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...

1.5.1.7.4  ~~  Stuart Alchin Laing

Stuart was born at Marrickville in May 1896 (NSW 1896/14075). He served with the cadets for 4 years and he was a member of the 40th AAMC to which unit he was still attached when he enlisted. Stuart, who before the war was employed as a warehouseman, enlisted at Liverpool on 15th April 1915. As he was not quite 19, like his first cousin Alfred Witcombe who lived next door in “Linden”, his father only gave him permission to join the medical corps.

Stuart’s Attestation Sheet gives the following physical description of him – height 5 foot 7 ˝ inches, weight 138 lbs, dark complexion, blue eyes and black hair. He was assigned to No 3 General Hospital with the rank of Private and allocated regimental number 4415.

Stuart sailed overseas as part of the 3rd General Hospital arriving at the island of Lemnos near Gallipoli. He was hospitalised there himself for a short time on 19th November 1915 with rheumatism. On 27th January 1916 he returned to Egypt from Mudros on the transport “Oxfordshire”. In 1916, whilst still with the 3rd General Hospital in Egypt he managed to transfer to the artillery and sailed to England on 1st August 1916 on the “Lake Manitoba”. Stuart spent the next few months training at Parkhouse and Larkhill and he was fined 2 days pay and awarded 4 days confined to barracks by Captain Rowe for going AWOL from noon 26th December until 3 am the next morning. It was a rare Anzac who had no charges of going absent without leave at some time during their service.

Stuart left Southhampton on 30th December for France and he was posted to the 31st Battery, 8th Brigade Field Artillery of the 3rd Australian Division. He was slightly gassed at Messines on 4th June 1917 during the great British offensive and returned to his unit the same day. Stuart was reported killed in action at the Battle of Passchendaele on 20th October 1917 and he is buried near Ieper, Belgium at Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery in section VIII, row H, grave # 7.

Charles Bean’s History of WW1 (volume 4 page 584) says that the Australian batteries on that day were shelled by the Germans with a combination of blue cross shells “sneezing gas” which makes it difficult to keep respirators on, and yellow cross shells “mustard gas” which blinds, blisters the skin and destroys the lungs. It can only be hoped that Stuart died quickly from high explosive but it is quite likely that he died a prolonged and painful death from gas poisoning or burns.

Stuart left a will dated 23rd August 1917 stating:

“I devise and bequeath all my real estate unto my mother Charlotte Laing wife of Charles (sic) Laing of “Tara” Charles Street Marrickville Sydney in the State of NSW & my sister Jean Christophers Lasher (sic) of same address as tenant in common absolutely, and my personal estate I bequeath to my said mother & my said sister as tenants in common. In the event of either predeceasing me the other to be sole legatee, And I appoint my said sister to be Executrix of this my will.”

Stuart’s mother was granted a pension of 36 shillings per week from 2nd January 1918. As mentioned before it appears that Stuart’s death had a devastating effect on the family and may have led to either a separation of his parents or a breakdown by his mother. On the 8th December 1917 Robert Baker, Manager of Burns, Philp & Company at Melbourne wrote to the Base Records, Department of Defence in Melbourne:

“The above (Gunner Laing, S.A.) is the son of Jas Laing an employee of our Head Office in Sydney. He recently received notification from the Military Authorities that his son had been killed in action on the 20th of October 1917, but has so far been unable to obtain any further particulars.

We have been asked here in Melbourne to endeavour to obtain some further information, as to where the boy died and what action he was in. Is this information yet available at Melbourne and will it come here first or go to Sydney where, we understand, he enlisted. If the latter will you kindly let us know where his relations can obtain information in Sydney, also if possible the family would like to obtain possession of the Late Gunner Laing’s effects, more particularly his diary and papers (his will ?)……….”

Mr Baker received a form like letter merely stating that Stuart was killed in action on 20th October 1917 and further details would be made available later and secondly there hadn’t been sufficient time for his personal effects to be returned to Australia. There is no record on his dossier of Stuart’s personal effects ever being returned to Australia. It is probable that if any of his effects had been contaminated by mustard gas then they would have been destroyed immediately because of the danger they posed to anyone who handled them.

1.5.1.8  ~~  Henry William Alchin

Henry was born at Wentworth Place off Phillip Street, Sydney on 1st March 1865 (NSW 1865/534). He was delivered by Dr Moffit and his birth was witnessed by Mrs Swift. Henry died in the Sydney Infirmary aged 5 years and 8 months on 18th August 1870 (NSW 1870/949) where he was attended by Dr Marky for burns to the major part of his body.

