(last updated 6 April 2020)
William and Margaret had two sons who seem to have died young and five daughters all of whom grew to adulthood and married. Three of their daughters went with them to Western Australia while the two eldest remained in Victoria (although one of these also eventually went to the West). Described below is what we have managed to discover to date about their lives and families.
1. Mary Ann ('Marion') Flavell Free (1893-1963).
Born and schooled at Corack East, William and Margaret's eldest daughter seems to have been married three times. Her first husband, who she married at Lalbert in 1902, was George Mann, the son of Jonathon Mann (1842-1927) and Emily Speirs (1840-1907). George was born at Coghill's Creek in Victoria in 1871 and was working as a blacksmith at the time of their marriage (the Mann family had settled land in the Lalbert parishes of Cannie and Budgerum West). According to the 'Mann/Wiseman Family Tree' on Ancestry, the couple had one child: George Mann jnr, who was born in 1903, the same year his father George snr died in a tragic accident on the River Murray. The details of the accident were described in a report published in the Adelaide Advertiser a few days later:
George Mann, blacksmith of Lake Boga, with his father-in-law (Mr Free) and his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, left that place in a spring cart to obtain fruit from a garden on the NSW side of the Murray. They got over the big Murray, and recrossed in safety. On arriving at the little Murray crossing they drove right over the edge of a hole 25 ft deep, Mr Fred Free managed to scramble with his sister back to the shallow ledge, whilst Mr Mann jumped into the deep water, and endeavoured to get the horse out, but became exhausted and sank. Mr Free made a gallant attempt to rescue him, but was unable to do so, and sank twice before he was pulled ashore with a rope. Dragging was then carried out. A bicycle was recovered, and the horse and cart were pulled up to the edge of the hole, where the united efforts of a dozen men were insufficient to bring them to dry land. A second effort will be made to get the horse and cart ashore. Efforts for the recovery of the deceased have been continuous but unavailing so far.
Two years after George's death, Marion married George Kiel, a farmer from Gunbower near Echuca. According to the Australian electoral rolls George and Marion lived on his farm at Piccaninny Creek until sometime prior to the 1919 election when she was registered as living at 83 Bell Street in the Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy (George was registered as living at Piccaninny Creek at the time of the 1919 and 1924 elections before retiring to Echuca sometime prior to the 1937 election). Les Free informed us that Marion and George were divorced in 1926. Two years later she married at South Melbourne James McCulloch, a native of Newcastle upon Tyne in England. The Australian electoral rolls indicate that Marion and James lived in the Perth suburb of Lake Victoria from some time prior to 1949 until 1963, the year of Marion's death. Living at the same address in 1968 was an Annie Philamena McCulloch who may have been James' daughter by an earlier marriage. The Perth Metropolitan Cemeteries Board website tells us 'Marrion' Flavell McCulloch, 79 and of Victoria Park, died on 8 July 1963 and is buried in the Anglican sector of the Karrakatta Cemetery (Section ZT Gravesite 0516D).
Marion had only one child, a son, George Mann (1903-90), who was born the year his father died in an accident at Lake Boga in Victoria. He would have spent his childhood at Gunbower near Echuca, where Marion's second husband, George Keil, farmed land at Picanniny Creek. Ancestry's 'Western Australia Crew and Passenger Lists, 1852-1930' show that in August 1921, a Mr G. Mann together with a Mr and Mrs Free - most probably Marion's parents - sailed from Melbourne to Albany in Western Australia on the steam ship KATOOMBA. It is likely George stayed initially with his grandparents on their farm at East Pingelly where he probably met his future wife, Myrtle Walton. As reported in The Corrigin Chronicle on 25 June 1925: 'A marriage of interest to the district was recently celebrated in Perth when Miss Walton, daughter of Mr A. H. Walton married Mr George Mann, grandson of Mr W. Free'. The article added that 'Mr and Mrs Mann are making their home in the Lake Grace district [to the south of Corrigin and] Everybody will wish this popular couple the best of good fortune'.
Myrtle May Walton (1904-94), was born at Mourambine near Pingelly. Her parents were two local farmers, Andrew Henry Walton (1881-1965) and Julia Evelyn (Eva) Squire (1883-58), who were married at Mourambine in 1902 and had eleven children (see the photo below). As with the Free's, most of Myrtle's ancestors were of English origin. Her paternal great grandfather, Henry Walton (1828-64), came from Warwickshire and married an English woman, Mary Ann Parker (1826-67), at York in Western Australia in 1849. Myrtle's maternal grandfather was another Englishman, Frederick Beer Squire aka Shaddick (1828-95), who married a local girl, Julia Wilkins Walton (1859-1941), at Mourambine in 1879. Frederick committed suicide at his farm in 1895, leaving his widow to raise Myrtle's mother and her five siblings on her own.
The Australian electoral rolls show George, who was working as a police constable, and Myrtle Mann living at 98 Edward Street in East Perth in 1928 and 20 May Street East Fremantle in 1943. A report published in the The Daily News on 15 October 1948, tells us that George, who was then living on Ord Street in Fremantle, successfully petitioned to divorce Myrtle on the grounds they had been separated for the previous five years. The following year he married Doris Edwina McDonald in Perth. The Australian electoral rolls show George, who eventually became a detective sergeant, and Doris, who worked for a time as a teacher, lived in Fremantle and then Applecross in Perth where Doris died on 10 November 1980. The Perth Metropolitan Cemeteries website tells us she was cremated at, and is memorialised in, the Fremantle Cemetery (Garden 6 in the Crematorium B Area). George Mann, aged 86 years and of Safety Bay in Perth, died on 6 January 1990. He was also cremated at the Fremantle Cemetery and is memorialised there in the Samson Avenue Gardens (Garden S2, Position 081). We don't know if he and Doris had any children.
After their divorce, Myrtle May Mann nee Walton continued to live in Fremantle with her and George's three children. She later moved to the Perth suburb of Willagee where she died on 26 May 1994. She is buried in the Fremantle Cemetery (Lawn F, Grave 0425), the inscription on her grave telling us she was 90 years old and was the 'loved mother of Dulcie, Allan & Bob'. Although still to be confirmed, we believe Dulcie May Mann married James Bernard Lindsay Fannon at Fremantle in 1950, Allen George Mann married Betty O'Hehir in Perth in 1956, and Robert Jesse Mann (1929-69) married June Marjorie Langley at Fremantle in 1957.
2. Eliza Ada Free (1885-1958)
Born and schooled at Corack East, Ada also attended Lalbert and Talgitcha State School after her family moved to Lalbert in the mid-1890s. She married John Edward Hickmott (1880-1971), the brother of William Henry Hickmott, at Lalbert in 1903. John, or 'Jack' as he was known, was born at East Charlton in Victoria in 1880, the eldest son of Henry Edward and Elizabeth Ann Hickmott nee Owen. In the early-1890s he moved with his family to Lalbert and attended the local state school with his siblings and cousins. The Australian electoral rolls indicate that, immediately after their marriage, Eliza and Jack lived with his parents an their farm at Lalbert. According to a report in the Bendigo Advertiser, on 5 December 1903 Jack was granted by the Special Mallee Land Board appointed to 'deal with the Springfield Mallee division' a lease to a 750-acre block of land in the parish of Berriwillock (the electoral rolls seem to indicate that Jack and Ada continued to live at Lalbert until at least 1919).
