Joseph Pyett

Written in the front of Joseph's Bible (the Pyett family Bible held by Ian Stone) - Born at Esher, Surrey, England, April 14th 1865, third son of William and Ann Pyett (formerly Sexton).

England & Wales Birth registration index record for Joseph Pyett, Mother's Maiden Surname: Sexton, April-June quarter, 1865, Kingston registration district, Surrey, Vol. 2A, page 238.

Parish Baptism record for Joseph Pyett, father William Pyett, tailor, mother Ann, baptised 7 May 1865, at Esher, Surrey, England.

1871 England Census - Joseph Pyett, 5 (born about 1866), born Esher, Surrey. Also in the house: father William Pyett, 37 (born about 1834), born St Ives, Huntingdonshire, England, tailor; mother Ann Pyett, 40 (born about 1831), born St Martins, Middlesex; brother William H Pyett, 11 (born about 1860), born Esher, Surrey; sister Alice M Pyett, 9 (born about 1862), born Esher, Surrey; brother John Pyett, 8 (born about 1863), born Esher, Surrey; brother Francis G Pyett, 4 (born about 1867), born Esher, Surrey; sister Rosa A Pyett, 2 (born about 1869), born Esher, Surrey; and tailors apprentice William Gambles, 17.

Address - 9 High Street, Esher, Surrey.

1881 England census - Joseph Pyett, 15 (born about 1866), born Esher, Surrey, tailor. Also in the house: father William Pyett, 49 (born about 1832), born St Ives, Hunts, master tailor; mother Ann Pyett, 50 (born about 1831), born London; brother William H Pyett, 21 (born About 1860), born Esher, Surrey, tailor; brother John Pyett, 18 (born about 1863), born Esher, Surrey, tailor; brother Francis G. Pyett, 14 (born about 1867), born Esher, Surrey; sister Rosa A Pyett, 12 (born about 1869), born Esher, Surrey.

Address - High Street, Esher, Surrey.

Aberdeen Journal 27 August 1885, p. 3

The Agent General for New South Wales was yesterday informed by telegram that the steamship Abergeldie, which sailed from Plymouth with Government immigrants on 30th June, arrived at Sydney on the 24th inst. [ie 24 August 1885], a number of whom left this district.

1885 NSW Assisted Immigrant passenger list record - 24 August 1885, Joseph Pyett, 19 (born about 1866), tailor, from Surrey, arrived Sydney on the SS Abergeldie.

1886 - Joseph writes in the front page of his Bible - Joseph Pyett, Sydney, New South Wales, May 1st 1886.

1896 passenger lists - Victorian outgoing passenger list for J Pyett, 31 (born about 1865), departing on the "Adelaide" for Western Australia. Western Australian incoming passenger list record for J. Pyett, arriving at Fremantle from Sydney in Steerage class, on the Adelaide, on 11 January 1896.

The Daily News, Saturday 11 January 1896, p5.

The s. Adelaide, Captain Lockyer, arrived at Fremantle at six o'clock this morning. As usual she carries a full ship in all departments, her passenger list numbering nearly 500 in all classes.

Joseph was a tailor; member of the tailor's union, and a regular writer of letters to the paper:

The West Australian, Tuesday 17 November 1896, p3.

An article on a strike by journeyman tailors at Fremantle, which had started the previous day, where the owners agreed to a new set of rates from the tailors. J Pyett is listed as Secretary of the Journeyman Tailor's Society.

West Australian, Tuesday 1 December 1896, p3.

Letter to the editor by Joseph Pyett, Secretary, Fremantle Tailors' Society, Fremantle, November 28, 1896, complaining that a previous correspondent who claimed he had never worked for less than £4 per week of nine hours daily was wrong.

Western Australian Marriage registration index record for Joseph Pyett marrying Janet Eveline Paterson, at Fremantle, No. 375 of 1897.

Written in the front of Joseph's Bible - Janet Eveline Paterson. Born at Waterloo, New South Wales, September 22nd, 1875. Second daughter of William Haydn & Sarah Ann Paterson (formally Sheridan). Married at St John's Church of England, Fremantle, Western Australia, by the Venerable Archdeacon Watkins, on Monday March 1st 1897, at 11 o'clock in the forenoon.

