James Best (1852 - 1922)

James Best was born at Ryde in 1852. He married Rebecca Wicks (Susanna's sister) at St Ann's Church, Ryde, in 1877. James is listed in Directories between 1879 and 1885 as a fruitgrower or farmer, at Terry-road and Smalls-road, Ryde. From about 1891 to 1897, the family lived at Parkes-street, Ryde and James was listed as a carter.

Possibly as a result of a downturn in the economy in the 1890s, James went west to seek his fortune at Coolgardie, WA. Gold had been discovered there in 1892, but it was not until March 1893, when rain fell, that the 115 mile journey could safely be made from Southern Cross and the gold rush began. James may not have arrived until 1896, by which time he could have travelled by train from Perth. Coolgardie's population reached its maximum of 15,000 in 1898, but declined thereafter. By 1900, the ore was considered low grade and many had moved on to the richer deposits at Kalgoorlie.

In 1897 James sent for his family. Rebecca and the seven children had very rough 5 or 6 day voyage from Sydney. The boat was nearly sunk and several trunks had to be thrown overboard. They arrived with only one trunk containing their best clothes. James had not made his fortune and Rebecca had to pay the fare from Fremantle to Perth. There they lived at several addresses before moving to Loftus-street in suburban Leederville in 1903.

The family was very poor. James may have gone back to the goldfields for a time. Rebecca opened a sweets shop in William Street, Perth, where she sold icecreams at 1d each. She also cut children's hair using a basin as guide. Later she kept goats at Leederville and sold the milk. This hard work gave her some trouble and she ended a up a cripple. James died in 1922. Rebecca died in 1936.

James and Rebecca had nine children, all born at Ryde. Two of the children died young; Eva in 1886 aged 2, and Harold in 1894 aged 16. Eva died from rheumatic fever and Harold died from food poisoning after eating salmon from a tin that had been opened the previous day. All the surviving children married except Joseph. Three of the daughters married three Park brothers. Seven Park boys had been born in Tasmania of Scottish parents. They later moved to Victoria, then followed the gold rush to Western Australia.

Children of James Best and Rebecca: