Nangip Homestead

Statement of Significance

The Fisher family was one of the very early pioneers of the Darkan area and linked with the Marsh and ‘Gibbs’ families to open up the district for further settlement. It is now owned by the Kelliher brothers, descendants of the Fisher family.

Physical Description

The building is located near the east bank of a tributary of Nangip Gully, several kilometres south of Darkan. The kiln used to make the bricks was later used to make the bricks required for the Darkan Hotel. The house was built in two stages - the front section using the Flemish bond brick pattern and the rear English bond. Further extensions have been added to the rear. The original windows are still there, however the front wooden verandah posts have been replaced with tubular steel.

History

Thomas Fisher had been born in Essex, England, in March 1841/42 and arrived in the colony with his parents (Henry and Mary Anne), and brothers and sisters. Three more daughters were born in the colony, bringing the number of children to six (another died on the voyage). (Henry Fisher, who had been a labourer in England, settled at the Brunswick River, where he became a shepherd. Brunswick became the base from which many flocks were grazed inland through the forest country, as far as the upper reaches of the Collie River. His wife, Mary Anne, was a Marsh, and later another branch of this family were to become neighbours at Brunswick with the arrival of William Marsh and his family from England in 1854.) Thomas Fisher, being the oldest child, took over the role of bread winner for the family, on the death of his father in September 1862. With his move to ‘Nangip’ in about 1871, the Gibbs and the Fisher families became closely associated. Seventeen years after his sister Sarah-Ann married William Gibbs, Thomas (aged 50) married William’s sister Sophia (then aged 42), in May 1891. The couple had no children, but unfortunate circumstances within their extended family were later to see them raise four children. The illness, and the subsequent death, in 1899, of Harriet Marsh (wife of Charles of ‘Capercup’) resulted in the two young Marsh girls, Bella and Rachel, being brought up by their aunts, Sophia Fisher and Sarah-Ann Gibbs respectively. Bill Marsh (Charles and Harriet’s second son) married Elizabeth Elliott from Kulikup. They had two children, Rene (now Mrs Rudi Schinzig) and Charlie, but Elizabeth died at the birth of Charlie in 1915. Tom and Sophia Fisher then brought up these two small children. The Fishers also fostered their nephew Charlie (whose mother, Emma Fisher, later married William Marriott); then Bella Marsh, and later Bill Marsh’s two children. In 1916 Thomas Fisher died while attending a sheep that was down. His wife marked the spot with a wooden cross which is still evident. Bella Marsh eventually inherited ‘Nangip’ after the death of Tom and Sophia Fisher. Charlie Fisher inherited Hillman Downs but managed Nangip for Bella. Bella eventually married Bill Kelliher, whose sons today run the property in conjunction with their Wandering properties. Bill Kelliher was born in Sydney 1881. His parents emigrated from Ireland in the 1870’s. Bill Kelliher had a blacksmith and engineering shop in Narrogin.

Integrity/Authenticity

Modifications: Extensions to rear Extent of original fabric: Most

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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