The History of Settlers House

Settlers’ House was built by the Craig Family around 1841–1845, for their daughter who was getting married. This formed part
of what is known as Settlers’ Precinct. In 1855, it was given by Governor Fitzgerald to John Taylor, a Yeoman from Yangedine, for a
yearly rental of one peppercorn, payable on the 25th day of March each year for twenty one years.

During the period 1875 – 1880, Settlers’ House was used as a Cobb & Co. staging post stop during the gold rush days. People joining the gold rush to WA travelled by train or by coach to York, which was the closest rail connected centre to Coolgardie. Prospectors lacking the money for rail travel were forced to walk. The road they followed from York began where the war Memorial now stands, outside the railway station and came to be known as “The Track”. It was approximately 500kms long and led eventually into Bayley Street, Coolgardie.

Settlers’ House had a variety of roles and occupants during its long history, including Mr. George Inkpen who in 1877 founded the “Eastern Districts Chronicle”, the first inland newspaper printed in W.A., with his presses being situated where the bar stands today.

Early this century Settlers’ House was a 20 room boarding house known as “Palmi House”, run by Mrs Albert Pyke. From 1919-1925 it was taken over as a Temperance Hotel and was run by the Kirk Brothers, Frank and Teddy (the Kirk Brothers were also known in the district for their race horses), and from 1925 to 1939 it was run by Mr Ernie Jacob.

In 1908 William Collins who owned The Inkpen Buildings built the first shop at a cost of 900 pounds. The Inkpen Buildings later became known as Settlers’ Precinct. Since then there have been various occupants and businesses including Curley Pyke, who ran a wine saloon, and Mrs Pyke, who ran a tearoom and fruit shop. At one stage it provided married quarters for the Mounted Police. Where the shops now stand was a Government Well which provided the town with drinking water.

Settlers’ House ran as a boarding house until the Meckering earthquake in 1968, which substantially damaged some interior walls.

In 1973, Settlers stood empty. The mud bricks were crumbling and it was at the point of being demolished until Mr Eric Turton decided to purchase and restore the property. The first task was to cut back the overgrown vines which hid the building from view. He then proceeded to restore the house to reflect its concept during the period 1875-1880 when the building was a staging house.

Settlers’ House (which Mr. Turton named on purchase) is also reputed to be haunted. Mr. Turton recorded three occasions when he was “visited” by a ghost believed to be Mrs. Matilda Frances Inkpen, the wife of Mr. George Inkpen who ran the local paper in the building. There have been various stories of sightings from guests and staff over the years, i.e. curtains that were closed for the evening being open the following morning, unexplained noises and the occasional broken glass. Current day employees say they have experienced slamming doors and windows, locked doors where the doors in question have no locks, items being mysteriously relocated while no one is around, electrical equipment suddenly coming on without any intervention, and other harmless but curious phenomenon.