51 PHILLIMORE Street, Pioneer Reserve

Corner 51 Phillimore St -bounded by Packenham st, Market and Short streets.

This park, known as ‘Pioneer Reserve’ was once the site of ‘Uglyland’, used by the Ugly Mens' Association as a carnival ground to raise money for charity. Hoardings, covered in posters, edged the park in the 1920s. The origin of the group was outlined by the retiring Chairman and founder James M. Farrell, in 1927… (reference) J.M. Farrell was also councillor on Fremantle Council for 12 years. (reference)

Uglylands opened 1 April 1922- not everyone was happy about it:

A Gambling Hell-Hole of the Worst Type- Let the Poor Starve Rather than do this- Uglieland- to be the means of raisig funds for the sick and indigent- was opened amid much pomp and ceremony last Friday night, when over four thousand people flocked into the carnival grounds to help those whose aim it is to succour the needy. Everyone entered the portals with one idea in view, and that was to obtain enjoyment and part with some money that it was hoped would be put to the good purpose that the mere word "Uglieland" conveyed. But the public of Fremantle must surely have experienced a terrific shock when the various attractions were inspected. For instead of amusement, healthy and invigorating, being provided, it was found that Uglieland was, and we do not hesitate to say it, a gambling hell-hole of the worst type! (reference)
1923 UGLYLAND FREMANTLE CARNIVAL. Preparations are now in full swing for the holding of Fremantle Uglyland second annual Carnival, which will be officially opened by His Excellency the Governor (Sir Francis Newdegate) on Friday, February 2. Successful as was last year's Carnival, the committee anticipate that the forthcoming function will be an even greater success, the Secretary, (Mr. J. M. Farrell and the organiser, Mr. W. A. Murphy) having already received encouraging support from the business people. Numerous additional features will be introduced on this occasion, the programme including singing and dancing competitions, a tug-of-war for a prize of £30, vaudeville concerts, joy-wheels, merry-go-round, swinging boats and a host of other attractions. A monster art union will also be conducted, the prizes for which are both numerous and valuable… (reference)
1927 Since the inception of the Uglies’ Carnivals in Fremantle no greater show has ever been worked under the management than the Rodeo outfit, now being presented at the Carnival Grounds. The buckjumping competitions are always well contested, there being plenty of lads eager to test their skill to ride the outlaw...
On each Wednesday night a Children's Fancy Dress Ball will be held, and the vaudeville platform will be utilised by the Flying Deloraines in their fantastic aeries display. (reference)
1927 On Tuesday afternoon the President of the Fremantle Ugly Men's Association (Mr. G. Farrell) presented a cheque of £1000 to the Fremantle Hospital Board. The money was raised by the Association, whose contributions now total £3000. (reference)
June 1927 The formal presentation of the new motor ambulance to the citizens of Fremantle by the local branch of the 'Uglies' took place on the Fremantle Oval yesterday afternoon in the presence of a large gathering… (reference)

By 1927 ‘UGLYLAND- TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING’ the carnival was starting to attract some negative comments from local retailers (reference) The ‘Uglies’, however continued their work on and off with brief intervals up to 1932. (reference)

1938 The Fremantle City Council asked the State Government to consider the sale of the site, known as Uglyland, at the corner of Market and Phillimore streets, so that it might be made available for commercial use. The Government refused to sell on the grounds the real estate market was depressed…(reference) By 1939 the Railway Department agreed to lease the land to the Fremantle Council;

It pointed out that the hoardings erected on the Philimore street boundary cost the Railway Department £400, and that one condition of the transfer must be the reimbursement to the Railway Department of £150. The advertising revenue from the hoardings, which averages £115 per year, will be lost to the department… (reference)
1940 The Fremantle City Council intends to create a beautiful reserve on the site known as UglyLand, opposite the railway station and facing the main entrance to Victoria Quay. A start has been made. Paths are being laid out and sand is being carted to the spot for levelling. The area is to be planted with buffalo grass. Tenders have been called by the Council for sinking a well. The question of removing the hoardings surrounding the reserve will receive attention. (reference)

In March 1940 as part of the ‘beautification’ of the area- the old name of Uglyland become ‘inappropriate’. The public was asked to submit names for the new park and a prize of £2/2was offered. (reference) The name ‘Pioneer Reserve’ was first suggested by James Farrell in 1939 (reference) but when it was decided upon in 1940 it was not known by whom- and the prize money given to charity (reference). A pumphouse to supply water was built by C. Jenkinson and Co., for £140. (reference)

His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor, Sir James Mitchell, K. C. M. G. planted the first tree on Pioneer Reserve on Arbor Day, to commemorate the pioneers of Fremantle on 3 July 1940 Trees were also planted by Thelma Sykes (St. Joseph's College), Maria Giaquinta (St. Joseph's School), Lawrence Williams (Fremantle Boys' School), Peg Barrett (Princess May School) and J. V. Matison (Christian Brothers' College). (reference)

1950 A man who was alleged to have walked naked through the streets of Fremantle last night was arrested at 9.30 o'clock. It was alleged that the man discarded all his clothing at the corner of Short and Pakenham streets, then walked through Pioneer Reserve to Market-street and then along Short and Pakenham streets into High-street where he was arrested at the corner of Mouatt-street. Robert McAteer (31), seaman, of the freighter Stankeld, was later charged at the Fremantle police station with having wilfully and obscenely exposed himself. (reference)

1950 41 Pakistani seamen, crew on the Hazelbank,a ship bound from Sydney to Madras and Calcutta with a cargo of wheat, walked off the ship and refused to sail until they could negotiate safe passage -to any Indian port. They set up camp on Pioneer Reserve. The secretary of the State branch of the Australian Seamen's Union Mr. R. Hurd, said that the seamen had expressed a fear that on landing at Calcutta or Madras their money, personal effects and clothing would be confiscated by the Indian Government. (reference)

1954 To "highlight" the Queen's stay at Fremantle, three units from the 25th A.A. Battery, Western Command, will give a search light demonstration between 7and 11 o'clock tonight. The units will be situated in High-street, and at the Pioneer Reserve and the Esplanade. (reference)

The only building on the reserve is the former Stateships building, owned by the City, and currently leased to the Spare Parts Puppet Theatre.

Mrs Tibbet’s well, used in 1841, was uncovered in an archeological dig in 2008 (See Fremantle Herald 24 May 2008) on the corner of Market and Phillimore sts.