Picnic at Blackalls Park

Picnic at Blackalls Park

On Monday 23 January 1933 between four and five thousand people attended the Railway workers picnic at Blackalls Park. Trains were utilised to transport the picnic goers. 

As I read through this article on TROVE I realised my grandparents and mother would have been at the picnic and the Married Ladies Race 50 meters was won by my grandmother Mrs E Taper.

-Anne-

Sapper William John Hall

  Thanks to Gary Mitchell for permission to share his Facebook post here on our blog.

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14th January 2022

Served during The Great War, resting at Sandgate Cemetery, have I been forgotten?

86 years ago today, on the Tuesday afternoon of the 14th January 1936, Sapper William John Hall, 10th Australian Field Company Engineers (Reg No-907), painter (Walsh Island Government Dockyard, Newcastle, N.S.W.) from Awaba Street, Fassifern, New South Wales, father of eight, was laid to rest with a military funeral at Sandgate Cemetery, age 56. METHODIST 2 (PRIMITIVE) 16 NE. 3A.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article142411376 - funeral notice states service.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article142411331 - obituary states military funeral.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166490827 - late Mr. W. Hall.

Born at East Maitland, New South Wales on the 9th July 1879 to Matthew James and Sophia Hall; husband of Sarah Elizabeth Hall nee Davies (married 1900, Waratah, N.S.W., died 1967, sleeping here), William enlisted March 1917 with the Anzac Cyclist Battalion at Newcastle, N.S.W.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133747303 - report of social event.

William suffered no injuries or illness during his service, and returned home July 1919, being discharged on the 4th August 1919.

Mr. Hall’s name has been inscribed on the Waratah Loyal Rose of Australia Lodge-Manchester Unity Roll of Honour (location unknown), Toronto Red Cross Honour Roll (location unknown - http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article137487420), and the Toronto Soldiers' Memorial (photos, unveiled on the 30th September 1922, 115 names inscribed, 21 Fallen).

Mr Hall’s obituary tells us he was President of the Blackalls Park Trust, the Fassifern Progress Association, Fassifern Parents and Citizens’ Association, a member of the M.U.I.O.O.F., Waratah Branch, a trustee of the Fassifern Park, and secretary to the Toronto Returned Soldiers’ Sub-branch and Toronto Amateur Cycle Club.

Unfortunately, there is no indication on William’s headstone of his service with the 1st A.I.F., so I have placed poppies and a 1914-1918 WAR label at the gravesite in remembrance of his sacrifice for God, King & Country.

http://sandgate.northerncemeteries.com.au/.../index.php...

Also served in the Boer War.

Contact with descendants would be greatly appreciated.

Lest We Forget.

See you on Saturday?

We are thrilled to have as our guest presenter this month one of our members, Kerrie.

Attendees at our meeting on Saturday will need to show evidence of Covid double vaccination and sign in using our QR code. If you are unwell please stay away.

Trove Tuesday - Killingworth Farewells

A perusal of family notices in the newspapers at Trove reveals several funeral notices for former Killingworth residents.

Some of these notices are goldmines of family history information.

1898 'Family Notices', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 10 May, p. 8. , viewed 10 Jan 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136501774

1905 'Family Notices', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 15 December, p. 6. , viewed 10 Jan 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136110651

1907 'Family Notices', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 12 October, p. 6. , viewed 10 Jan 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134700706

1921 'Family Notices', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 22 February, p. 6. , viewed 10 Jan 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140034393 'Family Notices', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 22 February, p. 6. , viewed 10 Jan 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140034393

1943 'Family Notices', The Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), 29 July, p. 2. , viewed 10 Jan 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167630974

Corporal Alexander Clelland Craig

 Thanks to Gary Mitchell for permission to share his Facebook post here on our blog.

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8th January 2022

An Original Anzac resting at Sandgate Cemetery, have I been forgotten?

