The theme for week 38 is a favourite place to research. My favourite place to research would have to be what is now known as Moonee Valley which comprises the North-Western suburbs of Melbourne listed below. Thanks to assistance from my dad's cousin and his wife Ray and Margaret GOODWIN, Lenore FROST and the Essendon Historical Society I have had many fruitful hours of research. My paternal ancestors lived for many years in the suburbs highlighted. Some of the other suburbs did not exist back then.
Aberfeldie
Airport West
Ascot Valemy great grandmother Mary ADAMS nee MORGAN lived here during WW1
The largest family in my ancestry would have to be my Mum's FLEMING family. Cousin Debbie FRANK says her Mum, Edna nee FLEMING, told her she would probably be related to half of Victoria through the FLEMING family. I think she may have been right.
Our common great-great-grandfather, Willian Finlay/Finley FLEMING and his wife Ann Jane KNIGHT (above) had 13 children and many of those went on to have large families. Ann Jane - (1853-1925) married Arthur THOMPSON and had 10 children William James - (1855-1931) married Johanna FISHER and had 12 children. Donald, my great grandfather - (1860-1921) married Margaret HART and had 11 children. Alice - (1863-1944) married Thomas TUCKETT and had 7 children. Finlay - (1864-1910) married Jessie SPLATT and had 9 children. Moses - (1866-1939) married Mary HUGHS and had 9 children. Matilda - (1870-1956) married Charles WORRALL and had 9 children. John Knight - (1875-1954) married Margaret SPLATT and had 11 children. Selina Maude - (1878-1952) married Samuel LAURENCE, they only had 2 children. Ellen, Sarah, Ruth and Christina FLEMING all died in infancy.
William Finlay and Ann Jane FLEMING with 5 of their children.
Many of my ancestors were farmers. My Paternal grandfather, Jim FORSYTH (born James MUSSON 1906 - 1976) was a farmer. His MUSSON ancestors were also farmers in New Zealand and England. His FORSYTH ancestors were farmers in New Zealand and Meal Millers in Aberdeenshire, Scotland After he came to Australia and married my grandmother, Brenda DANIELS nee ADAMS, in 1937, my grandfather bought a rundown farm, improved it, sold it and moved on. They moved on nearly every twelve to eighteen months, mainly around Victoria, but he once had a pineapple farm at Woombye in Queensland. He worked long hard hours to improve each farm. The Australian electoral rolls show many of their movements although some of the years were a bit out. Dad's memory fills in some gaps. They moved to Tatura from Upper Ferntree Gully, Victoria around 1942. At Tatura he bought a truck and did cartage for the internment camp at Dhurringile during WW2. In 1944 he bought a farm at Girgarre East, Victoria In 1946 they farmed at Stanhope South, Victoria 1949 at Mooroopna, Victoria 1950 at Shepparton East, Victoria 1951 at Glenrowan, Victoria 1952 at Marungi, Victoria 1953 at Trafalgar, Victoria 1956 at Woombye, Queensland From 1957 until his death in 1976 he was in the Goulburn Valley region of Victoria.
Mooroopna, Victoria 1949
Woombye, Queensland 1954 - 1956
L-R my brother, my grandfather and my dad, Kialla, Victoria, ca 1968.
FORSYTH, JOHN– returned home to NZ – Trooper – Service No. 3836, enlisted in the 6th New Zealand Contingent, known as the “Silent Sixtth”, on the 18th of January 1901 at Wellington.
World War 1
ADAMS, Charles Nightingale – Serial No. 50972: Private, 27th reinforcements (second draft) New Zealand Army Nursing Service, embarkation 16 July 1917, N.O.K Mrs A.M.S Adams (wife) 3 Rixon Grove, Wellington, NZ – returned home 1919.
AH-KING, David Alexander – died of wounds Kantara, Egypt 29 April 1917 – King, David Alexander : SERN 727 : POB Birchip VIC : POE Sydney NSW : NOK (Brother) King, Arthur.
