Russ Cottage Museum
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The museum is open to the public on Sundays from 10am to 12 noon and by appointment through contacting the society.
The collection of items in Russ Cottage is displayed to resemble how the cottage may have appeared when used by the Russ Family in the late 19th century. We hope that a visit to the cottage will bring back nostalgic memories to the older generation and help the younger generation understand life in earlier times.
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Russ Cottage History
Sir David Brand opened Russ Cottage Museum on January 23 1971. The building had been acquired by the Shire of Irwin from the owners and restored by members of the Irwin District Historical Society. The opening coincided with the centenary of the Irwin Road Board.
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Russ Cottage represents a typical yeoman’s cottage of the late 19th century. On display are household furnishings and implements, many of which were donated and used by residents of the Irwin District.
The Cottage was built about 1870 by Titus Russ. Titus’s father Absolom arrived in WA with his wife Clementina and children, Titus aged 12 and Absolom aged 4 on the Sabina in 1853.
Titus moved to Dongara and in 1864 he married Caroline Wintle. Titus built the cottage of limestone, quarried from the banks of the Irwin River about 400 metres west of the house. It is said that he brought the stones to the house by wheelbarrow.
...Titus built the cottage of limestone, quarried
from the banks of the Irwin River...
Titus died in 1874, leaving Caroline a widow with 4 small children. Caroline remarried to James Waterson Johnson, schoolteacher and secretary to the Irwin Roads Board. They also had four children, so this small cottage became home to eight children and their father and mother.
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Titus Russ
Caroline Wintle
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The Russ General Store
(click to enlarge)
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...the house passed to her fourth child of
her marriage to Titus; Robert Russ.
On the death of Caroline, the house passed to her fourth child of her marriage to Titus, Robert Russ. He married Sarah Plester and lived in the house all his life. Robert operated a general store and boot repair business and the land near the house was used as a market garden. Produce was sold in the shop and railed as far as Kalgoorlie.
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The Collection
The Russ Cottage cottage collection is displayed to resemble how the cottage may have looked on any given day when used by the Russ Family in the late 19th century.
Many items considered essential for daily living at that time have now disappeared entirely from modern life, to the point that many simple utensils are completely unknown to the current generation. A brief description of a few of these items follows.
...Many items considered essential for daily living at that
time have now disappeared entirely from modern life
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ROCKING CHAIR c1850
This rocking chair was brought to Western Australia by John and Esther Pell who arrived in 1850. They settled in Walebing, and came to the Irwin District in the 1860s, being employed by Samuel Phillips at the Grange and living in a small stone cottage close to Pell Bridge (see right for a picture).
Later, John leased ‘Wimpole Farm’, north east of Dongara. The chair was last owned by their grand daughter, the late Ivy Bond of Dongara.
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Rocking Chair
(click to enlarge)
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Push Chair
(click to enlarge)
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PUSH CHAIR c1900
This folding wooden push chair was used by the families of Alfred Thurkle and Frank Herbert. In about 1914, it was purchased by Albert Criddle and he used it for his son, Lionel.
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Pell Bridge
(click to enlarge)
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