Sergeant John Alfred Charles Jacobson

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

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30th December 2021

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

63 years ago today, on the 30th December 1958, Sergeant John Alfred Charles Jacobson (M.M.), 5th Australian Machine Gun Battalion (Reg No-376), carpenter from "Landeryon", Dawson Street, Waratah, New South Wales and Dora Creek, N.S.W., was laid to rest at Sandgate Cemetery, age 67. ANGLICAN 1-73. 17.

Born at Waratah, New South Wales on the 28th January 1891 to Peter Ludoy - http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138748156, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138740447, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138745852, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article155430298 and Elizabeth Landeryou Bray Jacobson; husband of Ila Eileen Jacobson nee Morris (married 1922, Burwood, N.S.W., died 1982, sleeping here), John enlisted May 1916 with the 14th Australian Machine Gun Company at Waratah, N.S.W.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133882464 - send off and presentation of gold medal at the Town Hall Hotel, Waratah.

Admitted to hospital 24.6.1917 (not stated).

Wounded in action - 12.9.1917 (shrapnel abrasion to the head, slight), remained on duty.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103726691 - reported wounded.

Awarded Military Medal 14th May 1919.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article139653408 - reported that John had been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal?

John returned home September 1919, being discharged on the 17th November 1919.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140070136 - welcome home at the Waratah School of Arts.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140071505 - welcome home at the Waratah Methodist Church.

Mr. Jacobson’s name has been inscribed on the Waratah-St Philip's Anglican Church Roll of Honour (photos, unveiled on the 8th April 1917, 65 names originally inscribed, 96 names now inscribed, 15 Fallen - http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133750954. Name not inscribed on the Newcastle Progressive Carpenters & Joiners Roll of Honour (location unknown).

Many thanks to John's Granddaughter Fiona Jacobson for the notification, family history, photos and her eternal love for her Grandfather, and we placed a cross on the 8th March 2015 at John’s unmarked grave to honour his service and sacrifice for God, King & Country.

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

John Alfred Charles Jacobson was born and raised in Waratah N.S.W. in 1891 where he worked as a carpenter, enlisting in the 1st A.I.F. in 1916 at the age of 25.

Leaving Australia on board The Commonwealth, he served as a Gunner in the 5th Battalion.

Serving in France he was twice nominated for a Military Medal, receiving one in 1919 for bravery in the field and was honoured the same year in the Australian Honours List.

He returned to Australia a Sergeant in the 1st A.I.F.

After the war had finished, he returned to his family in Waratah, N.S.W.

He opened and ran a grocery and fruit business with his brother in Waratah, married and had a family of his own of nine children.

His descendants are still living in the area and Lake Macquarie.

On the 19th August 1922 at Burrowa, N.S.W., John married Ila Eileen Morris and the couple had at least 2 daughters. Ila died in Newcastle in 1982. Daughter Betty Jacobson, born on the 4th October 1929, married Frank Kelvin Harris and she died at Aberdare in 2007. John, a carpenter, and Ila lived at Dora Creek from about 1936 and Ila was at Cooranbong in 1980. Other Jacobson families who may be related were living at Morisset and Cooranbong. There may have been other children born to the couple, so local descendants are likely.

Lest We Forget.

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 - Triplets

 Where are they now?

1934 'KING'S BOUNTY TRIPLETS', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 20 March, p. 3. , viewed 11 Jul 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article139895196

1940 'DORA CREEK TRIPLETS', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 22 March, p. 10. , viewed 11 Jul 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140520179

1954 'WOMAN'S REALM', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 13 July, p. 5. , viewed 11 Jul 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134652917

If YOU can add to the triplets' story please leave a comment on this post. 

The Parker Brothers

The Parker Brothers in the USA did not have a monopoly on the Parker Brothers name.

An article in the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate that is rather difficult to read includes a photo of Lake Macquarie's own Parker Brothers. Following is a transcription of that story.

1940 'MR. GEORGE PARKER DEAD', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 19 October, p. 8. , viewed 18 Jun 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article132806603

MR GEORGE PARKER.

DEAD

Brothers Ages Totalled 335

Mr George Parker, the eldest of four brothers whose ages total total 335 years died at the home of his daughter, Mrs M. Kells of Brighton avenue, Toronto, last Thursday He was 87. The three surviving brother are Charles 85, Henry 83 and Joshua, 80, all of Dora Creek. Charles and Henry were not present at the funeral yesterday owing to illness. The Parker brothers are well-known lake fishermen.

Mr George Parker, who was born at Botany, came to Toronto 68 years ago. Fishing has always been his hobby, and occupation. He took a keen interest in boat and skiff sailing. On 9 November 1880, at Belmont Regatta, he won the fishing boats silver cup in the Alpha.He sailed for and with Mr W Arnott , in the 16 foot skiff Mayfield until she was barred from racing owing to her speed. On Sydney Harbour he sailed with the late Frank Aldridge. The last race he took part in was in the famous skiff, Renown at the age of 70.

The funeral left for the Church of England Toronto-Awaba Cemetery. Rev. C.E Tanner of Toronto conducted the services.The pallbearers were Messrs. H and P Parker (sons) J. Robarts and C. Parker (nephews). He is survived by sons, George (Coal Point), Bert (Toronto), A.Parker (Teralba), P. Parker (Kogarah) and Harold (Toronto); daughters, Mrs J Cram (Hamilton) and Mrs M. Kells (Toronto), 13 grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren, Mrs E. Moloy of  Botany, is a sister.

We would love to hear from anyone with stories of the Parker Brothers.