| Notes |
- Robert Leys Baxter.
Robert Leys (Bob) was born on 15 July 1868. in Penshurst Victoria and was the second son and fourth child of Patrick Duncan Baxter and Jane Barnes. After finishing his schooling he became a Commission Agent, Auctioneer and a Cattle Dealer and established a business in the Penshurst District. On 28 February 1894 he married Sarah Jane Sheppard and soon started a family.
In 1914 his younger brother, Charles Farquarhson was elected to the Legislative Council of West Australian. At the time Charles owned a farm 'Whitehaven' located 29 kms south east of Cunderdin and he needed some one reliable to manage the property. He needed to move to Perth to carry out his Parliamentary duties. He apparently approached RL who agreed take over the management of the property. Later in 1914, Robert, Sarah and their of six children travelled to WA, by ship, and after arriving at Fremantle they. travelled to Cunderdin by train. They were met by Charles who drove them to Whitehaven.
For the next four years Bob managed the farm with the help of the three older boys, had already left school, they worked the farm The three younger children, Beatrice (Trixie), Jack and Constance (Connie) attended Nalyeening State School located between Cunderdin and Quairading. In 1918 RL purchased a small farm he named 'Burn Brae', about 1.5 kms west of the Cunderdin town site and the family moved to Cunderdin.
While still managing 'Whitehaven' he had applied to the 'International Harvester Co' to become their authorized agent in Cunderdin. To facilitate this venture he formed the company now known as Baxter's Agency. In July I919 it acquired the McCormack-Deering franchise. Later they became agents for the Texas Oil Co. In later years the Agency also became the agents the Golden Fleet. In 1920, the Company became an agent for 'Goldsbrough Mort & Co', buying and selling stock for the districts farmers. The Agency always carried a good supply of veterinary, products needed by the farmers in the district. In 1941 he started the first school service in the district.
Having settled on 'Burn Brae,' Robert built a large shearing shed and with a six-stand shearing plant used by many of the district's farmers who needed their sheep to be shorn. 'Baxter's Shearing Shed' was one of the best known facilities in the district. It was not only used for shearing but for many other purposes such as dances and other social occasions. Robert gradually increased his land holding by buying adjoining land which extending along the North Cunderdin Road. His sons Robert (Bert), Claude (Curly) and Jack worked on the farm, while Kenneth William. (Will) ran ' Baxter's Agency; which he later took over.
'Old R.L.' as he came to be known, had a very strong personally and ruled his family with a very firm hand. One of his grand-daughters, who shared his home with her five siblings, summed him up beautifully, when she said; 'The thing I remember most about 'Old R.L', was him sitting at that large dinning room table with a stock whip by his side. I never ever saw him use it.' She added: 'He didn't have to.' Another story is that he used to grind his own wheat to make porridge, which he insisted they eat for their breakfast. However, his grandsons were not very keen on his porridge, as the rats and mice used to run over the wheat in the bin, which he used to grind, so they used to throw it out whenever they got the chance.
R.L was a lover of good stock. His cattle, sheep, pigs, horses, were all well bred. Even his dogs were pedigreed working sheep dogs. For some years during the 1920 and 30s he successfully exhibited his stock at the 'Royal Show' in Perth. He was also a constant exhibitor at the local 'Meckering Show'. He took the trophy for the most points gained in the stock section on a number of occasions. At one stage during the war years he ran up to 200 pigs, which he fed on the food, waste which he, or one of the boys, collected from the RAAF Station. He did have some bad luck with his pigs and had to destroy many of them due to an outbreak of swine fever.
He took a keen interest in community affairs and was a pillar of the church. In 1920 he was elected to the 'Meckering Roads Board', which embraced the towns of Cunderdin, Meckering and Tammin. He served as its chairman from 1924 to 1932. He also served on many committees, and was mainly responsible for the building of the local Anglican Church in 1936.
When WW2 was declared in 1939, part of the Baxter property was resumed by the Commonwealth Government and used to build an airbase for pilot training (No 9 EFTS Elementary Flying Training School). Although the airstrip is still operational, the rest of the rest of the property has been turned into a first class Agricultural College
R.L live on 'Burn Brae' until his death in October 1947. Sarah also died at 'Burn Brae' on 30 August 1948.
Sources:
1. Various family members
2. 'Meckering-Cunderdin A Wheatlands History," by Joseph Stokes.
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1868 - 1947 (79 years)
