Name: Herbert Karl Vollrath

Date of Birth: 25 February 1909

Birth Location: Zeitz, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

Date of Death: 8 February 1983

Age: 74 years

Death Location: Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia

Date of Burial: 11 February 1983

Denomination: Seventh Day Adventist

Row/Grave: Row 3. Grave # 26

Grave Transcription:

IN LOVING MEMORY OF

HERBERT KARL

VOLLRATH

LOVING HUSBAND OF

KITTY

LOVED FATHER OF

JIM, ROBIN, MELVA & JOHN

SLEEPING TILL JESUS COMES

Father: Gustav Julias Herman Vollrath

Mother: Hermine Auguste Ernestine Lissel

Grandparents (father):

Grandparents (mother):

Siblings

Spouse: Kitty Lillian Wells

Children:

Robin Rodney Vollrath. Born 15 March 1935. Died 31 March 2017. Married Yula Elizabeth Ashlin in 1958

Melva Joy Vollrath. Born 10 September 1938. Married Norman Dickson Ashlin in 1964

Lindsay John Vollrath. Born 2 June 1942. Married Elizabeth May Doubikin in 1965

Occupation: Farmer

Their Story

Herbert and his family were millers, residing just outside Berlin. The early 1920s in Germany was a time of social, economic and political unrest, following the end of the first World War and was a motivating factor for many to emigrate.  A naturalisation notice in the South Western Times (January 1938) has a declaration from Herbert that he has been in Australia for seven and a half years. This would mean he arrived in Australia around 1929. Family members believe he arrived in New South Wales and from there came west looking for gold, settling in Margaret River. While there, he heard about a Seven Day Adventist group in Capel and walked there to join the group. It is there that he met his future wife, Katey (Kitty) Lillian Wells. Herbert married Kitty on 28 February 1933 at the Seven Day Adventist Church, Capel. 

On the death of Charles Barber, father of Kitty’s son, Charles Barber (Jim) Wells, his property at ‘Hope Farm’, Elgin was left in trust to Jim, who was then a minor, aged four years.  The farm was initially managed by a farm worker who stayed on at ‘Hope Farm’ for a time. When he left in 1942, the Vollrath family moved to ‘Hope Farm’ to manage the property, honouring the terms of Charles’ will for his son Jim. They had also purchased an 80 acre property with an old weatherboard house on it on the main road from Bunbury to Capel, which they called ‘The Groupie’ house.  Over the years, the family lived in this house, as well as on ‘Hope Farm’ Elgin.

Their son John was born while the family were living at ‘Hope Farm’.  Along with their other children, Robin and Melva, they initially attended the small, one room, one teacher school at Stratham, cycling from ‘Hope Farm’ to the crossroads where they caught the school bus. After this school closed, they attended the Boyanup School.

‘Hope Farm’ produced cream from the separated milk which was taken to Capel by a carrier truck to the Capel Butter Factory, seven miles away from the farm. Each month a cheque would be posted to the farmers. This was the sole income for the farm at the time.  Conditions at ‘Hope Farm’ were not good. The old house had been undermined by rabbits and there were huge cracks in the outer wall of every room. As Jim had now matured to become a young man, they realised he would soon need his own home.  With Jim’s help, Herbert built a little house on ‘Hope Farm’, and the whole family moved into it. On Jim’s marriage in 1949, Herbert and his family move back to the ‘Groupie House’.  When they made this move, they were given twenty cows from ‘Hope Farm’, part of Charles Barber’s provisions in his will for Kitty. At this time, they all helped milk the cows by hand, separating the cream to be sent to the Capel Butter factory.  The milk was used to feed the calves. The children then attended school at Busselton.

Herbert and Kitty had three children:

i              Robin Rodney (born 15 March 1935, died 31 March 2017) married Yula (born 1934).

ii             Melva Joy born (10 September 1938) married Norman Ashlin.

iii            Lindsay John born (02 June 1942) married Elizabeth May Doubikin in 1965.

Herbert died 08 February 1983, age 74, at Bunbury. Kitty and Herbert had been married forty-nine years. Kitty died 20 September 1995, aged 88.  

Vollrath’s in Capel Saturday 16 November 1935 South Western Times Bunbury

Application for Naturalisation Notice Wednesday 19 January 1938 South Western Times Bunbury

Certificate of Naturalisation Commonwealth Government Gazette Thursday 23 June 1938

Land Board Allotment Sunday Times Sunday 22 November 1953

Story written by Annette Carter for the Capel District Cemeteries Project website.

Links to other websites with additional information included in story.

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© Capel District Cemeteries Project 10/11/2025

Katey (Kitty) Vollrath – nee Wells