"Claremont is unique among the suburbs of the Perth metropolitan region. Originally founded as a yeoman settlement for pensioned-off British soldiers who guarded Western Australia's convicts, it developed in the 1880s and 1890s as a village where members of the English gentry felt at home. Soon overtaken by the rapid suburbanization of the gold rush era, Claremont was favoured by a fine riverside situation which all classes enjoyed. This history recaptures the way of life of Claremont's citizens over the past century, their homes, pastimes and schooling, and their attempts to preserve an agreeable lifestyle and environment."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved