Mangowine Grave Sites

Statement of Significance

Charles Adams made a significant contribution to the development of the Nungarin district. In his roles as a pioneer pastoralist, a special constable, a well sinker, and in his function as owner of the wayside inn at Mangowine, he had a major impact on the establishment of the region.
The Adams graves which are a part of the Mangowine heritage precinct are icons of the pastoral and agricultural eras of the district's history.

Physical Description

The graves of Charles Frederick Adams and his granddaughter Constance Edna Payne are situated in a thin strip of land within Lot 1, Avon Location 972, on the eastern side of Karomin Road opposite the main Mangowine property.
An avenue of eucalypts are planted within the strip. Inscriptions on the graves read as follows:
Charles Adams
Husband of Jane Swaine Adams Died 28.4.1895 Result of a horse and dray accident at
Nokaning - about 4 miles from Nungarin Brought back to Mangowine for burial Aged 49 yrs Father of 11 children
(details on headstone are not consistent with generally accepted information
regarding Charles's death)
Constance Edna Payne
Born 30.4.1910
Died of bums at Mangowine at approximate age of 18 months Her death has not been registered anywhere in the state of W.A. Grand-daughter of Charles and Jane Adams.

History

Charles Frederick Adams was born in Scotland in 1846. It is believed that he came to Western Australia with his father, Thomas, on the Pyrenees in April 1853. The Adams family have always believed that Thomas came out as a Pensioner Guard, and this was stated in his death notice that appeared in the West Australian March 21st 1887. However, the Enrolled Pensioner Force was not published on the passenger lists, and his name does not appear on payroll records held in the Public Record Office in England, so this cannot be substantiated.
When Western Australia was compelled to accept convict labour in 1850, the British Government promised that one free person would be sent to the colony for every felon transported. With each convict ship, pensioned or expired soldiers were sent as guards. On arrival, these pensioner guards were available for engagement as labourers, but could also be called upon to assist in the event of any outbreak by prisoners. They were accompanied by their wives and children, and if they "made good", were promised 10 acres of land on a 7 year lease. They were allowed to select land within certain limits, and were granted £10 towards initial expenses, as well as the assistance of convict labour. If the property was improved within the tenure of the lease, they were granted free title.
Charles Adams would have been 7 years of age when he arrived with his father in 1853. He married Jane Swain(e) Glass in Toodyay on 6th November 1868.
Charles was a cobbler by trade, but entered into an agreement with Henry Twine to shepherd his sheep in the district east of Toodyay. After his marriage to Jane, Charles and his brother-in-law James Ward, took up a pastoral lease at Yarragin. In 1875 Charles took over the lease on the property at Mangowine, and proceeded to build a homestead there. The next year he extended the lease to 10,000 acres.
Jane and Charles were to have twelve children:
Edwin Born 8.7.1869 Died 29.6.1872
Elizabeth Jane Matilda born: 21.4.1871 died: 18.11.1951
David born: 1872 Died at Birth
Mary Annie born: 14.3.1874 died: 10.5.1931
Janet Amy born: 5.4.1876 died: 28.1.1896
Alice born: 24.3.1878 died: 19.9.1939
Minnie May born: 10.5.1880 died: 23.1.1954
Charles Edwin born: 4.10.1882 died: 8.10.1917
Henry David born: 5.2.1885 died: 28.5.1960
Kitty May born: 25.5.1887 died: 16.11.1948
Thomas George born: 6.5.1889 died: 1.12.1963
John born: 25.5.1891. died: 7.4.1905

In May 1877, Charles' father, Thomas Adams, was appointed as a special constable in the far-eastern settlements. Thomas lived in a small hut at Barbalin, and his main duty was to control aborigines who were becoming troublesome and killing sheep and pilfering settlers' goods. The next year Thomas also accepted the honorary duty of inspecting sheep flocks for scab. These duties were undertaken in conjunction with his regular police patrols. When Thomas retired in 1881, Charles took over his father's police duties at an annual salary of £120.
Water was a very precious commodity throughout the district, and the most important asset at Mangowine was the soak located below the base of the shelving rock. In dry seasons the supply of water was unreliable, and other wells had to be sunk.
In 1879 The Toodyay Road Board authorised Charles to put down 2 wells between Goomalling and Mangowine. There is evidence that he employed ticket-of-leave men for the project, because in Alexandra Hasluck's "Unwilling Emigrants", it is recorded that the ex-convict, William Sykes, was sent a letter addressed to "Well sinkers in care of Mr C.Adams."
The whole way of life at Mangowine changed radically when gold was discovered at nearby Moujakine in 1887. This find led to the opening of the Yilgarn fields in 1888. Prospecting teams passed through Mangowine on their way to the goldfields, and in order to cater for this passing trade, a wayside inn was built alongside the homestead, and a licence was granted in 1889.
The completion of the railway through Merredin in 1893 diverted the gold-rush traffic, and Charles found he was not so busy and was able to take the opportunity to do some prospecting himself. In 1895 while away from home on one of these trips, he died of a heart attack at Norkaning, just south of Nungarin. His body was brought back to Mangowine for burial.
Constance Edna was the daughter of Charles and Jane's tenth child, Kitty May, and her husband William Frederick ("Bill") Payne. When Kitty's marriage foundered, she returned to Mangowine with her children. In October 1911, 18 month old Constance died, and was later buried beside her grandfather Charles.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Intact
Authenticity: High

Condition

Very Good

Uses

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.