Sepia Saturday No. 344

Just a small post this time...

With the prompt this time being "Travel and Transport", I like many other other bloggers, was spoiled for choice.  I chose this picture.

Taken during World War II probably near Darwin, Australia, this shows my grandfather Arthur Smith driving a jeep with two of his mates.











Grandad served with the Royal Australian Air Force as a navigator,  Since planes are also a form of transport, I have included a photo of his crew with their bomber, also taken at Darwin.

Grandad is second from the left.

Tombstone Tuesday

This headstone, located at the Skipton Cemetery, had always fascinated me - ever since I was young, visiting my grandmother who was buried about 15m further down the row.

I think it was the name "Elizabeth Lyle" which I had always thought to be very unusual.  Or, perhaps the Bunston surname at the top was also of interest as I knew a Bunston (the only one at the time).  Maybe I wondered if they were related to each other?

I would stop and stare at this headstone every time we went to the cemetery, at the time unaware of who these people were... I still stare today when I visit, but now with a known connection.

Buried here is George Bunston - my great great grandfather.  With him, his wife and my great great grandmother - Elizabeth Lyle Bunston, nee Thompson and their infant son Andrew Thompson Bunston.

I have written about George before - the eldest of 11 children, born in England on 8 February 1835 and migrating to Australia with his sister and first wife Sarah at the age of 20.  He died in Skipton on 18 April 1923 from bronchitis.  He had married his second wife, Elizabeth, in 1864.

Elizabeth was the fifth of seven children, born in Scotland on 13 August 1848 and migrating with her parents and siblings in 1852.  She died in Skipton on 14 June 1926.

Andrew was the youngest of ten children of George and Elizabeth.

This grave is also the resting place for two of their infant grandchildren, buried but not mentioned - though never forgotten.

Thelma May Bunston was the fifth of six children and only daughter of Phillip Henry Bunston and Gertrude May Reyland.  She was born on 22 December 1925 and died aged just three weeks old on January 12 1926.  She died six months before her grandmother.

Also buried here is John William "Jackie" Nash, my great uncle.  Jackie was the youngest of four children of Percy Victor Nash and Georgina May Bunston.  He was born in Linton on 26 January 1927 and died two years later on 14 September 1929 of pneumonia and meningitis.

Tombstone Tuesday

William Horn Smith, his wife Ada May and their daughter Betty May.  Buried together in the Creswick Cemetery, Victoria, Australia.

My great grandfather, William was born in Dean, Victoria on New Year's Day in 1874.  In 1906 he married Ada May Lawless who was born in December 1885.

Together Ada and William had 13 children.

William died in Ballarat on February 8th 1948.  Ada died on June 3rd 1958 in Frankston.

Their daughter Betty May was born in May 1824.  She was only 10 months old when she died on October 25th.

Ada May with a friend

Sepia Saturday No. 313

With a photo of siblings as a prompt, I decided to post photos of my grandfathers their respective siblings. 

Left to right: Muriel, Percy (back), Jackie (front), Wilf

With the youngest of the Nash children dying aged just 2 years old, this is likely the only picture of the four of them together - certainly the only one I have.

My grandfather, Percival George was born in Linton, Victoria in December 1921  He married Hilda Pearl Smith at Scrub Hill Presbyterian Church in September 1941, aged 19.  He served in the Royal Australian Navy during World War II.  Hilda and Percy had four children: Eleanor May; Ian John; Garry James Harvey and Andrew Brent.  Hilda died in March 1982 and Percy died in November 1997.  They are buried together in Skipton.

Muriel Gean was born in February 1923 in Linton.  She married Clifford Harrie Morris in 1946 in Ballarat.  Cliff served in World War II in the Australian Army.  He was captured by the Germans and spent over four years in Stalag 18A.  Cliff and Muriel had four sons: David Koloman; Murray; John and Graeme.  Cliff died in January 1990 and Muriel died in 2004.  They were both cremated and their remains are at the Skipton Cemetery.

Wilfred Victor was born in Linton in July 1925.  He married Jean Alison Blackwood in 1951.  During World War II Wilf enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force, however the war ended before he could take up his post in the South Pacific.  Wilf and Jean had five children: Judith Heather; Susan Margaret; David Graham; Michael Andrew and Robert Alister.  Wilf died in March 2008.  He was cremated and his ashed were scattered at one of the Nash family properties.

John William (Jackie) was born in 1927 in Linton.  Sadly, Jackie died in the Skipton hospital in 1929 after contracting pneumonia.  He is buried in the Skipton Cemetery with his grandparents, George and Elizabeth Bunston - though he is not mentioned on the headstone.

The eldest of four children of James and Charlotte Smith.  Unfortunately I do not have a photo of all five children together.

Phyllis Joy was born in Kimberley, South Africa in September 1913.  Joy married George Rex Hayward.  They had four children together: Elaine Joy; Austen James; Pamela Evelyn and Phyllis Merle.  Rex died in October 1979.  Joy died in March 2008.

My grandfather, Arthur Grenville, was born in Yendon, Victoria in May 1916.  Arthur married Elsie Marie Davenport in 1940.  During World War II Arthur served in the Royal Australian Air Force, being stationed in Darwin.  Arthur and Elsie had five children: Alison Marie; Thyrza Ruth; Esther Jane; Grenville Bruce and Anna Christine.  Arthur died in 2001.  Elsie died in 2014.  They are buried together, with their son Bruce, in the Skipton Cemetery.