Bardoc Photographs:- Footballers and School Children

As I have said in earlier posts, photographs of Bardoc are few and far between. These latest photographs have again been kindly shared by the family of Robyn McLean. Two are of the football teams of 1904 and 1905 and one of the school children. It is also wonderful to have some of the people identified.

Bardoc Football Club 1904

Frederick James Dudley is in both of them. In the 1904 photograph Frederick James Dudley is in back row, 5^th from left (2 down from player with black jumper and wide stripe). The player on Fred’s left is his brother inlaw (James Wightman) and the player in the second row, 4^th from left is Frederick’s step father, William Smith.

The 1905 photograph includes my Grandfather (Fred’s brother – Lionel Joseph Dudley, one of the few people buried in the Bardoc Cemetery). In the back row, from left are Lionel, Fred, I think the next one is James Wightman and the next could be Frederick’s uncle, William Steedman.

Bardoc Football Club 1905

Bardoc Football Article 16.06.1904, Kalgoorlie Miner

In the second row, from left, is Frederick’s step father, William Smith (with cap on) and seated on his knee is his daughter, Kathleen Smith. Kath is Lionel and Frederick Dudley’s step sister.  In 1905 Lionel Dudley was 22; Frederick Dudley was 21; James Wightman was 21; William Steedman was 27, William Smith was 38 and Kath was 2. (Robyn has also shown me a copy of the memoirs of Kath Smith, later Byrth which I will post at a later date when I have been given permission from the family.

This photo was taken in 1907 and in the background is the Bardoc Tearooms. Note how all the children and adults are particularly well dressed. In 1898 the Education Department had decided to close the school due to having too few pupils on the roll. The people of Bardoc then got together and asked if the children of the neighboring town of Black Flag could attend the Bardoc school thus making up the required numbers. The idea of a Half Time School was also discussed which is where the parents contribute to the costs. This doesn’t seem to have occurred and the school went on for a number of years up until about 1915 when again the number of students fell below the required and the school was closed.

Bardoc School 1907

Front row: 3rd from LHS: Adelaide (Addie) Mary JESSOP –
Front row: 5th from LHS: Kathleen (Kath) Mary SMITH
Front row: RHS with hat: Thomas (Tommy) James JESSOP –
Back row: LHS with hat: Eileen (Rene) Mary DUDLEY –
Back row: RHS with black hat: Margaret (Maggie) Ellen JESSOP –

Standing next to Maggie is a policeman whose name was Frances Edward SHERIDAN.(No 423) and he served there 14/9/1905 – 3/7/1908.

From: Kalgoorlie Miner (WA : 1895 – 1950) Monday 18 September 1905 p 3:-  Constable F. E. Sheridan left Bulong yesterday, he having been appointed to take charge of the station at Bardoc.Contstable Bendell is coming from Bardoc to take up Constable Sheridan’s duties.

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Moya Sharp

Owner at Outback Family History

My name is Moya Sharp, I live in Kalgoorlie Western Australia and have worked most of my adult life in the history/museum industry. I have been passionate about history for as long as I can remember and in particular the history of my adopted home the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Through my website I am committed to providing as many records and photographs free to any one who is interested in the family and local history of the region.

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