Tranby HousePrint Page

The marble tablet commemorates Tranby House which was originally built in 1830 by Joseph Hardey, who came to Western Australia in the brig Tranby in January, 1830. The house, which was the first in the district, was destroyed by flood in July 1830. The plaque was unveiled in 1929 during Western Australia`s centenary.

The present Tranby House was built in 1839 and was the third house Joseph Hardey had built on Peninsula Farm, a property originally granted to him in 1830. As well as his farming pursuits Joseph Hardey was well known as a Wesleyan Layman. The house remained as the Hardey family home until 1913 when it was bought by Henry Baker. 

Proposed Tablet. Recently Mr. H. Baker interviewed the secretary of the Perth Road Board (Mr. W. E. Stockdale) regarding the preservation of Tranby House on the Peninsula-road, Maylands, and of historic interest on account of its association with the immigrants by the ship Tranby in the early days. Mr. Baker agreed to the installation of a marble tablet at the house, and was of the opinion that it should be fixed at the front gate leading from the main road and not on the building, which might be reconstructed in the near future. He was prepared to bear portion of the cost of this proposal. The board at its last meeting decided to provide a marble tablet to memorialise Tranby House.The matter was referred to the State Centenary Committee which thanked the board for its report of the action taken. Regarding the board's communication concerning Castle Hotel, at North Beach, the committee replied that inquiries were being made to find out whether or not this was the birthplace of Lady Forrest.
West Australian (Perth), 17 December 1928.

Tablet Unveiled. The last Centenary function in the metropolitan area was the unveiling of a tablet commemorating the erection of Tranby Court, at Maylands, the first home to be formed in that district. The tablet, provided by the Perth Road Board, bears the following inscription: "Tranby House was built early in 1830 by Joseph Hardey, an experienced yeoman farmer of Yorkshire who arrived in Western Australia by the ship Tranby, during January of that year and settled upon this spot. This home was the first to be established in the district and this memorial has been erected by the Perth Road Board to mark that event."

The unveiling ceremony was performed on the last day of the year by the chairman of the board (Mr. E. W. Hamer), who paid a tribute to the fine pioneering spirit displayed by the early settlers and their descendants. Mr. Hardey had shown good judgment in selecting such a beautiful river site for his future home and the fact that the building was in such good preservation reflected credit on the skilled workers of those days. Mr. A. E. Sanderson, officer in charge of local Government, complimented the board on its action in perpetuating the memory of Mr. Hardey, of whom it could be said that his word was his bond. Messrs. S. B. Alexander, J. Arbuckle and G. W. Millard, members of the board and Mr. W. E. Stockdale (secretary) were also present. 
West Australian (Perth, 6 January 1930.

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