West Australian, Saturday 28 July 1900, p6.

A letter concerning Federation from Joseph Pyett, Subiaco, written July 26, and another letter in the West Australian, Tuesday 31 July, p6.

In West Australian of 4 September 1900, p8, he was advertising for a 1,000 gallon galvanised iron rainwater tank (J. Pyett, Bagot road, Subiaco), and in the issue of 25 September (p3), he was seeking tenders for the construction of part of a brick villa in Copley street, Subicao.

He was also involved in various union activities and there are regular pieces in the papers concerning issues such as pay rates for tailors and immigration.

1903 Western Australian electoral roll - Pyett, Joseph, Gibney Street, Subiaco, Tailor. Also listed Janet Eveline Pyett, home duties.

1906 Western Australian electoral roll - Pyett, Joseph, York Street, Subiaco, Tailor. Also listed Janet Eveline Pyett, home duties.

1910 Western Australian electoral roll - Pyett, Joseph, 57 York Street, Subiaco, Tailor. Also listed Janet Eveline Pyett, home duties.

1912 Western Australian electoral roll - Pyett, Joseph, 57 York Street, Subiaco, Tailor. Also listed Janet Eveline Pyett, home duties.

1916 Western Australian electoral roll - Pyett, Joseph, 57 York Street, Subiaco, Tailor. Also listed Janet Eveline Pyett, home duties.

1919 Western Australian electoral roll - Pyett, Joseph, 57 York Street, Subiaco, Tailor. Also listed Janet Eveline Pyett, home duties.

1925 Western Australian electoral roll - Pyett, Joseph, 185 Hay Street, Subiaco, Tailor. Also listed Janet Eveline Pyett, home duties.

1928 Western Australian electoral roll - Pyett, Joseph, 185 Hay Street, Subiaco, Tailor. Also listed George Pyett, carpenter; Janet Eveline Pyett, home duties; William Milton Pyett, compositor.

1931 Western Australian electoral roll - Pyett, Joseph, 185 Hay Street, Subiaco, Tailor. Also listed George Pyett, carpenter; Janet Eveline Pyett, home duties; William Milton Pyett, compositor.

Daily News (Perth, WA), Saturday 26 October 1935, page 18

The Copyist’s Progress A Fascinating Hobby that Grew from the Depression

(By JOHN K. EWERS)

Distressing though it was, the depression was not altogether devoid of its blessings. Quite recently I chanced upon the most remarkable case of a man who, 'going through the vale of misery,' used it 'for a well.' HE is a tailor in a small way, with his own shop in the suburbs and two girls in the workroom. As I had not seen him for six years, one of my first queries on meeting him recently was: 'And how did you get on during the depression?' His old face grew thoughtful. He is, I should say, a man of 70, and one who has labored long at his craft. 'It was not too good,' he replied, shaking his head from side to side, 'what with my creditors demanding settlement of their accounts and customers going bankrupt, and others placing their orders elsewhere .... it wasn't too good, at all!' Then his face brightened. 'But I'll show you something,' he said excitedly, breathlessly. 'Something that came out of the depression.' He produced a book from underneath the counter, a large heavy book, bound in red cloth. While he held it closed in his hand, I burned with curiosity to know its contents. Favorite Period 'It has always been my favorite period . . . Well, I conceived the idea of copying out selections from their writings and transcribing them into the old cursive script of the mediaeval scribes. . 'Better to do that than get a sore head over financial troubles. So I spent every spare moment, Saturday and Sunday afternoon, in the Public Library getting copy, and during week nights I carefully transcribed them. It has taken me the better part of four years, but it's kept me young. I'm feeling younger than ever I was! And this is the result of my labors.' He handed me the book across the counter. Astounded, I turned it 'over page after page, noting the round, unformed scrawl at. the beginning, gradually growing into something like shape and form as he progressed, until finally it approximated very closely the original cursive script of the old days be fore Caxton. Truly, it was aptly named 'A Copyist's Progress.' Each page was prefaced with a colored initial. At first these were simple enough affairs, set upon a blue, red or green .ground, devoid of any sort of ornament. But as he gathered strength in his work, he advanced to capitals of the most elaborate kind, multi-colored and super imposed upon little pictures indicative in some way of the text to which they belonged. Ornate Capitals Here, for example, was the ballad, 'The Bailiff's Daughter of Islington,' with a capital T, done in red and silver, upon a picture of the beggar maid confronting the young apprentice upon a snow-white steed, which, in the opinion of the amateur artist, expressed in his 'Notes ' and Comments' at the end of the volume, 'is a trifle woodeny and Noah's Arky!' Nevertheless, it adequately represents the story. An extract from Cromwell's letters is embellished with a long silver sword set by a goodly brown Bible, John Bunyan's 'By-ends of Fair-. Speech' has an initial S done in green upon a very excel lent drawing of Bedford Gaol, where Bunyan was imprisoned, for twelve years. Charles Sackville's 'Song Written at Sea' (1665) has a capital T done in rope upon a seascape which includes a sailing vessel that looks as if it really was capable of sailing. Two Pages a Week The book runs to more than two hundred pages and the maximum speed of production was two pages a week The introduction states its object: — 'This book is the result of a desire to do something like the old mediaeval manuscripts that I have always greatly admired, combined with a wish . to preserve many little known literary gems written during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It is also a protest against the present age of machinery, good legible handwriting being far more rare than in times past 'A start was made with this work about the middle of the year 1932, at the very worst period of the world trade depression that so suddenly succeeded the boom times culminating in 1929.

