A Picnic in Bush – Sirr Family

I was recently sent this wonderful photograph from OFH reader, Peter Sirr, who has given me permission to share this great image from his family album.

Peter tells me:-  This is a Sirr family photo circa 1914 (or before). They are at a picnic on a woodline out of Gwalia/Leonora.  The older white haired man in the middle is my great grandfather, Alfred Sirr, and on his right is my great grandmother Anne (Annie, Nance) Sirr (nee Jones).  Various family members and friends are also there.  The man to Anne’s right is, I believe, a Mr Rowe, who had a hairdressing saloon in Gwalia, and my grandfather, also Alf Sirr, (extreme left) went on to do an apprenticeship with him, and he also features in my grandfathers wedding photo.
Alfred senior came to Albany from NSW and walked to Coolgardie along the Holland Track and was there for a couple of years before heading to Gwalia. He died from miners lung, not long after this photo was taken. He was a shift boss on the Sons of Gwalia mine and also had his own mine about 7.5 miles NNE of Leonora from which he and two partners took quite a lot of gold.

Plaque on the Grave of Alfred SIRR in the Leonora Cemetery.

In Memory of ALFRED SIRR
20-12-1960 – 24-8-1914
Husband of Anne (Jones)
14-6-1961 – 6-12-1933
Father of Margaret, William, Byron, Annie, Alfred, Byron George
Erected in 1998 by his family of 10 Grandchildren.

Leonora Miner 28 August 1915

Alfred Sirr (extreme left) with the official staff of Sons of Gwalia Mine, ca.1900

Some more photos from the Sirr family album, taken around the Leonora Gwalia area:-

Alfred and Annie SIRR Gwalia

Annie and Maggie SIRR Leonora 1918

Byron SIRR Left Kneeling

Byron SIRR right rear

George Miller second left Gwalia

Photographs shared with the kind permission of the Sirr family

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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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