Arthur Trimmer (1805–1877) was one of three brothers who were early settlers in the colony of Western Australia. He was the grandson of Sarah Trimmer (1741–1810), an educational reformer and writer.
Arthur's father was William Kirby Trimmer who married Jane Bayne in 1794, with whom he had seven children. He owned a successful brickmaking business and collected fossils. He suffered a stroke in 1810 and died four months later, when Arthur was only five.
An uncle, William Kirby, had built up a flock of merino sheep, as part of a project initiated by Joseph Banks.
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In Western Australia with his brothers
Arthur's elder brother Spencer (born 1803) arrived in Western Australia in October 1829. In partnership with his cousin Douglas Thompson, he selected 15,000 hectares (37,000 acres) in the Avon District and 400 hectares (1,000 acres) in the Swan District. Arthur Trimmer arrived with his brother William (born 1795) in April 1831, who was a Lieutenant in the 17th Foot Regiment. All brothers sailed as "gentlemen settlers," paying their own passage and taking all necessities with them. Spencer brought Joshua Kirby Trimmer's merino sheep and cattle with him.
William Trimmer and his cousin Douglas Thompson both drowned in the upper reaches of the Swan River in 1835.
Spencer Trimmer accompanied Bland and Agett in May 1834 on an expedition to confirm that the Swan and Avon Rivers were one and the same. Spencer had a farm at Middle Swan, but unfortunately his entire establishment, dwelling house, out-houses, corn ricks, containing 7.3 cubic metres (210 US bu) of wheat were burnt in a fire. Spencer Trimmer was away at the time. Spencer died in Albany in December 1843.
York
In 1832, Arthur Trimmer and Rivett Henry Bland, who had arrived in the colony with capital, went into partnership to take a grant of several thousand acres of land on the Avon River, York and farm the Trimmer brothers' merino sheep. As between them, Bland was to be entitled to the land to the south of the town site and Trimmer the land to the north.
Bland and Trimmer built a house in York 91 metres (100 yd) above the ford in September 1831.
Their flock of sheep was said to be "equal in quality, if not superior, to any of the most approved breed of the sister colonies". Wool sent back to England by Trimmer in 1833 was sold by auction at 2 shillings and 2 pence per pound, equivalent to about A$34 per kilogram in 2022, "although dirty and badly packed". S Henty reported in 1833 that their lambs weighed 15 and 18 kilograms (34 and 39 lb).
In February 1833, Trimmer and Bland's shepherd went out as usual with his flock when he heard the voices of a number of Aboriginal persons in the bush. Uncommonly, a woman came forward and beckoned the others to attack the shepherd. She cried out "warra, warra" ('bad', 'evil') and made threatening gestures. The shepherd fired at her and wounded her, and she staggered back.
In September 1834, the Perth Gazette reported:
The success which has attended Messrs Bland and Trimmer's flock of Sheep at York, has created a general desire to enter upon this lucrative speculation, and many of our Settlers on the Swan, who have the means, as well as some few residents in the towns, are making preparations to remove to their larger grants over the hills, where an unlimited run for the flocks, and a soil adapted for agricultural purposes generally awaits them.
In June 1835, Trimmer was on his way to York when his cart broke down. He was compelled to go on for assistance. On his return, accompanied by Bland, when about 11 kilometres (7 mi) from their home at York,
they observed [... an Aboriginal person] in the bush in the act of raising his spear, and shortly afterwards, a known signal being given, a party of about twelve rushed forward from the place of their concealment; but both Mr Trimmer and Mr Bland being apprised of their danger by the signal given, put spurs to their horses, and galloped about three miles [4.8 km], by which means they avoided their hostile assailants.
Albany
In July 1839, Trimmer's father in law, Richard Spencer, died at Albany. Trimmer moved to Albany and in November 1939, was living at Ongerup near Albany, on a property of his deceased father in law. A large tree collapsed on the house of his late father in law killing Mr W McKath and Mr Horatio William Spencer (aged 15), and it was Trimmer's task to extricate their bodies.
Trimmer took up land at Pootenup, near Cranbrook, and in 1856 became a Justice of the Peace and Sub-Protector of Aborigines for the Albany district. He was a member of the Board of Education. Trimmer died in 1877.