In 1903 there were 284 people listed on the Roll – 212 from Koo Wee Rup and 72 from Yallock, there were 138 women and 146 men. As you would expect the major occupation was farming – there were 109 farmers, including three women, Elizabeth Fraser of Koo Wee Rup and Annie Yeaman and Helen Reitchel both of Yallock. According to the Cranbourne Shire Rate books many of the farms were only 20 acres, with over half being 40 acres or under. There were also five graziers listed - Charles and William Moody of Koo Wee Rup, Henry and John Lyall of Yallock and Henry Beattie also of Yallock. I don’t know what qualified a person to call themselves a grazier – if it was based on acres, then the Cranbourne Shire Rate Books list Beattie with 1,193 acres and Charles Moody with 647 acres, however Charles’ brother Christopher had over 1,800 acres and he called himself a farmer, so maybe one branch of the family thought they were more gentrified than the other.
Rossiter Road from what is now Alexandra Avenue, Koo Wee Rup, 1903.
Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society photo
The other occupations give us some insight into the commercial activities in the town at the time – Koo Wee Rup had Robert Laidlaw the blacksmith; Patrick Bergin the boot maker; Henry Woodman, the butcher; Michael O’Shea, a carrier; Abraham Choury, the draper; William Kilgour, a gardener; Alfred Wilkson, a saddler; George Dempster, the Station Master and Charles Barbour, a railway employee. There were 20 men who had Labourer listed as an occupation. We also had two teachers - Grace McKenzie and John Minahan. Mrs McKenzie started at the Koo Wee Rup State School No. 2629 (then called the Yallock school, out on Bethune’s Road) in 1888 and was there until 1911. Her husband George is listed on the roll as an Engineer. Koo Wee Rup had three grocers – Elizabeth O’Riordan, James Rundle and John Sykes.
Of the 138 women listed, 132 had their occupation listed as the all purpose “Home Duties” – including both Helen and Florence Lyall, the daughters of William and Annabella Lyall of Harewood, this is in spite of the fact that they both held land in their own names, Helen had at least 250 acres. The Cranbourne Rate Books has “Lady” as their occupation – which I presume means that they were of independent means and didn’t need to work. The other six women were the three farmers, the grocer Elizabeth O’Riordan, Mrs McKenzie and finally Clara May Allardyce, of Yallock, who was listed as a Governess.
The Electoral Rolls give us an interesting insight into our region and many of the names from 1903 are still remembered in the area by road names or some of their descendants are still around - Bethune, Burhop, Gilchrist, Johnston, Lineham, Lyall, Mickle, Moody, Rossiter, Ware, Woodman etc.
The first Federal election in Australia took place in March 1901, and was conducted according to the voting legislation in each State. This Parliament enacted the Commonwealth Franchise Act of 1902, which gave the vote to most adults - both males and females - who were British subjects over the age of 21. The first election under this Act took place on Wednesday, December 16, 1903. We should appreciate the fact that women, including the 138 Koo Wee Rup and Yallock women listed on the 1903 roll, were eligible to enrol to vote and stand as candidates. This didn't happen in England until 1918, when women over 30 got the right to vote (women over 21 got the right to vote in 1929). In the United States women couldn't vote until 1920 and there are still countries in the world where women cannot vote. As a matter of interest, women in Victoria could not vote in a State election until 1908, and Victoria was the last State to give them this right – South Australia was 1894, Western Australia 1899, New South Wales 1902, Tasmania 1903 and Queensland 1905.*
This is the list of the 184 people on the Electoral Roll at Koo Wee Rup and Yallock in 1903.
