Anne Chapple's grandfather's WW1 medals are an extraordinary keepsake as they signify the beginning of the Anzac Cottage story. Her grandfather, John Porter, was considered an older recruit (30s) and served in the 11th Battalion, C Company, who were amongst the first who landed on the shores of Gallipoli during World War 1 (WW!). He was wounded on the first day and then deemed unfit to serve.
He was one of the first returned wounded soldiers to Mt Hawthorn. Due to his leg injury, he was unable to work and worried the family would lose their borrowed home. A neighbour from the Mt Hawthorn Progress Society heard his story, and the society decided to build a "practical memorial" honouring the soldiers who fought in Gallipoli and double as a home for Anne's grandfather and his family. The community rallied and donated money, goods, furniture, skills and labour.
Mt Hawthorn was largely still forest, so a busy bee cleared the land. Later, a procession of 75 horses, carriages and cars took the building materials to the newly cleared site.
In one day, on 12 February 1916, over 200 people helped build the outside of the cottage, four thousand people watched, the Police Band kept them entertained and the Ladies Patriotic Guild brought them lunches and refreshments.
Anzac Cottage still stands today. The State Library Collection has a souvenir booklet about the memorial house with pictures detailing the event and construction. You can view a PDF in our catalogue or the photos in the gallery below.
As part of the State Library of Western Australia’s exhibition Keepsake: Cherished Family Mementos from the Collection, we asked The Chin Wagon to create a podcast series collecting stories from members of the public about their family treasures and heirlooms. Scrabble boards, cookbooks, medals, fishing lures, trinkets and tools. Why are these items so important to the people that hold onto them?
The Chin Wagon is a mobile recording studio designed to capture WA’s stories. Run by much-loved storytelling collective Barefaced Stories, The Chin Wagon provides a fun, cosy hearth for people to share their most treasured memories, tall tales or embarrassing spills. Andrea Gibbs interviewed seven members of the public in this mini podcast series. Each fascinating story is only 3 to 4 minutes long.
Keepsake exhibition runs at the State Library of Western Australia until 4 February 2025.
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