Charles Broadhurst was one of Western Australia’s earliest colourful and controversial entrepreneurs, involved in the State’s early pearling, shipping and pastoral industries.
Western Australian Museum Maritime Archaeology curator and Fremantle Notre Dame University School of Arts and Science adjunct professor, Dr Michael (Mack) McCarthy will give a public talk about the life and times of this influential WA family as part of The Harry Butler: In the Wild West lecture series.
Charles Broadhurst was born in Manchester, England in 1826 into the Tootal, Broadhurst and Lee textile empire but, being a younger son, he migrated to Victoria in 1843 where he joined his elder brother on his sheep property.
In 1860, he married Eliza Howes, a musician, actor, teacher and early feminist.
Dr McCarthy said that, on moving to Western Australia, Broadhurst became a leader in the North-West pastoral industry, founding well-known Karratha Station from the ashes of the Melbourne-based Dension Plains Pastoral Company.
In 1871 he imported the first steam ship to operate on the North-West coast, the SS Xantho, only to have it sink beneath him late the following year. Its unique ex RN gunboat engine was raised from the wreck in 1985 and in an unparalleled conservation feat by Museum staff it can now be turned over by hand.
Broadhurst also recruited over 100 pearl divers from the islands to Australia’s north. At the time these men were generally, but incorrectly, referred to as ‘Malays’,” Dr McCarthy said.
“Using them as indentured labour he also opened the Shark Bay pearling industry before starting up a fish cannery at Mandurah and then the Abrolhos Islands guano industry.
“However he was, apparently, not a good businessman and many of his operations failed.”
After his 26-year-old son Florance Constantine Broadhurst, who had mercantile training, took control of the company and its trade, Charles and Eliza Broadhurst returned to England to live in Bournemouth in a home they called Karrakatta.
Their daughter Katherine followed her mother’s interests, becoming a suffragette in the early feminist movement. On her return to Western Australia she was one of the 12 women who formed the St George Reading Circle, the forerunner to the Karrakatta Club which became a leading force in making Western Australia the second state in Australia to grant women the vote.
In 2009 Charles Broadhurst was recognised as one of Western Australia’s 100 most influential citizens.
WHEN: 7.00pm, Thursday 26 May 2011, and 10.00am, Friday 27 May 2011.
WHERE: Western Australian Museum – Geraldton
Museum Place, Batavia Coast Marina, Geraldton.
BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL: 9921 5080 or online at www.museum.wa.gov.au/inthewildwest
COST: By gold coin donation.
Flora Perrella, Western Australian Museum: T: 9212 3856 M: 0424 027 646
