The Mickle family has established a dynasty of Hairdressers (Tonsorial Artists) and tobacconists in Western Australia. Starting in the Murchison and Northern Goldfields of WA, the four brothers and a nephew had premises in Menzies, Mt Magnet, Kookynie, Laverton and Wiluna, and Meekatharra. They would also open a business in Narrogin in later years.
The four sons, John, Henry, William, and David were all born in Mt Plesant, Victoria. The sons of David Mickle and Mary Maria Margaret nee SHAW. A fifth establishment was later opened in Meekatharra by Earlston Bede Mickle, the oldest son of John James Mickle and nephew to the other brothers.
Laverton Mercury 6 June 1903, page 3
David Shaw Mickle, Mt Morgan Fire Brigade
“OUR FELLOW TOWNSMAN.”
David Mickle – Mt Morgans
The party whom I wish to bring under this particular heading at present is Mr. David Mickle, hairdresser and tobacconist. David struck, the township in the year of our Lord 1901, and started business in a very humble way in a small hessian humpy somewhere off Murrin street. A very remarkable event happened at Mt Morgans about this time, which David still relates with gathering tears in his optics, and that was the breaking and entering of his establishment by burglars, who took with them when they left the sum of £8 in notes, and the reason they didn’t take any more was that there wasn’t any more to take.
Providence must have looked down with an eye of pity on David because his career ever since has been like that of the Mercury, upward and onward. In short, David has prospered, and he is now the proud possessor of the largest hairdressing saloon (beautifully mirrored and pictured) on the northern fields. David presides over the football association and rules that body with a firm and gentle hand. He is also a great patron of outdoor games, and when he promises a medal or donation he is always as good as his word. In short, to see any sports meeting without its David would be as great an anomaly as to see Mayor Jack Smith walking about without his head. David never gives any imaginary presents, they are always real. Therefore when anyone feels time hanging heavily on his hands let him repair to David’s saloon, where a solo on the flute surely awaits him.
David Shaw Mickle married Jane Charlotte AVERY on the 12th of Jul 1899 in Leichhardt NSW. The couple would go on to have five children: Avery David Morgans born 1900 (7mths who died in 1901) – Agnes Dorothy Maud born 1902 – Olive Mary Catherine born 1904 – Aliza Elizabeth born 1906 and David Rupert James born 1908. All of the children were born in Mt Morgans. Sadly David was declared bankrupt in 1909 and he died on 30 Aug 1912 aged 51. He is buried with his son and first child, Avery, in the Mt Morgans Cemetery.
David and Avery Mickle – Mt Morgans Cemetery – Photo Find a Grave
Menzies –
John James ‘Jack’ Mickle married Lillie Alice Adah nee CLARKE in Menzies WA in 1898. They went on to have nine children: Earlston Bede born, 1899 – Esther Millicent born 1901 – Esme Lillie born 1905 – Eugene John born 1906 – Eustace Herrington born 1908 – Enid Ermine born 1913 – Eileen Adelaide born 1914 – Emile Darcy born 1918 – Eben Edison born 1922. John died in Perth WA at age 68yrs in 1938.
John ‘Jack’ James MICKLE 1869-1938 – Photo Ancestry.com
Kookynie-
Henry “Harry’ Mickle married Emily Hill in Wyalong NSW 1897 in NSW. The couple, like brother John, also had nine children: Doris Elizabeth Irene born 1898 – Alice Mary born 1900 – Eric Henry Mervyn born 1902 – Constance Winifred born 1906 – Harold David George born 1908 – Herbert Roy born 1911 – Emily Lois born 1914 – Elsie Mildred born 1916 – John Oxley born 1917. He died in Ashgrove Queensland in 1941 aged 74yrs.
Henry ‘Harry’ Mickle 1866-1941 – Photo Ancestry,com
Laverton –
William H Mickle married Rose BAILEY in 1894 in Maryborough, Victoria. William and Rose were to have even more children than his brothers, ten over 23 years: Irene Waratah born 1895 – Adela Rose born 1897 – Colin William born 1900 – Douglas Charles born 1901 – Gwendolan Margaret born 1903 – Evelyn Jessie born 1905 – Lawrence David born 1908 – Allan Shaw born 1912 – Kenneth Campbell born 1914 -Lola Mary born 1916 – Roma Patricia born 1918. He died in 1941 in Narrogin WA aged 79 years. He was the brother who lived the longest.
William H Mickle – Photo Ancestry.com
Laverton and Beria Mercury 14 September 1901, page 2
Wiluna & Meekatharra
Earlston Bede Mickle son of John James and Lillie Clark MICKLE- He was the first in the family to venture into ladies’ hairdressing.
Earlston Bede Mickle – Photo Ancestry.com
Magnet Mirror and Murchison Reflector 6 December 1928, page 1
An unusual advertisement was used by all the families at the various establishments at different times and with slight variations.
Miners’ Daily News – Menzies 1 June 1898, page 3
‘A Football Farewell’
A player from our gallant crowd, lay dying in his tent.
His comrades standing by could see his life was nearly spent;
They listened with an anxious ear to hear what he might say,
They knew full well he could not live till dawned another day.
‘Oh! comrades’. said the dying man, one last wish I crave.
Just take me down to Mickle’s shop to get a decent shave;
In days gone by he cut my hair, made me look spruce and clean.
And many a time in Mickle’s shop some splendid work I’ve seen.
My father who died long ago, upon a foreign strand.
Had youth and beauty in his looks when shaved by Mickle’s hand;
And mother, dear (a friend she was, the kindest of mammas).
Would often say she loved the smell of Mickle’s best cigars.
She always gave me good advice, as only mothers can,
And told us when we learned to smoke that Mickle was the man
Who sold the best tobacco and who did a roaring trade.
And put the other shops, completely in the shade.
But, comrades, I must leave her now, and if her poor heart frets.
Tell her I smoked my farewell smoke in Mickle’s cigarettes.
She’ll know that I obeyed then, it will her fond heart cheer.
So give my love to Mickle boys, I cannot linger here.
“I’m dying, yes. I’m dying.” gasped the gallant player, when
He gently sighed and breathed his last amid the sorrowing men;
And when he reached the golden gates, no one told him to stop;
The angels knew the hero brought some weed from Mickle’s shop!
J. .J. M I C K L E,
Hairdresser and Tobacconist,
SHENTON ST, MENZIES.
In total the four brothers fathered 33 children, so there must be a great number of descendants out there.
Moya Sharp
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Thanks Moya for such a wonderful story and history of the Mickle brothers 😊👋
Thanks Bob, glad you liked the story.
Glad you like the story Bob
Hi Moya, thanks for this wonderful history of my family, William and Rose Mickle, I am the daughter of the youngest child Roma Patricia. I came across this while finding information for a family funeral, Penny Ednie Brown (my cousin) Gwendolyn’s daughter in Kojonup. Another of my cousins has actually done a detailed family tree from David Mickle onwards and I have mislaid it, so this was very helpful. The family had more hairdressers, William’s son Laurie (and his wife Nell) his boys Peter and Tony and grandson Todd, all in the Bunbury Australind area.