The verdict into an inquest held on the day of Henry’s death found that he died from “the effects of injuries accidentally received by his clothes taking fire” at his home at 15 Charles Street, Wooloomooloo. This was an all too common fate as the clothes then worn by children especially were particularly inflammable. Henry’s death certificate states he died on the 18th August but the family Bible has the 18th overwritten by the 17th.

Henry’s death was reported in the Sydney Morning Herald of Friday, 19th August 1870:

“CORONER’S INQUEST.

ACCIDENTAL DEATH FROM BURNS.- The City Coroner held an inquiry yesterday afternoon at his office, Hyde Park, touching the circumstances connected with the death of a little boy, named Henry William Alchin, who died that morning in the Infirmary. Eliza Alchin deposed that she resided at 15, Charles-street, Wooloomooloo, with her husband, who was a saw-sharpener; the dead body viewed by her in the presence of the Coroner and jury at the Infirmary was that of her son, named Henry William Alchin; he was five years and six months old, and a native of Sydney; she had four children living; about 6 o’clock on Wednesday morning last her husband and two eldest children left home to attend to their business, leaving witness, the deceased, and her other two children at home – one older and one younger than the deceased; they were all in bed; the deceased was left in a bed by himself in a separate room; witness was in bed with two other children; before her husband went out he made coffee and brought her some; after he went out the deceased came to her and she gave him some coffee and bread and butter; witness was at that time in bed, one of the children with her; a second child was lying on the sofa asleep; the fire was in the kitchen; she remained in bed; deceased left her room and she heard him go down stairs; witness and her three children were the only persons in the house at the time; from her bedroom she heard the deceased in the kitchen at a basin, in which there was some meat and potatoes, and she called to him to come upstairs; about two or three minutes afterwards she heard him scream out that his nightdress was on fire; she rushed down stairs at once, and found that his night-clothes were in a blaze; there was a pretty good fire in the fireplace; deceased was the only one in the kitchen; she threw a cover over him and extinguished the flames, and then saw that he had been very much burnt; she called in a neighbour, saturated some cloths with castor oil and applied them to the burns; she left the deceased with a neighbour and brought home her husband; she then removed the child to the Infirmary, where she handed it over to Dr. Markey; she asked deceased how his clothes had taken fire and he replied that he had been trying to get a drink from the teapot in the fireplace.

James Markey, house surgeon at the Sydney Infirmary, deposed that the deceased child had been brought to that institution about a quarter-past 8 o’clock on Wednesday morning by the parents; on examination he found that he had been severely burnt on the front of the abdomen and on both hands and thighs; the burns were of such an extensive character that there was not any reasonable hope of the child’s recovery, and he informed the parents so; he administered some stimulants to the child and had the burns dressed; he died about a quarter to 6 o’clock on that morning (Thursday); the cause of death witness believed to be the shock to the system consequent upon the extensive burns already mentioned. The jury found that deceased died from injuries accidentally received by burning.”

Henry was buried at Haslem’s Creek (Rookwood) cemetery on 19th August and his burial was witnessed by Charles Wright and J. Maxwell. His parents and eldest brother Francis also share his grave in the Old Wesleyan section of the cemetery.

1.5.1.9  ~~  Arthur Charles Alchin

Arthur was born at Wentworth Place in Sydney on 13th February 1867 (NSW 1867/423). Dr Moffit delivered the baby whose mother’s name is given on his birth certificate as Eliza Camphill. After leaving school Arthur was employed by the NSW Railways as a railway porter although his daughter’s wedding certificate dated 1913 gives his occupation as stone mason. In 1915 he was employed as a railway guard and he was living with his family at 44 Addison Road, Marrickville.

1.5.1.9.1  ~~  Arthur Ernest Alchin

Arthur was born in the family home at Little Tupper Street, Marrickville on 2nd May 1890 (NSW 1890/21167). The witnesses to his birth were Mrs Hayden and the baby’s maternal grandmother. Arthur married Annie Venetta Murray at St Pius’ church, Enmore on 23rd December 1919 (NSW 1919/14471). They had at least one child – Arthur (1920). Arthur senior died aged 71 years at Marrickville on 20th December 1961 (NSW 1961/30644).

1.5.1.9.1.1  ~~  Arthur Ernest Alchin

Arthur was born at Mascot on 9th June 1920. Arthur enlisted in the Australian Army at Marrickville on 2nd August 1940 (N54462) and served through the rest of the war. He was discharged as a Private from the 26th Infantry Battalion on 25th July 1946. Arthur married Niree Gwendoline Newton at Petersham on 16th February 1946 (NSW 1946/6339). She was the daughter of Aubrey Newton and Myra Turner.

