James Robert "Bob" Burns
Birth: 5 Aug 1871, Hectorville, Adelaide, South Australia
Death: 9 Jun 1958, Perth, Western Australia
Burial: Karrakatta, Nedlands City, Western Australia
Spouse: Kathleen Helena Callaghan
Birth: 15 Jun 1871, Perth, Western Australia
Death: 29 May 1919, Western Australia
Father: James Callaghan
Mother: Mary Torpey (1842-1919)
Marriage: 1902, Perth, Western Australia
Children: Gladys Dalius Mary (1903-1904)
Spouse: Pearl Marion Moore
Birth: Abt 1897, Coolgardie, Western Australia
Death: 1978, Western Australia
Father: Percy Henry Moore (1861-1942)
Mother: Cathreen May Kingsbury (1874-1946)
Marriage: 1920, Perth, Western Australia
Children: Mavis Veronica (1920-2001)
Robert Percy (1922-2001)
Patricia Pearl Geraldine (1929-1993)
Death: 9 Jun 1958, Perth, Western Australia
Burial: Karrakatta, Nedlands City, Western Australia
Spouse: Kathleen Helena Callaghan
Birth: 15 Jun 1871, Perth, Western Australia
Death: 29 May 1919, Western Australia
Father: James Callaghan
Mother: Mary Torpey (1842-1919)
Marriage: 1902, Perth, Western Australia
Children: Gladys Dalius Mary (1903-1904)
Spouse: Pearl Marion Moore
Birth: Abt 1897, Coolgardie, Western Australia
Death: 1978, Western Australia
Father: Percy Henry Moore (1861-1942)
Mother: Cathreen May Kingsbury (1874-1946)
Marriage: 1920, Perth, Western Australia
Children: Mavis Veronica (1920-2001)
Robert Percy (1922-2001)
Patricia Pearl Geraldine (1929-1993)
James Robert Burns was the seventh child of John Burns and Mary Callaghan. He was born on August 5, 1871, in the family home in Hectorville, South Australia. He was baptized on August 13, 1871, by Fr. Joseph Tappeiner at the Church of the Annunciation. His sponsors were John and Bridget Phillips.
James, who was later known as Bob, had a similar upbringing to his sibling in the growing suburb of Hectorville. He attended Mass every Sunday at the Church of the Annunciation, and he attended the church school initially under the “efficient master” Miss McMahon and, later, under Saint Mary McKillop and the Sisters of St Joseph. According to RacingWA (the Principal Racing Authority and State-appointed regulator of thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing in Western Australia), Bob left school at a young age—probably about 16—and became a drover in Broken Hill, New South Wales. He went to Broken Hill in the late 1880s, likely with his brothers Michael and Edward.
Around 1891, Bob went to Western Australia, apparently to follow a Gold Rush. In the 1890s a new series of rushes were triggered by the discovery of huge gold fields at Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie. As a drover, Bob could make a living supplying the camps with timber and other needed commodities. Whether Bob had planned for what happened next is unknown, but, by 1893, he had become a race horse trainer.
According to the RacingWA website,
Thoroughbred racing in Western Australia has a rich and vibrant history that dates back to the early days of European settlement. The journey began with a government notice in August 1829, which outlined the General Regulations and Instructions for Crown land. This notice stated that the territory would be progressively divided into counties, townships, and sections, with the Crown reserving sections for various uses, including race courses.
The first recorded race meeting in Western Australia took place in Fremantle on October 2, 1833. This event marked the beginning of an enduring passion for horse racing among the settlers. In 1852, the Western Australian Turf Club (WATC) was established, playing a crucial role in formalizing and regulating the sport. A meeting convened by Colonel Reeves on October 22, 1852, noted that twenty names were enrolled to form the club, with His Excellency the Governor, Captain Charles Fitzgerald RN, appointed as patron. A committee was formed to draw up racing rules and make arrangements for a racecourse.
The first recorded race meeting held by the new WATC was a two-day fixture in April 1853, featuring the prestigious Queen’s Plate, a race over three miles with a prize of 50 pounds. Over the years, the WATC introduced several key races, including the Metropolitan Handicap in 1879 and the Perth Cup in 1887, which took over as the premier race.