AH-KING, Edmund James – Private – 22nd Battalion A.I.F – killed Pozieres 5 Aug 1916 – King, Edward James – SERN 1155 : POB Melbourne VIC : POE Warracknabeal VIC : Next of Kin – (Wife) KING, Caroline
BEATON, Peter Francis (Frank) – Private 24th Battalion, 10th reinforcement, later 51st Battalion – Returned to Australia 10 September 1917: SERN – 3015: Place of birth – Euroa, Victoria: Place of Enlistment – Melbourne, Victoria: Next of Kin – Father, Mr Peter BEATON, Euroa, Victoria.
BEATON, William John – Private 14th Battalion: killed at Gallipoli 27 Aug 1915: SERN – 1912 : Place of birth – Euroa VIC : Place of enlistment – Euroa VIC : Next of kin – (Father) BEATON, Peter
CROOKE, John Michael-Private – 36th Battalion A.I.F – killed in action France 18th October 1917 – SERN 7226 : POB South Melbourne VIC : POE Sydney NSW : NOK (Father) Crooke John
CROWL, Bertie Leslie – Private – 7th Battalion, 12th reinforcements AIF – returned home 5th April 1919. SERN 3712 – Enlisted 8th July 1915.
EDMONDS, William Arthur – Private – 38th Battalion A.I.F – killed in action in France on the 29th September 1918 – SERN 4803 : POB Nathalia VIC : POE Melbourne VIC : NOK (Father) Edmonds William H
FINDLATER, Nicol Thomas – Died France 20 May 1915 – Regimental No. 29440 – Private in No 3 Coy, 16th Battalion Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment)
FLEMING, David Claude – Private – Divisional Signal Company 2, Reinforcement 17 – SERN 15896 – Returned to Australia 16 June 1919 – NOK – mother Mrs Jessie Fleming, King Valley, Victoria
FLEMING, John Henry – Private – 37th Battalion, C Company – returned home – SERN 868 – POE Melbourne, VIC: NOK – Father, Moses Fleming, Billy’s Lookout, West Wyalong, New South Wales
FLEMING, Leslie John – Private – 8th Battalion, A company – SERN 125 – Returned to Australia 20 May 1919 – NOK – Uncle, John Knight Fleming, Edi via Wangaratta, Victoria
FORSYTH, Edward – Gunner – killed France 4th March 1917 – Service No. 144186 15th Division Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery – buried St Sever, Rouen.
FORSYTH, George – Private – 47th Battalion A.I.F – killed Pozieres 9 Aug 1916 – SERN 1654 : POB Fraserburgh Scotland : POE Charters Towers QLD : NOK (Mother) Forsyth Jane
FORSYTH, James– Sergeant – returned home to New Zealand – Serial No.13/2773 –9th Reinforcements Auckland Mounted Rifles, A Squadron.
FORSYTH, John – returned home to New Zealand – Serial No.17561 – First Known Rank Corporal – Embarkation Unit 20th Reinforcements Mounted Rifles Brigade, Mounted Machine-gun Section
FORSYTH, Robert – killed Flanders 20 Nov 1914 – Private 817 in the 1st Battalion – Gordon Highlanders
FORSYTH, William – returned home to New Zealand – enlisted as Private 15 June 1916 – 2nd Battalion Otago Regiment New Zealand – Serial No.13/2189 – First Known Rank Trooper – Embarkation Unit Auckland Mounted Rifles. Discharged a corporal.
HARRISON, Maurice – Lance corporal – 14th Battalion A.I.F – Awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous bravery & devotion to duty – died of disease France 22 Oct 1918 – SERN – 1952 : POB – Euroa VIC : POE- Euroa VIC : NOK – (Father) HARRISON George.
KINGSBURY, Albert Henry – died 25 Oct 1918 – Trooper – Service No: 43735 – Regiment/Service: Canterbury Mounted Rifles, N.Z.E.F. – Grave Reference Q. 14. CAIRO WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY
MCROBBIE, George – Corporal – returned home – enlisted to 3rd Company 1st Battalion Auckland Regiment. Service Number 28360. N.O. K father, William McRobbie. Enlisted 26 June 1916.