56 years ago today, on the 8th January 1966, Corporal Alexander Clelland Craig, Australian Flying Corps (8th Training Squadron-1st Air Mechanic, Reg No-1398), motor driver from The Broadway, Killingworth, New South Wales and 41 Gommera Street, Blacksmiths, N.S.W., was laid to rest at Sandgate Cemetery, age 77. PRESBYTERIAN-21SW. 67.

Born at Glasgow, Scotland about 1888 to Andrew and Margaret Craig; husband of Margaret Finegan Craig nee O'Hara (married 3.7.1917 at Gorbals, United Kingdom, died 1957, sleeping here) of 73 Abbotsford Place, Glasgow, United Kingdom, Alexander enlisted September 1914 with the 301st (Mechanical Transport), 8th Company, Army Service Corps-17th Divisional Ammunition Park) at Sydney, N.S.W.

Admitted to hospital 6.10.1915 (dental), 19.11.1915 (thrombosis), 1.3.1918 (not stated).

Alexander returned home February 1920 with wife Margaret and 3 children, being discharged on the 19th April 1920.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article139423791 - welcome home for Alexander.

Mr. Craig’s name has been inscribed on the Killingworth Soldiers' Memorial (photos, unveiled on the 1st July 1922, 88 names inscribed, 20 Fallen - http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article139349641).

I have placed poppies and a 1914-1918 WAR label at Alexander’s gravesite in remembrance of his service and sacrifice for God, King & Country.

http://sandgate.northerncemeteries.com.au/.../index.php...

Younger brother John Henry Dickie (17th Battalion, Reg No-1912, born 1896? DOW 17.11.1918) also served 1st A.I.F.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article137493733 - report that brother John had been wounded.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article137498131 - report that John had DOW.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article137497755 - Memorial Service for John at the Killingworth Presbyterian Church.

Younger brother Samuel Tarnish (1st Battalion, Reg No-3280, born 1892? died 1970, Newcastle, N.S.W.) also served 1st A.I.F.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article139442132 - welcome home for brother Samuel.

Contact with descendants would be greatly appreciated.

Lest We Forget.

Back on Deck tomorrow

 We look forward to starting our Geneayar tomorrow at Lake Macquarie with a committee meeting and opening of our research facilities at Marmong Point.

Private Charles Melbourne Locke

Thanks to Gary Mitchell for permission to share his Facebook post here on our blog.

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2 January 2021

Served during The Great War, resting at Sandgate Cemetery, not forgotten.

70 years ago today, on the 2nd January 1952, Private Charles Melbourne Locke, Anzac Military Police (Reg No-1790), labourer from Eungai Creek, New South Wales and 73 Lewis Estate, Belmont, N.S.W., father of two, was laid to rest at Sandgate Cemetery, age 70. ANGLICAN 3-188. 58.

No death or funeral notice located.

Born at Annandale, New South Wales on the 23 April 1882 to John Thomas and Louisa Sarah Locke; husband of Ita Monica Locke nee Hampson (married 1909, Bellingen, N.S.W., died ?) of 40A Pitt Street, Redfern, N.S.W. and 71 Somerset Street, Richmond, VIC, Charles enlisted November 1915 with the 12th Australian Light Horse Regiment at Casula, N.S.W.

Nothing located on Trove about service, returning home, etc.

I have not located Mr. Locke’s name inscribed on any known War Memorial or Roll of Honour.

Many thanks to Charles's Grandson Stephen Locke for the notification, photos and family history.

Charles had been resting in an unmarked grave, so March 2017 I placed a cross adorned with poppies on the gravesite, taken a photo of the grave and uploaded the photo onto the Northern Cemetery website as a permanent record of his service.

http://herncemeteries.com.au/inde.../war-heroes/index.php...

I will be submitting an application to DVA asking for official commemoration to restore Honour and Dignity to Charles.

Apparently also known as James Ryan.

Further information would be greatly appreciated.