Minninup Homestead

Parent Place or Precinct

24632 Minninup Homestead Precinct

Child Places

• 24632 Minninup Homestead Precinct

Statement of Significance

The place is significant as the earliest remaining homestead in the Capel Shire, and associaitions with early settlers and identities in the area. It reopresents a way of life and changes over time, and contributes to the community's sense of place.

Physical Description

Originally a double story Victorian Georgian dwelling and with an attic, constructed of locally quarried dressed limestone with a shingle roof. In the 1902's the roof was repleced with corrugated iron, and the six dormer windows were replaced with small skylights. In 1968 restoration began. In 1987 ground floor extensions.

History

The Minningup property was first surveyed in 1843 for James Kay Child, a young Bunbury merchant who arrived in the colony in 1841. Minningup was Aboriginal for 'meeting place'. Child was diversifying his business interests into 'Bay Whaling' and brewing 'Colonial Sugar Beer', and erected a hut on the property for his servant Willaim Allen King as a tenant. King was soon joined by Childs, with financial troubles, and it has been claimed that the house was constructed in 1844 after the deed of grant January 1844, although Childs mortgaged the property to Samual Moore.
In 1846, Childs died and his friend Reverand Wollasten was executor, and King and a partner,John Bell, continued on an 'Improving lease' and probably continued the construction of the houses, which still not completed in 1848, and 1851 when it was advertised for sal, insuccessfully. In 1848, local residents petitioned for a church to be built in the nort side of the Minningup property.
In 1856, William Cunningham Ramsay purchased the property. He was one of the Australind early settlers in 1842, (maybe one of Bunbury's servants). He was a businessman in aprtnership with Child, operating a sly grog shop from Child's former store in Bunbury in 1861, and later operating whaling company. When he died in 1868, his second wife Grace, inherited thte property, with three young step children. Until 1873, she was a regular employer of Ticket of Leave Men, and the farm was run by the eldest son, James and James' cousin James. James was killed in 1879, and his brother William took over, inheriting the farm with his sister after Grace died in 1893. William Ramsay expanded the holdings and imported cattle and horses for breeding. He developed the 'finest property in the district' and was influential in the area, being a Bunbury Roads Board member for five years. After he died in 1924, his wife of 18 months inherited the property, transferred ownership to her sons, Michale and Adrian Murnane, in 1928. Both families lived there until 1936 when EJT Brockman of Dundinalup purchased the property. Mrs Ramsay lived in the homestead there for a number of years. By 1960, Brockman's son Francis Edward took over, the house was negelcted. After Ted (Francis edward) Brockman married Fiona in 1968, the restoration of the place began. In 1983, the place was reroofed and the dormer windows were replaced. In 1987 the ground floor was extended.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High Degree
Authenticity: Moderate Degree

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.