The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw significant growth in thoroughbred racing in Western Australia. By 1903, Perth boasted five metropolitan racecourses: Ascot, Belmont Park, Canning Park, Goodwood, and Helena Vale. Ascot Racecourse, established in 1903, quickly became one of the premier racing venues in the state.
https://racingwa.com.au/about/history/racing-wa-thoroughbred-history
Bob had his first winner at Cue in 1893. Cue was a small mining town about 400 miles northeast of Perth. Gold had been found there in 1892, and a claim had been filed by Tom Cue for whom the boomtown was named. It is unknown where Bob was living and training at the time, nor do we know the name of his horse or its owner. He would go on to a long and illustrious career. In 2010, he was inducted into the RacingWA Hall of Fame. According to the article on their website,
James, who was later known as Bob, had a similar upbringing to his sibling in the growing suburb of Hectorville. He attended Mass every Sunday at the Church of the Annunciation, and he attended the church school initially under the “efficient master” Miss McMahon and, later, under Saint Mary McKillop and the Sisters of St Joseph. According to RacingWA (the Principal Racing Authority and State-appointed regulator of thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing in Western Australia), Bob left school at a young age—probably about 16—and became a drover in Broken Hill, New South Wales. He went to Broken Hill in the late 1880s, likely with his brothers Michael and Edward.
Around 1891, Bob went to Western Australia, apparently to follow a Gold Rush. In the 1890s a new series of rushes were triggered by the discovery of huge gold fields at Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie. As a drover, Bob could make a living supplying the camps with timber and other needed commodities. Whether Bob had planned for what happened next is unknown, but, by 1893, he had become a race horse trainer.
According to the RacingWA website,
Thoroughbred racing in Western Australia has a rich and vibrant history that dates back to the early days of European settlement. The journey began with a government notice in August 1829, which outlined the General Regulations and Instructions for Crown land. This notice stated that the territory would be progressively divided into counties, townships, and sections, with the Crown reserving sections for various uses, including race courses.
The first recorded race meeting in Western Australia took place in Fremantle on October 2, 1833. This event marked the beginning of an enduring passion for horse racing among the settlers. In 1852, the Western Australian Turf Club (WATC) was established, playing a crucial role in formalizing and regulating the sport. A meeting convened by Colonel Reeves on October 22, 1852, noted that twenty names were enrolled to form the club, with His Excellency the Governor, Captain Charles Fitzgerald RN, appointed as patron. A committee was formed to draw up racing rules and make arrangements for a racecourse.
The first recorded race meeting held by the new WATC was a two-day fixture in April 1853, featuring the prestigious Queen’s Plate, a race over three miles with a prize of 50 pounds. Over the years, the WATC introduced several key races, including the Metropolitan Handicap in 1879 and the Perth Cup in 1887, which took over as the premier race.
The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw significant growth in thoroughbred racing in Western Australia. By 1903, Perth boasted five metropolitan racecourses: Ascot, Belmont Park, Canning Park, Goodwood, and Helena Vale. Ascot Racecourse, established in 1903, quickly became one of the premier racing venues in the state.
https://racingwa.com.au/about/history/racing-wa-thoroughbred-history
Bob had his first winner at Cue in 1893. Cue was a small mining town about 400 miles northeast of Perth. Gold had been found there in 1892, and a claim had been filed by Tom Cue for whom the boomtown was named. It is unknown where Bob was living and training at the time, nor do we know the name of his horse or its owner. He would go on to a long and illustrious career. In 2010, he was inducted into the RacingWA Hall of Fame. According to the article on their website,
Bob achieved nine Perth trainers premierships in a period of 13 years, a record not broken for almost nine decades. His forty-seven winners in the 1926/27 season was an Australian record for winners trained in a season.
In the 1907/08 season Bob won eight of the twelve two-year-old events in that season.
Training the winner in every major race on the Western Australian racing calendar, Bob achieved the feat of training four winners at one meeting on three occasions. At the Ascot meeting on 29 December 1926 he trained Cunningman to win the Railway Stakes, Silver Prince to win the Swan Handicap, Tich to win the All Aged Stakes and Spearage to win the Welter.