AN EXTRACT from 'The Copyist's Progress.

One of the Copyist’s ornate initial letters.

'I am a tailor in a small way of business, and had, with many other similar traders 'extended credit' very freely when times were good. But, with the lean times came unemployment for most of my debtors, bankruptcy for others. It was a cruel time for most people. So, in order to promote cheerfulness and forgetfulness of these conditions occasionally, this hobby was taken up. If it has not always been a pleasure to the eye, it has certainly proved a solace to the mind.' A Modest Craftsman He then goes on to give credit to those who rendered him assistance and to the several books he consulted during the progress of the work. At first he wrote without lines and it was not until he was past page 100 that some one suggested that ruling lines might be helpful! The cursive script came later, evolving gradually out of the earlier round-hand. The most astonishing thing about this very remarkable book is that, search as you will, nowhere between its covers will you find a mention of the compiler's name. The only indication is that given at the end of the volume in a footnote which reads: 'This book, written out by me, J.P., at Subiaco, W.A., was finished on the eleventh day of May, 1935.' Second Book Started The decorative aspect of the book appeals to children, as is shown by the dedication at the beginning of the volume: 'To those good children, Charlie and Betty Hart, for their genuine appreciation of the 'Pretty Letters' contained in this book.' These are J.P.'s grandchildren, and that grandfather should set himself the task of producing such a book is in itself astonishing enough. But not content with one, he has now begun another! Having mastered the difficult art of the cursive script, he will make his second book a more skilful work than this; his first. In his book J.P. has set himself above more temporal, things, and refused to allow himself to be tempted to gloom by an ever-present fear of financial embarrassment. He has rounded the corner now.' He is making suits as hard as he can. But the lesson learnt in the depression has not forsaken him. He is also making a second edition of 'A Copyist's Progress.' I can only envy those fortunate grandchildren into whose hands this gift will fall. I hope they appreciate it for its full worth, and, somehow, knowing their grandfather, I think they will.

1936 Western Australian electoral roll - Pyett, Joseph, 185 Hay Street, Subiaco, Tailor. Also listed George Pyett, carpenter; Janet Eveline Pyett, home duties; William Milton Pyett, compositor.

Cook's Interstate Business Directory 1937 - p. 626 Tailors & Mercers - Joseph Pyett, 187 Hay Street, Subiaco.

1939 Western Australian electoral roll - Pyett, Joseph, 185 Hay street, Subiaco, tailor. Also listed: Janet Eveline Pyett, married; William Milton Pyett, compositor.

