The 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge for Week 37 is Closest to Your Birthday. I trawled through my ancestors to find someone who may share a birthday with me, but alas, was unable to. The closest date I could find was the death of my great-grandfather.
Week 37 – Closest to Your Birthday
Frederick Charles Newman
My maternal great-grandfather, Frederick Charles Newman, was born on 11 September 1897 in Perth, Western Australia to Charles Newman and Minnie Elizabeth Stockwell.1 He was the youngest of five children – James, Henry, George, and Ruth – and at some point after his birth the family moved to Kalgoorlie as his parents are listed on the 1903 Electoral Roll at 1511 Oberthur Street.2 I know nothing of his early life as I do not recall ever meeting him as we were not in contact with the Newman side of the family.
Marriage and Family
Fred, a bachelor, married Ruth Bridges, a spinster, on 14 January 1918 in the Kalgoorlie Congregational Church.3 His occupation at this time was listed as a motor mechanic and they both lived in Kalgoorlie.3 They had Beatrice who was born in 1918, Albert (my grandfather) born in 1920, Ruth who was born in 1922, and Frederick in 1928.4,5 At the time of my grandfather’s birth, Fred was working as a miner and the family lived at 889 Hamilton Road, Boulder.5 Ruth and Frederick (junior) were both born in Perth so the family had moved sometime between 1920 and 1922 to Perth.
In 1925 the family was living in Bridgetown and Fred was working as a labourer, however, in 1931 they were again in Kalgoorlie and he was working as a miner.6,7 By 1936 they were back living in Perth and he was again a labourer.8 In 1943 the family was in Rosa Brook in the Margaret River district where he was a dairy farmer.9 By 1954 Fred was a timber worker in the Margaret River district.10 My mum told me that the received the Rosa Brook land in the Soldier Resettlement Scheme, however, to date I have been unable to find evidence of this or of Fred ever serving in the military.
Death
Fred lost his beloved Ruth on 29 September 1970 in Mandurah.11 He was retired and living with his youngest son, Fred, in Innaloo, in 1977.12 Fred died on 21 January 1979, two days after my birthday, at 33 Duke Street, Karrinyup of coronary artery disease, at the age of 81, and was cremated in Fremantle on 24 January 1979.13
Bibliography
- 1. Birth Extract of Frederick Newman, Born 11 September 1897,Registrar General’s Office, Western Australia, No.2813/1897.
- 2. Western Australia Electoral Rolls, 1903 Division Kalgoorlie, Poll Place Balfour Street.
- 3. Marriage Certificate of Frederick Newman and Ruth Bridges, Married on 14 January 1918, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Western Australia, No. 13/1918.
- 4. Marjorey June Brand, The Friendship Birthday Book, Original in author’s possession.
- 5. Birth Certificate of Albert James Newman, Born 18 March 1920, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Western Australia, No.53/1920.
- 6. Western Australia Electoral Rolls, 1925 Division Forrest, Subdivision Nelson.
- 7. Western Australia Electoral Rolls, 1931 Division Kalgoorlie, Subdivision Hannans.
- 8. Western Australia Electoral Rolls, 1936 Division Fremantle, Subdivision Balkatta.
- 9. Western Australia Electoral Rolls, 1943 Division Forrest, Subdivision Sussex.
- 10. Western Australia Electoral Rolls, 1954 Division Forrest, Subdivision Sussex.
- 11. Metropolitan Cemeteries Board, Western Australia. Ruth Newman, Application No.FC00002643.
- 12. Western Australia Electoral Rolls, 1977 Division Stirling, Subdivision Scarborough.
- 13. Death Certificate of Frederick Charles Newman, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Western Australia, No.1/351/79/C.
Image Credits
- a. Ruth and Frederick Newman, Circa 1950, Original in author’s possession.