On 9 May 1917 the Quambatook Times informed its readers that 'John Watson & Co will conduct an extensive clearing sale on the farm, known as J. Hickmott's, six miles from Meatian ... [as the] property has been sold and the horses, which are a fine lot of workers, sheep, implements, etc, are for absolute sale'. The same newspaper further reported in August the same year, that Jack and another farmer had been admonished by the Ultima magistrate's court for failing to send their children to school:
... 'Parents must realise that the free education system we are enjoying at the present is one of the finest systems in the world and if parents will not comply with the Act they will be the losers'. Such were the words of advice tendered by the presiding magistrates (Messrs Cuttle and Guy) at the local court on Tuesday last, when John Dunstan and J. Hickmott were charged with failing to send their children to school the required number of days. Constable Buckley prosecuted. Dunstan was fined 2/- and Hickmott, second offence, 5/- or six hours'.By the time of the 1924 election Jack and Eliza had moved away from Ultima's preaching magistrates and onto a block of land at Speewa located near the Murray River some 19 km northwest of Swan Hill. In addition to corresponding to the Wakool Shire Council about the 'bad state of the Speewa road' (cited in Deniliquin's The Independent on 27 March 1925), Jack was working as an orchardist and grey hound breeder. As accounts in newspapers as far away as Sydney and Cessnock indicated, he seemed to be quite successful in the latter pursuit:
Cessnock Hare Coursing. The Jeffs are still going strong with their string of greyhounds. The Derby pups in Jeffs' kennels are being prepared for Mr Hickmott, the Swan Hill (Vic) breeder, who is the biggest greyhound breeder in Australia. Mr Hickmott has six stud dogs in his Swan Hill kennels. They are Dicken's Works, Drue's Hope, Scrooge, Mocassin, Obsessed and Flying Hawk, a full brother to the champion, Terminus. Mr Hickmott has over 100 greyhounds on his place at the present time. Three more of Mr Hickmott's breed landed in Cessnock last week. They can be inspected at Tom Jeff's kennels any time ... [and] are for sale (The Cessnock and South Maitland Recorder (1 April 1927).
GREYHOUND GOSSIP from Near and Far: Mr J. E. Hickmott, of Speewa via Swan Hill (Vic) forwards photos of Drew's Hope, Flying Hawk, Scrooge, Dicken's Works and Converse ... SUCCESSFUL SIRE, Dicken's Works, by The Dickens imp.) - White Verse, who has sired many winners behind the dummy hare. Perhaps Pickwick is the most prominent of his progeny. Dickens Works is owned by Mr J. E. Hickmott, of Speewa. (Referee, Sydney 8 Feb 1928).
During this period Jack continued also to advertise greyhounds for sale or sire, including dogs sired by 'Dicken's Works, champion sire for two seasons, 86 finalists from 20 bitches last year', in the Referee and other sporting broadsheets. It seems the good times did not last, however. The list of bankruptcies published in the Melbourne Argus on 6 June 1930 included: 'John Edward Hickmott of Speewa NSW formerly of Waitchie near Sea Lake, farmer (compulsory sequestration). Liabilities 1386/10/-; assets 1/16/-; Liabilities 1384/14/-'. Far from daunted by this experience Jack and Eliza continued to farm, and were at Murrabit in the Kerang district of Victoria by the time of the 1942 election. An advertisement in the Riverina Recorder (Balranald and Moulamein, 27 June 1942) indicates they were also continuing to deal in greyhounds.
In 1949 John, described as a farmer, and Eliza were living on Nyah Road in Swan Hill. The 1954 roll has them living and farming at Tresco in the Swan Hill electorate along with their son Allan William and his wife Mary Dickson Hickmott. Some time before 1958, Jack retired from farming and he and Eliza moved to Bendigo to live. Later that same year Eliza died. The electoral rolls have Jack living on Honeysuckle Street and King Street in Bendigo in 1958 and 1963 respectively. He died in Bendigo eight years later, aged 90 years. They are buried together in the Bendigo Cemetery (Section Mon E6, Grave 38448).
From Darrell Brady's website, this photo is of John Edward and Eliza Ada Hickmott nee Free and seven of their nine children.
Back row (L/R): Alan William, Raymond Norman, Hazel Melva, Kenneth John and Elvie Margaret Hickmott.
Front row: Olive Annie, Alice Elizabeth, Eliza Ada and John Edward Hickmott.
Jack and Eliza Hickmott nee Free had nine children we are aware of, all born in Victoria between 1904 and 1920. We know nothing of their eldest son, George Henry Hickmott, beyond the fact that he was born at Ultima in 1904. We have been able to discover a little more about the lives, times and families of their other children as follows:
Irene May Hickmott, pictured below with her sister Melva and grandfather Henry Edward Hickmott, was born at Sea Lake in Victoria in 1906. We believe she married Herbert William Palmer in Victoria in 1927, and died at Swan Hill the following year. We believe they may have one child although that has still to be confirmed.
Born at Swan Hill in 1907, Hazel Melva Hickmott (1907-2001) - pictured on the left - married Henry Thomas (Harry) Lacey (1909-91), the son of George Robert Lacey (1885-1952) and Emily Evelyn May Davis (1888-1987), at Sea Lake in Victoria in 1929. Di Herbert's 'Lacey Family Tree' tells us they had three children in addition to Harry: George Percy (Pud) (1914-91), Keith James (1920-2006) and William Francis Lacey (1926-8). Di adds that Harry's father, George, was the eldest son of George Robert Lacey snr (1859-1945), who died at Casterton in Victoria, and a South Australian, Eliza Sarah Jennings (1863-1932), who was born at Mount Gambier and died at Swan Hill. Married in Victoria in 1882, George snr and Eliza had eight children in addition to Harry's father. Harry's great grandfather was also named George Henry Lacey (1820-80). Born at Great Yarmouth in Norfolk in England, George spent a year in gaol in Norfolk in 1835 after which he emigrated to South Australia where he married Euphemia McQueen (1827-1901) at Bremer near Strathalbyn in 1857. A native of Scotland's Isle of Skye, Euphemia had emigrated with her parents to South Australia in 1853. She and George had five boys and lived the latter part of their lives on their dairy farm at Dartmoor (south of Casterton) in Victoria. Henry Lacey's mother, Emily Davis, was the younger of two daughters of Henry Thomas Davis (1841-1926) and his first wife, Honoria Catherine Daicy (1851-1981) who was born at Geelong. Emily's grandparents were John Daicy/Deasy, from Devon in England, and an Irish woman, Mary Hogan, who were married at East Stonehouse in Devon in 1848 before sailing to Geelong the following year.
