the front steps, circa April 1958. Courtesy of Sharon Mitchell and the Inman Family. Local History Collection, Town of Victoria Park Library Service.
PH00327-04 - 75 Etwell Street, East Victoria Park - home of Rupert Allen “Tom” and Jessie Alma INMAN (née Holmes) - with navy blue Vauxhall Velox in the driveway. 74 Etwell Street (the Cowle family) and 76 Etwell Street (the Donovan family) houses in the background, circa mid 1950s. Courtesy of Sharon Mitchell and the Inman Family. Local History Collection, Town of Victoria Park Library Service.
PH00327-07 - 75 Etwell Street, East Victoria Park - home of Rupert Allen “Tom” and Jessie Alma INMAN (née Holmes), circa early 2000s. Courtesy of Sharon Mitchell and the Inman Family. Local History Collection, Town of Victoria Park Library Service.
Sharon Mitchell (centre) with her two daughters, Lexington (left) and Savannah Mitchell (right), pictured at the 2021 Local History Awards Exhibition. Local History Collection, Town of Victoria Park Library Service.
Jessie Alma Inman (nee Holmes), circa 2021.
Courtesy of Sharon Mitchell and the Inman Family.Local History Collection, Town of Victoria Park Library Service.
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