Toodyay men went to fight in the South African Boer War. The Toodyay Lodge joined the newly formed Grand Lodge of Western Australia. A water reservoir was constructed on Mt. Pelham. The old Newcastle Bridge was reborn and other new bridges built. Moondyne Joe died in the Fremantle Lunatics Asylum. Women got the vote federally and locally. The first national Census was conducted. The first combine harvester was demonstrated locally. The magisterial districts of Northam, York and Toodyay were amalgamated, with A.N. Piesse being the last Toodyay Resident Magistrate. The Newcastle herald and Toodyay District chronicle newspaper commenced. The railway was extended east of Northam and north of Newcastle. The Goldfields Water Supply Scheme was opened, with a side pipeline to Newcastle eventually. The Convent of Mercy was built. A volunteer fire brigade, a rifle club, a ladies’ hockey club, a croquet club and a swimming club were formed. The old Gaol closed and the new Lock-up, a telephone exchange, a rifle range and an agricultural hall opened. Two local hotels became two-storey and Padbury’s Colonial Stores opened a branch in the former Oddfellows’ Hall. Large estates and Midland Railway Company land were subdivided and sold off. The Toodyay Club was formed and had premises built not once, but twice! Diphtheria played havoc.
File Date: 28 Feb. 2022 Access: Investigator and Query Subscribers