Volume 5 – Kent and Beyond by Steve Green

Part 5 - Sawyers of the East India Docks – The Descendants of William Alchin and Ann Knock of Meopham ... continued...

1.5.1.3.8  ~~  Harrie Milton Alchin

Harrie (Harry) was born at the George Street North fire station in Sydney on 4th May 1892 (NSW 1892/1730). He suffered from infantile paralysis, family stories say it was caused when a group of firemen threw him into a pile of horse dung when he was 2 ½ years old. Due to his disability Harry was unable to fulfill a dream to be a fireman like his father. Undaunted he still joined the fire service but served in administrative positions only.

Harry married Amelia Gomes at Coogee in 1920 (NSW 1920/3019). Amelia was the daughter of William Charles and Pauline Gomes. Harry and Amelia had two children – Miriam (1921) and Norman (1928 - 1991). Harry retired from the fire service in about 1956 and there was a newspaper article devoted to his long service (paper and exact date unknown).

“FIREMAN, 46 YEARS – WITHOUT A FIRE

The man who has been longer in the Fire Brigade service than any other permanent employee in New South Wales retired yesterday – without ever having fought a fire. He is Mr Harry Alchin, 64 of Epping, who joined the service 46 years ago (1910 Ed.) and has been head of the record department at Fire Brigade Headquarters, city, since 1928.

He was born in the old George Street West fire station, where his father was a coachman on the horse drawn steam fire engines. ‘All my life I have wanted to fight fires, but I was left partly crippled in one leg by infantile paralysis when I was a child,’ he said yesterday.

‘This stopped me from fighting them, but I joined the service to be near them. The nearest I ever got to a fire in my working hours was when I took fire calls, but after work I have spent hours watching the boys fight the best of them. My father was 30 years in the service, and I suppose it’s in the blood. When I hear the sirens of the fire engines, I sometimes get a lump in my throat.”

There were only 194 permanent Fire Brigade employees in NSW when Mr Alchin joined the service. Now there are 1,315. The total number of fire calls a year in the metropolitan area has grown from 783 in 1910 to more than 10,000 in 1955.

Mr Alchin vividly recalls the disastrous fire in 1901, which destroyed the old Anthony Hordern emporium in Barlow Street, Haymarket. He used to take sandwiches to his father, who spent many days helping put out the blaze, in which four persons died. In his opinion, Sydney’s most spectacular fire this century was that which destroyed the Goldsbrough Mort wool stores at Pyrmont in 1935.

‘I went down day after day as soon as work was over to look at the still-burning ruins,’ he said. ‘Although I’m retiring, I’ll still be on the scene when a big one breaks out. Meantime I’ll spend a lot of time gardening. At least it gives me an excuse for having a hose in my hands.’ “

One of Harry’s grandsons continued the family tradition and joined the NSW Fire Brigade. Harry died at Ryde District Hospital on 15th March 1966 aged 72 years (NSW 1966/8551). Amelia died at Eastwood on 22nd May 1973 (NSW 1973/58368) (Probate NSW 765249).

1.5.1.3.9  ~~  Frank Roy Alchin

Frank, later known as ‘Snow’ was born at No. 4 Fire Station, Stanmore Road Marrickville on 25th July 1894 (NSW 1894/20570). The witnesses to his birth were Mrs Nesbitt and Mrs Becker. After leaving school he became a clerk with the NSW Railways. Frank also served in the militia for two and a half years with the 18th Battalion.

He applied to enlist in the First A.I.F. on 30th April 1917 at Victoria Barracks in Sydney and he was accepted on 23rd May. Frank was initially assigned as a Gunner in the artillery with regimental number 73450 and he went into camp at the Sydney Showground for recruit training. On 9th August 1917 he transferred to the infantry and was assigned to the 54th Battalion, 14th Brigade  with the rank of Private and the regimental number of 3591.

Frank's Attestation Sheet provides his physical description: height 5 foot 10 & ½ inches (much taller than most of the family); weight 144 lbs; fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. On 31st October he departed Australia on the Troop Transport A14 with the 10th reinforcements to the 54th Battalion disembarking in Devonport on 26th December. He continued to train with the 14th Training Battalion at Codford until he was posted to France. He was taken onto the strength of the 54th Battalion on 10th April 1918 soon after the great German offensives in March.

