Arthur Trimmer (1805–1877) was one of three brothers who were early settlers in the colony of Western Australia. He was the grandson of Sarah Trimmer (1741–1810), an educational reformer and writer.
Arthur's father was William Kirby Trimmer who married Jane Bayne in 1794, with whom he had seven children. He owned a successful brickmaking business and collected fossils. He suffered a stroke in 1810 and died four months later, when Arthur was only five.
An uncle, William Kirby, had built up a flock of merino sheep, as part of a project initiated by Joseph Banks.Greg Finch 'Joshua Kirby Trimmer 1767–1829', Brentford and Chiswick Local History Journal, Vol 19 (2010) pp. 4–7
In Western Australia with his brothers Arthur's elder brother Spencer (born 1803) arrived in Western Australia in October 1829. In partnership with his cousin Douglas Thompson, he selected in the Avon District and in the Swan District. Arthur Trimmer arrived with his brother William (born 1795) in April 1831, who was a Lieutenant in the 17th Foot Regiment. All brothers sailed as "gentlemen settlers," paying their own passage and taking all necessities with them. Spencer brought Joshua Kirby Trimmer's merino sheep and cattle with him.Doris Yarde: Brentford & Chiswick Local History Journal 3 (1982).
William Trimmer and his cousin Douglas Thompson both drowned in the upper reaches of the Swan River in 1835.Doris Yarde: Brentford & Chiswick Local History Journal 3 (1982).
Spencer Trimmer accompanied Bland and Agett in May 1834 on an expedition to confirm that the Swan and Avon Rivers were one and the same.Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 18 May 1833, p.78. Spencer had a farm at Middle Swan, but unfortunately his entire establishment, dwelling house, out-houses, corn ricks, containing of wheat were burnt in a fire. Spencer Trimmer was away at the time.Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 5 March 1836, p.662. Spencer died in Albany in December 1843.
York In 1832, Arthur Trimmer and Rivett Henry Bland, who had arrived in the colony with capital,Pamela Statham Drew and AM (Tony) Clack: York, Western Australia, A Documentary History, p.15. went into partnership to take a grant of several thousand acres of land on the Avon River, York and farm the Trimmer brothers' merino sheep.Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 18 May 1833, p.78; 4 June 1836, p.705. As between them, Bland was to be entitled to the land to the south of the town site and Trimmer the land to the north.
Bland and Trimmer built a house in York above the ford in September 1831.Lesley Brooker (Compiler and Editor): Explorers Routes Revisited Western Australia 1836-1864, Roe Expedition 1836, p.11.
Their flock of sheep was said to be "equal in quality, if not superior, to any of the most approved breed of the sister colonies".Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 18 May 1833, p.78. Wool sent back to England by Trimmer in 1833 was sold by auction at 2 shillings and 2 pence per pound, equivalent to about in , "although dirty and badly packed".Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 22 June 1833, p.98. S Henty reported in 1833 that their lambs weighed .Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 31 August 1836, p.138.
In February 1833, Trimmer and Bland's shepherd went out as usual with his flock when he heard the voices of a number of Aboriginal persons in the bush. Uncommonly, a woman came forward and beckoned the others to attack the shepherd. She cried out "" (, ) and made threatening gestures. The shepherd fired at her and wounded her, and she staggered back.Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 16 February 1833, p.27.
In September 1834, the Perth Gazette reported:Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 27 September 1834, p.362; 8 November 1834, p.386.
In June 1835, Trimmer was on his way to York when his cart broke down. He was compelled to go on for assistance. On his return, accompanied by Bland, when about from their home at York,Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 13 June 1835, p.510.
In October 1835, Trimmer and Bland exported two wagon loads of wool in bales.Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 24 October 1835, p.586.
On 18 April 1836 at Strawberry Hill, Albany, Trimmer married Mary Ann Spencer,Ancestry.com Winsome family tree. one of King George Sound Government Resident Richard Spencer's daughters. Spencer had also brought merino sheep to Western Australia.
By 1836, Trimmer and Bland had 5,000 sheep in York. Bland reported in 1836 that he had increased the flock at the rate of about 80 lambs to 100 ewes per annum.Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 4 June 1836, p.705. Trimmer and Bland advertised merino sheep for sale at Guildford in September 1836, announcing that the sheep were from the "well known flock of the Earl of Cearnarven".Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 2 July 1836, p.720.
John Henry Monger Snr built and started operating the York Hotel (and his home) on Bland and Trimmer's property, which he later purchased.Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 8 April 1837, p.880.
In September 1836, three Aboriginal persons gained access to Bland and Trimmer's barn. In Bland's absence, Trimmer was in charge at the time. While carrying away a quantity of flour, they were "wantonly" shot by a shepherd named Ned Gallop who had been lying "perdue" in the straw of the barn on instructions from Trimmer after Trimmer had got tired of waiting and had gone to bed. One died and the other two were badly wounded. Trimmer's "character never could recover from this foul stain".Swan River Guardian, 23 November 1837, p.253; Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 17 September 1836, p.765. Two days later, in reprisal an old settler called Knott was speared in his hut and robbed.Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 1 October 1836, p.772; Rodger Jennings: Over the Hills, A History of York 1834-1880, p.41 and following. Following this incident, the partnership between Bland and Trimmer was dissolved.Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 15 October 1836, p.779, with the date of dissolution being advertised as 1 October 1836. Trimmer and Edward Souper pursued the Aborigine who killed Knott, who "confessed to the murder, but says he was influenced by the constant chants of his mother and other old women, to commit the deed".
Fervent missionary Louis Giustiniani accused "Trimmer and other gentlemen" of organising a "hunting party" to shoot as many Aborigines as possible.CSO Inward Letters, 25 August 1837. Giustiniani also claimed Souper shot and killed an Aboriginal woman and wounded an Aboriginal man. The woman's ears were cut off and Trimmer hung them in his kitchen as a trophy, his house being next to Bland who was the Government Resident. "Mr Trimmer who permits such barbarous acts in his house, is invited to the Governor's table".Swan River Guardian, 23 November 1837, p.253.
The Trimmers' first child Ellen Spencer was born at York on 15 June 1837.Ancestry.com Winsome family tree. Trimmer remained farming and living in the house up from Monger's hotel at least until October 1837 when he was the subject of comment by Bunbury in one of his letters:
Monger bought York Suburban Lots A1 and A2 for £100 in April 1838,Landgate, Deeds and Ordinances I/166/625 Deed of Conveyance dated 30 April 1838. but the Trimmer family continued to reside in their house.
Albany In July 1839, Trimmer's father in law, Richard Spencer, died at Albany. Trimmer moved to Albany and in November 1939, was living at Ongerup near Albany, on a property of his deceased father in law. A large tree collapsed on the house of his late father in law killing Mr W McKath and Mr Horatio William Spencer (aged 15), and it was Trimmer's task to extricate their bodies.Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 16 November 1839, p.182. Trimmer took up land at Pootenup, near Cranbrook, and in 1856 became a Justice of the Peace and Sub-Protector of Aborigines for the Albany district. He was a member of the Board of Education. Trimmer died in 1877.
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