John Wellstead (Pullen) and Ann Crawford

John was the first child of John and Elizabeth Wellstead, of Rye in East Sussex. England. He was baptized in the Parish of Rye, along with his sister Mary Ann, on February 4h 1821. On April 30th, 1823 his brother George was baptized in the same church.

In September 1825, when John was five years old, his father died at the age of thirty years and was interred on September 12th, 1825 in the cemetery of St Michael's church at Playden, East Essex. This church is over eight hundred years old and still operates (in 1998), as a place of worship, but not as a burial ground.

Two years later Elizabeth and her children moved to Cranbrook, in the county of Kent and on June 29th, 1827 she married her second husband William Pullen. Her three children, John, Mary and George all adopted the surname of their stepfather.

On February 16th 1839 at the age of nineteen years and one month, John Pullen enlisted with the 51st Regiment of Light Infantry at Chatham Barracks. His height was recorded as five feet ten inches and he had a fair complexion. grey eyes and sandy hair.

After less than one year of training, he was included in a detachment sent to Hobart town in Van Diemen's Land. He sailed on the "Runneymede 1", a sailing vessel of some 838 tons? displacement, which was transporting two hundred convicts to Van Diemen?s Land. The "Runneymede1") took ninety-nine days to sail from London to Hobart Town. After discharging her convict passengers, the ship sailed westwards, bound for Albany, on King George Sound, in Western Australia. On June 25th, 1840 the "Runneymede 1" sailed into Albany where Captain Bolles, Lieutenant Egerton Warburton, a Sergeant and thirty-one Rank and file disembarked, leaving a small detachment including John Pullen on board, bound for Fremantle, on disembarking at Fremantle, the detachment marched to Perth, and from Perth, they were conveyed to York to begin their tour of duty.

A story has been passed down through the generations that John was sent to Australia to assist in the management of convicts. This could have applied only during the journey to Hobart Town, as convicts did not arrive in Western Australia, until 1850.

After a tour of duty that included service in York, Albany and Kojonup, John decided to seek his fortune as a private citizen. On February 25th 1845, at the town of Kojonup, one hundred miles north west of Albany. John Pullen received his discharge. His pay book, which shows his number as 1317, shows the surname "Pullen" crossed out and the name "Wellstead" substituted.

It appears that John Wellstead was a hard worker, always seeking to improve his lot. While in the army he ran a flock of sheep on the town common. He is known to have been a sandalwood cutter in the Kojonup area. For a time, he held the mail contract, which involved carrying mail and passengers between Albany and Perth. On particular run in 1848 he transported Miss Ann Crawford from Aberdeen, Scotland who was travelling to Albany to take up a domestic position with Mr. Hassell. Ann did not work for the Hassell family for very long as on March 15th 1849 she became Mrs John Wellstead. John had assisted in the construction of St John's Church, in York Street, Albany and he and Ann were the first couple to be married there.

In the five years after his discharge, John made every effort to consolidate his financial position; he explored country around Albany, north to Kojonup and east to Bremer Bay. He employed men to cut sandalwood for him, on land leased for that purpose in the Kojonup and Youghanup regions. In the same month as he and Ann were married, John applied to lease 4000 acres (1619 hectares) of land in the Kojonup region to cut sandalwood. In 1850 he owned land in Albany, on what is now Mercer Road, where the City of Albany offices are today (1998). In 1858 he applied for, and paid a deposit on, land in Kojonup with the apparent intention of establishing himself there. However, a more affluent applicant, in J Spencer, outbid him in a rather contentious manner. In 1860 he applied for 40 acres (16 hectares) of land in the Kent Land District at Bremer Bay, where he had been squatting with cattle for some time. Indications are that he had been in the area on a part time basis since 1848, trying several sites with adequate water, in 1850, he built a wattle and daub structure, with a stone fireplace and thatched roof, close to the site of the present Peppermint Grove Homestead.

Before 1860 a second, more substantial house was constructed on the site of the present homestead to enable his family. now a wife and seven children, to take up permanent residence at Bremer Bay. About the same time, he built a substantial outstation at Qualup (still standing) and a lesser dwelling at the Fitzgerald.

Over the next ten years a further five children were born to John and Ann, making a family of eight girls and four boys. A third home was constructed, this time in stone and considerably larger. It was constructed over the previous structure, which was then dismantled and removed. This proficient, pioneering family, living in isolation, on the south coast at Bremer Bay, worked very diligently, as any other attitude in such circumstances would have spelt disaster. Each family member had his/her own particular work to do. These chores included milking up to 70 cows, making cheese and butter, tending the vast vegetable garden, cutting hay, hunting for food, caring for the farm animals. pigs, cows, sheep and horses.

The establishment of the East-West telegraph line in 1876 alleviated much of the isolation of living at Bremer Bay and indeed made life much easier. The Government let contracts for ships to transport freight and personnel to the Telegraph Stations between Albany and Eucla and other locations. This meant that the produce, such as wool, skins, sandalwood and dairy produce could be shipped to Albany, much faster than by land. An overland journey to Albany in those days meant travelling far enough north to avoid the rivers, as they were impossible to cross in the wet months. on the return journey, the ships would transport stores, household goods, fencing wire and other necessities for the property. Passengers, also, were able to travel and arrive at their destination in a matter of days. Life was indeed, so much easier.

The Government in 1875, legislated for the end of free grazing for Western Australian pioneers. Thereafter land had to be purchased or leased.

The success of John Wellstead, remembering that he came to Western Australia aged twenty without money, was evident when on May 25th 1892 he wrote his last Will and Testament. By working hard and investing his money wisely he was able to will to his family a town house, two town blocks and several farming properties.

Extracts from his will read:

"I give and devise Albany Town Lot 250 to my son George Edward Wellstead"

"I give and devise Albany Town Lot 339 to my son Roderick Thomas Wellstead"

"Plantagenet Location 56 to my four sons, John, George, Robert and Roderick."

"Kent Location No 7, 19, 62 and 89 to my son John.

"Plantagenet Locations 100, 166, 175, 186, 213, 2309 to my son George Edward."

"Kent Locations 20, 54, 56, 57, 58 to my son Robert Allan."

"Kent Locations 32, 50, 51, 52, 53, 59, 60 and 61 to my son Roderick Thomas."

"As to all my leasehold runs, bullock and horse teams, broken saddle horses, wagons, drays, carts, traps, plough, harrows, farm implements and machinery. I give and bequeath to my four sons John,George, Robert and Roderick, for their mutual benefit and enjoyment, it being my wish and desire that they shall work together in harmony.

Should They disagree and not work together after the death or marriage, of my wife Ann, they must make an equitable division. For my unmarried daughters Ellen,Matilda and Emma, it is my wish that they be allowed to live on any of my farms, board and rent free. It is my dying wish that my four sons look after their single sisters.

My wife is to receive fifty pounds a year; by two equal six monthly payments.

The Rowley Street home Lot 442 is hers for her use until her death, or until she marries again. Then the house becomes Robert Allan's, and the furniture is to be sold, and the proceeds divided evenly amongst my four sons."

In the Albany Municipal rates book of 1890 Town Lot 442 in Rowley Steet, North Ward is registered in the name of John Wellstead. It is believed that it was some 10 years before, that John and Ann moved to Albany to enjoy their retirement.

Both John and Ann died in Albany and are both buried in the Memorial Park Cemetery.

In 1998, it is now 158 years since John Pullen arrived in Western Australia. It is 149 years since he married Ann Crawford and there are approximately two thousand names in this book, (The Wellstead Family 1820-1998 by John and Pat Wellstead)including in-laws, from this pioneering couple.