Made from packing case and fence wire by early farmer of the Irwin District. The trap was reputedly very efficient.
Russ Cottage
![Russ Cottage Russ Cottage](https://aumuseums.com/sites/default/files/museum/W137.jpg)
Russ Cottage is a typical Yeoman's residence built on the banks of the Irwin River by Titus Russ in 1868-70 from local limestone. The cottage consists of four rooms with verandahs all around, and is furnished in the style of the early farming families with gifts from local residents. The sitting room features a portable organ which arrived in the Swan Colony with the Dent family on the "Marquis of Anglesea" on the 23/8/1829, and an octagonal table once owned by the Russ family is the centrepiece. Framed photographs of pioneer family members adorn the walls.
The kitchen features a pine dresser and many household gadgets such as candle moulds, mincers, sausage makers, coffee grinder, and a hand made rat trap. The nursery holds children's clothes, a cot, bed and a child's push chair from the Criddle family. The bedroom displays many articles including hand made night gowns and petticoats. The side verandah houses a collection of tools and farm implements.
The Irwin District Historical Society has another msueum, housed in the Old Police Station at Dongara. See separate Guide listing.
Subject:
- Historic Site
- House Museum
- Social History Museum
- Photographs
- Furniture
- Glass
- Metalwork
- Paper
- Portraits
- Pottery and Ceramics
- Textiles, Spinning and Weaving
- Archives
- Armed Forces
- Childhood
- Domestic Items
- Historic Buildings
- Historic People
- Images
- Law
- Local History
- Militaria
- Prisons or Convicts
- Rural Life
- Social History
- Weapons Arms and Armor
- Agriculture
- Animal Husbandry
- Building Technology
- Clocks
- Clothing, Fashion, Costume
- Food Science
- Horticulture
- Lighting
- Photography
- Railways or Tramways
- Tools
- Dolls
Items
Wooden rat trap
Rodent catcher
![Wooden rat trap Rodent catcher](https://aumuseums.com/sites/default/files/items/W137-5.jpg)
Wooden pedal organ
Portable pedal organ
![Wooden pedal organ Portable pedal organ](https://aumuseums.com/sites/default/files/items/W137-4.jpg)
Child's Push Chair
Go Chair
![Child's Push Chair Go Chair](https://aumuseums.com/sites/default/files/items/W137-3.jpg)
Child's high Chair
Hand made child's high chair
![Child's high Chair Hand made child's high chair](https://aumuseums.com/sites/default/files/items/W137-2.jpg)
Wooden high chair made by blacksmith and builder, Charles Osborn for his niece Gertrude Rowland and used for her sons Ivo and Vivian. Both the Rowland and Osborne families used the chair for many years at Dongara.
Wooden Rocking Chair
Rocking Chair
![Wooden Rocking Chair Rocking Chair](https://aumuseums.com/sites/default/files/items/W137-1.jpg)
This rocking chair came to Western Australia with John and Esther Pell who married in England and sailed to Fremantle in 1850. The Pells went to Walebing (North of Perth) and it was here that their son was born, being the first European child born in the Victoria Plains district. Later, the Pells moved to the Irwin district and lived in stone cottage near "Pell Bridge". The chair passed to the Pell's grand daughter the late Mrs Ivy Bond.