Mundaring and Hills Historical Society

The Parkerville Children’s Home was established by members of the Anglican Order of the Sisters of the Church, Sister Kate and Sister Sarah, in 1903. The Sisters came from England in December 1901 bringing twenty-two orphans, they lived in various places until moving the Parkerville property, formerly Sexton’s Sawmill. There were deaths, the first one, according to the plaque erected at the Parkerville Children’s Home Bush Cemetery, was in 1903, although other records pertaining to this young three-year-old girl, states 1913; the last burial was also a young girl aged two in 1919. Deaths ranged from nine weeks to three years.

The deaths reflected precarious life at the turn of the century. The infant mortality rate in the Australia in the early 1900s was approximately 10%, although dropping rapidly by the 1950s to approximately 3%, due partly to the improvement in hygiene and advancement in medical science.

The children’s Bush Cemetery is situated on a very quiet bush block, away from the now unused Perth Children’s Home. The gravesite is surrounded by a wooden fence with an elaborate entrance gate. The metal plaque lists twenty-four children aged from nine weeks to three years.

Fire swept through the bush land in the 1950s and the original wooden crosses marking the graves were destroyed, apart from one which had a stone memorial. Ceramic poppies have been set near the replaced white wooden crosses; an old tree stump has been utilised to show several alphabet blocks, carved and painted, and although a sacred place, a now rusting metal toy has been left, in an effort to remember the passing of these very precious children.

Next General Meeting will be Held at:

Boya Community Centre, Scott Street, Boya. 18th March at 2pm.

Followed by a talk at 2.45pm

“Life at the Weir” Guest Speaker –Bill Cutler

A Peace Pole is an internationally recognised symbol of the hopes and dreams of the entire human family, standing vigil in silent prayer for peace on earth. Each Peace Pole bears the message May Peace Prevail on Earth in different languages on each of its four or six sides. There are over 250,000 Peace Poles placed throughout every country in the world and dedicated as monuments to peace.

The Project can trace its roots back to Japan in 1954 when Chiyoji Nakagawa arranged for a bell to be donated to the United Nations Headquarters in New York via the United Nations Association of Japan. An International Day of Peace was declared and takes place on 21st September each year, at which time the bell is sounded in honour of World Peace.

The Rotary Club of Canberra Burley Griffin came up with the idea of celebrating 100 years of Rotary in Australia by getting 100 Rotary Clubs to donate 100 Peace Poles to 100 Schools around the country, and these Poles contain the Peace Message ‘May Peace Prevail on Earth’ written in four different languages –one language per panel. The Poles have conical peaks, and their shape is significant in Buddhism.

Rotary Club of Cambridge got to hear of the Project, and started to promote it locally in their Club’s vicinity and they now have 10 such Peace Poles at various Schools. The number around Australia is growing and has passed the 200 mark at last count. The process is quite straightforward; our Club sponsors the Poles which are then manufactured in Canberra and sent to the relevant School.

A Peace Pole dedication ceremony is an exciting event, whether it is planned for a public place where hundreds of people will attend or a private backyard. Every dedication ceremony is a unique outcome of the shared experience of those who plan the program, as well as those who attend.

Some Peace Poles are already placed in the ground prior to the ceremony and unveiled during the dedication. Or you may choose to have a group planting, where everyone gets to heave a shovelful of dirt.

If you like more information about Swan Rotary or any of our activities, please give Betty Pitcher a call on 0408 912 101.