The Australian electoral rolls show Henry Thomas, a labourer, and Melva Lacey living c/- E. Nesbit at Roseville near Moulamein in NSW between at least 1936 and 1949. After this they farmed at nearby Tooleybuc where Harry died in 1991. Melva Lacey nee Hickmott died at Nyah in northern Victoria on 28 March 2001 and is buried with Harry in the Tooleybuc Cemetery. According to the 'Find a Grave' website, the inscription on their gravestone reads: 'LACEY Harry and Melva. Henry Thomas (6.3.1909 - 16.5.1991) and Hazel Melva (Hickmott) (3.6.1907 - 28.3.2001). Dearly loved parents and grandparents of Lylie Ogle and Maureen Fraser and their families'. The family's tribute to Melva, published in the Melbourne Herald Sun on 30 March 2001, reads: 'LACEY - Hazel (Melva), peacefully at Jacaranda Lodge Nyah, on Mar. 28, 2001, aged 93 years. Beloved wife of Harry (dec), loving mother and mother-in-law of Lylie and Alex (Ogle), Maureen and Roger (Fraser), much loved Nan of 8 grandchildren and great Nan of 15 great grandchildren. Cherished Memories'. The following eulogy for Melva was sent to us by Margaret Witte:
Melva was born at Swan Hill in 1907. Her parents, Eliza and Jack Hickmott, had nine children including Melva who was the third eldest. Nan often spoke of fondest childhood memories shared with her brothers and sisters - Ken, Alice and Paddy were always talked about with love and laughter, as were May, Harry, Ray, Ollie and Elvie who are deceased. Melva married Harry Lacey in 1927 at Sea Lake. Their first daughter Lylie was born while they worked for Nesbits at Roseville on Stoney Crossing Road. In 1938, shortly before their second daughter Maureen was born, the family shifted to Tooleybuc. When Minney Bend station was broken into smaller irrigation farms, they started a dairy farm. In the early years at Tooleybuc Melva was busy milking cows while Harry worked across the road as well as on the farm. Melva drove the tractor while Harry walked behind the grader board. Melva said that she received a clod of dirt now and again to tell her to stop. I can remember my mother telling me of the times Nan spent sewing late at night, making shirts, pyjamas and knitting beanies for the Red Cross to send to our soldiers overseas during WW2. After the war, Harry share-farmed wheat and barley at Piangal, Murray Downs and Goodnight areas, later buying extra land at Tooleybuc. Melva enjoyed her involvement in the Red Cross and CWA though once the grandchildren came along they took up most of her time. As you all know, she loved to spoil the little ones and their mates. Melva's other loves were gardening, shopping and her afternoon teas were legendary, not a space left on the plate. In 1991 Melva lost Harry suddenly. This was devastating to her and us. The last eight years Melva spent at Nyah West, where the nursing and domestic staff, Dr Moyihan and family all made her part of their family. All of whom we thank for their loving care. Now Nan can rest peacefully, united with Pop and Pud.
As already noted Melva and Harry had two children: 1) Lylie May Lacey who married John Alexander Robert Ogle in Victoria in 1951, and 2) Maureen Yvonne Lacey who married Roger Fraser in Victoria in 1959. The Australian electoral rolls show both couples lived at Tooleybuc until at least 1980 (the roll for 1980 includes a John Henry Robert, farmer and Cheryl Lee Ogle). Alex worked as a labourer and later a farmer, while Roger was an electrical linesman.
Henry Edward Hickmott with his granddaughters Hazel Melva and Irene May Hickmott (taken in Western Australia in the 1920s).
Allan William (Paddy) Hickmott (1909-2003) was born at Charlton in Victoria and married Mary Dickson (Molly) Betts (1917-2008) in Victoria in 1938. According to the 'Betts' family tree on ancestry, Mary was the youngest daughter of Richard James Betts (1859-1934) and Fanny Margaret Fergus (1876-1937) who were married in Melbourne in 1906 and had five children in addition to Mary. Richard's death certificate, a copy of which is contained on 'Tracey's Family Tree' on Ancestry, tells us he worked all his life as a labourer, died at Koraleigh in NSW and is buried in the Nyah Cemetery in northern Victoria. Born at Mount Pleasant in South Australia, he spent 12 years in South Australia, 43 years in Victoria and 20 years in NSW and was twice married: 1) Amy Louisa Lewis when he was 30 years old and with whom he had three children - Arthur Lewis (40), Ellis James (34) and Jane Louisa Betts (31); and 2) Fanny Margaret Fergus when he was 50 years old and with whom he had six children - Fergus (24), Richard James (22), John (19), Mary (16) and Martha Betts (14) plus one female deceased. Richard's son and Mary's older brother, Richard James Betts, married Paddy's younger sister, Ann Elizabeth Hickmott, in 1935 (see below). Richard grandfather, also Richard James or James Betts (1828-1905) was born at Teston (near Maidstone) in Kent and died at Bealiba (west of Dunolly) in Victoria. He sailed with his parents and siblings to Australia on the ROCKINGHAM, arriving at Fremantle in Western Australia in 1830. The family lived at Guildford in Perth where Richard married an English woman, Jane Ellis (1835-99) in 1850.
The Australian electoral rolls show Allan William, carrier, and Mary Dickson Hickmott were living on Gray Street in Swan Hill in 1942 and at Speewa in the Swan Hill electorate in 1949 (Paddy was then described as a farmer). They were farming at Tresco in 1954 (the same place as Allan's parents). By the time of the 1963 election, Molly and Paddy, who was still described as a farmer, were living in Wangaratta where they remained for the rest of their lives. Paddy died there in 2003 and Molly in 2008. Their respective tributes posted in the Herald Sun read: 'HICKMOTT - Allan William (Paddy) late of Wangaratta passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 15 2003, aged 94 years. Dearly loved husband of 65 years of Molly. Loving father, father-in-law and Pa of Helen, John, Bill, Elizabeth, Anne and Nola and their families. Everlasting Memories' (16 July 2003). 'HICKMOTT - Mary (Molly). Passed away on January 26 2008 Aged 90 years Loving wife of Paddy (dec), loving mother of Helen, John, Bill, Elizabeth, Anne, Nola and their families. Loved and remembered always' (28 January 2008).
The Victorian index of BDMs show that a Helen Mary Hickmott married Desmond Noel Steicke in Victoria in 1958 (reg no 10612). The Australian electoral rolls show a John Edward and Carole Ann Hickmott and a William James and Pamela Joyce Hickmott all living at Wangaratta in 1977 and 1980 (John and Bill were both working as butchers). The Ryerson Index shows that a Kenneth John (Ken or KJ) Hickmott died at Wangaratta in 2017. A tribute to Ken, posted by Mason Park Funerals of Wangaratta, tells us he was born on 23 October 1963 and 'Passed away peacefully on February 23, 2017 at Northeast Health Wangaratta after a very brave battle with cancer. Loved partner of Deb, loving father of Luke & Jess and their partners Dave & Justin. Proud grandfather of Cooper & Tyler. Much loved and loving son of John & Carole, adored big brother, brother-in-law and uncle of Ronda, Karen, Robert & Michelle, their partners and children'.
His entry in Wikipedia tells us Ken's younger brother, Robert Hickmott (pictured on the left), was born on 28 January 1969 and is an Australian race horse trainer and former Australian Football League (AFL) player. In 2012, he became the first former footballer to train a Melbourne Cup-winning horse. Robert was playing for the Wangaratta Rovers in the Ovens and Murray Football League when, in 1988, he was recruited by Essendon and later Melbourne. After quitting football in 1991, Robert moved to Murray Bridge in South Australia, to join his father, John Hickmott, in training horses. From there, he returned to Victoria to work under Colin Little, and later with Tony Vasil and Alan Bailey. In 2001, racehorse owner Lloyd Williams offered him a position at his stables, which Rob accepted. After being heavily involved in the training of the 2007 Melbourne Cup winner, Efficient, Robert was appointed head trainer at Williams' Macedon Lodge stables in 2009. He trained his first Group 1 winner, Zipping, which won the Australia Cup in 2010. Green Moon, the winner of the 2012 Melbourne Cup, was trained by Robert, and also won the Turnbull Stakes the same year. Another horse trained by Robert, Almandin, won the 2016 Melbourne Cup, giving him his second win as a trainer.
In his internet blog, 'On Reflection: The random jottings of an old sport's buff', KB Hill provides us with some further interesting insights into Robert, or 'Hickey' as he is known locally, and his sporting journey. Born and raised in the Wangaratta district, Rob 'developed a passion for racing in his very early years, while helping out around his father John's stables at Eldorado. "Dad was a real estate agent at the same time, so we'd get up early and do the horses, then I'd go to school and he'd go to work at about 8am"'. While racing was a passion, Rob described football as "an outlet", providing him with a chance to spend time with his mates from Tarrawingee and later Wangaratta Rovers. Initially courted by Hawthorn, he was convinced by Kevin Sheedy to play for Essendon instead. 'But Rob found the world of senior AFL footy an uncomfortable fit: "I missed a lot of training because I was going to the races. I played the first two pre-season games at Essendon, then I got homesick and came straight home". After being de-listed from Essendon, he played for a time in Tasmania before being drafted by Melbourne for whom he played two senior games and a season in the reserves. While he enjoyed his time at Melbourne his most treasured memories from his football career centred on his time with Wangaratta Rovers and, especially, their premiership win over Lavington in 1988. "I will never forget the moment when that siren went, just the elation. You couldn't move on the ground, and the after-party went on for the next two or three weeks".