Bob trained four Perth Cup winners, the last being Sydney James in 1947, a horse that was later transferred to Melbourne and won the Australian Cup at Flemington.
The only early mention of Bob in the newspapers was in the Police Intelligence (15 Oct 1898) in which “James Robert Burns was charged with being a rogue and a vagabond. Mr. R.W. Maxwell appeared for the accused. After hearing evidence, the defendant was cautioned.”
In 1902, Bob married Kathleen Helena Callaghan. They were both 31. Katelina, who sometimes went by Kathleen, was the daughter of James Callaghan and Mary Torpey. James was a native Ireland and a veteran of the Crimean War. Mary was a native of Kilkenny, Ireland, who came to Australia in 1869.
Bob and Kathleen lived at 188 Barrack Street, Perth, for the next six years. In January 1903, they had their first and only child, a daughter that they named Gladys Dalius. Unfortunately, Gladys only survived for 18 months and died on June 7, 1904. She is buried in Karrakatta Cemetery.
Despite the personal tragedy, Bob continued to succeed in the Sport of Kings. Around the time of his marriage, Bob had bought a waterfront home, ranch, and training center on the border of Redcliffe and Guildford. Over the years it would expand to over 100 acres. About 7 and a half miles northeast of the City Center of Perth, Guilford had been established in 1829 because of the nearby fresh water supply of the Helena and Swan Rivers. Originally called Success Hill, it would later become the City of Swan and is the home of the Perth Polo Club. The complex would later be sold to become the Tibraddon housing estate.
The coming of World War I presented some unique obstacles for Bob. Horse racing would continue as an entertainment and distraction, but the clientele and resources would be curtailed. Cavalry was still a strong part of the British Army, and horses and feed were needed for the War Effort. Thoroughbreds might not be ideal for drayage, but upper-class volunteers to the ANZAC, who usually entered the officer corps, often bought their own horses to the front instead of leaving them behind for racing or stud work. Bob’s own cousin Gerald Birdling shipped his horse from New Zealand to Egypt to serve in the Jerusalem Campaign.
Bob was too old to enter military service by this point, but, as a significant member of society, he would have been expected to support the War Effort in philanthropic ways. So, in 1914, he entered the first Ugly Men’s Competition, which he won. Organized by a Mrs. Alicia Pell, the "Uglie Man" competition was to raise funds for the Red Cross in Kalgoorlie. The name originally came from a London newspaper article about a recent book:
In the 1907/08 season Bob won eight of the twelve two-year-old events in that season.
Training the winner in every major race on the Western Australian racing calendar, Bob achieved the feat of training four winners at one meeting on three occasions. At the Ascot meeting on 29 December 1926 he trained Cunningman to win the Railway Stakes, Silver Prince to win the Swan Handicap, Tich to win the All Aged Stakes and Spearage to win the Welter.
Bob trained four Perth Cup winners, the last being Sydney James in 1947, a horse that was later transferred to Melbourne and won the Australian Cup at Flemington.
The only early mention of Bob in the newspapers was in the Police Intelligence (15 Oct 1898) in which “James Robert Burns was charged with being a rogue and a vagabond. Mr. R.W. Maxwell appeared for the accused. After hearing evidence, the defendant was cautioned.”
In 1902, Bob married Kathleen Helena Callaghan. They were both 31. Katelina, who sometimes went by Kathleen, was the daughter of James Callaghan and Mary Torpey. James was a native Ireland and a veteran of the Crimean War. Mary was a native of Kilkenny, Ireland, who came to Australia in 1869.
Bob and Kathleen lived at 188 Barrack Street, Perth, for the next six years. In January 1903, they had their first and only child, a daughter that they named Gladys Dalius. Unfortunately, Gladys only survived for 18 months and died on June 7, 1904. She is buried in Karrakatta Cemetery.
Despite the personal tragedy, Bob continued to succeed in the Sport of Kings. Around the time of his marriage, Bob had bought a waterfront home, ranch, and training center on the border of Redcliffe and Guildford. Over the years it would expand to over 100 acres. About 7 and a half miles northeast of the City Center of Perth, Guilford had been established in 1829 because of the nearby fresh water supply of the Helena and Swan Rivers. Originally called Success Hill, it would later become the City of Swan and is the home of the Perth Polo Club. The complex would later be sold to become the Tibraddon housing estate.
The coming of World War I presented some unique obstacles for Bob. Horse racing would continue as an entertainment and distraction, but the clientele and resources would be curtailed. Cavalry was still a strong part of the British Army, and horses and feed were needed for the War Effort. Thoroughbreds might not be ideal for drayage, but upper-class volunteers to the ANZAC, who usually entered the officer corps, often bought their own horses to the front instead of leaving them behind for racing or stud work. Bob’s own cousin Gerald Birdling shipped his horse from New Zealand to Egypt to serve in the Jerusalem Campaign.
Bob was too old to enter military service by this point, but, as a significant member of society, he would have been expected to support the War Effort in philanthropic ways. So, in 1914, he entered the first Ugly Men’s Competition, which he won. Organized by a Mrs. Alicia Pell, the "Uglie Man" competition was to raise funds for the Red Cross in Kalgoorlie. The name originally came from a London newspaper article about a recent book:
Mr. Jacomb, who claims to have six years' residence in South Australia, has published a book in which the declares the Commonwealth produces ugly men, and that their looks are aggravated by slovenliness of attire. Nearly all "the men swear habitually, and good manners are absent. Utter lack of chivalry towards women is a marked characteristic.”
The Australian woman, he says, has no complexion, walks with a waddle, and is worn out at thirty.
The Western Australians took the insult on as a badge of honor and had established the Ugly Men’s Association by 1917. The Ugly Men were a major force in the cultural life for both men and women in 1920s Perth, with membership mainly from the lower and middle working-classes. Membership during the 1920s was about 2,000, with 21 branches across the Perth metropolitan area. Members organized dances, social events and busy bees to raise funds and build houses for war-widows and others in need. "Ugly Man" competitions were popular events, with nominations and voting requiring a coin donation.
The popularity of the Ugly Men peaked with the establishment of the annual Uglieland carnivals in Perth city and Fremantle, which were said to have raised about £12,000 each year. The White City, a Perth amusement park, was at times known as Uglieland due to the Ugly Men's Association administering the park at various stages in its history. An Uglieland fairground on the corner of Market and Phillimore Streets in Fremantle ran from 1922 to 1936 by the Fremantle Ugly Men's Association to raise funds for underprivileged children.
Uglieland carnivals were highly anticipated annual events. Crowds in the thousands were drawn to the bright lights, live music and open-air festivities. A selection of rides (including roller coasters, toboggans and chair-a-planes) and live shows by circus performers and illusionists kept guests entertained well into the evening. But it was Ugly Men's late-night gambling and the infamous dance floor that eventually brought the organization into disrepute. By the late 1920s, The West Australian had joined a choir of voices from the public and clergy calling for closure of the Uglieland carnivals at White City:
... there still flourishes in the city a place which, at best is an architectural eyesore and a moral disgrace. Situated at the foot of William-street, and forming one of the few blots on the picturesque riverfront of Perth...
White City, also, contains a large open-air -dance floor on which youths, with their hats on their heads, perform intricate and sometimes immodest, steps with, young women whom, prob- ably they have never seen before...
Since its inception, White City has proved to be a magnet, for larrikins and loafers, who, in various stages of intoxication, make for its gates when the hotels are closed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugly_Men%27s_Association
Caving to mounting public pressure, the Western Australian government ordered the closure of White City in 1929, effectively bringing an end to the Ugly Men's reign over Perth's social scene. After losing their major fundraising activity, the Ugly Men fell into inactivity during the 1930s. In 1948, the organization was declared defunct.
The Australian woman, he says, has no complexion, walks with a waddle, and is worn out at thirty.
