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People of East Melbourne

This is a list of biographies of residents of East Melbourne.

This project started to commemorate the soldiers and nurses who went to Europe to serve in World War 1. But it has grown from there to cover biographies of any and all residents of note.

Along with many of their fellow Australians people from East Melbourne flocked to enlist. Many were heroes. Many lost their lives or suffered horrific physical or mental injuries. At home family and friends worked, endured and suffered consequences that were sometimes terrible and persisted long after the war.

Major-General Michael O'Brien gave us a starting point with a list of East Melbourne people who served in WW1. He spoke to the Society in April 2013 to give us some context to the period and to help the EMHS prepare for its own commemorations of this most devastating period in our history.

Everyone can participate by gathering or documenting information:

  • Photos, memorabilia and family records
  • Stories in books, newspapers and on-line
  • Memorial plaques in churches and public places
  • War memorial, church, national and state archives

You can refine the list by applying the various filter criteria and go to a particular detailed biography by click on the title.

BAIGENT, Albert

Date of birth: 
1889
Biographical notes: 

Albert Baigent was 27 years old, single and a bricklayer when he enlisted at Bendigo on 26 November 1916. He was attached to the 37th Battalion, 6 Reinforcements, who were despatched almost immediately to England on the 'Medic', leaving on 16 December. They disembarked at Plymouth on 18 February, 1917, and marched out to Sutton Mandeville and then to No. 12 Camp, Durrington.

  • 3258 reads

BAKER, Harold Arthur

Date of birth: 
1897
Biographical notes: 

Harold was born in 1897 in the small Victoria town of Kurting. His father was a school teacher.

  • 3267 reads

BALME, Gerald Archibald

Date of birth: 
1885
Biographical notes: 

Gerald Archibald Balme was born in St. Kilda, Victoria, and went to school at Brighton Grammar. He was recruited from school to the St Kilda Football Club, playing for St Kilda from 1902-06, before moving to Perth, Western Australia.

Gerald Balme, Row 2, first on left.
Gerald Archibald Balme
Polygon Wood Butter, captured by 5th Division AIF, 26 September, 1917
  • 4567 reads

BANBROOK, Albert Clifford

Date of birth: 
1890
Biographical notes: 

Albert Clifford Banbury was born in East Melbourne on 17 July, 1890, but enlisted at Portville, Tasmania, giving as his address the West Coast Hotel, Hobart. He gave his occupation as 'labourer'. He was attached to the Field Artillery Brigade 3, Battery 9. They embarked at Hobart on the transport ship A2 'Geelong'.

  • 3324 reads

BANBURY, Frederick

Date of birth: 
1886
Biographical notes: 

Frederick Banbury was 30 years and 8 months old when he enlisted on 30 September 1916. He was a salesman, English by birth, with his next of kin his mother, Mrs. Annie Boscastle, of 'Aden', Lymington Parade, Torquay, England. His permanent address was 90 Powlett St, East Melbourne. He embarked on the HMAT 'Medic' A7, on 16 December, 1916, disembarking at Plymouth on 18 February, 1917.

  • 3260 reads

BANKS, James Bruce

Date of birth: 
1892
Biographical notes: 

James Banks was 22 when he enlisted and gave his occupation as a motor body builder, having completed a four year apprenticeship with A.G. Hampstead of Elsternwick. His next of kin was his mother, Mrs. Mary Banks of 15 Albert St., East Melbourne, but he himself was living at 9 Dudley Parade, Canterbury.

  • 3025 reads

BANNAN, William

Date of birth: 
1887
Biographical notes: 

 

William BANNAN born in Lanarkshire, Scotland in August 1887.

William served in the 6th Scottish Regiment C Compay for four years before migrating to Australia.

William passed his medical to join the Australian Army at Wonthaggi on the 8th September 1915 and enlisted in the AIF in Melbourne on the 17th September 1915 when William was 28 years and one month of age.

  • 3201 reads

BANNISTER, Alfred James

Date of birth: 
1892
Biographical notes: 

Alfred was born at Swan Hill on 15 June 1892. His father George fathered six sons and two daughters.

Little is know of his childhood but he was in Melbourne in 1913 when he was listed on the Electoral Roll living in South Melbourne.

  • 3660 reads

BANNISTER, John James

Date of birth: 
1893
Biographical notes: 

John James Bannister was born at Swan Hill in Victoria in May 1893. His father, George, fathered 8 children, six sons and two daughters. John was his second son and the brother of Alfred Bannister who is also listed in these profiles.

