Frederick Pearse

Reference from https://freotopia.org/people/pearsefrederick.html

Frederick Pearse (1841-5Apr1922, buried Karrakatta) was a merchant, and a JP in Cossack (Roebourne) and later Rottnest Island Resident (Governor/Superintendent) 1898-1905.
(He was NOT a member of the W.S. Pearse family.)

He was born August 1841 at St John’s Rectory, Bedford, Bedfordshire, England to the Rev. Henry Pearse and Maria Taunton. Henry Pearse was vicar of St Johns for 54 years and the Pearse family had a strong presence in Bedford. Maria was the daughter of Sir William Elias Taunton, of the King’s Bench and Maria Atkinson who was the daughter of Henry Atkinson, Moneyer of the Royal Mint.

The Tauntons had a strong presence in Oxford and Freeland, West Oxfordshire. They had settled in Oxford several generations prior when Rev. Elias Taunton moved from Liskeard, Cornwall to Brampton, Oxfordshire.

Frederick Pearse travelled to the colony at about 17 years of age on the Nile under the guidance of Bishop Hale, who was a family friend of his parents. On arrival he became a jackaroo and later settled in Cossack where he became a merchant and pearl lugger owner until wiped out by a cyclone. He married Gertrude Octavia Frances Davis, daughter of John Okey Davis at St Matthew’s Church, Guildford, in 1875 (The Inquirer, 11 August 1875). They had eleven children. Gertrude was a descendant of John Okey Davis Snr and Robert Thomson (an early settler on Rottnest Island) who arrived on the second and third ships into the settlement in 1829.

As well as his other roles and involvement in local government and business, he became a J.P. in Cossack. He entered the Public Service in January 1894 as resident magistrate at Wyndham and was transferred as Superintendent to Rottnest in September 1898 at a salary of £450.

Superintendant of Rottnest Island. JP Cossack.

Marriage 1875/3956 Guildford; Davis, Gertrude Caroline Octavia to Pearse, Frederick.

Births to Frederick Pearse/Pearce and Gertrude Octavia Caroline (Davis):

1877 (Cossack) Norma Gertrude; 1879 (Cossack) Lucy Laura; 1881 (Cossack) Ellen Frances; 1883 (Cossack) Henry Taunton (died 1959); 1884 (Guildford) Stillborn M; 1886 (Roebourne) Frederick Leslie (died 1960); 1888 (Roebourne) Wilfred Arthur; 1890 (Roebourne) Constance Mabel; 1892 (Roebourne) Reginald Taunton (died 1892 6W); 1893 (Roebourne) George STI; 1894 (Roebourne) Algernon Theed (Twin) (died 1956) ; 1894 (Roebourne) George (Twin); 1900 (Rottnest Island) Isabella Edith Taunton.

...

Death 1922/461 Perth; Pearse, Frederick.

Western Mail (Perth WA) Thu 13 Apr 1922

PEARSE.—On April 5, 1922, at his late residence, 991 Wellington-street, West Perth, in his 81st year, Frederick Pearse, loving husband of Gertrude Pearse. A colonist of 65 years standing.

Death 1926/375 Perth; Pearse, Gertrude C O.

Gertrude Caroline Octavia Pearse died 27/3/1926 Subiaco, aged 72, and is buried Karrakatta Cemetery, Anglican, AA, 0024B, with her husband Frederick Pearse, who died 5/4/1922 W Perth, aged 80, and sons Frederick Leslie Pearse who died 6/12/1960 aged 74, and Wilfred Arthur Pearse who died 14/1/1944 aged 56.

The West Australian (Perth WA) Mon 29 Mar 1926

PEARSE. — On March 27, 1926, at Perth W.A., Gertrude, relict of the late Frederick Pearse, of Perth and the Nor'-West; aged 72 years.