The Western Australians took the insult on as a badge of honor and had established the Ugly Men’s Association by 1917. The Ugly Men were a major force in the cultural life for both men and women in 1920s Perth, with membership mainly from the lower and middle working-classes. Membership during the 1920s was about 2,000, with 21 branches across the Perth metropolitan area. Members organized dances, social events and busy bees to raise funds and build houses for war-widows and others in need. "Ugly Man" competitions were popular events, with nominations and voting requiring a coin donation.
The popularity of the Ugly Men peaked with the establishment of the annual Uglieland carnivals in Perth city and Fremantle, which were said to have raised about £12,000 each year. The White City, a Perth amusement park, was at times known as Uglieland due to the Ugly Men's Association administering the park at various stages in its history. An Uglieland fairground on the corner of Market and Phillimore Streets in Fremantle ran from 1922 to 1936 by the Fremantle Ugly Men's Association to raise funds for underprivileged children.
Uglieland carnivals were highly anticipated annual events. Crowds in the thousands were drawn to the bright lights, live music and open-air festivities. A selection of rides (including roller coasters, toboggans and chair-a-planes) and live shows by circus performers and illusionists kept guests entertained well into the evening. But it was Ugly Men's late-night gambling and the infamous dance floor that eventually brought the organization into disrepute. By the late 1920s, The West Australian had joined a choir of voices from the public and clergy calling for closure of the Uglieland carnivals at White City:
... there still flourishes in the city a place which, at best is an architectural eyesore and a moral disgrace. Situated at the foot of William-street, and forming one of the few blots on the picturesque riverfront of Perth...
White City, also, contains a large open-air -dance floor on which youths, with their hats on their heads, perform intricate and sometimes immodest, steps with, young women whom, prob- ably they have never seen before...
Since its inception, White City has proved to be a magnet, for larrikins and loafers, who, in various stages of intoxication, make for its gates when the hotels are closed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugly_Men%27s_Association
Caving to mounting public pressure, the Western Australian government ordered the closure of White City in 1929, effectively bringing an end to the Ugly Men's reign over Perth's social scene. After losing their major fundraising activity, the Ugly Men fell into inactivity during the 1930s. In 1948, the organization was declared defunct.
On May 29, 1919, Kathleen died. She was only 45. There was no obituary, though the Western Worker offered their condolences in the Sports pages when Bob withdrew his horses from Ascot because of “the loss of his wife.” She was laid to rest with their daughter Gladys in Karrakatta Cemetery. [As an aside, Bob would remain friends with Kathleen’s brother Patrick for the rest of their lives, and Patrick’s obituary lists him as the uncle of Bob’s future children.]
The following year, Bob married Pearl Marion Moore in Perth. She was born in Coolgardie, Western Australia, about 1897. She was the daughter of Percy Moore and Cathreen Kingsbury, two first-generation South Australians with roots in Yorkshire and London, respectively. Bob was 49 and Pearl was 33. They had three children together: Mavis Veronica in 1920, Robert Percy in 1922, and Patricia Pearl in 1929.
Life in the 1920s saw economic boom in Western Australia. Agriculture and mining were the backbone of the area’s economy. Wheat and wool production grew significantly, and gold mining continued to be important in areas like Kalgoorlie. The Group Settlement Scheme (1921–1930) brought thousands of British migrants to settle and farm in the South West. Many faced tough conditions, dense bush, and poor soils, and the scheme met with mixed success.
The towns of Perth and Fremantle were quickly developing into urban centers, and sports like horse racing and Australian Rules Football were all the rage. This was in part due to the beginning of public radio broadcasting in 1924. Jazz music, cinemas, and cars—not to mention electricity— became more and more common in the cities, though life in rural areas was still quite difficult.
Bob’s career hit a high point in 1926. Training the winner in every major race on the Western Australian racing calendar, Bob achieved the feat of training four winners at one meeting. At the Ascot meeting on December 29, he trained Cunningman to win the Railway Stakes, Silver Prince to win the Swan Handicap, Tich to win the All-Aged Stakes, and Spearage to win the Welter.