Arthur and Niree had five children – Jacqueline, Gwendoline, Ernestine, Arthur and Kathryn. Arthur died on 13th November 1998 aged 78 years and he is buried in the Catholic section of Rookwood Necropolis. Niree died at Condell Park on 21st May 2003 aged 81 years.

1.5.1.9.2  ~~  Alma Ellestene Alchin

Alma was born at Marrickville on 16th January 1892 (NSW 1892/21751) and after leaving school she was employed as a machinist. She married Jonathan Swindells at the Central Methodist Mission, Castlereagh Street, Sydney on 25th April 1913 (NSW 1913/4313). The ceremony was performed by Rev’d Rupert Williams and the witnesses to the marriage were G.A. Little and George H. Blyth.

Jonathon was born at Manchester in England in 1875 and so was 17 years older than Alma. Jonathon was a boot maker and he was the son of Joseph Swindells and the late Charlotte Hague. Both Jonathon and Alma were residents of Glebe at the time of their marriage. They had at least one child – Eric (1917).

Jonathan died at Liverpool in 1933 (NSW 1933/12351) aged 58 years. Alma later married William John Geale in 1940. Alma died at Gosford in 1973 (NSW 1973/55970) aged 81 years.

1.5.1.9.2.1  ~~  Eric C. Swindells

Eric was born at Sydney in 1917. For some reason his birth was registered as Eric C. Alchin (NSW 1917/40674).

1.5.1.9.3  ~~  Hilda Willis Alchin

Hilda was born at Marrickville on 22nd January 1894 (NSW 1894/20350). Her first child Ronald was born at Marrickville in 1915. She was married to Robert Stephenson at the Registry Office, Marrickville on 19th June 1915 (NSW 1913/4313). The wedding celebrant was William Hills and the witnesses were Hilda’s sister Alma Ellestene Swindells and William Alfred Galer Job.

At the time of his marriage Robert Stephenson was a plumber of ‘Marmont’ Carrington Road, Coogee. He was born at Sydney in 1888 the son of a police officer, Arthur Robert Stephenson and Emma Kerr.

Hilda died at Burwood in 1931 (NSW 1931/2071) aged only 37 years. Robert died at Burwood in 1951 (NSW 1951/796) aged 63 years.

1.5.1.9.3.1  ~~  Ronald Willis Stephenson

Ronald was born at Marrickville on 28th May 1915. His birth was registered under the name of Ronald Willis Alchin (NSW 1915/23706). Ronald enlisted in the Army at Paddington on 5th July 1940 (NX56639). At the time he was living at Homebush. Ronald was discharged as a Sapper from the 2/5th Field Company Engineers on 9th July 1942.

1.5.1.9.4  ~~  Francis Cooper Alchin

Francis was born at Marrickville in 1904 (NSW 1904/13975). He married Grace May Kimball at Manly in 1937 (NSW 1937/10804). Like his uncle he was a fireman. Francis died at Pendle Hill on 12th January 1977 aged 72 years (Probate NSW 834750).

1.5.1.9.5  ~~  Ernest George H. Alchin

Ernest was born at Marrickville on 28th September 1906 (NSW 1906/36249). He married Mary Agnes Crossdale at St Patrick’s Catholic church on 23rd September 1943 (NSW 1943/18205); she was born at Rylstone in 1910 the daughter of William Thomas Crossdale, a railway employee, and his wife Teresa Staff.

The wedding ceremony was performed by Father I.C. Ekerick and the witnesses were C. Birch and M.I. Birch. At the time of their marriage Ernest was an electrician of Leichhardt and Mary was a nurse of Parramatta.

Ernest enlisted in the Australian Army at Paddington on 27th March 1941 (NX72173). At the time he was living at Haberfield. Ernest was discharged as a Sapper from the 2/1st Field Company on 10th November 1945. Mary was later a hospital matron.

Ernest died at Sydney in 1959 (NSW 1959/29208) aged 53 years.

1.5.1.9.6  ~~  Mavis Hazel Alchin

Mavis was born at Marrickville on 13th May 1908 (NSW 1908/26409). She married Paul Henry Grantham Bushell at St Aidan’s church, Annandale on 11th February 1928 (NSW 1928/925); he was born at Ultimo in 1903 the son of George Paul Bushell, a labourer, and his wife Jane Grantham. At the time of his marriage Paul was a cabinet maker of Annandale.

The wedding ceremony was performed by Rev’d Robert Rook and the witnesses were C.B. Bushell and M.E. Speer.

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