Bindi Bindi, Western Australia, Crane Name Study

Date: 1926 [unknown]
Location: Bindi Bindi, Western Australia, Australia
Surname/tag: Crane

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History

This family descends from the Crane family of Lancashire. Captain Arthur Albert Crane is the 4x great grandson of Henry Crane and Agness Lytham.

Captain Arthur Albert Crane born in Liverpool, Lancashire in 1881 came to Australia where he worked in the shipping industry as 2nd, 3rd or 4th mate on various ships. He met Lavinia May Victoria Beer known as May aboard the SS Arawatta, became engaged on New Year’s Eve 1910 and married a few months later on 24 February 1911 in Melbourne, Victoria.

Lavinia, known as May continued to live in Melbourne where her parents lived while he worked the ports between Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Bunbury and Fremantle for the States Ships. Their first 2 children were born in Melbourne. Between late 1913 and mid 1914 they moved to Fremantle where a further 2 children were born.

About 1917 the family took up an opportunity to move to Ceylon where Arthur took up the position of harbour master and later Aide de Camp to the Governor. He was also involved in minesweeping activities in the harbour and seas around Ceylon/India. Their final 3 children were born in Ceylon. In the mid 1920s they moved to Liverpool for 2 years so Arthur could recover from ill health.

About 1926 Arthur decided to purchase property at Bindi Bindi, Western Australia as he loved his aunt Mary Ann’s farm in Lancashire, so the family moved to Perth, Western Australia where they rented in Fremantle for a few months while Arthur purchased virgin land and a kit home which was shipped to Bindi Bindi and then moved the family there where they were pioneers in the area. Arthur returned to sea to bring in an income while the older boys cleared the land and established the farm, including building the house while living in a large tent. After a couple of years without access to schooling the government established a one teacher school a few miles from the farm at the siding of Bindi Bindi, so the children recommenced studies. Arthur & May's children included:

1. Evelyn May Crane born 11 February 1912 in Melbourne, Victoria, died 1993 in Moora, Western Australia.
2. Arthur Samuel Crane born 7 June 1913 in Melbourne, Victoria, died in a car accident on his way to his farming property at Jerdacuttup, Western Australia on 17 October 1887.
3. Ernest John Crane born 25 September 1914 in Fremantle, Western Australia, died 1990 Frankston, Victoria.
4. George Herbert Crane born 25 May 1916 In Fremantle, Western Australia, died July 1999 in Nedlands, Western Australia.
5. Rose Mavis Crane known as Mavis was born 15 March 1915 in Ceylon, died Subiaco, Western Australia in August 2010.
6. Jean Margaret Crane born 27 July 1919 in Ceylon, died 16 January 2009 in Perth, Western Australia.
7. Albert Victor Crane known as Bert was born 27 July 1923 in Ceylon. He was a member of the Western Australia State Legislature, and died 16 August 2003 in Subiaco, Western Australia.