As previously promised we I would now like to announce that the Westonia Cemetery burial register is now available online, it is available in full for the first time on the Outback Family History Web site. Other sites have included parts of the register but in collaboration with the Westonia Shire, we are proud to announce the details. My special thanks to Shirl Pomery for her photography and her invaluable research. It couldn’t have happened without you. !!
You can view the register in full at:- http://bit.ly/2tOf87d
While working on the register I took time to research some of the stories of those buried there. Everyone of course has a story but the following few are just a sample of those to come.
Bidelia WARDROP aged 52 yrs, Died 21st Sept 1913 from a cerebral haemorrhage. She was a married woman from Geelong VIC. Hers was the first burial to take place in the new Westonia Cemetery.
Not long after the death of Bidelia there was another Wardrop burial, that of Neil Wardrop, her husband. Less than six months after her death, it is a heartbreaking story of a husband who couldn’t live with the death of his wife and he took his own life by exploding a detonator under his head. He was aged 59 and is buried with his wife.
WESTONIA. 6 April 1921
William Stack, a farmer, was proceeding to his farm, 14 miles from Westonia, he met a friend on the way, and got down from the trap to speak to him. After a while he got up into the trap with the intention of proceeding on his journey, and he was about to take his seat when the horse moved forward, and Mr. Stack fell out of the trap on to the hard road and fractured his skull, death being instantaneous. He was buried on Wednesday evening in the Westonia cemetery, Rev. Father O’Malley officiating at the grave. His brother John, who was present at the graveside, thus parted with his brother, a constant companion for the last thirty years. R.I.P- (There is no headstone)
SUICIDE AT WESTONIA – 3 May 1918
A sensation was caused here last night when it became known that Roderick George McKenzie, a well-known identity, had committed suicide by exploding a detonator under his head- The deceased had suffered from, bad health for some time, and was subject to fits of despondency.
The deceased, was tho only son of Mr McKenzie, of the well known Reedy Creek station, Gippsland, and his son disposed of the property for £33,000. He took a keen interest in sport, and was president of the Edna May Football Club, and assistant secretary of the Race club. An inquest was opened and adjourned to Saturday. The remains were interred at the local cemetery this afternoon. (There is no Headstone) 
Jean (Jane) SARRE nee Kennedy, born Perthshire, Scotland 1863. Her father was Hugh (Ewin) Kennedy (Kinnedy) and her mother was Margaret Robertson. She married her husband, John Sarre, in Victoria in 1877 and had the following children:- John Harold SARRE, Born Vic 1876, Henry Rouget SARRE born Vic 1878, Charlotte Louisa SARRE born Vic 1881, Louisa Ethel SARRE born Vic 1882, Elsie May Sarre Born Vic 1884, Margaret Adeline Sophia born Vic 1887 and Thomas Hugh SARRE born Vic 1890. She died in Westonia on the 2nd March 1940
Moya Sharp
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Hi Moya
Bob and I enjoyed meeting you in Kalgoorlie recently. And Thank You for the work you did for me whilst we were in town..
Very interesting article on Westonia. The shire president and his wife are two people who went to school with my youngest daughter here in Perth.
We visited the town a few years ago and went thru the amazing museum they have right next to the shire office. It really is a credit to the small town.
Cheers
Lesley
Hi Moya,
I was just looking at the history of Westonia, and You have a photo of Alfred Weston and family. This would be taken ( I think) in Kalgoorlie, as my brother-in-laws father, uncle and Grandfather are in it. Alfred is my brother in laws, Grandfathers brother.
Judy Stove
Hi Judy We have never been able to find out where this photo was taken.