After playing his last game of football at the age of 29, Robert moved into the racing game full time, taking a role with Colin Little at Caulfield where he met his wife, Michelle, who was working there as a track rider. After working for a time with Tony Vasil and Alan Bailey, Rob and Michelle moved to Michelle's home state of Queensland where Robert worked for John Wallace. The couple spent four years on the Gold Coast, and welcomed son Josh followed five years later by daughter Sharnia. He then obtained a position with Lloyd Williams, working first at Flemington, and then at Mount Macedon where he produced the two Melbourne Cup winners mentioned above. Throughout this time Rob preferred to operate in the background, allowing Williams and his son to front the media. 'It's Lloyd's business, so the spokesperson was always Nick or Lloyd – that's their model. The press used to get their noses out of joint because they couldn't talk to me, but I was happy with it that way. It's obviously a by-product of the racing game, but I've never been a person who thrives on that sort of stuff'. Rather Rob enjoyed seeing the smiles on the faces of his family as Team Williams celebrated the success they knew he had helped achieve. 'That's the most gratifying thing out of it – it's more for the families, the chance for the kids to take the cup to school and get bragging rights'. After departing from the Williams' stable in late 2017, Robert is now seeking to make his own way. 'I know how to produce a winner, as long as I get the right quality of horses. We're going through that process now, and it's exciting. It would be nice to secure a few from overseas, and target the Melbourne and Caulfield Cups this year'.
The move also means more time for family matters. Josh's studies in media at Salesian College may enable Rob to avoid the part of the racing game he doesn't enjoy. While Sharnia enjoys attending race days, she is also 'exhibiting talent as a soccer and netball player, singer and guitarist'. Rob also readily acknowledges the value of having Michelle at his side: 'It's handy to have someone who understands the rigmarole, and how demanding the job can be', he says, 'she stopped riding when she was pregnant with Josh – she was passionate about riding, but it just wasn't worth (the risk of injury to continue). She has a dog-grooming business now, and has also trained to be a shiatsu massage therapist; to get her head around what she has to do that has been amazing. It's amazing how people evolve'.
From the Victorian Racing Club on Twitter, Robert Hickmott and members of his family
celebrating Almandin's Emirates Melbourne Cup win in November 2016.
Born at Lalbert, Raymond Norman (Ray) Hickmott (1910-68) was farming land at Stoney Crossing near Speewa in southern NSW (where his parents and siblings were then living) when he married Edna Jane Holmes (1917-87) in Victoria in 1935. According to the 'Cameron-Douglas' and the 'Hoggan' family trees on Ancestry, Edna was the youngest daughter of Horsham-born John Holmes (1879-1951) and Amy Ellen Heywood (1882-1963) who came from Moulamein in NSW. Amy died at Sea Lake in Victoria in 1987. John pre-deceased her by some 36 years, dying at Swan Hill in 1951. His death notice, published in the Melbourne Argus on 5 June of that year, tells us he was 'the dearly beloved husband of Amy, and loving father of Jessie (Mrs Col McAlphane), Darrie (Mrs F. Dunn), Dick, Maisie (Mrs Roy Mannix), and Edna (Mrs Ray Hickmott), aged 72 years'. Amy's father, Henry Stewart Johns Heywood (1850-1932), was a native of Plymouth in Devon in England. Her mother was a Victorian, Ellen Alice Kirk (1862-1918), who married Henry at Balranald in NSW in 1881 and had nine children.
The Australian electoral rolls have Ray still farming land at Stoney Crossing in 1936 and 1937. Edna doesn't appear on the rolls until 1942 at which time they were living at Swan Hill and Ray was working as a carrier. They were still at Swan Hill at the time of the 1949 and 1954 elections. A report in the Argus tells us that in April 1954 Ray was involved in a road accident with farmer Rothwell Hollaway of Beverford. Hollaway subsequently took Ray to court and was awarded £13,491 in damages by the Bendigo Supreme Court, 'the highest damages awarded ever in Bendigo'. Sometime after this Edna and Ray were divorced and Edna married a farmer from Sea Lake in Victoria, Lindsay John Hannig (who died at Sea lake in 2008). The electoral rolls show that Edna went to live at Sea Lake where she died in 1987. We think Ray probably lived with his parents, initially at Swan Hill and later Bendigo where he died in 1968. The Bendigo Cemeteries Trust website shows he is buried in the Bendigo Cemetery (Section Mon A7, Grave 42053). Both the 'Cameron-Douglas' and 'Hoggan' family trees tell us that Ray and Edna had six children: Norman John Hickmott (1938-98) and five others. Although still to be confirmed, we think Norman, who worked all his life as a shearer, married Valda Mary Shepherd and had four children: Carina Margaret Hickmott (1965-87) and three others.
Born at Lalbert in 1915, Alice Elizabeth Hickmott married Richard James Betts (1912-74) in Victoria in 1935. Born at Bealiba, we think Richard was the older brother of Mary Ann (Molly) Betts who married Alice's brother, Alan William (Paddy) Hickmott, in 1938 (see above). The Australian electoral rolls show Alice and Richard, labourer, living on Gray Street in Swan Hill in 1942, Coronation Ave in Swan Hill in 1949 (Richard was then working as a carrier) and 7 Bath St Swan Hill in 1954 (Richard was then working as a shearer). It seems that sometime after this they separated, the Australian electoral rolls showing Richard working as a shearer at Euroa in 1963, 1967, 1968 and 1972 and Alice living at 465 Victoria St in Abbotsford in Melbourne in 1968 and 29 Coppin Street in Richmond in 1972 (the entries for both years show her working as a cook). The Victorian index of BDMs tell us that a Richard James Betts, aged 62 years and born at Swan Hill, died at Euroa in Victoria in 1974. His father was said to be Albert Betts and the names of both his mother and spouse were unknown (reg no 24547). 'Carol's Headstones' website indicates he is buried in the Euroa Cemetery. Di Herbert's 'Lacey Family Tree' on Ancestry tells us that Alice and Richard James (Dick) Betts had three children: Ian Leslie Betts (who, with a Freda Evelyn Betts, was living at Euroa at the time of the 1977 and 1980 elections and working as a shearer) and two others.
Born at Lalbert in Victoria, Olive Annie Hickmott (1917-97), married Noel Herbert John Dellow (1913-84), in Victoria in 1939. According to the 'Deller/Dellar/Dellow Family Tree' on Ancestry, Noel's parents were John Dellow (1873-1947) and Catherine Cadusch (1878-1949) who were married in Victoria in 1902 and had three children in addition to Noel: Joseph Paul (1903-73), Mary Louisa (1905) and Eileen Bridget Dellow (1915-87). Eileen married John Joseph Sutton at Kerang in Victoria in July 1942, two months before he enlisted in the 2nd AIF (John Dellow acted as John's best man). Our John's grandparents were a cabinet-maker, Francis John Dellow (1831-85), who was a native of Shoreditch in London, and his second wife, Ann Devitt (1846-1911), who he married in Victoria in 1868.
