‘Good to reunite and join all the dots’: Wheeler family reunite at Gateway Hotel in Manjimup on Saturday

The Manjimup Gateway Hotel was full of intrigued locals and family members wanting to reunite and socialise with the Wheeler family members meeting on Saturday morning, bringing in different remnants of their family’s history. More than 80 people attended the Saturday event, where different photos, documents and family trees of the Wheeler family were on display in the marquee for those interested or wanting to have a deeper look into the family history to do so. Great-grandson of Thomas and Martha Wheeler and event organiser Peter Egan said the turnout was good, especially with the different locations people had come from and what stories they had about the Wheeler family. “It’s turned out very good, people have come from as far away as the Wheatbelt and Perth, and it’s great for people that lived here about 50, 60 to 70 years ago to catch up with others and reminisce,” he said. “You come across stuff you haven’t seen before and people have been coming and going and counting it’s been around 70 to 80 people who have come today.” He said the afternoon was a great opportunity for everyone to compare notes and get more information on their family history and to also reminisce on some attendees younger years on the family farm. “What’s good about today is I can put out what I have and long lost relatives have brought more photos and you’ll see stuff you haven’t seen before.” “It’s really good to compare notes, even a photo of the house that Thomas Wheeler lived in when he was in the UK in 1906 that I had never seen before was there, and it’s all pretty cool.” Current farm owner Paul Daniels also brought in artefacts and historical items from the farm to show attendees, who were able to reminisce and contextualise the items. Mr Egan said some of the members headed back to the family farm on Seven Day Road and seeing the items allowed a sense of nostalgia to go over the family members who lived there. “Some of the ladies actually lived there in their younger years and Paul Daniels, who lives on the farm now, has brought in old bottles and some interesting things that are on the farm, so it’s fantastic for people who grew up on the farm to see that now,” he said. He also said he enjoyed reuniting the members and gaining correct information on items and photos he possessed of the Wheeler family, and get a better understanding of his grandparents. “It’s good to reunite and join all the dots,” he said. “When you live somewhere else and you’re younger than everyone else, you’ve got pictures that you got off your folks and the information behind it is incorrect, so to meet someone who is 20 years older and have them correctly explain the context and you can get extra photos off them, is great.” He thanked the Gateway Hotel for allowing the event to take place at their venue, at no charge, noting how it caused the turnout to be bigger, than if it was a ticketed event to recoup venue costs. “I appreciate the way the Gateway Hotel has looked after us as they supplied the venue for free and it’s turned out pretty good.”