Two Returned Veterans of The Great War to have their Honour and Dignity restored.

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

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Great news! 2 returned veterans of The Great War to have their Honour and Dignity restored.

Private Albert Henry Moffitt, 35th Battalion (bomb thrower, Reg No-1175), also known as Albie, timber getter and telegraph linesman from Cooranbong, New South Wales and Wilson Street, Carrington, N.S.W. and 113 Fern Street, Islington, N.S.W., father of three (Harry or Henry A, Clarence S and Frank K, 1 male deceased), was laid to rest at Sandgate Cemetery on the 16th August 1948, age 55. CATHOLIC 2-38. 100.

Admitted to hospital June 1917, suffering from deafness.

No headstone.

Wooden cross erected - 25.9.2018.

I submitted an application to DVA November 2021 asking for a Commonwealth War Graves Plaque, curbing and marble chip, and this was accepted January 2022.

Younger brother Silvester (Reg No-7286, 1st Battalion, born 1894, Morisset, N.S.W., died 1961) also resting at the cemetery in a marked grave. CATHOLIC 3-83. 25.

Younger brother Peter (Reg No-7287, 1st Battalion, born 1896, Mandalong, N.S.W., died 1948) also resting at the cemetery next to Albert in a marked grave. CATHOLIC 2-38. 102.

Private John Henry Stokes, 18th Battalion (Reg No-3673), farmer from East Branxton, New South Wales, was laid to rest on the 2nd July 1939 at Old Section, Branxton Catholic Cemetery, Station Street, Branxton, N.S.W. Row D, Plot 83, age 65.

Wounded in action - 4.8.1916 (GSW leg, slight).

Admitted to hospital 23.12.1917 (diarrhoea), 5.2.1918 (diphtheria), 24.2.1918 (scabies), 7.3.1918 (not stated), 24.3.1918 (trench fever, slight).

Many thanks to Helen Scott for the notification.

No headstone.

Wooden cross erected - 12.12.2021 with Helen Scott and husband, Piper Joe Royston and Branxton RSL sub-Branch member Cath Harvey.

I submitted an application to DVA December 2021 asking for a Commonwealth War Graves Plaque to be placed at the gravesite, and this was accepted January 2022.

I will post photos when gravesites complete.

Lest We Forget.

The Crafts of Cooranbong

The newspaper collection at Trove Australia recounts many stories of Craft Family members from the Cooranbong area.

If your family surnames aren't too common searching Trove with a family surname plus town of residence can reap results and add to your family stories.

Mrs Craft got lucky in 1919.

1919 'JACK'S DAY ART UNION.', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 3 January, p. 4. , viewed 16 Nov 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article139649428

W Craft was busy arranging funerals.

1926 'Family Notices', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 22 April, p. 6. , viewed 16 Nov 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article137516016

1928 'Martinsville', The Gosford Times and Wyong District Advocate (NSW : 1906 - 1954), 6 September, p. 15. , viewed 16 Nov 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article161477540

Robert Craft was in the winning team in 1946.

1946 'Cooranbong Wins School Sports', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 10 October, p. 7. , viewed 16 Nov 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133169592

Mr H A Craft represented his fellow citizens.

1953 'Letters To the Editor.', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 14 October, p. 2. , viewed 16 Nov 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140293861

Maisie Craft received an award.

1937 'NEWCASTLE SCHOLARS', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 22 December, p. 10. , viewed 16 Nov 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134990791

Private Peter Moffitt, 1st Battalion

 Thanks to Gary Mitchell for permission to share this post

 26 October 2021

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

73 years ago today, on the Tuesday afternoon of the 26th October 1948, Private Peter Moffitt, 1st Battalion (Reg No-7287), labourer from Cooranbong, New South Wales and the Oriental Hotel, 132 Young Street, Carrington, N.S.W. and Wilson Street, Carrington, N.S.W., was laid to rest at Sandgate Cemetery, age 52. CATHOLIC 2-38. 102.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140354434 - funeral notice states service.

Born at Mandalong, New South Wales on the 19th September 1896 to James Robert and Sarah Moffitt nee Frost - http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134321937, Peter enlisted January 1917 at Newcastle, N.S.W.

Older brother Albert Henry (35th Battalion, Reg No-1175, born 1893, died 1948 - http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140346960) also resting at the cemetery, side by side, unmarked grave. CATHOLIC 2-38. 100.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166854829 - report that brother Albert is returning home.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166854234 - report that Albert has been welcomed home.

Older brother Silvester (1st Battalion, Reg No-7286, born 1894, died 1961) also resting at the cemetery. CATHOLIC 3-83. 25.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167218918 - report that brother Silvester has returned home.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166851441 - report that brother Albert in hospital and Peter and brother Silvester have arrived in England.

Admitted to hospital 11.2.1917 (injury to leg), 18.6.1918 (tonsilitis), 21.6.1918 (peritonsillitis).

Wounded in action - 3.10.1917 (GSW left arm, mild), 18.9.1918 (GSW left leg, severe).

