Craneford Homestead

Statement of Significance

The building is important for its connection with the first European settlement of the area and for its association with pioneering families. The building is a fine example of the style, construction methods and use of building materials in this period.

Physical Description

A large stone house built in 1907 by a Mr Smith from Moojebing who erected a lot of houses in that area. The roof has three hips. Over the years it has been extensively modified and modernised. It is set on a granite rise with plentiful access to stone building material. It is about 1.5 km north west of Cartmeticup Well and probably this was the source of water initially. (Henry Brown's Cartmeticup Well selection was incorporated into Craneford after Brown's death in 1917

History

On Christmas Day 1895, Oliver Crane (a bachelor), arrived from Angaston, SA at his sister Susan's, enroute to the Goldfields. He was urged to stay in the district. The next year he acquired land joining his brother-in-law Andrew Patterson on the south boundary.

Soon after his arrival, he confided in the newcomer George Jefferies - "I am going to keep sheep and I am going to get married". These were two decisions in which Jefferies believed Crane acted wisely. In order to run sheep, he had to overcome the water problem experienced by him and the other settlers. He was the first in the district to use a scoop for dam sinking. This was done by using a heavy single furrow plough to loosen the soil and an earth scoop operated by a man on the handles to fill and empty it. As it was common to strike rock or tree stump this was quite a hazardous job as George Jefferies foimd out when helping with the scooping. A crack under the jaw from one of the handles, he never forgot.

It was not long before Crane procured a small flock of sheep from al local source and later imported more from SA. Included in these were a consignment of Lincoln rams and Merino ewes in November 1908. For a time he kept a small Lincoln flock, but disposed of them to breed more stud Merino's, the prefix being Craneford Stud which he successfully ran until he was forced through ill health to have a dispersal sale in 1926. At the sale he sold all his stud sheep and farm machinery. His flock was founded on Murray blood from SA and was the first Merino stud in the district. Another first for Oliver Crane was the purchase in 1912 of the first motor car in the district, a Maxwell with the headlights operating on presto gas from a metal bottle.

After Oliver Crane's retirement in 1926, the original property Craneford, was taken over by his youngest son, Arthur, who married Mabel, daughter of George and Edith Jefferies, and later by his youngest son, Kevin. Oliver's eldest son, Charles, continued farming part of the property further north west which included the old Oaklands selection of H Mouritz. The other son, Walter, farmed at Moojebing for a time before shifting to Bencubbin. When Oliver Crane died at Nedlands in May 1932, he left an estate valued at approximately 11,000 pounds. His wife, Amy, had pre-deceased him 10 years before.

Integrity/Authenticity

Original Material: Most
Modifications: Some

Condition

Very Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

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This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.