People/pearsefrancis.html
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Freotopia > people > Francis Pearse (1847-1919)
Francis Pearse
See also my Pearse genealogy page.
Lee:
Francis, who was assistant pupil teacher to G. Bland Humble at the Fremantle Boys School, later became one of the richest men in the colony. He as reported to have amassed a fortune of £750,000 ($1,500,000), the bulk of which, through the generosity of his wife [Emma Anne nee Snook, 1948-1933], eventually went to charity. Lee 1979: 207.
Francis' house was Hillcrest, in North Fremantle.
Heritage Council:
Hillcrest was constructed in 1904 for Francis Pearse, of the prominent Pearse family, and occupied by him from its construction until his death. Francis Pearse earned his fortune as a young man through business interests in Dongara. He was a one of five sons of prominent early Fremantle resident William Pearse. Together with two of his brothers, Pearse established and managed the Pearse Brothers Tannery and Boot Factory in North Fremantle, which operated from 1871 until 1962, when it was demolished. Hillcrest was as an imposing two-storey mansion overlooking the Swan River, located in extensive grounds that ran the length of Helen Street between Harvest Road and John Street. It was constructed to face Helen Street [I think actually it faced - and still faces - the river; however, the main entrance would have been from Helen Street] and had substantial outbuildings in the grounds towards Harvest Road, which remained until at least 1939. In 1922, Hillcrest was donated to the Salvation Army by Francis’ widow, apparently at his request. It was first used as a maternity hospital, which also served as a training hospital, and later converted for use as an elderly care facility. Heritage Council.
Francis and Emma had nine children: Francis [Frances?] Susannah, Fanny Priscilla, Frank Newman, Annie Maude Archer, Flora Hallet [Hallett?], Archer Leopold Nelson, Gladys Mary, Daphne Maud, Una Grace.
References and Links
Lee, Jack 1979, This is East Fremantle (The story of a town and its people), East Fremantle Town Council.
Many thanks to Rob Ward for a comprehensive and invaluable genealogy of the Pearse family.
Ancestry.com.au page, with names and dates of children of the patriarch
Photograph Fremantle Library Local History Collection #3812.
This page incorporates material from Garry Gillard's Freotopia website, that he started in 2014 and the contents of which he donated to Wikimedia Australia in 2024. The content was originally created on 12 July, 2016 and hosted at freotopia.org/people/pearsefrancis.html (it was last updated on 15 March, 2024). The donated data is also preserved in the Internet Archive's collection.