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.

GOOD, Walter Ambrose

Biographical notes: 

Ambrose was 6' tall, weighed 12 stone 7 lbs and was 39 years old when he signed his attestation papers on 25 September 1916 at Enoggera in Queensland, although his file says his service dated from

  • 1578 reads

GOODALL, James

Date of birth: 
1897
Biographical notes: 

James Goodall enlisted  on 11 January, 1915, at the Drill Hall in Powlett St., East Melbourne, following an earlier attempt in Tasmania.

  • 2132 reads

GOOLD, Richard Harry

Date of birth: 
1880
Biographical notes: 

Richard Harry Goold was born on 12 December, 1880 in Kyneton to James Crosbie Goold and Ann Martha Goold (nee Gutheridge).

  • 1713 reads

GORRIE, John James

Date of birth: 
1887
Biographical notes: 

John James Gorrie was one of the three children of John James Gorrie (d. 25/8/1888) and his wife, Norah (d. 15/12/1918).

  • 1413 reads

GOTTS, Rex Elmo

Date of birth: 
1889
Biographical notes: 

Rex Elmo Gotts was born in Geelong, Victoria in 1889, the son of Isaiah Alfred Gotts and his wife, Margaret Josephine, nee Riley.

  • 1852 reads

GRAHAM, Sydney Hartley

Date of birth: 
1880
Biographical notes: 

Sydney Hartley Graham was a married man, an accountant and aged 36 when he enlisted at Adelaide on 7 March 1917. He had married his wife, Christina Jane, nee Macrae, on 11 January, 1911.

  • 1672 reads

GRAHAM, Thomas McLennan

Date of birth: 
1897
Biographical notes: 

Tom Graham was born in Inverness, Scotland, in April 1897. When he enlisted at Seymour on 24 March, 1916, he was eighteen and eleven months old and working as a crockery packer.

  • 1721 reads

GRANT, John

Date of birth: 
1895
Biographical notes: 

John Grant was born in Sale, Victoria in 1895 to William and Mary Grant (nee Keating). His father was born in Scotland in 1862 and mother in Waterford, Ireland.

  • 2003 reads

GRANT, William Alexander

Date of birth: 
1896
Biographical notes: 

William Alexander Grant was born on Beechworth, Victoria in 1896 to William and Mary Grant (nee Keating. His father was born in Scotland in 1862 and mother in Waterford, Ireland.

  • 1685 reads

GRAY, Alastair Cameron

Date of birth: 
1898
Biographical notes: 

Alisstair Cameron Gray was born in 1898 in Dunedin, New Zealand to William Gray and Mary Gray nee Cameron, both born and raised in the Dunedin area.

  • 2620 reads

GRAY, Clark Maxwell

Date of birth: 
1896
Biographical notes: 

Clark Maxwell Gray was born on 6 December, 1896 in Dunedin, New Zealand to William Gray and Mary Gray nee Cameron, both born and raised in the Dunedin area.

2nd Lieutenant Clarke Maxwell Gray photo 1915/1916
  • 3131 reads

GRAY, Reginald Albert

Date of birth: 
1893
Biographical notes: 

Reginald Gray was born in Bristol, Gloucestershire, in Octobet, 1893.

  • 1713 reads

GREAVES, George Frederick

Date of birth: 
1892
Biographical notes: 

George Greaves was 22 years old when he enlisted on 22 March 1915.

  • 1941 reads

GREEN, John Victor

Date of birth: 
1887
Biographical notes: 

John Victor Green was born in 1887 at Williamstown, Victoria. He was the youngest of two brothers and four sisters, of John Vanham Green and Charlotte Una West.

  • 1655 reads

GREHAN, Frank Albert

Date of birth: 
1889
Biographical notes: 

Frank Grehan's story is one of the oddest accounts of a volunteer soldier in the Great War.

  • 1642 reads

GREY, Denis Basil

Date of birth: 
1896
Biographical notes: 

Denis Basil Grey had almost no contact with East Melbourne, staying perhaps only very briefly at 'Rosebank', a boarding house in Clarendon St.

  • 1792 reads

GRIFFITHS, George Norman

Date of birth: 
1888
Biographical notes: 

George Griffiths was 27 and 2 months old when he enlisted to serve in World War 1.