Catherine's parents were said to be Paul Cadusch and Bridget Kelly. The 'Wright-Wood Family Tree' on Ancestry tells us Paul Paolo Fedele Cadusch (1848-1908) was born at Obervaz, Graubunden in Switzerland and died at Bendigo in Victoria. His naturalisation papers in the Australian Archives show that Paul sailed to Australia from Liverpool in England on the GREAT BRITAIN and arrived at Port Phillip on 6 October 1869. He applied to become an Australian citizen on 21 June 1890 at which time he was farming at Pyramid Hill near Kerang in central Victoria. A report in the Kerang Times in March 1891 indicates Paul was also the proprietor of the Shire Hotel on Nolan Street in Kerang, the licence for which he had purchased from his brother, Paul Joseph Cadusch, two years earlier. Catherine's mother, Bridget Kelly (1857-1926), was born at Lockwood and died at Kerang. She married Paul in Victoria in 1877. Her death notice, published in the Melbourne Argus on 13 January 1926, informs us that she and Paul had seven children: 'CADUSCH - On the 7th January, at Kerang, Bridget, beloved wife of the late Paul Cadusch, and dearly loved mother of Catherine (Mrs J. Dellow), Mary, Joe, Annie, Peter, Herbert, Eva. R.I.P'.
His military record in the Archives shows that Catherine's younger brother, Herbert Paul Cadusch (1894-1971), then a 22 year-old farmer at Kerang, enlisted in the First AIF at Bendigo on 10 March 1916. Allocated to the 38th Battalion, Herbert sailed from Melbourne on the A54 RUNIC in July 1916 but only got as far as Capetown where he was put into hospital suffering from nephritis. He was returned to Australia on the HMT SUFFOLK and discharged as medically unfit on 10 October 1916. The DVA's WW2 nominal roll shows that Herbert also enlisted in the Second AIF. He was again living at Kerang, gave as his NOK Alice Cadusch, and served as a signalman from May 1942 until January 1947. Catherine's nephew, Joseph Victor Cadusch (1904-69), who was also born at Kerang in 1904, served in the RAAF from 26 May 1942 until 1 February 1946, his last posting being as a Leading Aircraftman in 33 Squadron.
The Australian electoral rolls show that prior to his marriage Noel and his brother Joseph were farming land at Tyson's Hill near Swan Hill - the boys' parents were living at Wakool Crossing - before moving into Swan Hill where Noel worked as a labourer. In 1949 Noel, now working as an orchardist, and Olive were registered at Murrabit. They were back at Swan Hiil in 1954 by which time Noel was working as a carpenter. Not long after they moved to Bendigo where Noel continued to work as a carpenter and Olive was a hairdresser. Noel died at Bendigo in 1984 and Olive in 1997. They are buried together in the Bendigo Cemetery (Section Lawn 6, Grave 47329). We don't know if they had any children. The Department of Veterans Affairs' nominal roll for the Vietnam War shows a National Serviceman, Brian Victor Cadusch, who was born at Kerang on 18 October 1948, served with 104 Signals Squadron in Vietnam between April 1970 and April 1971. The Australian electoral rolls show a Brian and Jean Victoria Cadusch living at 74 Nolan Street Kerang in 1972, 1977 and 1980.
Born at Lalbert in Victoria, Elvie Margaret Hickmott (1920-97) would have spent her early years at Waitchie near Sea Lake and then Speewa north of Swan Hill where her father bred greyhounds and worked as an orchardist. Perhaps because of this she, like her sisters, was an avid reader of, and occasional letter writer to, the young persons' column in the Melbourne Weekly Times. It is likely, too, she either knew or knew of the Fisher family who ran the Beverford Post Office from 1919 until the late 1980s, initially from their farm house and, in later years, from the Beverford General Store. Elvie would marry the Fisher's youngest son, Colin Arthur Fisher (1918-87), in Melbourne in 1941 (Colin is pictured on the right and in the photo below). As detailed in Amanda Hughes' family tree on Ancestry, Colin's parents, Angus Fisher (1895-1952) and Ada Emily Bryant (1880-1923), began their married lives at Kunat near Lake Boga in central Victoria. While there they lost their first-born daughter, Jessie Emily Fisher (1902-4), under circumstances which were both heart-wrending and all-too-common for country people in those times. When Jessie became ill, Angus later told his son, Angus Campbell Fisher (1904-83), 'he had to drive 15 miles to Swan Hill in the gig with Jessie in his arms . . . On arrival at the hospital the only doctor was out of town . . . so I left Jessie with the Matron who cared for her outside the hospital (the child could not be admitted without a doctor)'. Angus then set off on the gig pony to try and locate the doctor. Being unsuccessful he returned to Swan Hill to find Jessie 'had died, and so father had to return home to Kunat to tell my mother'.
In 1911 Angus and Ada selected a 640-acre block of land at Stratford reserve, later known as Chillingollah East, and the family moved there in the Spring of 1912. In 1919 they purchased 300 acres of irrigated land near Tyntynder Station Homestead on the Nyah road outside Swan Hill and in an area that was later named Beverford. As he had at Chillingollah East, Angus arranged to run the local Post Office from his orchard and so his and Ada's two boys, Robert Edward and Angus Campbell, 'rode alternative nights by bike to Tyntynder Central to meet a mail man from Swan Hill 6 nights a week for 7/6 per week'. The family also ran the local telephone exchange before it became automated and Angus served for many years as a local Justice of the Peace. They were still at Beverford when Ada died four months after giving birth to their tenth child, Ena Nellie Fisher, on 7 June 1923. Angus continued to live in the area until his death there on 25 April 1952.
Angus and Ada had been married at the residence of Ada's parents at Linton (east of Skipton) in Victoria on 11 September 1901. They eventually had 10 children: Jessie Emily (1902-4), Angus Campbell (1904-83), Robert Edward (1906-77), Albert George (1909-90), Alexander (1911-90), Alan McLean (1913), Ida May (1915-47), Colin Arthur (1918-90), Alma (1920-20) and Ena Nellie Fisher. Angus' parents were Robert Fisher and Jessie McLean who both came from Somerset in England and were married at Ballarat in 1883. Ada's parents were Alfred Edward Bryant (1845-1926), a miner, and Elizabeth Jane Commons (1851-1931) who were married at Linton in 1869 and had six children. A native of Salisbury in England, Alfred emigrated to Australia in around 1855 while Elizabeth, who came from Cornwall, arrived in the colony in around 1859.
His military file in the Australian Archives shows that Colin Arthur Fisher was born at Swan Hill on 11 April 1918 and was working as a postal assistant when he enlisted in the Australian Army on 18 August 1941. His stated NOK was his father, Angus Fisher of the Beverford PO, which was later changed to his wife, Elvie Margaret Fisher, of Murrabit. Colin served initially with a base postal unit in Australia before being posted to Singapore with the 8th Division Postal Unit. He seems to have been injured on the day he arrived at Singapore and sailed back to Australia on the ZEANDAN which docked at Fremantle on 7 March 1942 (three weeks after the British commander at Singapore had surrendered to the Japanese). Colin served the remainder of the War in postal units in Melbourne, Warwick, Brisbane, north Queensland and Melbourne again where he was discharged as a corporal on 16 January 1945. The Australian electoral rolls show Colin and Elvie then lived at Beverford, where Colin was the postmaster, until at least the early 1980s (the rolls for the later years have a Geoffrey Colin, cellarman, farmer and boiler-maker, Andrew Clive, labourer, and Neville Gregory Fisher, student, also living and working at Beverford). Colin and Elvie eventually retired to Swan Hill where Colin died in 1990 and Elvie in 1997. The 'Hughes' Family Tree' on Ancestry tells us they are buried in the local cemetery and that they had four children.