1941 Wise's Western Australian Post Office directory - Hay street, Subiaco - 187 Pyett Joseph , tailor.

1943 Western Australian electoral roll - Pyett, Joseph, 185 Hay street, Subiaco, tailor. Also listed: William Milton Pyett, compositor.

The West Australian, Saturday 1 March 1947, p1.

THE SONS and DAUGHTERS of MR. and MRS. JOSEPH PYETT have much pleasure in announcing the 50th Anniversary of their parents' Wedding, which took place at St. John's Church. FremantIe, on March 1, 1897, the Rev. Archdeacon Glyn Watkins officiating. Present address. 187 Hay-street. Subiaco.

1949 Western Australian electoral roll - Pyett, Joseph, 185 Hay street, Subiaeo, tailor. Also listed: Pyett, Janet Eveline, home duties; Pyett, William Milton, compositor.

1954 Western Australian electoral roll - Pyett, Joseph, 185 Hay street, Subiaeo, tailor. Also listed: Pyett, Janet Eveline, home duties; Pyett, William Milton, compositor.

Western Australian Death registration index record for Joseph Pyett, father William Pyett, mother Anne Sexton, died aged 89, at Perth, Perth registration district, No. 1415 of 1954.

From the West Australian Friday 25 June, 1954, p3

PYETT (Joseph): On June 24, 1954, at R.P.H., late 187 Hay street, Sublaco, dearly loved husband of Janet, loving father of Daphne (Mrs. A. Hart), George and Bill; aged 89 years.

PYETT (Joseph): Passed away on June 24, dearly loved father of George, fond father-in-law of Nell, and dear granddad of Roberta, George, David and Kennedy; aged 89 years. At rest.

PYETT (J.): Passed away June 24, dearly loved father of Daphne and Alex Hart, fond grandfather of Charles, Betty and Wynne. At rest.

PYETT: A Private Congregational Service for the late Mr. Joseph Pyett, of 187 Hay street, Subiaco, dearly loved husband of Janet, will take place in the Crematorium Chapel, Karrakatta. THIS (Friday) AFTERNOON. MEAD SON & CO., M1158.

Metropolitan Cemeteries Board record for Joseph Pyett, died 24June 1954, aged 89, at Subiaco. Cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery, Ashes placed Crematorium Rose Garden, site 3F, position 14.

Esher News and Mail - Thursday 03 August 1972, p. 10

AUSSIE SEEKS RELATIVES. A BRONZED Australian bearing a good old Esher name called in at the office last week. He was Mr George Pyett, a builder from Perth, Western Australia, now on a retirement holiday in Europe. His father, another George [ie Joseph] emigrated to Sydney at the age of 19 in 1884 [ie 1885]. The older George [ie Joseph] was quite a famous baby in village history, since he was born on the night that Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in March 1865 [night before] and he was the last baby to be awarded Queen Marie Amelie’s bounty. During her closing years, spent in exile at Claremont [near Esher], the ex-Queen of the French, gave several pounds in cash to the parents of each baby bom in the parish “in lawful wedlock.” George [ie Joseph] was the last one of such to be born just before the old queen’s death [24 March 1866], so the family say. The Pyett's had one of the village's tailoring businesses (Salcombe’s was the other) and made linery for the Duchess of Albany and several other wealthy residents. George [ie Joseph] learned his trade from his father and brothers and set up in Sydney where he married a girl from Botany Bay [he actually married in Fremantle after he moved to WA]. In 1896 he moved to what was then the remote west and became the tailor in Subiaco, a western Australian town [actually a suburb of Perth] named by Italian monk-settlers after their monastry in Italy. There he enjoyed a long and happy life until his death in 1954 at the age of 88. During the war he was visited by a nephew a Mr Brian Pyett, a British serviceman who would be aged about 50 now. During their stay in this country, Mr and Mrs Pyett would like to meet any British Pyetts that they can get in touch with. They will be leaving for home on Sunday so there is not much time. If anyone can offer any news of the Esher Pyetts or, indeed is one, they are asked to get in touch with Mr Derek Brown, Esher librarian to whom they first turned for assistance. Their address at their new home is 125 Waratah Avenue, Dalkeith 6009 Western Australia.