Captain Kettle and the Toorak Hotel –

The death of William George JOUNING (better known to Old Campers as ‘Captain Kettle’), which occurred in Kalgoorlie a day or two ago, removes another member of the ‘Pioneer Brigade’, the ranks of which are rapidly thinning. The deceased did his share of battling in the early days, and chased the elusive weight with varying success until the opening of the Coolgardie, Exhibition, when he became a member of the working staff under Manager Jules Joubert.

Afterwards, he was a watchman under the old Salvage Corps started by Charlie Summers and one or two other business men, and then was the host of the Toorak Hotel, before Toorak became well nigh deserted. Captain Kettle was better known by reason of his peculiarly eccentric manner, which withal accompanied a warm heart and a kindly disposition. Before coming to Australia he rendered good service as a member of the City of London Fire Brigade, and he was very proud of the special service medal which he brought away from that body.

William G B JOUNING & Winifred Edna JOUNING-  Kalgoorlie Cemetery
– Photos Danelle Warnock

William is buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Kalgoorlie Cemetery with his daughter who was born after his death in Jul 1910 aged 2 weeks. At the time of his death William was working as a Marine Store Dealer. He lived in Edgar Street, South Kalgoorlie with his wife  ‘Mary Louisa ‘Polly’ nee SMITH and his two sons, Jack Wilfred Brett JOUNING age 9 and William George Brett JOUNING age 3. He was a member of the Kalgoorlie Volunteer Fire Brigade.

Truth 22 January 1910, page 4
W. G. B. Jouning, who died suddenly at South Kalgoorlie on Monday from alcoholic poisoning, was an interesting radical. In his earlier days he was a seafaring man, and had had a varied career generally. His store near the Kalgoorlie Racecourse was built and arranged on the lines of a ship’s pantry and storeroom, and the dug-out where he kept his liquor, was a most ingenious affair. A prosecution, a couple of years ago, for sly-grogging seemed to have fairly broken him up, and the ultimate effect on his business was very serious. Jouning was a familiar sight a little while back, in Hannan-street, driving a pair of midget ponies.

William George Brett Jouning was born in Midway, Kent, England in Jan 1857. He was the son of William Hiram ‘Henry’ Jouning and Louisa Jane nee Davis. He married Mary Louisa Smith in Fitzroy, Victoria in 1894, she 15 years his junior.