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166852605 - report that Peter has been wounded.

Peter was invalided home June 1919, being discharged on the 1st July 1919.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167214863 - report of welcome home social for Peter and Silvester.

Mr. Moffitt’s name has been inscribed on the Cooranbong Public School Roll of Honour (photo, unveiled on the 26th May 1917, 16 names inscribed of ex-scholars, 10 names inscribed of local volunteers).

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

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

Service record states Died after Discharge, 24/10/1948.

Plaque in New South Wales Garden of Remembrance - Rookwood Cemetery - Sydney.

Lest We Forget.

+5

Delving in a Directory

For this week's post we delved into the Magazines and Newsletters  category on Trove. 

The Newcastle city and country almanac & directory : with farm and garden calendar for 1889 contains much valuable information for researchers about early residents in settlements and towns in what is now the Lake Macquarie Local Government area. 

N.S.W. :, The Newcastle city and country almanac & directory : with farm and garden calendar R.C. Knaggs & Co, Newcastle viewed 18 August 2021 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2977812080

The index page of this directory gives an indication of the breadth of information it contains. 

In this post we are highlighting just a few descriptions of local towns and villages but, as this work is digitised and available on Trove, it can be searched to find other local information.

A Shark Attack

141 years after this attack we remember 13 year old Theresa Bond. This event near Dora Creek was widely covered in newspapers of the time. 

1880 'Extraordinary Escape from a Shark.', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 5 January, p. 2. , viewed 01 Dec 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133860346

Update: Thanks to reader, Colin, on Facebook, who has added more information to this story since I posted in on the Lake Macquarie Then and Now Facebook Group. 

Colin said "It was actually Theresa Bonnell in this attack, and a letter written by Bonnell family members in the early 1940s about them doing a tour of their old homestead identifies the spot as what we now call Bonnells Bay."

Colin kindly added a link to the post from 1880 that correctly names the victim. You can read it here: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article108734225.

The lesson here is - You can't believe everything you read. We should check multiple sources!

Trove Tuesday - Cooranbong Post Office

In today's post we are sharing a few snippets about the Post Office at Cooranbong.

"New Post Office at Cooranbong
THE New Post Office at Cooranbong is a neatly-finished structure, of modest design, but well arranged for busi-ness purposes. The postmaster is Mr. Thomas Russell, to whom we must express our obligation for the sketches from which our illustrations have been prepared."

1880 'Cooranbong and its Vicinity, Lake Macquarie.', Illustrated Sydney News and New South Wales Agriculturalist and Grazier (NSW : 1872 - 1881), 18 December, p. 9. , viewed 18 Aug 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64973994

In 1890 the Post Office was the topic of discussion in the Parliament.

1890 'PARLIAMENT.', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 26 September, p. 5. , viewed 27 Oct 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article132654281

 

A Postmaster retires after 16 years service.

1914 'COORANBONG.', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 4 May, p. 5. , viewed 27 Oct 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article137305347

Officialdom for the Post Office.

1937 'COORANBONG POST-OFFICE.', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 7 July, p. 6. , viewed 27 Oct 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134957036

Trove Tuesday - Catholic Churches

For today's post we are looking at the history of some of the Catholic Churches around the Lake. It appears that the Cooranbong community had a Catholic Church before other locations in the area.

1861 - St Patrick & St Brigid Catholic Church, Cooranbong 

Although a reference to the opening of the Church was not able to be found on Trove, a photo of the Church billboard (https://www.waymarking.com/gallery/image.aspx?f=1&guid=1ed09f8e-e7c8-491e-aaf2-2dfbc3a259d4) on the Waymarking website indicates that the first Church was built in 1861.

In 1880 the Cooranbong Catholic community was raising funds to replace their Church.

1880 'DISTRICT NEWS.', The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893), 31 July, p. 6. (Second Sheet of The Maitland Mercury), viewed 06 Oct 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article811029

The new Church was finally opened in December 1906.

1906 'The Cardinal at Cooranbong.', The Catholic Press (Sydney, NSW : 1895 - 1942), 20 December, p. 23. , viewed 06 Oct 2020.
Read remainder of article here: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article106289662

1915 - St Josephs, Toronto 

1915 'TORONTO CATHOLIC CHURCH.', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 8 November, p. 5. , viewed 06 Oct 2020.
Read whole article here: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article137979320

1926 - Boolaroo

1926 'DISTRICT NEWS', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 16 March, p. 3. , viewed 06 Oct 2020.
Read remainder of article here: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article137502304

1934 - St Francis Xavier, Belmont

1934 'CATHOLIC CHURCH FOR BELMONT', The Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), 1 January, p. 6. , viewed 06 Oct 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article165076242

1939 - Swansea

1939 'New Catholic Church At Swansea', The Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), 23 January, p. 8. , viewed 06 Oct 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167351139

1953 - St. Mary's, Warners Bay

1953 'Bless New Church At Warners Bay', The Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), 7 August, p. 5. , viewed 06 Oct 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article161038473