“The Man With The Sweets”...Subiaco Resident Honoured (1937).
This is a wonderful story about a Subiaco resident Mr Henry Edmeades, of Hamersley Road, Subiaco turning 100 years old in 1937 and celebrating with his family, the community and the children from the Subiaco State School.
Children from the Subiaco State School attended the celebrations at his home and sang two of Mr Edmeades’ favourite hymns and a range of secular songs. A group of children from the Subiaco Infants School attended and performed songs, dances and recitations. The children also gave Mr Edmeades a bookmark, a card they made and baskets of flowers. Mr Edmeades was delighted with the presentation and thanked the children and their teachers.
In April the following year The West Australian reported that Mr Edmeades had sadly passed away. The children of Subiaco held a special place in his heart. “...The children of Subiaco had a special affection for Mr. Edmeades. He was known to them as "the man with the sweets," a title which he earned by his habit of carrying a bag of sweets with him on his frequent visits to the Subiaco Municipal Gardens and giving the sweets to the children playing there...” His wife had recently died aged 99 years.
The newspaper articles and photograph are from Trove, the database of the National Library of Australia. No copyright infringement intended.
West Australian, 23 November 1937.
A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
Subiaco Resident Honoured.
Surrounded by his family and friends, honoured with a visit from the Lieut. Governor (Sir James Mitchell) and Lady Mitchell, and serenaded by the children of his district, Mr. Henry Edmeades, of Hamersley-road, Subiaco, celebrated the 100th anniversary of his birth. His health was better than it had been for some time.
The home was decorated with many flags and a great quantity of flowers supplied by the Subiaco Municipal Council. The dining-room was a study in pink, all the flowers and decorations being in tone, with the exception of a bunch of magnolia presented by Lady Mitchell. A two-tier birthday cake was surnmounted with a device representing a ladder leading to the "golden key to the century." Horseshoes bearing the word "centenary" adorned the table, on which was spread a beautiful crocheted, cloth worked by Mr. Edmeades's late wife, who died recently at the age of 99.
The Mayor of Subiaco (Mr. W. Richardson), accompanied by councillors and the Town Clerk, were among the first visitors, and a delegation from the old age pensioners called and presented to Mr. Edmeades an address signed by about 70 of their number. Visitors, telegrams and letters were arriving throughout the day, bringing congratulations to the centenarian.
In the afternoon, a party of children, representing the 1,000 attending the Sublaco State and infants' schools, Bagot road, arrived at the home, and sang two of Mr. Edmeades's favourite hymns, "Rock of Ages" and "Nearer, My God, to, Thee," and a number of secular songs. A party from the infants' school gave action songs, dances and recitations. The children presented baskets of flowers, a book-mark and a framed birthday card made by themselves. Mr. Edmeades smiled in obvious delight at the enter-tainment, and thanked the children and their teachers, Mr. R. A. Morrison and Misses Dowding and Stanbury. Thanks were also expressed by his family, those present including his daughters and sons, Mrs. Hudson Eastwood (who recently came from Melbourne to arrange the celebrations), Miss Edmeades, and Messrs Alex. and Edward Edmeades, and a number of the third generation. Born in Kent, England, Mr. Ed-meades migrated to Australia at the age of 17 years, and settled in Western Australia 40 years ago. He owned and conducted the Avon brewery at Northam for ten years, and during that period was a councillor. Since then he has lived in retirement at Subiaco, though he was very active and until a few months ago regularly visited Perth. He was popular with the children of Subiaco, for he often visited the municipal gardens and gave sweets to the children.
Children at the Subiaco State school singing to Mr. H. Edmeades yesterday when he celebrated his 100th birthday.
West Australian, 8 April 1938.
A CENTENARIAN'S DEATH.
The late Mr Henry Edmeades.
Aged 100 years and a few months, Mr. Henry Edmeades, of Hamersley-road, Subiaco, died last night after a short illness. A native of Kent, he migrated to Australia at the age of 17 years and then settled in this State 40 years ago. The children of Subiaco had a special affection for Mr. Edmeades. He was known to them. as "the man with the sweets," a title which he earned by his habit of carrying a bag of sweets with him on his frequent visits to the Subiaco Municipal Gardens and giving the sweets to the children playing there. His generosity was recognised by the children on the occasion of his hundredth birthday, last November, when a large party from the Subiaco State school visited his home and sang two of his favourite hymns and a number of secular songs to him. He was also visited by the Lieut. Governor (Sir James Mitchell) and Lady Mitchell and by the Mayor (Mr. W. Richardson) and councillors of Subiaco. Mr. Edmeades owned the Avon brewery at Northam for ten years and during that period he served as a councillor on the Northam Municipal Council. He had lived in Subiaco for the last 30 years and, until a few months ago, he made regular visits to the city. Mr.Edmeades's wife died recently at the age of 99.
