Mr Crossman's House Ruins

Statement of Significance

Mr Crossman’s House Ruins is significant for its association with Mr Alan Fairfax Crossman, who was an active member of the local community in the early 1900s, including being the President of the Coogee Agricultural Society, and a member of the Fremantle Road Boards from 1904-1906.

Mr Crossman’s House Ruins is significant for its association with farming on the banks of Lake Coogee that followed the occupation of Pensioner Guards.

Mr Crossman’s House Ruins has aesthetic significance as a landmark ruin overlooking Lake Coogee, representative of early occupation and hobby farming uses in the area.

Physical Description

Mr Crossman’s House Ruins is situated on a knoll overlooking Coogee Lake. It was described as a ‘grand house’ originally, and had a quality finish with interior brick walls that were plastered. It had tall ceilings and a corrugated iron roof. It is still surrounded by a number of exotic species of plants such as pines, bougainvillea and palms as well as fruit trees including mulberry, pomegranate and fig. The dwelling is now a ruin, comprising limestone walls, with no roof structure intact.

History

Alan Fairfax Crossman was a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Judicature in England who immigrated to Western Australia c. 1902 from Berkhamstead in the County of Hertford.
He had an avid interest in birds and was the Hertfordshire county recorder in Ornithology from 1896 to 1901, publishing ‘Victoria County History of Hertfordshire’. He was a contributor to various journal articles in the United Kingdom and Australia. He also spoke out against the destruction of bird species which were becoming extinct in England.
In 1902 he applied for admission as a practitioner to the Supreme Court In 1905 he joined the firm of Kidson and Gawler, legal practitioners in Henry Street, Fremantle, which had been established at Fremantle for 12 years. The firm was then re-named Gawler and Crossman.
It is known that between 1904 and 1906 he was the President of the Coogee Agricultural Society. Mr. Crossman was appointed to represent the Society on the deputation to the Minister for Railways relating to the Jandakot railway
It is known that in 1905 he was residing in a house on the banks of Lake Coogee where he was one of number of settlers growing fruit and vegetables in the area. Mr Crossman had taken up farming in the area as a hobby, and his home was photographed in the Western Mail in 1906. Using this photograph and descriptions of the location of his house, it is considered likely that the ruins previously referred to as the ‘Grand House’, and thought to be one of the Pensioner Guard Cottages, was actually Mr Crossman’s house.
In 1905 it was reported that ‘Mr. Crossman appears to be' a desirable acquisition to the district, as he is not only an exhibitor of high-class horses, pigs, and poultry at these shows, but is a liberal contributor to the list of donors’. Mr A. F. Crossman was reported as a successful competitor at the Coogee Show, with prize winning black Orpingtons.
Mr Crossman took an active interest in the community during his time in Coogee. He was a member of the Coogee Agricultural Society, the Fremantle Polo Club, and Fremantle Hunt Club, hosting such events at his home in Coogee. Between 1904 and 1906 he was also a member of the Fremantle Road Boards.
Mr Crossman later moved to Broome where he continued to practice law. He also farmed in Doodlekine until going to Hawaii in 1911.
In 1915 Mr. Crossman enlisted with the Canadian Mounted Rifles, and was ranked as Captain. He was captured on 2 June 2016 at Sanctuary Wood, and reported as missing on 11 June 1916, and two days later his relatives were informed that he was a prisoner of war.
According to his Prisoner of War record he was captured in Schneidnitz on 2 June 1916. An account of the circumstances leading to his capture is documented, stating German shelling of his unit’s position. According to Crossman - “The officers and men stood about six hours terrific bombardment without any practical reply from our guns - and without being able to do anything themselves...” Because the infantry had no means of striking back at the Germans the lack of friendly artillery support was even more telling. After his capture, Crossman learned that the lack of support had been unavoidable: “We
all were waiting anxiously for our Artillery to reply but of course as we afterwards found out that was quite impossible as it wasn’t there.” Just before he was captured at Sanctuary Wood Alan Crossman recorded: “We found ourselves in Hill Street with six men four of whom (including Sergt P. Stoneham) were almost immediately killed by machine gun fire.”
It appears that after the war he and his wife Mary Sophia Eily Crossman lived in Mombasa, Kenya, where his profession is listed as being ‘advocate’ on the 1925 Mombasa Electoral Role.

Mr Crossman died in Malindi, Kenya in 28 November 1927, and his wife died in Nairobi 6 March 1955.

Integrity/Authenticity

High as ruins

Condition

Archaeological site / ruins only

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.