While many of you have enjoyed several verses from the pen of John Terrell on the Outback Family History Blog, many of you will also be familiar with his books on the sporting history of the Goldfields. He recently sent me the following story which I’m sure you will find most interesting. You may think, as I did myself, that his nickname of ‘Carbine’ may have been from the town of Carbine near Coolgardie, however, it is from the famous racehorse called Carbine which won the 1890 Melbourne Cup carrying 24kg more than the runner-up.
James Carbine Gullan
While he may have been around the Hannans Football Club just for a short time, James “Carbine” Gullan will be remembered as a giant among Western Australian gold rush footballers. A native of Ballarat who also played Australian Rules football for Carlton in 1893, Gullan arrived at Coolgardie in 1894, playing for the local team Rovers.
He later moved to Kalgoorlie and was appointed captain of the Hannans Football Club during its inaugural premiership year in 1897. Gullan played most of Hannans’ matches that season, but, strangely, and probably due to work commitments in mining, he was absent on the grand final day on Sunday 5 September 1897. However, his two brothers Bob and Jerry played in his absence.
Gullan later represented the White Feather Football Club at Kanowna in 1898 when he won the club’s fairest and best medal, which one newspaper described as a splendid specimen of the goldsmith’s art. He subsequently moved to the coast playing for East Fremantle from 1902 to 1904 where he was revered as their champion ruckman.
Tragically, Gullan died on 13 June 1904 after he accidentally poisoned himself. A Daily News report of the era said: “One of the cleverest and most popular footballers in Western Australia died after accidentally swallowing a poison he mistook for castor oil.” After complaining of feeling unwell, he thought a dose of castor oil would do him some good. In a room he shared with two other men in Norfolk Street, Fremantle, were several bottles of different mixtures, one of them containing boiler fluid, which was occasionally used by athletes and others as a cure for corns.
The Mail Fremantle 14 June 1904, page 3
Gullan was heard to remark “that’s funny oil” and a few minutes later it was discovered that he had ingested the boiler fluid by mistake. About 4 a.m. the next morning one of his roommates was awakened by a groaning Mr Gullan, and he immediately called a doctor. Dr White attended, but Mr Gullan was pronounced dead a short time later. He was aged only 29yrs.
The Spectator y 16 July 1903, page 14
Described as “a tower of strength to his club, Gullan was a powerful man of magnificent proportions and wonderful stamina, who never tired on the field; he was always seen at his best in the final stages of a closely-contested game when an exciting finish was being fought out”. Another tribute stated:
“He was a good fellow all round, and just previous to his death he performed a meritorious act of charity towards a widow who had been left in poor circumstances.”
A memorial fund, organised by the East Fremantle Football Club, was established to pay for the late Mr Gullan’s funeral and erect a large tombstone in his honour at Fremantle Cemetery.
Memorial in the Fremantle Cemetery for James Carbine – Western Mail 22 February 1908, page 26
The above photograph appears in the Western Mail on the 22nd Feb 1908 page 26. In the accompanying artilc e it lists those in attendance should you be interested. James is buried in the Anglican section of the Fremantle cemetery. Should anyone be able to I would very much like to see a photograph of his grave today if it still exists. I have looked on ‘Find a Grave’ with no luck but I have added his photo to his entry in that site. The following is a link to the details of the grave location should you be able to help: James Gullan
The East Fremantle Football Club is the holder of the Grant of burial for this plot which expired in 2006. As the grants run out after 25 years it must have been renewed several times by the club which is wonderful.
The following is a list of publications by John Terrill. Should you wish to purchase a copy of any of these books do let me know and I will pass your details on to John.
Books written and co-written by John Terrell
1993 GOLDFIELDS SPORT, a century of Heroes, Heroines and Happenings
1996 GRAVEL RASH, 100 years of Goldfield’s football (in association with Les Everett)
1998 KANGAS, Times and Tales of the Kalgoorlie City Football Club
2002 NORTH KAL—A GOLDEN CENTURY (The history of the North Kalgoorlie Primary School, which was primarily written by Tess Thomson, and to which I contributed both as a writer and producer of the book itself.
2009 BUSH CRICKET, the story of country cricket on Western Australia’s goldfields
2017 GOLDEN THREADS, Poetry from Western Australia’s gold rush era
2018 The Goldfields TOP 40 sporting stars
2019 CHASING THE SUN DOWN UNDER, commemorating the 190th anniversary of the Nullarbor links golf course
2019 ZIMPEL, the extraordinary journey of a migrant family
2020 TREVOR SEABORN, the winner of the first swimming race to Rottnest and a State champion road cyclist
2021 MUM’S METTERS STOVE, verse from the WA Goldfields and beyond (It is basically a private memoir of my experiences living on the Goldfields and observations about Western Australia. (written but yet to be released.)
Current (Works in Progress)
2022 I’m now working on a book to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Kalgoorlie City Football Club (for release in 2023)
2023 (coming) A CENTURY OF CHAMPIONS, the Goldfields’ all-time top 100 sportsmen and sportswomen.
Moya Sharp
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Hi, I have in my possession a 1903 Gold medal from James Gullan. Perth.
I was to put it up for auction but thought I’d do some research first and found this information here and East Fremantle football club which I have also contacted.
This medal it seems has historical significance and maybe of interest to you or the club.
Regards Paul
Hi Paul I asked a f4iedn of mine who is very knowlagable on sporting matters. He said
Hi Moya: I think that medal is significant, but I’m not sure in what context. The following information may help.
Best regards, John
Gullan played for the Ballarat Football Club and for Horsham Football Club in Victoria before moving to Western Australia in 1897 first playing football in the Goldfields[4] before joining East Fremantle in 1902.[5][6]
Representing Fremantle in a charity football game at Fremantle oval on Saturday 22 August 1903, Gullan was chosen via a ballot of the spectators as the best player. The reward for this was a block of land donated by the game sponsors Palmyra Estate.[7] Gullan requested that the block be sold and once it was he gave half of the sales value to the widow of Thomas Whelan for whom the benefit game had been organised.[8] Thomas Whelan was a night watchman at the Robb Jetty explosives magazine who was killed in a suspicious explosion.
Im not sure if you wish to sell of donate the medal.