The Margaret River and Districts Historical Society gathered last week for a morning tea at the historical Basildene Manor property.
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Guests enjoyed a delicious spread at the heritage property, which was built in 1912 as a homestead for William “Percy” Willmott’s family, the original owners of Basildene.
Born in England, Willmott served in the merchant navy before, in 1887, travelling with his younger brother Frank to Western Australia.
They arrived in Albany, stayed for 10 days and sailed off again to Vasse. Soon they were employed by the Brockman family, near Pemberton, and in time married the two eldest Brockman daughters.
Willmott earned a small amount teaching local boys, and his house at Vasse, known as The Hermitage, was constructed. His family moved to the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse in Augusta, where Willmott worked as a lighthouse keeper and displayed great passion for photography.
In 1910, they relocated to a shanty in Yalgardup, a house made from compressed kerosene tins brought from the lighthouse.
Following a six-month trip to England, the family returned to Basildene, both residence and visit made possible by funding from Willmott’s sister Henrietta.
Willmott desired a magnificent house resembling one of his relatives’ imposing country estate in England.
Granite was quarried onsite and the finest chosen to construct the walls. Local jarrah was used inside to design the floors, staircases, balustrades, main hall and central gallery.
- With Shelley Wightman/MRDHS