‘Snow’ lasted just four days with his unit and within ten days he had returned to England. On 14th April he was accidentally burned on the neck and hands (cause not explained but his family say that he was gassed during the war and the burns could have been caused by mustard gas) and he was initially admitted to hospital in Rouen. He was evacuated to England on 20th April on the hospital ship “Tully Castle” and he was admitted to the military hospital at Forant. Frank remained in hospital until the end of May when he was discharged to the convalescent depot at Hurdcott. In early August he returned to France. This time Frank lasted a fortnight before he was forced to return to England again (commonly known as “copping a Blighty”).

On the 13th August Frank had rejoined his unit in France in time for the attack on Mont St Quentin where an attempt to finally breach the Hindenberg Line was made. The 5th & 7th Australian Brigades commenced the initial attack south of the River Somme just after dawn on 30th August. On the 1st September it was the turn of the 14th & 15th Brigades. The 14th Brigade (of which the 54th Battalion was a part) was assigned to capture the town of Peronne thus opening the way for other units to take Mont St Quentin.

The 54th & 53rd Battalions launched their attack at 6.00 am with the 54th attacking between Peronne & the River Somme. C.E.W. Bean (Volume 6 page 838) has this to say about the attack:

“…the 54th – unexpectedly found its way barred by dense barbed-wire in front of the first German trench. But the men ran to the wire, the Lewis gunners placing their guns on the knife rests and blazing at the Germans thirty yards away while others tore up the pickets and crawled under the wire. At the sight of this determination the Germans fled. At the second trench machine-guns that threatened to stop the right and left were forthwith stalked by Corpls Hall and Buckley respectively….”

Corporals Hall and Buckley (posthumous) were both awarded the Victoria Cross. During the action Frank Alchin was wounded in the left shoulder by shrapnel fire. He was evacuated by the 9th Field Ambulance and admitted to the 5th General Hospital at Rouen the next day. This relatively quick transfer to hospital probably saved his life but Frank’s war was effectively over.

On the 4th of September Frank was evacuated to England on the hospital ship “Marguerite” and he was admitted to the Military Hospital, Boscombe the next day. He remained in hospital until the middle of November when he was granted two weeks furlough. On the 20th December 1918 he was formally transferred from his battalion to A.I.F. Headquarters with the temporary rank of Corporal.

On the 6th August 1919 Frank married Hilda Kathleen Braine of Fulham at the Hanover Square Registry Office in London. Hilda was the daughter of a farmer William John Braine and she was born in about 1894. The witnesses to their wedding were M. Barter and R. & W. Eyre and the service was performed by the Registrar, Hardey Thorp Hamilton. Frank’s address was given as 45 Bessborough Gardens SW1 and Hilda’s was 12 Wards Avenue, Fulham.

After their marriage they lived in Kempsford Gardens in Earls Court. Frank departed England on 2nd December 1919 aboard HT “Shropshire” arriving home on 30th January 1920. He was discharged from the army with a disability pension on 29th February 1920. It’s unknown at this stage how long Frank had to wait before Hilda could join him but it would have been some time as all available transport was required to repatriate Allied soldiers home. On his return home, Frank rejoined the NSW Railways and remained with them until he retired.

Frank was the informant for his father’s death in 1923 and at the time he was living in Coolgardie Street, Willoughby. Hilda died aged 32 years in the Coast Hospital on 22nd August 1926 (NSW 1926/12318) from lobar pneumonia after an illness of five days. She was buried in the old Wesleyan cemetery at Rookwood alongside her husband’s parents on 23rd August 1926.

Frank subsequently married Eileen Stanley Dugdale at St Clements’ church, Mosman on 3rd October 1928 (NSW 1928/17494). The wedding was witnessed by L.C.Cashman and Jean Dugdale and the service was performed by the Rev’d Clive Garrington. Eileen was the daughter of Oswald Dugdale and Lilian Farr of Mosman and she was 35 years old.

Frank and Eileen had two children – Lilian and John. Frank died from a heart condition and chronic bronchitis and emphysema at Concord Repatriation Hospital on 27th May 1961 (NSW 1961/12717). At the time of his death Frank lived at 119 Middle Head Road, Mosman. He was cremated at the Northern Suburcs Crematorium, Chatswood on 30th May 1961. Frank was survived by his second wife and their two children.

1.5.1.3.10  ~~  Jessie Gwendoline Alchin

Jessie was born in Marrickville in 1896 (NSW 1896/32111). Jessie died at Woollahra on 7th September 1898 (NSW 1898/12109) and she is buried with her parents in the Old Wesleyan cemetery Rookwood.