Alexander, James Yallock Labourer
Allardyce, Clara May Yallock Governess
Anderson, Mary Ellen Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Barbour, Charles William Koo-Wee-Rup Railway employee
Beattie, Henry Yallock Grazier
Beattie, Alice Yallock Home Duties
Bergin, Patrick Alexander Koo-Wee-Rup Boot maker
Bethune, John Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Bethune, Norman McLeod Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Bethune, Catherine Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Bethune, Janet Margaret Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Binge, James Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Binge, Harriet Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Brains, Charles Koo-Wee-Rup Labourer
Brown, Margaret Yallock Home Duties
Brown. William Yallock Invalid
Burhop, Frrderick William Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Burhop, Henry Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Burns, Francis Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Burns, Margaret Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Burns, Joseph Koo-Wee-Rup Labourer
Burns, Patrick Koo-Wee-Rup Labourer
Callanan, John Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Callanan, Elizabeth Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Chamberlain, William Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Chamberlain, Jane Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Charman, Charles Herbert Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Charman, Stephen Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Charman, Stephen Herbert Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Charman, Eveline May Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Charman, Mary Frances Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Choury, Abraham Koo-Wee-Rup Draper
Choury, Thekla Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Conlan, Alfred Yallock Labourer
Connor, Barclay George Koo-Wee-Rup Overseer
Conway, Sarah Frances Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Conway, Matthew Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Cooper, George Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Cooper, Elizabeth Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Courtney, Rosetta Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Courtney, Robert Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Cox, Arthur James Yallock Farmer
Cox, Burton James Yallock Farmer
Cox, William Yallock Farmer
Cox, Daisy Yallock Home Duties
Cox, Mary Jane Yallock Home Duties
Craig, David Sherwood Farmer
Craig, Agnes Sherwood Home Duties
Curry, Dennis Joseph Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Curry, Sarah Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Davey, John Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Davey, Sarah Elizabeth Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Davis, Charles James Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Davis, Francis Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Davis, John Thomas Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Davis, Catherine Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Davis, Mary Hannah Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
De Vries, John Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
De Vries, Mary Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Dempster, Alice Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Dempster, George Koo-Wee-Rup Station Master
Donaldson, John Walter Yallock Farmer
Donaldson, Mary Jane Yallock Home Duties
Douglas, Louis Koo-Wee-Rup Labourer
Dunlop, Alexander Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Dunlop, John Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Dunlop, Matthew Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Dunlop, Agnes Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Dunlop, Annabella Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Dunlop, Florerence Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Dunlop, Martha Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Dunlop, Mary Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Dunlop, Mary Jane Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Egan, Denis Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Egan, Catherine Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Ellis, Henry Ernest Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Ellis, Jemina Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Emmott, Joseph Samuel Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Emmott, Alphina Theodora Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Ferguson, Edward Reginald Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Finch, Louis Wilhelm Yallock Farmer
Finch, Elizabeth Mary Yallock Home Duties
Fraser, Elizabeth Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Gale, John Koo-Wee-Rup Labourer
Galtier, Louisa Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Garnham, John Yallock Farmer
Garnham, Jessie Yallock Home Duties
George, Stephen Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
George, Eliza Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
George, Miriam Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Gilchrist, William Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Gilchrist, Agnes Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Gilchrist, Margaret Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Gilchrist, Margaret Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Gilchrist, William Koo-Wee-Rup Labourer
Glen, Robert Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Glen, Elizabeth Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Gorman, John Koo-Wee-Rup Labourer
Graham, Ann Yallock Home Duties
Gray, David Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Gray, John Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Gray, John Kersey Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Gray, Richard Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Gray, Margaret Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Gray, Margaret Mary Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Gray, Sticia Maud Yallock Home Duties
Griffiths, Cornelius Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Griffiths, Margaret Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Gruber, Sarah Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Gudgin, William Yallock Farmer
Gudgin, William Yallock Farmer
Gudgin, Elizabeth Yallock Home Duties
Haar, Ernest Yallock Farmer
Haar, Caroline Yallock Home Duties
Hackett, Marion Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Hackett, William Koo-Wee-Rup Labourer
Hahesy, Richard Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Hahesy, Margaret Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Hamilton, Henry Campbell Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Hamilton, Elizabeth Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Hargraves, Albert Koo-Wee-Rup Labourer
Harrold, Elizabeth Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Hatty, James Craig Yallock Farmer
Hatty, William John Yallock Farmer
Hatty, William John Yallock Farmer
Hatty, Augusta Yallock Home Duties
Himbeck, Edward Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Himbeck, Elizabeth Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Hudson, James Johnston Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Hudson, Agnes Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Huges, Thomas John Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Huges, Mary Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Izzard, Charles Yallock Farmer
Jenkins, Thomas Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Jenkins, Annabella Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Johnston, Joseph Spencer Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Johnston, William Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Johnston, William Frank Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Johnston, Barbara Hay Taylor Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Johnston, Isabella Donald Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Johnston, Jessie Ann Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Johnston, Isaac Henry Koo-Wee-Rup Labourer
