Jarman Island

From ArchivesWiki

Wikidata: Q21888197

Loading map...
The lighthouse under construction, c.1888.

From Constance Berryman's 1983 reminiscences:[1]

Our first home that I remember clearly was on Jarman Island, where my father had a job as a Light House Keeper. My sister Margaret was born in 1915 and her health was affected by the inland heat (Croydon Station), so it was thought that a change to the island would help her. It was a lovely place a few miles out from Cossack (see ‘Western Heritage, ptt 2, by Ray and John Oldham, 1980, page 17).

The light house and quarters were completed in 1888. Every breeze was cool, the beach was clean and sandy, and fish and oysters abounded. The quarters were handsome, built of stone, for two families, and the other occupant was Mr Langer, a German. To prevent us two children from intruding upon Mr Langer, Mother drew a chalk line upon the verandahs and told us not to go beyond them. And we didn’t. There was no water on the Island, so big cement underground tanks were installed to catch the run-off from the rain on the roof. When the lid was opened there was a scurry of large nor’ west cockroaches, but there was no way of getting rid of them. The year was about 1916, and it suddenly dawned upon the law that here was a German subject in a fine location for getting in touch with submarines, and a posse descended upon the island and bore Mr Langer off, very dramatically. Father’s brother, Ernest, joined us for the rest of our term, a very happy arrangement. We all loved the Island. When our family sailed in our little dinghy to do the shopping in Cossack, a large old turtle frequently kept us company for a mile or two. Margaret flourished in the comparative coolness and was healthy thereafter.

They were there for six months.[2]

Francis Thomas Langer (assistant lighthouse keeper) was arrested in May 1917.[3]

References

  1. C.B. Berryman 1983
  2. Notes about H A Hall timeline
  3. LIGHTKEEPER ARRESTED. (1917, May 25). Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954), p. 14. Retrieved August 27, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37990800

Items