Mrs Mary Ann Alice Rose, who died at ‘Astley’ the home of her daughter Mrs Williams of Bridgetown on the 20^th inst (1930) was well known throughout the south west. She was born at Australind in 1848. Her parents, Mr and Mrs John Delaporte, were some of the early settlers who arrived in the ‘Trusty’ which sailed from England on 1 August 1842 and arrived at Bunbury on 6 December of the same year.

One by one, the pioneers of the south west are passing, but most of them leave a tender and gracious memory and none more than Mrs Rose. Though practically lost to the Wellington district for some years, Mrs Rose was never really out of touch with her old friends. She was a wonderful needlewoman until her last illness and never spent an idle minute.

Mrs Rose’s memory was such that to spend an hour or two with her was a revelation. By the magic of her words she drew aside the curtains from the windows of this generation, and when she had finished whether the story was grave or gay, lilting or emotional, one realised that her life had really been filled with magnificent achievement and that the chair-confined old lady had played a part in her district which had bristled with difficulties and obstacles. Her personality was notable, and her character revealed a range of soundness and knowledge which was truly remarkable.

Her mind was essentially practical, showing that she keenly observed and rightly understood the land. But no matter how complicated her farm or orchard difficulties and predicaments, Mrs Rose always found time for neighbourliness, and she made friends with no effort at all.

The charm of her human interest in everyone she knew and in all things in the memory of all who knew her. She was wont to speak at length of incidents marking the progress of the district - things which happened in the time of Governor Hampton, or in Governor Wells’ time, or Governor Broome, or Robinson.

The large funeral cortege bore eloquent testimony to the respect and esteem in which Mrs Rose was still held though 82 years of age.