Frederick Caporn

  General Notes:

At the ripe age of 89 Mr. Frederick CAPORN, a colonist of 73 years , passed away at his residence, Thompson road, Claremont, on Tuesday. The deceased gentleman was born at Perth, Scotland, and came to Western Australia with his parents in the sailing ship Simon Taylor in the year 1842. He was he eldest son of the late Samuel CAPORN, a prominent resident of Fremantle for over a quarter of a century, who would be remembered by old residents of the State as an honest, worthy and upright citizen. The deceased was the grandson of the late Rev. Joshua CAPORN, M.A. of Tidiwick , Bucks, England, and nephew of the late Re. James CAPORN, Vicar of Tately, in Essex, and the late Rev. William Goode CAPORN of St Ann's Blackfriars, London. Mr. CAPORN was a descendent of the CAPORN family, who, being Huguenots, came over to England after the Revolution of the Edict of Nantes, a French family from Picardy, i.e. the northern province of France, next to Normandy. For many years Mr. CAPORN was engaged in the river traffic of the State, and he will be remembered by many as the Captain of the passenger steamer Lady Stirling, and later of the Enchantress. He had the distinction of piloting His Royal Highness the Duke of Ednburgh from Fremantle to Perth, for which he held a certificate of competency signed by His Royal Highness when on a visit here in the Galates in 1889. Mr. CAPORN reside in Hay Street for many years, where he carried on a bakery business, subsequently taking up his residence at Claremont, where he lived a quiet and retied life for the past 30 years. He married Mary Ann, second daughter of the late Henry Clulow, of Perth, and is survived by three sons four daughters, 38 Grand Children, and 36 Great Grand Children. The funeral took place Wednesday afternoon at the Anglican Cemetery, Karrakatta, and was numerously attended by relatives and friends. The Rev. W. Patrick conducted the funeral ceremony.The chief mourners were Messrs. W.A.F.s> and D. P. CAPORN, [sons], Mrs C. ARNOLD, Mrs W.T. CRAIG Mrs.W . HiISLOP, and Mrs E. BARRON[daughters] Mr. James CAPORN [brother], Messrs E.H.N.V.H. and C.J. CAPORN, [garndsons], Mr.W. TAPPIN, A.GJG.E.J.Roy Harold, George, and Hubert CAPORN, J. HOSSOCK, D.JONES, R.HOWSON, W . HUMPHREYS, T.G.BRIGGS, Sand A LAWRENCE, [nephews], Medames BOWMAN, R.HOWSON, H COOPER, J. FREEMAN, Messrs Eand M CAPORN, Mrs.BRSITOW, Miss POLlNELL, Mrs.L.SHARP, Mrs. G THORPE, Mrs. F. DAVIES, and Miss L ARNOLD, [nieces] Mrs. W. CAPORNand Mrs. D CAPORN, [daughters in law], The pall bearers were Messrs , R VINES, J. ARNOLD, Hugo FISHER, E .READ, Ashley COOPER, and J.MITCHELL. Among those present were Captain C WATSON, Messrs, A HISLOP, N ARMSTRONG, F HANSEN , WALKER, O 'DONNELL, ROSE, R CHAPMAN, H. BOOTH, CHAMBERS, RODGERS, H.COOPER, G THORPE, and J BRISTOW. Numerous handsome wreaths and floral tributes were received.The funeral arrangements were in the hands of Messrs BOWRA and O'DEA.

After the family's arrival in August 1842, Samuel and Ann would have been keen to get settled and to generate some income. It must have been in the late 1840s that the four boys Frederick, James, Henry and Edward obtained a four oared ships gig and commenced a regular service for cargo and passengers between Fremantle and Perth. Samuel and Ann had obtained a lease of the Tavern at Point Walter so the Swan River meant more to them than the average citizen.

In 1847 Frederick and his brother tried to blast a passage at the mouth of the Swan River
In 1848 at the age of 22, Frederick was employed as a whale boat puller trading on the Swan River from Perth to Guildford. Two years later he married Mary Ann on 25th May 1850
In 1857 Frederick awarded a contract to repair beacons on the Swan River for 15 pounds.
It was in 1861 that Frederick purchased a bakers shop in Hay Street Perth.
In 1864 Frederick Henry and Alexander Thomas signed on the Perseverance to sail to Camden Harbour. The Captain was Captain Owston. The Perseverance was a schooner that sailed to Port Gregory and Champion Bay often.

One of the most memorable incidents of Frederick's life was the occasion of him conveying Alfred the Duke of Edinburgh on several trips to and from Perth. He was awarded a certificate signed by Alfred, which stated:
" I hereby certify that Frederick Caporn has taken charge as pilot of the steam launch of this ship and has taken her several times, from the ship and across the bar, and up the river to Perth in safety.
Dated on board HMS Galatea off Fremantle 6 th February 1869"

Frederick married Mary Ann Clulow, daughter of Henry Clulow and Olive Plant, on 25 May 1850 in St George's Church, Perth, Western Australia. (Mary Ann Clulow was born in 1826, christened on 12 Feb 1826 in SAINT ALKMUND, DERBY, DERBY, ENGLAND, died on 9 Aug 1889 in Perth, WA, Australia and was buried on 10 Aug 1889 in Congregational Cemetery, East Perth, WA, Australia.)