laighside

Laighside: 

Laighside Links with our past click to view video

‘Laighside’: 

‘Laighside’ The Farm was named Laighside, by Greg Agnew, after the Clydesdale Stud that Mr. Ross Goldsworthy operated on the property. The stud supplied plenty of work horses in the early days for the farm. Ross also used the horses to cart grain to Pt. Julia in 1930 to be taken by ship to Adelaide. Ross had great skill, and one of the largest teams in the district. Ross used the horses still, 10 years after he and his brother purchased a Sunshine Auto Header. The Clydesdale Team carting grain

The house: 

The house The first part of the house was two bedrooms. These were built in 1877. Then, in 1936, Ross Goldsworthy built a small bathroom and a kitchen. With the kitchen came two large water tanks and another bedroom, which is now used as an office. From then onwards, nothing was built for a while, until 2001-2002, when Greg Agnew built a new bathroom, laundry and another bedroom. He also had the hallway extended. In 2003-2004 Greg had another room built, this one adjacent to the kitchen. The front in 1976 The front in 2006

The Owners: 

The Owners The owners and people that lived there are listed (in order) with the year that they moved in. 1876 - Peter Williams 1890 – Mr and Mrs Alf Williams/”Harry” Groveman Mason 1922 – Mr and Mrs Cecil Crawford 1923 - Ross and Ada Dorothy (Dorrie) Goldsworthy/Jack and Verna Gower (share farming) 1948 – Maurice Goldsworthy 1978 – Norm Agnew (owned but did not live there) 1979 - Neville and Chris Watters (rent from Norm Agnew) 1985 - Graham and Carmel Short (rent from Norm Agnew) 1990 - Greg and Deb Agnew

Williams: 

Williams After proposing his claim and successfully winning with his bid of 1-10-6 pounds per acre for section 90 Peter Williams moved into the homestead. Once the house was ready to move into Peter moved from Willunga to the house and began farming there. Later he had a son (Alfred) who took over the running of the property. A bachelor (F.H “Harry” Groveman) then boarded with him and his wife and built the barn and the shearing shed. Mr. Groveman then went on with his work as a mason at the Twelftrees shop and spent his last days in a home in Adelaide. Alf then sold the property to Mr. Cecil Crawford. The side and back of the house in 1976

Mr. Cecil Crawford: 

Mr. Cecil Crawford Mr Crawford came to live on Section 90 after being the district’s pioneer boring contractor. His work was valued by the farmers because water had become scarce. His first boring plant was powered by a horse and treadmill. Afterwards he built one himself which was powered by an engine. He sank many bores and was first to strike good water. Mr Crawford then joined the Royal Air Force and served overseas. When he came back he married Betty Agnew and farmed at the house until he sold the farm and moved to Strathalbyn. The first bore that Cecil Crawford sank

Goldsworthys: 

Goldsworthys Nita’s Wedding Ada Goldsworthy Ross and “Alverton Favourite” Flora’s Wedding Four generations

Slide8: 

Ross and Ada Dorothy (Dorrie) Goldsworthy had one son Maurice, and two daughters, Flora and Nita. Ross was recognized when his Clydesdale “Alberton Favourite” took a placing at the Gawler show in 1945. Flora, Maurice and Nita went to school at Curramulka. In the Second World War in 1939 they went in an underground trench for cover. The Goldsworthys owned six paddocks and farmed on them. They also owned a stable which they used for the horses, machinery and hay, a dam, tank, well and the main homestead. During this time Nita went to a school in Adelaide and boarded there. She returned to the house for twelve months and then the family moved out, leaving Maurice in charge of the house. The share farmer Jack Gower and his wife Verna lived there for some years and then Maurice sold the house to Norm Agnew. Nita, who we got some of our information from said that they did chores such as feeding the horses and ponies, bringing in the cows as well as feeding and milking them and feeding the chooks. Nita said that there was a well that was 15 feet deep, that had no water in it. She said once she was scared by a snake there. Ross and Ada click to view video

Gowers: 

Gowers After working as a share farmer for Ross Goldsworthy, Jack Gower then took on the running of the farm with his wife Verna. We interviewed Verna as to what she thought of the house since Jack died two years ago in Queensland. Verna says that she loved the comfortable house and it was very beautiful. Their children Robert and Maurrie always had a pet cat and Jack also kept some stock in his land. In 1950 Robert planted some of the trees that are very tall now.

Shorts: 

Shorts In 1979 Neville Watters moved in with his wife Chris. When they lived there they were on rent from Norm Agnew. No improvements were built in the time that he lived there. They moved out in 1985, when Neville bought his own house allowing Graham and Carmel Short to move in, still on rent from Norm Agnew. Watters In 1985, when Neville and Chris moved out, Graham (Charlie) and Carmel Short moved in. Of their five kids, only two lived some of their lives there, Toby and Hannah. The other three, Lucy, Patrick and Murphy, were born once they moved out in 1990. In 1990 Greg Agnew inherited the home from his father, Norm Agnew.

Agnews: 

Agnews In 1990 Greg Agnew moved in with his wife, Deb. Since then they have added a living room out the front and extended the hallway to entrance a new bedroom, a laundry, a new bathroom and toilet. Greg has sheep that he sells and several crops, such as wheat, barley, canola and lentils. Greg has four children, Ben, Xav, Jack and Gabbi (me). The barn is now used as a storage shed and the Stables hold machinery. Greg has built a loading ramp next to some silos and a tennis court behind the house. Also, he and his family have planted several trees in the vacant area in front of their house. The front of the house in 2006

Message: 

Message By Gabbi Agnew and Clare Short click to view video