I was recently sent this photograph of H Cramer and Co, Saddle, Collar and Harness Maker. To find out a bit more about the business I started to search. A sad tale indeed unfolded.
H Cramer Saddle and Harness Maker, Bayley Street Coolgardie 1903
In Kalgoorlie in 1901, a young couple married, Margaret Theresa Angus and Henry Timothy Cramer. Henry was born in 1871 in Essendon VIC and Margaret was born on 1872 in Marwicj VIC. They moved to Coolgardie where Henry was to set up a thriving business in Bayley Street, as seen in the above photograph.
In 1902 they were to welcome their first child, a boy called George Henry. All seemed well and the little family was soon to grow when Margaret was again expecting the birth of their second child which was due in Feb1905.
Sadly on the 19th December, Margaret went into premature labour at 7 months and both she and the child she carried were to die. Margret’s cause of death was ‘Premature Birth at 7 months, Exhaustion’. She was only 29 yrs old and they had only been married for less than three years.
Margaret is buried in the Coolgardie Cemetery with no headstone but Henry was to place the following heartfelt verse in the newspaper:-
Coolgardie Miner (WA : 1894 – 1911), Friday 16 December 1904, page 2
IN MEMORIAM : CRAMER.—In sad and loving memory of my dear wife, who died December 19th, 1903—Henry Timothy Cramer, Coolgardie.
A faithful wife, true and kind,
She proved to be, in heart and mind,
A loving mother, too, as well,
While she on earth with us did dwell.
Worthy of true respect was she
From those she left behind,
A better mother never lived,
Nor true, nor yet more kind
Margaret Theresa CRAMER Age 29 Daughter of Henry ANGUS and Margaret DEAN from Victoria
Coolgardie Miner 14 Jan 1904
Not long after the death of his beloved wife Henry’s business was declared bankrupt and everything was sold off. He seems to have gone down hill from this point and in 1907 the following article appeared in the Kalgoorlie Miner:-
A Peculiar Case:— Before Messrs. J. H. Cummins and R. G. Ardagh, JP’s. in the Kalgoorlie Police Court yesterday morning, Henry Timothy Cramer, a saddler, was charged with having been disorderly in Hannan street by making use of obscene language. The accused did not seem to realise his position, and when asked to plead did not make any reply, but after a lot of persuasion, said in a whisper that he was not guilty. The evidence showed that late on Saturday night the accused was using bad language in a loud voice opposite the Commercial Bank, and that when arrested he stopped to argue and explain why he had used the words.
Corporal Edmondson said he did not know what to make of the accused, who seemed half demented. He was now working at the All Nations Hotel. Detective Sergeant Kavanagh said that he had known the accused at Coolgardie for 10 years. He had been a respectable man. Mr. Cummins ‘Unless he is acting he is not in a fit condition to look after himself.’ Corporal Edmondson : Was he like this at Coolgardie, Sergeant?’ Detective -Sergeant Kavanagh : ‘No, he was always right at Coolgardie.’ The bench decided to remand the. accused till to-day to permit of inquiries in the meantime.
Henry and Margaret’s son, George Henry Cramer, was to grow up and marry Dorothy Bridgeman ANDERSON in Geraldton WA in 1930, he had three children, Dorothy, Graham and Max. Henry never re married and died in Perth in 1945 at the age of 67yrs. He is buried in the Karakatta Cemetery in Perth.
Moya Sharp
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