From Amanda Hughes' family tree on Ancestry, this photo is of Alexander Fisher and Nora Atkinson's wedding party at Swan Hill on 27 August 1938.
From L/R: Ida May Fisher, John Atkinson (in front of whom is Judith Bail), Alex Fisher, Nora Atkinson, Colin Arthur Fisher and Addie Atkinson.
Kenneth John Hickmott was born at Woorinen in Victoria in 1920. The Australian War Memorial's WWII database shows VX51007 Kenneth John Hickmott of Tooleybuc in Victoria enlisted in the Second AIF at Royal Park in Melbourne on 11 March 1941. He served as a private in the 2/28 Battalion and was discharged from the army on 6 February 1946. His next of kin was his father John Hickmott. The 1949 electoral roll shows Kenneth John Hickmott, labourer, living at Swan Hill. He and a June Hickmott were living on Donnington Street in Swan Hill in 1954. The 1963 roll has a Kenneth John Hickmott, contractor, living at Marandallas, Tooleybuc in NSW.
3. Emily Alice Free (1887-1977)
Born at Corack East in 1887, Emily Alice went to Western Australia with her parents and was living with them at Pingelly at the time of the 1910 Federal election. She married George Armstrong Leslie, the son of William and Sarah Leslie, at Pingelly in 1910. At the time of the 1916 and 1925 elections the couple were farming at Pingelly and Boyup Brook respectively. By 1931 George was working as an agent and they were living at 'Wandarrah' on Stirling St in Bunbury (the electoral roll included a James Ernest Leslie, dumper, who was living on Victoria St in Bunbury). The electoral rolls showed that they moved around after this, living at 605 Murray St in West Perth in 1937, 136 Loftus St in Leederville in 1943, 117 Douglas Ave in South Perth in 1949 and 1 Wellman St in Guildford in 1954. The WA online bdm idex shows that George died in the Fremantle registration district in 1963. Emily died at Subiaco on 24 October 1977. According to the records held by the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board, her ashes were 'scattered to the winds at Karrakatta Cemetery'.
According to the 'Leslie (T. C.) Family Tree' on Ancestry.com, Emily and George had at least on child: Evelyn May Leslie (18 April 1911 - 29 April 1956). The WA index of bdms shows that an Evelyn M. Leslie married Eric R. C. Walker in the Perth RD in 1936 (reg no 1286) and died, aged 45 years, in the Perth RD in 1956 (reg no 1063). The Australian electoral rolls show that her husband was Eric Reginald Chard Walker, labourer, and they were living in East Perth in 1936, Meridan in 1943 and Cannington in 1954. The WA Metropolitan Cemeteries Board indicates that Evelyn died on 24 April 1956 in the suburb of East Cannington. One of the tributes to William Free's death published in the West Australian on 3 July 1951 included: 'father of Emily, father-in-law of George Leslie, grandfather of May and Eric Walker and g-grandfather of Len, Gwen and Kevin'.
4. Sarah Sylvia Free (1889-1982)
Born at Corack East in Victoria, Sarah was eighteen years old when, with her parents and siblings, she went to Western Australia to live. The 'Reverse' WA Marriage index tells us she married Francis Ernest Joseph (Ernie) Chaplin (1881-1922) in the Beverley registration district in 1910. According to Di Herbert's 'Lacey Family Tree' on Ancestry, Francis was born at Laura in South Australia's Clare Valley on 22 January 1881, the eldest son of Francis James Chaplin (1856-1927) and Sarah Ann Lampard (1855-1934) who were married in Adelaide in 1880 and later farmed land at Apsley and then Rainbow in Victoria's Mallee region. Both Francis snr and Sarah died and are buried at Rainbow. Lynette Brookings' 'Swan Family Tree' on Ancestry tells us they had ten children in addition to Ernie: John, Ethel May, Annie Amelia, Elizabeth Esther, Lavina Maud, Elle Jane, Alice Bertha, Alex Ephram, Florence Linda and Fiona Chaplin. Lynette adds that Ernie's paternal grandparents were a native of Kent in England, Edwin Chaplin (1826-84), and Judith Golding (1820-97) who was born at Ticehurst in Sussex. She and Edwin were married at Hawkhurst in Kent in 1845 and emigrated to South Australia in around 1850.
Ancestry's 'Western Australia, Crew and Passenger Lists, 1852-1930' shows that a Mr F. E. Chaplin sailed from Adelaide to Fremantle on the NEMESIS arriving at Fremantle on 17 October 1902. The Australian electoral rolls show an Ernest Chaplin, labourer, living at Narrogin, south of Pingelly, in 1906. On 14 August 1909, The Beverley Times informed its readers that an E. Chaplin and W. Parks had contested the under 15 hands horse jumping event in an agricultural society show held at the local showgrounds. 'As a sequel to the jumping contest', the report added, 'Mr. Samuels backed his mount (Parks' horse) for a good sum, against Mr. Chaplin's horse. Both "sports" are confident that their animals with a little training, will defeat its opponent, and the event will be decided in the show ring'. The electoral roll has Ernest Chaplin, contractor, living at Pingelly in 1910, the year of his marriage to Sarah. On 9 December 1911, The Beverley Times posted the following notice from the Beverley Grown Lands Agency: 'OPEN FOR SELECTION. Tuesday, December 12. Moorumbine A.A. Lot 244 as surveyed, containing 158 acres, at 9s per acre; being F. E. J. Chaplin's forfeited Homestead Farm'. There is some evidence that the lease for the land may have been taken up by Sarah although that is still to be confirmed.
The Australian electoral rolls show that, at the time of the 1912 election, Ernie, a contractor, and Sarah were living at Northam (where their eldest son, Clarence Francis Chaplin had been born in January the previous year). They were registered at 'Avondale' (the home of Sarah's parents) at East Pingelly in 1913 and 1914. In 1915 they were at Lalbert in Victoria where Ernie was working as a butcher. By the time of the 1916 election they were back at 'Avondale'. They were still registered as living there in 1922, the year Ernie unexpectedly died on 21 July:
. . . quite a gloom was cast over the Milton district as the news spread that Mr Ernie Chaplin had passed away after a very brief illness. Although the deceased gentleman had been a sufferer for some considerable time, he had been enjoying fairly good health up to within a few days of his demise. The late Mr Chaplin had resided with his family in the district for many years, and was held in the highest esteem by all who knew him. Ever ready to assist in any patriotic or charitable work, he won for himself a large circle of friends. Deceased, who was a son-in-law of Mr and Mrs Wm Free, leaves a widow and six children to mourn the loss of a kind husband and good father. Other relatives reside in Victoria. The interment took place in the Lake Yearlering cemetery, the last sad rites being performed by the Rev. Charles Graham in the presence of many relatives and a large assemblage of sorrowing friends. The many floral wreaths placed on the grave spoke silently, yet eloquently, of one who was called home. The deepest sympathy is extended to the relatives in their sad bereavement (The Pingelly Leader, 27 July 1922).