MELVIN, Arthur Davidson – killed in action Vimy, France 8 April 1917 – Service no. 446966 – Sergeant Canadian Infantry, “C” Coy 31st Battalion
MITCHELL William Arthur – Service Number – 1389 1266 : Place of Birth – Stawell VIC : Place of Enlistment – Broadmeadows VIC : Next of Kin – (Mother) MITCHELL Jessie
MORGAN, Archibald Thomas – returned home – 7th Battalion A.I.F, C Company regimental number 370 : Place of Birth – Euroa VIC : Place of Enlistment – Seymour VIC : Next of Kin – MORGAN S A
MORGAN/WAKENSHAW, HERBERT JOHN – Private 22nd Battalion 3rd reinforcements – enlisted 19 July 1915 – Died of wounds, France 5th August 1916 – SERN- 2037 : POB – Euroa VIC : POE- Melbourne VIC : NOK – (Mother) COWELL M
MORGAN, Thomas Fitzherbert – Private 24th Battalion 20th Reinforcements – Service Number – 6842 : Place of Birth – Hilston NSW : Place of Enlistment – Euroa VIC : Next of Kin – (Mother) MORGAN J
MORGAN Thomas Fitzherbert : Private 7th General Victorian Reinforcements -Service Number – 55670 : Place of Birth – Euroa VIC : Place of Enlistment – Euroa VIC : Next of Kin – (Father) MORGAN Thomas F
MORGAN, William John Pike Private 14th Battalion A.I.F – killed Lone Pine 8 Aug 1915 – SERN – 893 : POB – Euroa VIC : POB – Broadmeadows VIC : NOK – (Mother) MORGAN S A
Click HERE to read a guest post about the Saxon boys written by their sister’s grandson Harold Shipston
World War 2
ADAMS, Frank Francis (Francis Edward) First enlistment – Private – VX 26047 – 8 Division petrol company- DOB 12 July 1906; POB Kensington, Victoria. POE – Caulfield 15 June 1940. NOK – Catherine Goodwin – sister. Date of discharge 23 October 1940 “medically unfit for service not occasioned by his own default”
second enlistment – Private – VX 114516 – HQ 2 Aust Army – POE Parramatta NSW 19 October 1942 – NOK – Florence Adams – wife. Date of discharge 30 October 1945.
FLEMING, Allan Percy – Service Number – VX3359 : Date of birth – 05 Mar 1912 : Place of birth – MELBOURNE VIC : Place of enlistment – SOUTH MELBOURNE VIC : Next of Kin – FLEMING M
MCCOOMB, George Alexander – Sergeant – Service Number – VX58426 : Date of birth – 08 Sep 1915 : Place of birth – EUROA VIC : Place of enlistment – ROYAL PARK VIC : Next of Kin – MCCOOMB HENRY (father) – Enlisted 24 Jun 1941 2/8 Aust Armed Regiment – discharged from A.I.F. 29 Mar 1946.
MCCOOMB, Thomas Neil – Service Number – VX30770 : Date of birth – 07 May 1912 : Place of birth – EUROA VIC : Place of enlistment – ROYAL PARK VIC : Next of Kin – MCCOOMB HENRY killed 6 July 1945 – buried Ambon War Cemetery, Maluku, Indonesia.
MORGAN, Benjamin Robert – Private – Official No VZ 7184 – 2/7 Australian Inf Bn – Army. Taken prisoner of war in Crete. Died in Germany, result of injuries. He is buried at Lamsdorf War Cemetery, Grave 5, Row 5, Field 3. He was 34 years old and brother to Private William John Pike Morgan killed on Gallipoli (14th Bn G Coy) at the age of 18 years. Second son lost to Thomas Fitzherbert and Sarah Morgan of McGuinness Street, Euroa, Victoria, Australia
MUSSON, Ivor Forsyth – Sapper – Serial No. 22597 – second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 7 Field company. N.O.K (sister) Mrs. A. W. Ford West Belt, Rangiora, Christchurch.
MUSSON, William Robert – Private – Serial No. 21707 – 21st Auckland Battalion, N.O.K (brother) E. M. Musson
SHIPSTON, Donald Saxon – returned home – SERN – VX32651 : DOB – 28 May 1919 : POB – ELSTERNWICK VIC : POE – ROYAL PARK VIC : NOK – SHIPSTON GRACE
