The Challenge of a Cultured Lady

Sarah Margaret, the third daughter of Walter and Mary, married Albert Joseph Buckley in 1885.

Albert and his brother Alfred, both being remittance men, landed at Rockhampton on 30th July 1881 from the Famenoth which had sailed from Plymouth on 5th May 1881.

Alfred, a clerk, married Amelia (Milly) Carraway on 7th May 1889. They were living at 28 Caxton Street, Petrie Terrace, in 1908. In 1915 they moved to Ferneydell Estate, Three Mile Scrub Road, Ashgrove. In 1927 their address changed to the less colourfully named 131 Ashgrove Avenue, Ashgrove. Alfred and Milly were resident there until their deaths in 1922 and 1943 respectively. They had two daughters, Kathleen O’Connor and Dorothy, born on 7th August 1896 and 29th July 1898 respectively.

Details of the early life together of Sarah and Albert are sketchy; however, apart from a failed attempt to gain a hotel licence, Albert worked as a storekeeper or in clerical roles. His last venture was a grocer’s shop at Royal Park, Mount Gravatt. He died in 1915.

Their seven children were Mary Clare Elsie (Elsie), Cecilia Vere, who died in infancy, Irene Clarissa, Walter James Vitalian, Marie Bernadette, Dorothy Josephine and Beryl Veronica who also died in infancy.

The eldest surviving daughters, Elsie and Irene, married brothers, David Easton and Sidney Easton Percy. The history of the Percys is uncertain. When Sidney died in 1939 his parents were given as David Easton Percy and Agnes Easton.

When David enlisted in the AMF in World War II, he gave as his date and place of birth as 1st April 1885 at Glasgow, Scotland. No record of the brothers arriving in Australia has been found. A family that was probably related to the Percy brothers was that of William Percy and Elizabeth Kemp.

David and Sidney enlisted together in the 1st Royal Australian Bridging Train and saw overseas service in World War I and, as mentioned, David enlisted as a Private in 1st Garrison Battalion in World War II and served until his discharge at the age of 55 years. David worked both before and after World War I as a mechanic and motor driver. He and Elsie had three daughters and a son, Jean Easton, David Walter Albert, Beryl Agnes and Valma Clarissa.

Jean married a telephone linesman, Leslie Carr, who served in the AMF. The couple had three daughters. Following Leslie’s death in the 1960s, Jean married an accountant, Lewis Francis Gorr-Jones.

David Walter Albert enlisted in the AIF and in June 1941 he embarked for overseas service as a Private in the 2/12th Battalion. The 2/12th and the 2/9th , along with the 25th and 61st militia battalions, were the Australian Army units based at Milne Bay in August-September 1942 which inflicted the first defeat of a Japanese amphibious landing during the War. David disembarked at Morotai in June 1945 and his Battalion was involved in the largest (and last) Australian amphibious landing of the War at Balikpapan, on the south-east coast of Borneo.

Beryl Agnes married Joseph Towle. Joseph enlisted in 1941 as a Private in the 8th Pioneers; however, on discharge he was assigned to the 2/15th Battalion. During his time of service the 2/15th was involved in a famous raid at Tel el Eisa, west of El Alamein in western Egypt, in September 1942. He was involved in operations at Finschhafen in 1943 and, probably, the landings at Labuan-Brunei Bay, on the north-west coast of Borneo, in June 1945.

Valma Clarissa married Francis George Hoare. Francis briefly joined the AMF as a Private but soon transferred his enlistment to the RAAF where he served as a Leading Aircraftman

Sidney worked as an artist, carpenter and farmer. He and Irene appear to have separated in 1922 and no record of him can be found from 1926 to 1935. The couple, however, were residing together at Emerald Street, Kedron, from 1936. They had a son, also called Sidney Easton, and a daughter, Althea Margaret.

The younger Sidney enlisted in the AIF and served as a Driver in 3rd Motor Brigade Company. On discharge he worked as a carrier before he, and his wife Daphne, established a plant nursery. This occupation was also followed by their sons.

The only son of Albert and Sarah, Walter James Vitalian, worked the land at Mount Gravatt as a young man, possibly in association with his brothers-in-law, David and Sidney Percy. He then joined the public service. He and his wife, Ellen Elizabeth Gertrude, had two sons and two daughters, Walter Joseph, Carmel Margaret, Brian John and Bernadette. The latter died as a child.

Walter Joseph, a public servant, served as a Signalman in the RAN during World War II.

Marie Buckley married an engineer, John Thomas (Tom) Webb. They returned for a time to her mother’s home town of Bundaberg where Tom, an engineer, was employed as an inspector of machinery and his work included the inspection of the machinery of the Bundaberg Foundry. They had three daughters and a son, Eileen, who died as an infant, Shirley Margaret, Thomas Walter and Sadie Ann.

Shirley married Matthew Carroll who enlisted and served as a Corporal in the 61st Battalion. At the time of his enlistment, September 1941, the Battalion was engaged in the defence of Milne Bay. In 1944 the 61st , and its companion militia battalion at Milne Bay, the 25th , were committed to the Bougainville campaign. Matthew embarked to return to Australia from Torokina on that island in September 1945.

Dorothy Josephine married William Hilleard who worked as a wicker worker and lift attendant. His origins have not been established. They had three sons and two daughters, Dorothy Margaret, William John, Margaret Katherine, John Joseph and Francis Patrick.

Dorothy Margaret served as a Corporal in the Australian Womens’ Army Service. After discharge, she married William Stewart Morrow. William served for nearly two years as a Gunner in the 5th Field Regiment; however, in December 1942 he transferred his enlistment to the RAAF and served as a Leading Aircraftman.

William John was a Lance Corporal at 7th Brigade Headquarters. The 7th Brigade saw service in New Guinea, including the Bougainville campaign.

Margaret Katherine married Robert Roger Stewart, a journalist and native of Northern Ireland, who had served in the RAN during the War.

Surnames of descendants of Sarah and Albert also include Bissell, Congdon, Corrigan, Cumner, Dennes, Ellis, Francis, Gibson, Goopy, Grauf, Haipola, Hales, Harris, Jenkins, Lee, Lumb, Lydement, MacNamara, Marcus, O’Sullivan, Phillips, Turner, Ware, Wild and Wischnevsky.

After what appears to have been an unstable and itinerant life with Albert, Sarah was left, after his loss, with two daughters with young babies and husbands on overseas military service, an unmarried son without an established career, and two young unmarried daughters. Her inheritance from her father appears to have been largely dissipated. She sought income from teaching music until all the children, with the possible exception of Irene, were in stable situations. Seldom was Sarah at the same address for more than a year or two and life for her was clearly difficult. An extensive family was her reward for great fortitude.