After Ernie's death, Sarah continued to live with her parents and, following her mother's death in 1932, with her father at Avondale and, later, Yealering (the 1936 roll has her son, Clarence Francis Chaplin, farm hand, also registered at Yealering). On 27 January 1944, readers of the Pingelly-Brookton Leader were informed that Sarah and her father were about 'to leave us and live in the city'. On 7 February 1944, the same paper reported that 'Mr W. (Bill) Free celebrated his 85th birthday on Monday, 7th inst. Mr Free and Mrs Chaplyn [sic] and her daughter Hazel have taken over a business in the suburbs and we send them the best wishes from all their friends'. The 1949 electoral roll shows Sarah and her daughter, Florence Hazel Stephens, living at 216 Railway Parade in the Perth suburb of Leederville (William did not appear on the roll but his death and funeral notices, published in 1951, indicate this was also his place of residence). The 1954 roll shows Sarah and Hazel, a storekeeper, living at 106 Kooyong Road Belmont (Clarence Francis, grocer, and his wife Agnes Grace Chaplin were living at 210 Belmont Ave Belmont). Subsequent rolls show that Sarah and Hazel were back at 216 Railway Parade in 1958 and were still living there in 1980 (Hazel worked as a saleswoman over this time). Perth's Metropolitan Cemeteries website shows that Sarah Sylvia Chaplin, aged 93 years and from Subiaco, died on 22 June 1982. She was cremated and her ashes dispersed at the Karrakatta Cemetery.
As mentioned in Ernie's obituary, he and Sarah had six children. The Australian electoral rolls and other sources indicate these included a Clarence Francis (born at Narrogin in 1911) and Florence Hazel Chaplin (born in the Beverley registration district in 1916). We have yet to determine with any certainty who their other four children were although the Western Australian Index of BDMs shows the following additional Chaplins were born in the Beverley registration district between 1910 and 1925: Margaret A. (1914), Leila J. (1918), Reginald A. (1919) and Allan W. Chaplin (1921).
1) Clarence Francis Chapin (1911-1991). The Department of Veterans Affairs's WW2 nominal roll shows that 38016 Clarence Francis Chaplin was born at Northam in Western Australia on 16 January 1911 and enlisted in the RAAF at Perth on 26 February 1941. He was then living at Narrogin and gave as his NOK Agnes Chaplin. He was discharged on 11 July 1945 at which time he was a Sergeant at Station HQ Pearce. The 'Reverse' Western Australian Marriages lookup tells us that Agnes was Clarence's first wife, Agnes Grace Meddings (1915-95), who he had married in Perth in 1933. According to the 'Anthony Family Tree' on Ancestry, Agnes was born at Geraldton, the daughter of Robert George Meddings (1886-1967) and Grace Mary Ann Osmond (1894-1960). Robert was born in Wharparilla North in Victoria and Grace at Balmain in Sydney. They were married at Mt Magnet in Western Australia in 1911 and had nine children in addition to Agnes: Kitchener Robert, George Frederick, Hazel Lorraine, Mary and five others.
The Australian electoral rolls show Clarence, then a labourer, and Agnes living at Narrogin in 1943 and Belmont in Perth in 1949 and 1954 (when Clarence was a grocer). At the time of the 1958 election Clarence, now working as a blind fixer, and Agnes were living at 6 Pusey Street Bentley in the Swan district of Perth together with a Joyce Lorraine Chaplin, dressmaker. Agnes and Clarence were still registered as at 6 Pusey Street in 1963 along with a Francis Ernest Joseph Chaplin, mechanic. It seems that Clarence and Agnes were divorced sometime after this for the 1972 roll has Clarence Francis, a truck driver, and a Gwendoline Ada Chaplin living at 199 High Street in Riverton. They were running the post ofice at Minnivale, north of Northam, in 1977 and were at Swan View in Perth in 1980 (by this time Clarence had retired). Perth's Metropolitan Cemeteries website tells us that Clarence Francis Chaplin, aged 80 and from Thornlie, died on 25 August 1991. He was cremated and his ashes taken by an administrator at the Karrakatta Cemetery. Gwendoline Ada Chaplin, 81 and from Bentley, died on 19 November 2004. She was also cremated and is memorialised in the Karrakatta Cemetery (Garden of Remembrance, EC Section, Garden 24, Position 0203). The 'Anthony Family Tree' tells us that Clarence's first wife, Agnes Grace Chaplin nee Meddings, also re-married, in 1973, to Felix Randolph Lapsley (1913-86). It adds that Agnes died in the Royal Perth Hospital on 28 February 1995 and was cremated at Karrakatta three days later. We believe she and Clarence had five children: 1) Joyce Lorraine Chaplin (1935-2015) who was born at Narrogin and died in Perth; 2) Frances Ernest Joseph Chaplin jnr (1938-2010) who was born and died at Perth (the 'Anthony Family Tree' tells us he and his wife Verleen had three children); 3) Grace Sarah Chaplin who married Norman John Anthony (1930-2009) in Perth in 1954 and has five children; and two others.
2) Florence Hazel Chaplin (1916-98). The 'Reverse' WA Marriage index shows that a Florence H. Chaplin and Clement C. Stephens were married in Perth in 1940 (reg no 1486). Craig McKie's family tree on Ancestry tells us Clement was the only son of South Australian-born, Albert Edward Stephens (1871-1949), and a Victorian by birth, Alice May Greene (1884-1967), who were married in Perth in 1906. Born at North Adelaide, Albert was one of five children of two South Australians, Charles Stephens (1842-77) and Frances Marion Hawson (1845-1928). One of his brothers, Ernest Hubert Stephens (1876-1951), served as a private soldier with the Western Australian Citizan Bushmen in the Boer War. He remained in South Africa after the war working as a prospector and mine owner. In 1946 the British Government awarded him an OBE for his work as a trustee of the Basutoland War Fund (Basutoland, where Ernest died in 1951, was a British Crown colony established in 1884 due largely to the Cape Colony's inability to control the territory). Albert Edward Stephens, who worked variously as a book keeper, newsagent and farmer, died at Guildford in Perth in 1949. His death notice in The West Australian reads: 'STEPHENS. On May 29 1949 at his residence 31 Market street Guildford, Albert Edward, beloved husband of Alice May Stephens, loving father of Clement (deceased), father-in-law of Hazel and Grandpop of Alison and Kay, aged 78 years' (31 May 1949).
The Department of Veterans Affairs' WW2 nominal roll shows WX2692 WO2 Clement Charles Stephens, who was born in Perth on 31 October 1912, enlisted in the Australian Army at Subiaco on 15 May 1940. He was then living at East Perth and gave as his NOK his wife Florence. An alumnus of Wesley College in South Perth, he was working as a farmer at the time of his enlistment. According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Clement, then aged 31, died on 23 November 1943 from injuries incurred while serving with 2/3 Field Regiment RAA and is buried in the Atherton War Cemetery in Queensland's northern tablelands. As described above, after Clement's death, Hazel lived with her parents at East Pingelly and, after the death of her mother in 1932, with her father, William Free, at Yealering and later in Perth where she worked as a saleswoman. Perth's Metropolitan Cemeteries Board website shows that she died at Dianella in Perth on 5 September 1998 aged 82 years. She was cremated and her ashes were taken by the administrator of Karrakatta Cemetery. As her father-in-law's death notice stated, she and Clement had two daughters, Alison and Kay Stephens.
