Mrs Maude King's House

Statement of Significance

The residence for many years of Mrs King a much respected local citizen. The house is a good example of the construction style of the period and is an important part of the town’s building stock.

Physical Description

It was built for the Lynch family. Mr Lynch came from Rushworth in Victoria in 1925 to cut sleepers and camped at Waining Pool. Later he was appointed foreman of the Roads Board and lived in this house until the 1940’s when he left to work in the Collie coalmines. Here he was gassed which precipitated his early death at the age of 55 years in 1950. The house was purchased by Mick and Maude King. It is now owned by Russell King.

History

In 1947 Mick and Maude King left the farm to live in Darkan, as Mick had been ill with a heart condition for some years. Maude‘s mother had also lived the last few years with them on the farm, but shortly after moving to Darkan, she passed away at the age of eighty eight years, only being ill for the last week of her life. Several months later Mick also died, and later Maude took in local school teachers and bank clerks for company and a little extra income. After turning 90 she was unable to look after herself and being an independent person, she decide to go to the newly opened Narrogin Nursing Home, where she lived to be in excess of 100 years at the time of her death. Maude King played the organ for the Anglican church as a young lady and continued until she was well into her seventies. At ‘Breezy Peaks’ members of the Williams Brotherhood or the Minister would stay overnight when they visited the district and on these occasions after tea at night, hymns would be sung. Mrs King was honoured with life membership of the Country Women’s Association and the Red Cross in recognition of her services to these organisations. Her husband Michael (Mick) King had come from Echuca, Victoria, to the goldfields just after the turn of the century. However, gold was not as easy to come by as he had hoped, so he moved to the Southwest timber country. Initially he was sleeper cutting at Holyoak, near Dwellingup, and later at Worsley, near Collie. Here he became an official of the Timber Workers Union for a short time before teaming up with his mates to take on the railway contract. King named his selection ‘Breezy Peaks’, and after some time in the area, married Maude Brown (daughter of pioneers Charles Frederick and Elizabeth Brown, settlers at ‘The Mount’ [Mt. Brown]. A timber-framed galvanised iron house was constructed, where they raised 10 children. King was the inaugural president of The (West) Arthur Football team founded in 1907 at a meeting at Maybrook. Mick King became the first President of the West Arthur Agricultural Society and the inaugural show at Darkan, in 1929, attracted 2000 people. A tireless worker for the show over many years, on show day Mick and the older children would leave before dawn with the exhibits etc., in the horse and cart, while Maude would follow a little later with the younger children in the sulky. King was also a member of the Roads Board until ill health forced his retirement, and during the second war was chairman of the Patriotic Committee in Darkan.

Integrity/Authenticity

Modifications: Few Extent of original fabric: Most

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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