Thomas Arnold Maughan 1897-1970

 

Arnold Maughan Kirkhaugh, UK 1910 © Catherine Maughan

Arnold, as he was always called, was born on 1 December 1897 in Kirkhaugh, a small village adjacent to the River South Tyne, in the north of England. He was the third child of John and Elizabeth Maughan who were well known breeders of Galloway and blue-grey cattle and also black-faced sheep. A serious accident as a lad left Arnold with a permanent limp. He often wore a leg brace but that didn’t stop him from becoming a farmer like his father and grandfathers before him.

Arnold grew up on the family farm at Kirkhaugh, UK with his parents and four brothers and one sister. In October 1915 his father suddenly died. It was World War I and many young men were enlisting including Arnold’s brothers and cousins. Due to his disability Arnold was unable to enlist and he helped to run the family farm. The farm was sold shortly after the war ended and four of the sons were lured to opportunities in the great southern lands.

Arnold and two of his brothers Syd and Stewart emigrated to Western Australia. They worked as farm hands for their cousins the Teasdales at Belka and then in 1926 the three brothers bought a farm a few miles west of Nukarni which they called Kirkhaugh. The adjacent farm Wydon was farmed by James and Betty Tweddle. When Betty was widowed Arnold helped Betty on the farm and they married on 16 May 1932. Arnold became step-father to George, John and Eileen Tweddle.

Arnold, George, Betty, Eileen, John, Syd Nukarni 1930s © Catherine Maughan

In 1942 Arnold and Betty Maughan sold Wydon and moved to a farm at Norpa which they called Alston after the town near where Arnold had grown up as a child. In 1942 Arnold and his two brothers all enlisted in the Volunteer Defence Corps – Australia’s home guard.

Thomas Arnold Maughan JP was a community man. He was a founding member of the Merredin Stud Stock Breeders Association and her served on the Merredin Road Board, representing to Totadgin Ward, for 12 years (1945-1957). Arnold was an active member - he sat on the Works and Electricity Committees, served as Vice Chairman in 1950 and Chairman in 1952. 

In 1953 Arnold was one of three Merredin people to receive a Coronation Medal for services to the community. The following year Arnold and Betty attended the Royal Ball held in Government Gardens, Perth where they met Queen Elizabeth.

Thomas Arnold Maughan JP 1950s © Kerry Pusenjak

Arnold loved the Australian bush. As a voluntary fauna warden he spent much of his spare time submitting reports to the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife of fauna sightings in bushland in the district. Arnold was instrumental in the establishment of a 2000 acre nature reserve near the farm at Norpa which is named in his honour. 

In 1961 Arnold and Betty sold the farm at Norpa and lived at 10 Jellicoe Road Merredin before moving to a unit at Rowethorpe Retirement Home in 1967. Thomas Arnold Maughan died on 25 September 1970 and his remains lie in the Merredin Cemetery. He is remembered with deep affection by the Maughan, Tweddle, Roper and Thyne families.

Acknowledgement: thanks to family members - Marian Maughan, Jill Maughan, Kerry Pusenjak and Peter Last - for supplying information and images. Thanks also to Merredin Library staff.