Mr and Mrs R J Robins - Early Pioneers From Subiaco.
A wonderful story about early Subiaco pioneers Mr and Mrs Robins who celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary in 1944. Together the couple share stories about their life together including living in Subiaco in the early years and their family and children.
The article is from Trove, the database of the National Library of Australia. No copyright infringement intended.
Sunday Times, 8 October 1944.
NEDLANDS COUPLE CELEBRATE
DIAMOND WEDDING
This week-end is a momentous one in the ufe of Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Robins of 76 Thomas-street, Nedlands. Today it the 60th anniversary of their wedding and, incidentally, the day of their nativity. Mr. Robins turns 81 and his wile 79. The occasion was celebrated yesterday by members of the family and friends.
Married at Prahran. Victoria, in 1884 the couple arrived in the State 11 years later, and were among the pioneers of Subiaco which then boasted a solitary shop.
Rokeby-road amounted to nothing more than a cart track, the rumble of trams was unknown, there was no electricity, and an improvised water supply necessitated the carrying of the all important fluid in kerosene tins from a well.
Wilderness Of Sand
Hay-street, then known as Broome-road, was, at the time of their arrival, more or less a wilderness of sand, but later, owing to an epidemic of smallpox, was surfaced (!) from Colin-street to the present-day subway leading through to Jolimont where a temporary cemetery was established. Karrakatta did not exist.
Mrs. Robins recounts with a measure of pride that she attended the first sale conducted at Boans, which in those days was an unpretentious little place standing on swampy land.
Her husband, who, according to his partner of 60 years standing nowadays, "has nothing to do." was a journeyman bricklayer, and started as such when he reached here. Later turning to building and contracting, he has a fund of anecdotes regarding the trade, but now confines his energies to the care of a wide, spange of lawns and a beautiful garden, in which cinerarias are his main weakness as well as the multitude of snails which constantly keep him on the alert.
Big Family
Originally there was a family of seven. At present it comprises of the couple’s three sons, two daughters, 13 grandchildren, and a great grand son.
One of the boys is a lieutenant instructor in a guerilla school, while another (Bert) was a foundation member of the Y.M.C.A and a champion long-distance runner. For three years he was unbeaten in the 10-mlle events, and was at one occasion an unpremeditated and innocent suspect of a robbery which had occurred in Mount's Bay-road. Simul-taneous with the time the police were making inquiries he chanced to be indulging in a customary practice run, was sighted by an alert custodian of the law and promptly pursued. Being so fleet of foot. It was not until the closed gates ot the Milligan-street crossing were reached that he was overtaken. Totally oblivious of what had happened, he was at a loss to understand why he should be interrupted in his outing, and had to rely on his wife to establish his identity.
In company with two of his boys Mr. Robins is and always has been, a total abstainer as far as alcohol is concerned, but is himself a rabid and consistent smoker. In the course of "assisting" his better-half in the beautiful surroundings o{ their home he seldom is seen without his pipe.
