Rosette Tyler

Story

Rosette Tyler was brought to Western Australia by her mother Elizabeth Tyler along with her brother & sister on the ship Medic in 1908. Her father Robert Emeric Tyler had earlier come to the WA goldfields with his father (a London architect) who had an interest in mining. After visiting WA as an 18 year old with his father he had returned to London, changed his studies from Architecture to Mining and returned to the goldfields. He married Elizabeth in Kalgoorlie, returned to the UK where Rose was born. After going back to Kalgoorlie he returned to UK only once being repatriated there following war injuries sustained in France. Like many mining men from Kalgoorlie he was a member of the Tunnellers Regiment. Robert Emeric Tyler Snr. was well to do London architect who had Goldfields business dealings with Herbert Hoover (prior to him becoming US President). In fact on a visit to Washington President Hoover presented Mrs Tyler with a medal which is still held in the family. He also wrote many articles on the Goldfields which were published in the Westralia publication in the 1890s. Many of his writings and diaries can be viewed at the Battye Library in Perth and give an insight into life and personalities in the colony and the goldfields at that time.

The Tyler family spent time in Cue, Day Dawn and Kalgoorlie where Robert Tyler was a mining manager. The family home was situated in what is now the large open cut gold mine in Kalgoorlie. They left the Goldfields for Kelmscott during the war years and Rose’s mother died soon after.

Rose was awarded a scholarship to M.L.C school in Claremont but only attended to 1 year due her father remarrying and the family situation changing. She married and raised 4 children, numerous grandchildren.

Rose had no early memories of England but always referred to it as home and considered herself very British. She returned for a visit in 1976 and visited her Father’s family homes in Osterley and Gower Strret.

< Back to the Stories