Founder and Managing Director Sean Tilbrook is the son of Clive Tilbrook, who was the youngest of eight children born to Jessica Tilbrook. Jessica was the daughter of Carinya Tilbrook, a respected Wardandi Bibbulman man from the Busselton–Margaret River region.
Carinya was adopted by the Sayers family of Busselton when his mother, Jenny Tilbrook, a Wardandi Bibbulman woman, was unable to care for him as a toddler. Despite this early separation, Carinya remained deeply connected to his Aboriginal heritage. He grew to become a well-known stockman in the South West of Western Australia, who carried forward his family’s strong Aboriginal traditions.
Through this lineage, the Tilbrook family’s rich cultural heritage and enduring connection to Country continue to be honoured today.
As Sean states:
“Today the Karri Karrak corporation represent the Wardandi Bibbulman people of the region and I am proud to see our family name listed amongst their earliest members.
My uncle, Harvey Tilbrook worked for the then Department of Aboriginal affairs in the 1970’s and married Lois Tilbrook, an anthropologist who published several works on the Indigenous family names in the Southwest.
Uncle Harvey’s oldest daughter, Dale Tilbrook, would wait for him after school in the office and spent many hours talking to elders, such as Ken Colbung, about the history of and future of Noongar people in WA. After a successful career in finance, Dale left the commercial life and moved to the Swan Valley to pursue her love of traditional life and lore.
Along with her brother Lyall Tilbrook, Dale helped set up the Centre for Indigenous Students at Shenton House UWA, where Indigenous students from across WA could study on campus and find an environment that aided the retention of knowledge and provide a calm space in an unfamiliar setting.
My Dad grew up in the Wheatbelt and Goldfields as the family moved around for his father’s work in the 1940’s and 50’s. He was a keen athlete and possessed an amazing photographic memory which allowed him to excel academically.
Dad would play tennis against older kids before school to win his lunch money for the day, a true sports professional, way before endorsements and media tours. His trophies included the 1957 league Fairest and Best for the Northern Goldfields AFL competition. A stint at East Perth Reserves, under legendary ruckman, Graham “Polly” Farmer, was a highlight and although he didn’t crack the league team, he remained a “loyal royal” all his life.
In 1952 he won an Education Scholarship to attend the prestigious Perth Modern school where he was provided a complete set of Red Leather-bound Encyclopedia Britannica which was a treasured item my 3 brothers and I would read as Primary school students in the mid 1970’s.
After a year at Perth Modern school, the family brought Clive back to the Goldfields where he worked as a ‘powder monkey’ helping to set the detonators for the explosions, to provide more grist for the gold plants that provided the region it’s commercial wealth.
In Kalgoorlie, Dad met my mother, Annette Goode, and in 1962, they got married and moved to Guildford where Annette was a primary school teacher. Three boys were born in quick succession and three boys under the age of three was a handful for the young parents, but I always remember the house being full of love and laughter, with a stern hand for any shenanigans that got out of hand.
Whilst Mum worked at Guildford Primary School, Dad went to UWA and pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree in the early seventies. Adjusting to the discipline of tertiary study took some discipline.
However, with encouragement from the family, Dad graduated with a Bachelor of Arts AND a Bachelor of Education. He began teaching English at Cyril Jackson High School in Bassendean. During this time the fourth boy, Lee Joseph Tilbrook, was born to the tribe.
My Dad’s love of sport continued, and he played Cricket with Teachers in the North Metro Cricket League which eventually morphed into Bassendean Cricket Club in the Suburban Turf competition. Dad posted the first ever century for the club in 1975.
In 1978, Dad was promoted to Senior Master of English at Karratha Senior High School on the Pilbara coast, and here he combined his love of the country, sport, teaching and family. From 1978 to 1983, Dad taught, coached and played cricket and was a keen committee member of the Karratha Kats Sport and Social Club.
Dad moved comfortably in all social circles in the Northwest, whilst Mum taught at Roebourne Primary School, and used her familiarity with indigenous culture to assist in the teaching young men and women to navigate the intricacies of modern life.
Dad became a much-loved figure in Karratha and was often the MC at sporting functions and quiz nights and fronted the Karratha Kats radio spot on local 6KA radio. Dad was often able to settle disputes and bridge gaps in what could at times be the Wild West.
Tragically on 15 February 1983, Dad suffered a massive heart attack whilst teaching at school, with mum standing behind him, her hand on his shoulder in familiar greeting as he passed away suddenly.
Dad is remembered by the street that leads into the Karratha Kats clubhouse being named “Tilbrook Place” and the Fairest and Best medal is named after him. The first recipient of the Tilbrook medal was Stewart Egan, who Dad had taught many years earlier at Cyril Jackson!
My Father is remembered for many things. However, I will always remember him as a strong and principled man, who loved my mother. He loved making everyone around him feel and be better. He loved us boys but would not tolerate deceit or weakness of character.
My most remembered saying he would often repeat was
“If you can’t be a good sport all the time, don’t play at all!”
Love you always Dad.
Sean Tilbrook
Sources:
