Baseden Family

PIONEER FAMILY

The Baseden family were a pioneer family who stayed in the dying district when Esperance went into a period of decline. The railway line from Widgimooltha to Coolgardie was opened on the 16th June 1908, and then to Norseman in 1909.

They were another family that hung on despite the lack of industry and work and general poverty. Their business began with a partnership with W.F. Pool, a civil engineer, architect and surveyor, the Basedens were builders, painters and sign writers. Their business premises were situated on Lot 30 Dempster Street. Later Fred Baseden and his son Frank were employed by The Dempster brothers in the shearing team at Lake Wheatfield in 1904.

Bob Baseden was employed by Edward McCarthy in his store, to show his appreciation for the willing service Bob gave; Mr McCarthy presented him with a Magic Lantern. All the children in the town were invited to the screening; it was the first time they had seen pictures being thrown on to a screen.

Brothers, Frank and John Baseden enlisted in the Great War. The Basedens were the original owners of 16 The Esplanade, built in 1919 after soldiers returned from the War. The builders included Ted McCarthy Jnr, Jim Orr, Thomas Orr, Boswell Synnott, Bob Douglas, E. Eggeling and others.

The house and car garage were built with jarrah weatherboard planks, the roof was corrugated iron. The front veranda featured turned wood posts, a decorative veranda valance and wooden brackets. The roof featured a finial on the highest pitch of the roof. There was also a two roomed cottage built in the backyard of the property.

The interior of the cottage was fully lined with decorative pressed tin on the walls and ceilings; it had a wood fired stove. A room known as the cabin was built later on. The trees, five Norfolk pines and two date palms were planted around the time the house was completed. The McCarthy family purchased the house in the late 1940’s.