As happened all over the world, the post-War boom of the 1920s in Western Australia was followed by the bust of the Great Depression. The Great Depression hit Western Australia hard, especially in rural areas. Wheat and wool prices collapsed, and many farmers faced foreclosure or abandonment of their land. Unemployment peaked at over 30% in the early 1930s. Many people relied on government relief work or food rations. Relief schemes included public works projects like road construction and dam building, which provided jobs but often involved harsh conditions. An aspect of the Depression that was truly unique to Western Australia was the Succession Movement.
The Succession Movement began almost immediately after the formation of the Australian Federation in 1901 and was primarily driven by political figures and organizations such as the Dominion League. According to Wikipedia:
Part of the appeal of an independent Western Australia derives from its geographical uniqueness: it is the world's second-largest administrative division by area, behind only the Sakha Republic in Russia; and Perth, WA's only large metropolitan area, is often referred to as the world's most isolated metropolis, situated more than 2000 kilometres away from the nearest large city (Adelaide in South Australia). Australia's largest deserts, including the Great Victoria Desert and the Great Sandy Desert, provide a natural barrier between Western Australia and the more populous eastern states of Australia. Although they are connected by the Eyre Highway, this includes a 1,200-kilometre stretch of road between Norseman, Western Australia and Ceduna, South Australia that is virtually uninhabited.
One recurring argument by proponents of secession is based on the assumption that a federal government in Canberra will favor the business and popular interests of the larger population centers lying to the east of this state. A common complaint is that Western Australia is a forgotten or Cinderella state, which contributes more to federal funds than it gets back, and is discriminated against by the more populous states. The Constitution of Australia, however, describes the union as "one indissoluble Federal Commonwealth" and makes no provision for states to secede. Western Australia is the only state not specifically listed in this preamble, as its final decision to join came too late for the constitution, already enacted by the UK Parliament, to be altered.
It is unknown where Bob stood on this issue, but notable individuals involved included newspaper editor James MacCallum Smith, businessman Keith Watson, and politician Hal Colebatch. These leaders spearheaded the campaign leading to the 1933 referendum wherein nearly two-thirds of Western Australians voted to secede from the Commonwealth. However, the British government later rejected the petition, and WA remained part of Australia.
The 1930s in Western Australia were a time of economic struggle, political unrest, and rural hardship, but also one of community spirit, resilience, and slow but steady development. The decade was a little tough on Bob personally as well. Of the ten Burns children, only three had gone to Western Australia: Edward, William, and Bob. Bill died in Wiluna in 1934, and Edward died in Canning in 1938, leaving Bob as the only sibling in the West. Only two siblings were still alive at that point: John in Melbourne (though he would die in 1941) and Joe John in Broken Hill. Then war returned in 1939.
War in Europe returned in 1939 with the invasion of Poland by Germany. The old Patriotism returned, and many young men enlisted, including Bob’s son Robert, who joined the 2nd Australian Imperial force in 1939 and served through 1948. Most other citizens participated in air raid drills, blackouts, and building bomb shelters, as civil defense became part of daily life. As in WWI, Australians faced shortages of butter, sugar, meat, petrol, and clothing. The big difference this time, was the entry of Japan to the War in 1941.
Australia was not as remote from the shooting war as it had been in 1914-1918. With Japanese naval power and its use of aircraft carriers, Australia was vulnerable to invasion. Western Australia’s coastline made it strategically important as a military location and a vital supply and logistical hub for Allied forces in the Pacific. The state's location and port facilities were vital for convoy assembly, repairs, and resupply. Fremantle became a major submarine base, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, hosting US, British, and Dutch submarines. Fears of invasion grew, especially after Japan bombed the town of Darwin in the Northern Territory and stuck Western Australia with an aerial attack on Broome in March of 1942, but the anticipated full-scale invasion never materialized. Life went on.
The following year, Bob married Pearl Marion Moore in Perth. She was born in Coolgardie, Western Australia, about 1897. She was the daughter of Percy Moore and Cathreen Kingsbury, two first-generation South Australians with roots in Yorkshire and London, respectively. Bob was 49 and Pearl was 33. They had three children together: Mavis Veronica in 1920, Robert Percy in 1922, and Patricia Pearl in 1929.