  • 3434 reads

BARBER, Albert

Date of birth: 
1895
Biographical notes: 

Albert Barber was the older brother of Henry Barber and enlisted some three months after his younger sibling. Like Henry, he had done some military training, two years with Senor Cadets, three years in the CMF and was serving with the Australian Medical Corps. He had attempted to enlist earlier, but been rejected because of a weak heart.

  • 3759 reads

BARBER, Henry Victor

Biographical notes: 

Henry Victor Barber was nineteen years and nine months old when he enlisted in Richmond, Victoria, on 29 August 1916. He was the son of Jessie and James Barber, of 5 Albert St., East Melbourne and his elder brother, Albert, followed him into the AIF only three months later. It was this address which Henry and Albert recorded as their own, suggesting that they still lived in the family home.

  • 3893 reads

BARNS, Aubrey Vernon

Date of birth: 
1892
Biographical notes: 

Aubrey Vernon Barns was the son of Joseph Steven Barns, a salesman, and his wife, Isabella Campbell Barns. At the time he enlisted on 17 October, 1915, Aubrey was loving with his parents at 45 Gipps Street, East Melbourne, and working as a civil servant.

  • 3557 reads

BARRIE, Charles Gordon

Date of birth: 
1897
Biographical notes: 

One of the mysteries of Charles Gordon Barrie's life is where exactly he lived.

  • 2567 reads

BARROW, Frank Turner

Date of birth: 
1888
Biographical notes: 

Frank Barrow enlisted on 5 April, 1917. He was 27 years' old, an electrician and married to Eleanor Jessie Sanders, with whom he was to have one child. His parents, Frank Herbert Barrow and Henrietta Penfold Barrow, were East Melbourne residents, living at 19 Lansdowne St., East Melbourne in 1909 and then at 364 Albert Street from 1914 to 1931.

  • 3237 reads

BARRY, Archibald John

Date of birth: 
1879
Biographical notes: 

Archibald Barry was born at Richmond on 30 September 1879.

He enlisted at Melbourne on 21 May 1917. He was 37 years old, 5'7'', and listed his occupation as Manager. He had married Ethel May Bell in 1906. He was allocated to the 58th Batt 9th reinforcements.

  • 3568 reads

BARRY, George

Date of birth: 
1888
Biographical notes: 

The tragedy in this story is not just the death of a fit 29 year old man, only one week after he had reached the front, but also of the family he left behind. George Barry was a false name, one adopted by Morgan Augustine John Fay, who enlisted on 15 November, 1917.

Last Will and Testament - 1917-12-07
Name declaration - 1917-12-07
Letter from mother page 1 - 1918-09-14
Letter from mother page 2 - 1918-09-14
Letter from mother page 3 - 1918-09-14
  • 4134 reads

BASCOMBE, Frederick Nuel

Date of birth: 
1897
Biographical notes: 

Frederick Nuel Bascombe enlisted on 13 March, 1916, nominating his father, Herbert Bascombe, then living at 50 Gipps St. East Melbourne, as his next of kin. He was at the time serving a five year jewellery apprenticeship at Joseph Lawrence Proprietory Limited in Melbourne. He had served four years in the Senior Cadets and the Citizens' Military Force.

  • 3388 reads

BATEMAN, Cecil

Date of birth: 
1880
Biographical notes: 

Cecil Bateman was a motor engineer, living at 111 Hotham St., East Melbourne, and was one of the earliest men to volunteer, enlisting on 19 August, 1914, immediately war was declared. He had some training, three years in the College Cadets at school and some at Broadmeadows, Victoria, before his battalion left for Egypt on the A20 'Hororata' on 19 October.  

  • 3423 reads

BATTESON, James

Date of birth: 
1874
Biographical notes: 

James Batteson is present on the enlistment records, but appears not to have a service record. All that is recorded is that he was aged 41, a labourer, living in Punt Rd. East Melbourne, making his date of birth probably 1874. He was attached to the 23rd Battalion, D Company, and set sail on the HMAT 'Euripides' A14 on 10 May, 1915. His next of kin was his brother, W.

  • 3301 reads

BEATTY, Samuel

Date of birth: 
1884
Biographical notes: 

Samuel Beatty was originally from Northern Ireland. He was 33 years old, a Sanitory Inspector, living at 1 Charles Street in Jolimont. He appears to have had no realtivesin Australia, naming as his next of kin a friend, Mrs. Linda Dallimore, of 129 Powlett St., East Melbourne. Sam Beatty must have been a striking figure.

  • 3623 reads
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