1.5.1.3.11  ~~  Lucy Doris Alchin

Lucy was born at Woollahra in November 1898 (NSW 1898/36136). Lucy died at 121 Walker Street, North Sydney (firehouse residence) on 9th May 1900 (NSW 1900/6934). She had been ill for 3 days with “Oedema glottides and exhaustion”. Dr Charles Rorke saw her on the day of her death.

Lucy was buried in the Old Wesleyan cemetery, Rookwood on 10th May 1900. A Wesleyan Minister, William Halse Rogers, conducted the funeral service and the witnesses to her burial were W.B. Blake and Thomas Jarvis. Lucy is buried in the same plot with her parents and elder sister Jessie.

1.5.1.3.12  ~~  George Lancelot Desmond Alchin

George was born at No 6 Fire Station, North Sydney on 20th November 1900 (NSW 1901/7206). In later life he recalled that when he was a boy and his father was stationed at Parramatta Fire Station there was an enormous fire at Leggett’s Flour Mill in 1913. His mother was left to look after the fire station and young George was kept home from school. He was given the job of looking after the horses as they were brought back to the fire station as they couldn’t be left at the scene of the fire.

George married three times in total. Firstly he married Doreen Ada Dutch at Christ Church, Lavender Bay near Drummoyne on 22nd August 1925 (NSW 1925/10406). Doreen was the daughter of Charles Dutch and Phoebe Elizabeth Tuckey and she was born at Mosman in 1903.

George and Doreen had two surviving children – George and Russell. Doreen died of pulmonary failure on 6th September 1938 (NSW 1938/14126) after giving birth to a stillborn male by Caesarian section on 26th August 1938. She was buried at Gore Hill Cemetery with her stillborn child.

George married secondly Jean Maude Mackinnon at St Philips Church, Kent Street Sydney in 1941 (NSW 1941/428). That marriage ended in divorce. George married for the third time to Jessie Florence Holmes at North Sydney in 1945 (NSW 1945/4174). Jessie was the daughter of Leonard and Doris Holmes. George had a further three children from his third marriage – Ronald, David and Philip.

George was heavily involved in musical productions in Sydney for many years. He was also a businessman, co-owning the Wire, Gate and Fence Company at Crows Nest. After his retirement he lived at Pymble. George died at Sydney Adventist Hospital, Wahroonga on 19th June 1974 (NSW 1974/6814) and he was afterwards cremated. The service was officiated by Rev’d Laing who was a distant cousin (Probate NSW 793236).

1.5.1.4  ~~  Alfred Arthur Alchin

Alfred was born at Lane Cove at 11.00 p.m. on 13th September 1857 (NSW 1857/3962) and his birth was witnessed by Mrs Pollard. He died on 15th January 1859 (NSW 1859/86) aged only fifteen months from an “effusion on the brain” at Kent Street, Sydney. Alfred had been ill for three months and he was last seen by Dr Warren on 13th January. Alfred was buried at “Scotch Ground” on 17th January and the witnesses to his burial were the undertaker Reuben Thomas and Robert Lovat.

1.5.1.5  ~~  Eliza Loveday Alchin

Eliza was born in Sydney at George Street North at 8.00 p.m. on 25th September 1859 (NSW 1859/2066). Her birth was witnessed by Mrs Lane. Eliza was probably named after her maternal grandmother and the name Loveday is one used by the Christophers family for their daughters at Helston, Cornwall over several generations in the 17th and 18th century.

Eliza died at Clarence Street, Sydney on 22nd August 1860 (NSW 1860/1319) aged only 11 months. She died from convulsions after being ill for 6 hours and she was seen by Dr Warren on the night before she died. Eliza was buried at the old Sydney Burial Ground on 23rd August by Rev’d Ironside and the witnesses to her burial were the undertaker William Kinsela and John Booth.

1.5.1.6  ~~  Emma Maria Alchin

Emma was born at Wentworth Place, Philip Street in Sydney at 2.00 p.m. on 10th June 1861 (NSW 1861/1244). The witness to her birth was Mrs Maxwell. Emma died at her home in Wentworth Place on 25th October 1864 (NSW 1864/1364) aged three and a half years. She had been ill for two months and Dr Renwick certified that she died from debility after a fever.

Emma was buried at the old Sydney Burial Ground on 26th October and the witnesses to her burial were the undertaker William Kinsela and William Baker.

