Ladies’ Day meeting

26 Jan 2021

The Probus Club of Kingsley’s November Ladies’ Day Meeting was a great success with guest speaker Rev. Rob Healy’s very interesting presentation on the early history of Perth and, in particular, the Swan Valley.

While many recognised the famous names of Captain James Stirling, John Septimus Roe and Charles O’Connor, many members may not have been aware of the role the church played, nor the names of these people who came here and developed the foundation / society which Perth and surrounding areas now enjoy.

Among the many interesting historical facts was the method John Septimus Roe adopted in allocating oblong blocks of land in laying out Perth ensuring people had fertile grazing land.

Or of people like Giovanni da Verrazzano, who paid aboriginal workers, defended them in court and was basically run out of town. Or the wife who opened the first aboriginal school, and so forth – amazing people who suffered great hardships.