Hopetoun Post Office & Manual Telephone Exchange

Statement of Significance

There was a Receiving Office at Mary Ann Harbour 1.2.1900 at Lot 107. Esplanade and Hopetoun was
promoted to Post Office status on 21.2.1901. In 1905 (or earlier) a timber frame on stumps residential post
office was built. On 29 April 1905 Mr Keeley was appointed postmaster. The building has been reclad with
flat asbestos and there is a front verandah. In 1906 the Efford family was transferred from Widgiemooltha lo
Hopetoun Post Office which meant a coach trip to Perth, rail to Albany and by the steamer "Ferret" to
Hopetoun. They 'kept a goat herd to milk at sunset and chickens which laid under the floor boards'.
Jetty extension construction workers' pay packets were kept in the Post Office being broken into on
18.10.1909 while the postmaster Efford and his wife and family were sleeping in adjoining quarters. Mr
Efford was fired at but the bullet went through the pillow, grazing his head. Mrs Efford screamed and the
intruder escaped after hitting her over the head with an iron bar. He was caught the next day. The family
were all shaken by the incident and left Hopetoun at the end of die year. The Post Office was downgraded io
Allowance Office on 10.6.1927 (the year the East West Telegraph Line was abandoned and transferred to Easi
West Railway Line). In 1940 it was so!d to Stan Thompson of Newdegate. Later the Post Office and Manual
Telephone Exchange was reopened. It was owned by Harry and Thelma Crocker who ran the manual
telephone exchange until 1976 and the post office until it was transferred to the General Store across the
street.

Physical Description

The Post Office and Manual Telephone hxcliangc is a limber frame building built on stumps.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Mostly Intact

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

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.