1.5.1.7  ~~  Charlotte M. Alchin

Charlotte was born at Wentworth Place, Sydney at 10.00 a.m. on 19th  May 1863 (NSW 1863/1161). Her birth was witnessed by Mrs Small. Charlotte married James Laing at Darlington in Sydney on 17th September 1887 (NSW 1887/1372). James was born at Darlington in 1863, the son of William Laing and Jean Black who married at Newtown in 1860.

At the time of his marriage James was employed as a carpenter; this probably explains how he met Charlotte (her father was a sawyer). James and Charlotte had at least four children – Francis (1888), Herbert (1891), Jean (1892) and Stuart (1896). Like Arthur and Sarah Witcombe (Charlotte’s sister) they lived in Charles Street, Marrickville. Their house was named “Tara”. James Laing was later employed by Burns Philp, a shipping conglomerate that had interests throughout the Pacific.

Their two eldest sons died young and their last remaining and youngest son Stuart was killed in action at Passchendaele during World War One. Charlotte Laing moved to Katoomba in January 1921 and there are some hints she may have suffered a physical or mental breakdown. Stuart’s service dossier records that one photo of his grave was sent to his father James c/- Burns Philp, one to his mother Charlotte at “Tara”, Charles St and a third to his brother-in-law E. Fenn Simpson (Lusher ?) c/- Crown Law Office in Macquarie St Sydney.

James Laing died at Katoomba on 7th July 1935 (NSW 1935/15718) aged 72 years. He is buried in the Old Church of England cemetery at Rookwood with his wife Charlotte and their eldest son Francis. Charlotte died at Wagga on 1st April 1952 (NSW 1952/15213) aged 88 years.

1.5.1.7.1  ~~  Francis James Laing

Francis was born at 61 Alma Street, Darlington near Newtown on 19th April 1888 (NSW 1883/9003). The witness to his birth was Mrs Dewer and his paternal grandmother , Jean Laing. At the time of the registration of his birth on 28th May 1888 Francis and his family were living along the Illawarra Road, possibly at Tunneyfall Terrace, Marrickville.

According to stories handed down by the family, Frank was hit on the head by a cricket ball and he subsequently suffered severely from epilepsy. His cousin Grace Turner (nee Witcombe) remembered being taken to see him in hospital when she was a small child. He died in the Hospital for the Insane at Rydalmere on 31st October 1913 from epilepsy and exhaustion (NSW 1913/19459).

He was last seen by Dr George E. Miles on the day of his death. Frank was buried in the old Church of England cemetery at Rookwood on 1st November 1913 by the Rev’d John O’Conor. The witnesses to his burial were Arthur L. Paton and R.J. Rowe. His parents were later buried with him.

1.5.1.7.2  ~~  Herbert A. Laing

Herbert was born at Marrickville in 1891 (NSW 1891/21556). Herbert died at Marrisckville not long afterwards (NSW 1891/9169).

1.5.1.7.3  ~~  Jean Christophers Laing

Jean was born at Marrickville in 1892 (NSW 1892/22098). Her second given name was her grandmother’s maiden name. Jean married Edwin Fenn Lusher at St Clement’s Church of England, Marrickville on 19th September 1916 (NSW 1916/10562). The ceremony was performed by the Rev’d William Martin and the witnesses were W.Makin and the bride’s father, James Laing.

Edwin Lusher was born at Petersham in 1888 and he was employed as a civil servant. His parents were Arthur Henry John Lusher, a railway inspector, and Annie Jane Fenn. Jean and Edwin had at least two children – Evadne (1918) and Margaret (1920).

Edwin died at Wagga in 1952 (NSW 1952/15257) aged 64 year. After his death Jean moved to Sydney and she lived at 9 Bromley Avenue, Pymble. Jean died at Kuring-gai Private Hospital, St Ives on 14th May 1971 (NSW 1971/48799) aged 78 years. She died from a combination of cerebral haemorrhage and cardiac ischaemia.

Jean was cremated at the Northern Suburbs Crematorium, North Sydney on 18th May 1971.

1.5.1.7.3.1  ~~  Evadne J. Fenn Lusher

Evadne was born at Sydney in 1918 (NSW 1918/12410). Evadne married a man surnamed Hamlyn-Harris. At the time of her mother’s death in 1971 Evadne was living at 12 Brassey Avenue, Rosanna in Victoria.

1.5.1.7.3.2  ~~  Margaret C. Fenn Lusher

Margaret was born at Sydney in 1920. She was still alive in 1971.

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