Life in the 1920s saw economic boom in Western Australia. Agriculture and mining were the backbone of the area’s economy. Wheat and wool production grew significantly, and gold mining continued to be important in areas like Kalgoorlie. The Group Settlement Scheme (1921–1930) brought thousands of British migrants to settle and farm in the South West. Many faced tough conditions, dense bush, and poor soils, and the scheme met with mixed success.
The towns of Perth and Fremantle were quickly developing into urban centers, and sports like horse racing and Australian Rules Football were all the rage. This was in part due to the beginning of public radio broadcasting in 1924. Jazz music, cinemas, and cars—not to mention electricity— became more and more common in the cities, though life in rural areas was still quite difficult.
Bob’s career hit a high point in 1926. Training the winner in every major race on the Western Australian racing calendar, Bob achieved the feat of training four winners at one meeting. At the Ascot meeting on December 29, he trained Cunningman to win the Railway Stakes, Silver Prince to win the Swan Handicap, Tich to win the All-Aged Stakes, and Spearage to win the Welter.
As happened all over the world, the post-War boom of the 1920s in Western Australia was followed by the bust of the Great Depression. The Great Depression hit Western Australia hard, especially in rural areas. Wheat and wool prices collapsed, and many farmers faced foreclosure or abandonment of their land. Unemployment peaked at over 30% in the early 1930s. Many people relied on government relief work or food rations. Relief schemes included public works projects like road construction and dam building, which provided jobs but often involved harsh conditions. An aspect of the Depression that was truly unique to Western Australia was the Succession Movement.
The Succession Movement began almost immediately after the formation of the Australian Federation in 1901 and was primarily driven by political figures and organizations such as the Dominion League. According to Wikipedia:
Part of the appeal of an independent Western Australia derives from its geographical uniqueness: it is the world's second-largest administrative division by area, behind only the Sakha Republic in Russia; and Perth, WA's only large metropolitan area, is often referred to as the world's most isolated metropolis, situated more than 2000 kilometres away from the nearest large city (Adelaide in South Australia). Australia's largest deserts, including the Great Victoria Desert and the Great Sandy Desert, provide a natural barrier between Western Australia and the more populous eastern states of Australia. Although they are connected by the Eyre Highway, this includes a 1,200-kilometre stretch of road between Norseman, Western Australia and Ceduna, South Australia that is virtually uninhabited.
One recurring argument by proponents of secession is based on the assumption that a federal government in Canberra will favor the business and popular interests of the larger population centers lying to the east of this state. A common complaint is that Western Australia is a forgotten or Cinderella state, which contributes more to federal funds than it gets back, and is discriminated against by the more populous states. The Constitution of Australia, however, describes the union as "one indissoluble Federal Commonwealth" and makes no provision for states to secede. Western Australia is the only state not specifically listed in this preamble, as its final decision to join came too late for the constitution, already enacted by the UK Parliament, to be altered.
It is unknown where Bob stood on this issue, but notable individuals involved included newspaper editor James MacCallum Smith, businessman Keith Watson, and politician Hal Colebatch. These leaders spearheaded the campaign leading to the 1933 referendum wherein nearly two-thirds of Western Australians voted to secede from the Commonwealth. However, the British government later rejected the petition, and WA remained part of Australia.
The 1930s in Western Australia were a time of economic struggle, political unrest, and rural hardship, but also one of community spirit, resilience, and slow but steady development. The decade was a little tough on Bob personally as well. Of the ten Burns children, only three had gone to Western Australia: Edward, William, and Bob. Bill died in Wiluna in 1934, and Edward died in Canning in 1938, leaving Bob as the only sibling in the West. Only two siblings were still alive at that point: John in Melbourne (though he would die in 1941) and Joe John in Broken Hill. Then war returned in 1939.
War in Europe returned in 1939 with the invasion of Poland by Germany. The old Patriotism returned, and many young men enlisted, including Bob’s son Robert, who joined the 2nd Australian Imperial force in 1939 and served through 1948. Most other citizens participated in air raid drills, blackouts, and building bomb shelters, as civil defense became part of daily life. As in WWI, Australians faced shortages of butter, sugar, meat, petrol, and clothing. The big difference this time, was the entry of Japan to the War in 1941.
