One of Jarrahdale’s first settler families – the Bucklands – will be honoured at a special service on Saturday.
The Jarrahdale Heritage Society is hosting a Pioneer Memorial Service at 12pm this Saturday in St Pauls Church, Jarrahdale.
The Buckland family can trace their connection to Jarrahdale from the 1880s.
Bath-born Sylvanus Buckland was transported to Australia as a convict after being convicted of larceny for stealing a silver watch.
He married Mary Wallace in York in 1857, four years after arriving in Western Australia, and two years later received a conditional pardon.
He worked as an engineer in Perth in the 1860s, but moved to Jarrahdale following the construction of the first timber mill. He died in Jarrahdale on 25 April 1890 at the age of 57. His seven children went on to form an integral part of Jarrahdale’s society and mill workforce in the timber town’s early days.
And Buckland Cottage – now called Millbrook Cottage – still stands tall, pressed tin ceilings and all, 140 years since it was first constructed, albeit in a different location to where it was first built beside the old Millbrook Hotel.
The Jarrahdale Heritage Society has curated a special exhibition to honour the family, which will be on display at St Pauls.
Society President Diana Henniker said that a couple of years ago a similar memorial service to honour the Kings as a local pioneer family was well received by the community, with dozens attending.
“We believe these are important events because it brings people together,” she said.
In fact, Buckland family members are reported to be travelling from as far away as Canberra to attend the Memorial Service on Saturday.
The Heritage Country Choir have put up their hands to lead renditions of Abide With Me and Psalm 23 during the service.
After the service, there will be a lunch and then a wreath laying at a family grave in the Jarrahdale Cemetery.
All are welcome to attend.
