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.

VANDERZEE, Alexander Robert

Date of birth: 
1894
Biographical notes: 

Robert was born in 1894, the son of George Alexander Albert Vanderzee (aka George Alexander), livery stable proprietor,  and wife, Annie, hotel licencee.  On his enlistment papers Robert states that he was born in East Melbourne.  A search of the Sands & McDougall Post Office directories for the period shows that the family then lived at 111 [now 490] Victoria Parade.

4th Mob Vet Sect,11 Mar 1918. Vanderzee in middle row, third from left
  • 3367 reads

VAWDON, Harold Frederick

Biographical notes: 

Harold Frederick Vawdon was 23 when he enlisted. He was a Commercial Traveller; so perhaps was his father, who wrote several times enquiring after him from various addresses, one a hotel in Ballarat (in fact, Electoral Rolls confirm this occupation).

  • 2798 reads

VINCENT, Robert Collier

Date of birth: 
1892
Biographical notes: 

ROBERT COLLIER VINCENT  #19064 

Robert Collier Vincent born on Xmas Day 25th December 1892 (dates do not align) enlisted in the AIF on the 12th March 1917 in Melbourne.  Robert was aged 23 years and 2 months and being 6' tall and weighing 136 lbs with a fair complexion and hair and blue eyes.  Robert's religion was Congregationalist.

  • 2754 reads

VINEN, Peter Henry

  • 2555 reads

VINES, Thomas

Date of birth: 
1868
Biographical notes: 

Thomas Vines was born in Geelong on 29 December 1868.  His father was Joshua Vines who, according to a brief obituary was 'a member of the old coaching firm of Vines and McPhee, who ran many coaches in the Ballarat, Wimmera and Western disricts under the style of Cobb and Co., in the early days.'

Thomas Vines, coach driver c.1890
  • 4583 reads

VINES, Thomas

Date of birth: 
1891
Biographical notes: 

Thomas Nicholls Vines was born in Hamilton, Victoria on 15 September 1891.  He was the son of Thomas Vines and his wife, Christina McDougall.

  • 3938 reads

VIRGOE, Percy Ernest

Date of birth: 
1884
Biographical notes: 

Percy Ernest Virgoe was the son of William Richard Neil Virgoe (d.1902) and his wife, Harriette Mary nee McCulloch.  William, Percy's father, was the owner of Mathoura Station, N.S.W. and had a keen interest in horse racing, especially steeple-chasing.  However Percy was born in 1884 in East Melbourne.

  • 2924 reads

VOCE, Alfred

Date of birth: 
1889
Biographical notes: 

Alfred Voce was born in Salisbury, England in 1889.  He was the elder of the two sons of Edward Voce and his wife, Charlotte Eliza.  The family arrived in Australia in September 1913 aboard the Commonwealth. They settled in East Melbourne, renting a house at 38 Albert Street.

  • 3875 reads

VOCE, Edward Stanley

Date of birth: 
1890
Biographical notes: 

Edward Stanley (known as Stanley) Voce was born in Salisbury, England on 5 July 1890.  He was the younger of the two sons of Edward Voce and his wife, Charlotte Eliza.  The family arrived in Australia in September 1913 aboard the Commonwealth.

Education Department grants permission to enlist
  • 3674 reads

WADE, Edmund Thomas

  • 2584 reads

WALLACE, Wm Henry

  • 2844 reads

WALLER, Louisa

Date of birth: 
1887
Biographical notes: 

Louisa Waller was born in Benalla, Victoria on 29 January 1887, the daughter of local storekeeper Charles Richard Waller (c1856-1932) and his wife Jane Matthews (1859-1936). She was the fourth of the couple’s fourteen children.

  • 5925 reads

WALLER, Walter Rupert

Biographical notes: 

Brother of Louisa

  • 3333 reads

WALLER, William James

MID

Biographical notes: 

MID

WALTERS, Leonard Thomas Willis

Date of birth: 
1890
Biographical notes: 

Leonard Thomas Willis Walters was born in 1890 at East Melbourne, Victoria. The 1892 Sands & McDougall Post Office Directories gave the family’s address as 123 [now 476] Victoria Parade, East Melbourne.

  • 2737 reads

WARNOCK, Frederick Charles

Date of birth: 
1890
Biographical notes: 

Frederick Charles Warnock was born in St.Kilda on 24 August, 189o to Frederick and Alice Warnock (nee Andersen). At the time of his enlistment in April 1915, Frederick was working at the Union of Australia Bank in Yarram Yarram, Gippsland, and his mother who was next of kin was living in East Melbourne.

  • 3116 reads