William Ripper
RIPPER, William, MWAIE (1854-1929)
William was born at Creswick, Victoria in 1854, the son of mine manager, Edwin Daniel Ripper and his wife Priscilla Ripper nee Kendall. Edwin had been in Cuba, managing mines, from 1840 to 1851 and had become so ill that he was recommended to travel to Australia. Edwin travelled with his family to South Australia on the “Lysander” arriving in November 1851. By 1852 he was in Melbourne following the discovery of gold in Victoria and moved to Ballarat.
William grew up around Ballarat and was employed by contractor John Robb, who had interests in mines in Ballarat. By the time of the commencement of the construction of the Fremantle-Guildford line in 1879, William was employed as a surveyor, working on the project under the supervision of Robert Barnfield. The line was opened in March 1881.
On May 7, 1881, William married Clara Ann Farmer in the Wesley Church, Perth. They had six children born between 1884 and 1901, Leslie, Percy, Claire, James, Minnie and Aylie. James died in 1902.
Following the Fremantle-Guildford contract William had a leadership role in a rail contract in NSW, for John Robb, which passed a property called Woolundra. He later used this name for a siding on the Northam – Southern Cross Rail Line and named his property, near that siding, Woolundra.
In April 1891, he joined the Public Works Department WA (PWD) as a surveyor. In 1892, he located and surveyed an alternative alignment for the Northam – Southern Cross Railway that was adopted. He impressed C Y O’Çonnor with his capability and was made Resident Engineer for the construction of that railway (1893). William was also Resident Engineer on the construction of the Southern Cross to Kalgoorlie Railway (1896), Coolgardie – Menzies Railway (1897-98) , Menzies – Leonora (1901-03), Malcolm to Laverton (1903-1904) and Collie – Narrogin Railway (1905).
In 1894, he selected 1,000 acres of uncleared farming land between Doodlakine and Kellerberrin naming the property Woolundra. He constructed a house “Woolandra” on the property and his family moved there. His wife operated the farm while William was away for extended periods working on rail projects. William and his wife Clara are regarded as faming pioneers of the Doodlakine/Kellerberrin district.
By the time he retired in April 1918, he was Engineer in Charge of Railway Works, PWD. He had been involved in railway construction for his entire 27 year career with PWD.
William was a foundation Member of the WA Institution of Engineers.
William died on September 25, 1929, in Perth. He was aged 75 years. He was survived by his wife and five of his six children.
His great grandson, Eric Ripper, was WA Deputy Premier and Treasurer from 2001 to 2008.
References:
Terry Spence, A Man His Dog & A Dead Kangaroo, Shire of Kellerberrin, 2001.
Public Service List WA, 1904, 1905, 1911, 1917.
Daily News, 10.5.1906, p. 3.
Avon Argus, 4.10.1925, p. 5.
West Australian, 2.9.1926, p. 11.
Daily News, 8.10.1929, p. 11.
Sunday Times, 13.10.1929, p. 28.
