Grave Near Cape Vlaming Lighthouse

This article was published in 'Western Ancestor' Vol.1 No.9 published in March 1981.  Spelling, grammar and punctuation is as per the original.

GRAVE NEAR CAPE VLAMING LIGHTHOUSE

by Monica Everett

On September 26th, which ws the day after Yvonne Coate spoke on Lonely Graves at the meeting of W.A.G.S. I met a friend.  As we talked on this and that, I mentioned that we had had a talk on the Lonely Graves which are scattered around the State.  She said "The only grave which interests me is one up at Exmouth - where we go each year to fish...........etc".

I offered to see what I could find out about it and asked my friend for more details of location, and she told me:  "From Exmouth, you drive out to the American base towards the Point.  The Point is approximately 19 Kms.  Before the Point, the road goes to the left (not on to the Point); a sign reads YARDIE CREEK and also goes on towards the lighthouse.  When nearly there, there is a house at the foot of the cliff.  There is a gravel road to the left; not far - perhaps a couple of hundred yards - a gate closes the road.  Right on the corner of the gravel road and the bitumen road - just off the road - there is a grave.  A road goes out to the wreck of a ship, a few Kms away."

She described the grave as sometimes neglected, sometimes newly cleaned up during the five years they have been seeing it.  She had asked the local Tourist Bureau, but they did not know anything about it.

On November 13th, I asked at R.W.A.H.S., and from their file on Lonely Graves, the Librarian, Mr Heppinstone, showed me a cutting from the "Sunday Times" dated 6/8/1972.  Heading the article ws a photo of the grave after it had been recently restored.  At that time it still bore the name, but my friend had never seen a name on it.  She does remember a post at the head.  The photo was shown as "The Old Lighthouse Grave after Restoration."

The article reads:  "Can any reader supply information on a North West tragedy of 60 years ago?  Mr Frank Robinson of Exmouth, had near his home the grave of a man killed during the building of the nearby Cape Vlaming Lighthouse - and he would like to know more about the dead man.  The grave is close to the former lighthouse cottage, where Mr Robinson now lives.  The wooden cross bears the inscription:

F.J. REDDY    27 May 1912

Mr Robinson said yesterday "It was pretty overgrown, but now we havae cleared it, bounded it with seashells and planted bush flowers.  I am told it is the grave of a young workman, aged 26, who was killed in a fall from the lighthouse.  I would welcome more information about hime, and I would like any descendants to know the grave is being properly cared for."

The morning I have phoned my friend to read the information to her.  She tells me that the "cottage" referred to is in fact, a commodious place large enough for two families.  Built of limestone (?) blocks, it has a breezeway through it.  It is now used as caravan park, where a room can be rented; the kitchen has been modernised with two large stoves for your own cooking, and the bathroom and toilet facilities are also modernised.

 

OTHER SOURCES:

If you wish to read more about the grave of F J Reddy:

Australian Cemeteries. Accessed 5 May 2023. www.australiancemeteries.com.au/wa/exmouth

Inherit, Heritage Council of WA. Accessed 5 May 2023. http://inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au/