5. Annie Wilson Free (1892-1983)
William and Margaret's youngest daughter, Annie Wilson Free was born at Corack East and attended school at Talgitcha near Lalbert. She was 15 years old when, together with her parents and four siblings, she sailed from Melbourne to Fremantle and thence travelled to Pingelly. The 'Reverse' WA Marriage website shows that three years later, she married William Sheriff Price (1885-1970) in Western Australia's Beverley registration district. As reported in The Pingelly Leader on 4 July 1918, the couple's 'pretty wedding':
. . . was celebrated on June 19 at the residence of Mr W. Free of Avondale, East Pingelly, the contracting parties being Miss Annie S. Free and Mr William Sheriff Price of Kweda, son of T. S. Price, of Tallala, and grandson of the late Charles Price, of Hindmarsh Island. The Rev J. Black of Yealering Lake performed the ceremony which was conducted under the large verandah. A beautiful bell of white roses hung from the ceiling. As the bridal party appeared, the guests, who numbered close to 100 people, sang "The Voice the Breathed O'er Eden", the music being supplied by Mr and Mrs Len Barber, with organ and violin. The bride, who was given away by her father, looked charming in a dress of cream silk voile trimmed with silver lace, the beautiful embroidered veil and wreath being lent by the bride's cousin. Miss Lily Hoskin attended the bride, and was gowned in white embroidered voile touched with pale blue silk and pake blue picture hat. The bridegroom who had recently returned from France, was attended by Mr J. Norman Barber. A wedding breakfast was laid out in the large dining room and was presided over by the Rev J. Black, the usual toasts being enthusiastically honoured. After the breakfast dancing and games were indulged in till midnight. Mr and Mrs Price are spending the honeymoon in Perth. The bride's travelling dress was of wedgewood blue shantung, hat of mole velvet with wedgewood trimming. The bride's present to the bridegroom was a pair of gold sleevelinks; bridegroom to bride, travelling case; bridegroom to bridesmaid, three-starred brooch.
According to the Eaton, Anderson and a number of other family trees on Ancestry, William's parents were Thomas Sheriff Price (1839-1932) - pictured on the right - and Mary Ann Carter Potts (1861-1942) who were married at Penwortham in South Australia's Clare Valley on 23 June 1879 and had twelve children in addition to William: Edith Sarah, Cecile May, Rosalma Laura, Charlotte, Thomas Charles Edward, Jane, Elizabeth, Florence Jessie, George, Rupert Sydney, Ivy May and John Gad Price. His obituary, published in The Adelaide Advertiser on 23 January 1932, tells us Thomas was born in Herefordshire in England and sailed to South Australia with his parents on the ANNIE CROPPER in 1852. The family originally took up land on Hindmarsh Island, but subsequently removed to Narridy and later to Eurelia where, in 1879, Thomas married the daughter of a Glaswegian, James Carter Potts (1818-94), and his Scottish wife, Elizabeth Jane Hay (1828-1906). After marrying in Scotland in around 1843, James and Elizabeth had emigrated to Australia where they lived for a time at Bendigo before travelling by bullock wagon to Rhynie in South Australia.
After their marriage in 1879, Thomas and Mary Ann farmed at Eurelia before, in 1894, selecting land in the Fowler's Bay district where they built the Tallala homestead in which they would live for the next 38 years. In a newspaper report of his life and times, published in the Laura Standard and Crystal Brook Courier on 7 September 1928, the then 89 year-old Thomas told his interviewer that he and his family had often experienced hard and difficult times, at one stage even losing their land and livelihood and having to move on and start again. He concluded, however, that 'although we have had a hard life we also have much to be thankful for . . . he and his wife had reared a family of 13 children, all of whom were alive, and two of his sons saw service with the AIF abroad and came back safe'.
As mentioned earlier, one of those sons was William Sheriff Price who, according to his military file in the Australian Archives, enlisted in the First AIF in Perth on 3 February 1916. Born at Eurelia in South Australia, William was then working as a farmer at Pingelly in Western Australia's wheat belt region and gave as his NOK his father Thomas Sheriff Price of Fowler's Bay in South Australia. He was allocated to the 18th reinforcements for the 16th Infantry Battalion and sailed from Fremantle on the HMAT A48 SEANG BEE on 18 July 1916. He joined the battalion in France in November the same year but not long after suffered from a bout of mumps and then was hospitalised twice with acute laryngitis. These illnesses led him to be repatriated to Australia on 21 December 1917 and medically discharged.
The 1925 electoral roll shows Annie Wilson and William Sheriff Price, a farmer, living at East Pingelly. They were still there in 1931. In 1936 they were farming at Forrestdale and in 1937 at Bruce Rock. They then farmed at Kirup in the electorate of Collie (where we think some of William's siblings lived) before going to Bunbury where they lived at 4 Buchanan Street for the rest of their lives. William died in Bunbury in 1970. The Bunbury Cemetery records show tell us Annie died there on 21 November 1983 and was buried with William the next day (location: G-MT-C-120). They had two children we are aware of:
1) William Thomas (Bill) Price (1920-2014). The DVA's WW2 nominal roll shows a WX17368 William Thomas Price, who was born at Pingelly on 30 January 1920, enlisted in the Australian Army at Claremont on 22 October 1941. He was then living at Kirup and gave as his NOK his father, William Price. He was discharged on 14 November 1945 at which time he was a Sergeant in the 2/10th Australian Armoured Regiment. The Reverse Western Australia Marriage Index shows that two years later, Bill married Elsie F. Sears in the Wellington registration district of Western Australia. A report of their wedding in The Blackwood Times on 10 January 1947, tells us it took place at the Donnybrook Methodist Church on Saturday, January 4 and Bill's wife was Miss Elsie Sears only child of Mr and Mrs W. J. Sears, of Donnybrook. The report added:
. . . The bride was frocked in a beautiful gown of satin with full length veil and carried a bouquet of fresh flowers. She entered the church on the arm of her father and was attended by two bridesmaids, Misses N. Middleton and B. Farley. The duties of best man and groomsman were carried out by Messrs R. Price and T. Sheehan. Later Mrs Sears and Mrs. Price received approximately one hundred guests in the supper room of the Donnybrook Memorial Hall where they enjoyed a tasty breakfast. After the usual toasts were honoured the bride cut the three tier cake, credit for which is due to Mrs Sears who made the cake and Mrs Hurst who iced it. At 8.30 p.m. a large crowd flocked to the dance floor which was open to all. Music for dancing, was supplied by the Balingup Orchestra. During the evening the bride changed to her travelling frock of blue with white accessories. The couple left by car about 10.30, and dancing continued till 11.30 when supper was served.
The Australian electoral rolls show William Thomas Price, farmer, was living with his parents and younger brother, Rupert Allan Price at Kirup in 1949. William, a farmer, and Elsie were registered as living at 'Range Lee' in Donnybrook in 1954, 1958, 1963, 1968, 1972, 1977 (along with Ross William, farmer, and Shirley Fay Price, barmaid), and 1980 (along with John Wayne Price, farmhand). The Ryerson Index shows that Elsie Frances Price, 84, died on 11 May 2012 and William Thomas (Bill) Price, aged 94 years and 'late of Bunbury, formerly of Donnybrook', died at at Tuia Lodge at Donnybrook on 14 July 2014. His tribute posted in The West Australian on 16 July 2014, reads. 'PRICE William Thomas (Bill): Passed away peacefully at Tuia Lodge Donnybrook, on 15.07.2014 aged 94, surrounded by Family. Beloved Husband of Elsie (dec) and loving Father of Rosemary, Ross, Shirley and John. He and Elsie are buried together in the Donnybrook Cemetery.
2) Rupert Allan Price married Yvonne Emmerson Miller, the daughter of David Emmerson Miller and Eva Irvine, in the Wellington RD of Western Australia in 1952.
Image sources
'Pingelly, c1920' from State Library of Western Australia.
'Greetings from Pingelly'. Private Collection.
'Ada Eliza Free and John Edward Hickmott' and 'Henry Edward Hickmott and his granddaughters', from Win Noblet, The Hickmott Story 1825-1981 (Bendigo: Cambridge Press, 1981).
'Jack and Eliza Hickmott, 1954' and 'hazel Melva Lacey nee Hickmott', courtesy of the 'Lacey Family Tree' on Ancestry.com (originally provided by Di Herbert)
'Colin Arthur Fisher on enlistment in 1941', from his WWII records in the Australian Archives.
'Thomas Sheriff Price' from the Eaton Family Tree on Ancestry.com.