Australia was not as remote from the shooting war as it had been in 1914-1918. With Japanese naval power and its use of aircraft carriers, Australia was vulnerable to invasion. Western Australia’s coastline made it strategically important as a military location and a vital supply and logistical hub for Allied forces in the Pacific. The state's location and port facilities were vital for convoy assembly, repairs, and resupply. Fremantle became a major submarine base, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, hosting US, British, and Dutch submarines. Fears of invasion grew, especially after Japan bombed the town of Darwin in the Northern Territory and stuck Western Australia with an aerial attack on Broome in March of 1942, but the anticipated full-scale invasion never materialized. Life went on.
The Post-War years saw change-of-life occurrences for Bob and Pearl. They became empty nesters as each of the three children married—Mavis in 1946, young Bob in 1948, and Patricia in 1951. Bob retired from horse training in 1947, and Bob and Pearl would become grandparents for the first time in 1948 with the birth of Mavis’ son Haydn Watts. Bob Junior followed up in 1949 with Carol Jo. In the next two years, Mavis had another son she named Garth, and Bob had a son he named Robert. It seems that Patricia did not have children.
Bob died on June 9, 1958. He was 87 years old. He was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery, Nedlands City, Western Australia. His headstone proclaimed him “Loving husband and dearest Dad…Treasured memories.”
Pearl would remarry later to a man named Walter Lindsay. She died on November 14, 1974 in Karrakatta. She was 77 and was buried with Walter.
Pearl would remarry later to a man named Walter Lindsay. She died on November 14, 1974 in Karrakatta. She was 77 and was buried with Walter.
In a January 4, 1940, article in New Call and Bailey's Weekly (Perth, WA), Bob was described as follows:
And now having detailed the list of successes to his credit we must come to the man himself. Tall and ever smiling, his well-known figure shows out on a crowded racecourse. A great trainer he is a lover of all animals and horses in particular, whether they be champions, medium performers or just "scrubbers' receive his best attention. To Bob, a horse is more than an animal and every single inmate of his stable gets the very best
of food and attention and, if they don't turn out champions, it is no fault of the trainer, who always has them as fit as human hands can make them. He makes no special favorites; although at the present considers that the family are showing great attention to a yearling chestnut colt by Earl Cunje (winner of a Railway Stakes), which looks very much like its father, who in addition to being a good horse has a little, playful weakness for lifting stable boys out of the way by the seat of their pants
A lover of good music and entertainment "Bob" is usually to be seen at all the big celebrity concerts and has in his Redcliffe home the autographs of several world-famous artists who have visited his stables. A great host and a tip top sports man, "Bob" Burns is one who has helped to build the turf up to the high standard on which It now stands.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/211054498
Bob was the last surviving child of Mary Callaghan and John Burns. He had a long, wonderful life. He enjoyed it to its fullest and left a lasting legacy as a credit to his family.
And now having detailed the list of successes to his credit we must come to the man himself. Tall and ever smiling, his well-known figure shows out on a crowded racecourse. A great trainer he is a lover of all animals and horses in particular, whether they be champions, medium performers or just "scrubbers' receive his best attention. To Bob, a horse is more than an animal and every single inmate of his stable gets the very best
of food and attention and, if they don't turn out champions, it is no fault of the trainer, who always has them as fit as human hands can make them. He makes no special favorites; although at the present considers that the family are showing great attention to a yearling chestnut colt by Earl Cunje (winner of a Railway Stakes), which looks very much like its father, who in addition to being a good horse has a little, playful weakness for lifting stable boys out of the way by the seat of their pants
A lover of good music and entertainment "Bob" is usually to be seen at all the big celebrity concerts and has in his Redcliffe home the autographs of several world-famous artists who have visited his stables. A great host and a tip top sports man, "Bob" Burns is one who has helped to build the turf up to the high standard on which It now stands.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/211054498
Bob was the last surviving child of Mary Callaghan and John Burns. He had a long, wonderful life. He enjoyed it to its fullest and left a lasting legacy as a credit to his family.