Johnston, Louis Mitchell Koo-Wee-Rup Labourer
Jones, John William Yallock Farmer
Jones, Isabella Yallock Home Duties
Jones, Mary Ann Yallock Home Duties
Kane, John Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Kane, Elizabeth Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Kerr, Clara May Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Kilgour, William Koo-Wee-Rup Gardener
Kilgour, Margaret Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Killeen, Thomas Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Killeen, Maria Theresa Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Kirwin, Thomas Yallock Farmer
Kirwin, Elizabeth Yallock Home Duties
Laidlaw, Robert Koo-Wee-Rup Blacksmith
Laidlaw, Margaret Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Lineham, William Yallock Farmer
Lineham, Annie Yallock Home Duties
Longmore, John Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Longmore, Mary Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Longmore, John Koo-Wee-Rup Labourer
Lyall, John Mickle Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Lyall, Edwin Yallock Grazier
Lyall, John A.A. Yallock Grazier
Lyall, Annabella Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Lyall, Cecile Garnet Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Lyall, Helen Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Lyall, Florence Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Lyall, Eugenia Christina Yallock Home Duties
Lyall, Helen Yallock Home Duties
Lyall, Julia Anderson Yallock Home Duties
Lyall, Margaret Helen Yallock Home Duties
Lyall, Victoria Lavinia Yallock Home Duties
Mahon, Darius Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Mahon, Bridget Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Mahon, Catherine Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Mallcott, William James Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Mallcott, Mary Ann Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Marshall, Samuel Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Marshall, Mary Jane Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Matthews, Frank Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Matthews, Sarah Ann Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
McCarthy, Daniel Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
McCarthy, Thomas Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
McDonald, Cyril Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
McDonald, Hugh Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
McDonald, Jane Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
McGregor, John Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
McGregor, Josephine Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
McKenzie, George Secundus Koo-Wee-Rup Engineer
McKenzie, Grace Scott Koo-Wee-Rup Teacher
McLean, Christina Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
McLennan, Annie Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
McLeod , John Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
McLeod, William John Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
McLeod, Mary Isabella Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
McLeod, Hugh Johnston Koo-Wee-Rup Labourer
McNamara, James Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
McNamara, Annie Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Mickle, David Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Mickle, John Alexander Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Mickle, Alice Martha Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Mickle, Laura Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Milroy, James Koo-Wee-Rup Labourer
Minahan, Kate Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Minahan, John Koo-Wee-Rup Teacher
Moody, Christopher Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Moody, Christopher John Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Moody, Charles Koo-Wee-Rup Grazier
Moody, William Charles Koo-Wee-Rup Grazier
Moody, Cecelia Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Moody, Edith Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Moody, Elizabeth Mary Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Mortenson, Florence Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Nichols, William James Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Nichols, William James Yallock Farmer
Nichols, Elizabeth Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Nichols, Susan Yallock Home Duties
O'Brien, John Thomas Yallock Farmer
O'Donnell, Michael Yallock Farmer
O'Donnell, Margaret Yallock Home Duties
O'Neil, John Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
O'Neil, Helen Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
O'Riordan, Elizabeth Koo-Wee-Rup Grocer
O'Shea, Michael John Koo-Wee-Rup Carrier
O'Shea, Helen Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
O'Toole, Patrick Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
O'Tool, Mary Tracy Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Parker, George Yallock Labourer
Patrick, David Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Patrick, James Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Patrick, Martha Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Patrick, Mary Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Patrick, Rosetta Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Powis, Edward Yallock Farmer
Pretty, Thomas Scott Yallock Farmer
Pretty, Emma Yallock Home Duties
Reid, Henry Charles Yallock Farmer
Reid, Matilda Yallock Home Duties
Reitchel, Helen Yallock Farmer
Reynolds, Bernard William Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Reynolds, Annie Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Rossiter, Edward August Yallock Farmer
Rossiter, Helen Louisa Yallock Home Duties
Rundle, James Charles Koo-Wee-Rup Grocer
Rundle, Jessie Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Saunders, William Henry Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Saunders, Margaret Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Scanlan, William Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Scanlan, Ellen Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Scharf, Henry Yallock Farmer
Sharman, William Koo-Wee-Rup Labourer
Simmill, Charles Yallock Farmer
Simmill, Federick Herbert Yallock Farmer
Simmill, Samuel Yallock Farmer
Simmill, Alice Clare Yallock Home Duties
Simmill, Florence Yallock Home Duties
Smith, George Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Smith, Mary Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Speers, Thomas Isaac Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Stevens, James Yallock Farmer
Stevens, Maria Yallock Home Duties
Stokes, Helen Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Stokes, Thomas Koo-Wee-Rup Labourer
Sykes, John Thomas Koo-Wee-Rup Grocer
Sykes, Mary Annie Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Talman, William Koo-Wee-Rup Labourer
Tierney, Patrick Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Tierney, Catherine Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Ware, Charles Joseph Yallock Farmer
Ware, Brewis Yallock Farmer
Ware, Christina Yallock Home Duties
Ware, Georgina Yallock Home Duties
Wilkinson, Mary Yallock Home Duties
Wilkson, Agnes Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Wilkson, Alfred W Koo-Wee-Rup Saddler
Woodman, Henry Koo-Wee-Rup Butcher
Woodman, Albert Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Woodman, Charles Edward Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer
Woodman, Ann Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Woodman, Emily Ann Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Woodman, Florence Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties
Yeaman, Annie Yallock Farmer
To see who lived in Garfield in 1903, click here.