  • 1413 reads

GRIFFITHS, Francis Llewllyn

Date of birth: 
1886
Biographical notes: 

Francis Lllewlyn Griffiths was the son of William Moore Griffiths and his wife Rosa August, nee Petterick. He joined up on 23 January 1915 at Victoria Barracks.

  • 1424 reads

GRIFFITHS, Norman Lance Guy

Date of birth: 
1897
Biographical notes: 

Private (Pte) Norman Lance Griffiths, aka Tasman Lance Guy Griffiths, 8th Australian Light Horse Regiment, of East Melbourne, Vic. Pte, Griffiths enlisted on 5 July 1915.

Tasman Lance Griffiths
  • 1828 reads

GROVES, Charles Edward

Date of birth: 
1882
Biographical notes: 

Charles Edward Groves was born at Jolimont in November 1882. He was the only son of his widowed mother, Fanny Nina Groves, when he went off to the First World War, but had a sister, Ida.

  • 1411 reads

GUTHRIE, Albert John

Date of birth: 
1890
Biographical notes: 

Albert John Guthrie enlisted in Melbourne on 26 January, 1914.

Albert John Guthrie
Guthrie Brothers
Guthrie familiy
Letters of death and interment
Tombstone, Carmarthen, Wales
Plaque, Kings Park, Perth, Western Australia
West Australian Newspaper 30 Dec 1915 page 7
  • 2503 reads

HAAKE, Adolf George

Date of birth: 
1889
Biographical notes: 

Adolf George Haake wa born in March 1889 in Bradford Leeds to Adolf and Clara Haake, both from Hanover, Germany.

  • 2038 reads

HABEL, Louis

Date of birth: 
1883
Biographical notes: 

Carl Louis Habel was born in Murtoa in 1883, the son of Johann Carl and Emilie Clara Habel.

1905 Shearwood girls- Alice, Florence (centre) and Adeline
  • 1691 reads

HABEL, Oswald Emile

Date of birth: 
1875
Biographical notes: 

Born at Dunkeld in the Western District of Victoria, Oswald Habel was the eldest of eleven children born to Emil and Annie (nee Hempel) of Minyip,Victoria.

  • 1440 reads

HALL, May Isabel

Date of birth: 
1881
Biographical notes: 

May Isabel Hall was born on 6 August 1879 in Sandhurst (Bendigo), Victoria.

Unidentified nurse bathing in Mudros Harbour 1915 (AWM PO1480)
Ward at Kitchener Military Hospital, Brighton 1916 (AWM JO1842)
Ward at 2 AGH, Wimereux 1917 (AWM PO 1630)
Soldiers Memorial Honour Roll Bendigo: May Isabel Hall and Stanley Anderson Hall
Sister May Hall, Moonee Ponds Baby Health Centre (Essendon Gazette, 3.8.1950)
  • 4674 reads

HALLEY, Edward John

Date of birth: 
1888
Biographical notes: 

Edward John Halley was 28 years old when he enlisted at Geelong on 14 November, 1916.

  • 1672 reads

HAMILTON, Richard Henry

Date of birth: 
1896
Biographical notes: 

Richard Henry Hamilton was the son of John Lambie Hamilton and his wife, Clara Jane nee Booth. He enlisted at age 19, with the consent of his mother.

  • 1480 reads

HAMILTON, Robert Bell

Date of birth: 
1892
Biographical notes: 

Robert Bell Hamilton was 23 years old and practising as an architect when he enlisted on 8 December, 1917.

  • 2092 reads

HAMPSON, Francis Christian

Date of birth: 
1887
Biographical notes: 

  Frank Christian Hampson was born in Sydney, possibly Strathfield, in 1887. He became a wool classer by trade, moving across NSW and Victoria to the different woolsheds.

  • 1570 reads

HANKINSON, Stanley James

Date of birth: 
1885
Biographical notes: 

Stanley Hankinson was the second child of seven. Born in 1885 to James and Catherine Hankinson, nee Stratton, he had an elder sister Elizabeth (Lily) Ellen b.

  • 1811 reads

HARRIS, Bertram

Date of birth: 
1887
Biographical notes: 

There is nothing in Bert Harris's military record that places him anywhere near East Melbourne at the time of the Great War. He grew up in New Zealand and enlisted at Casula, NSW.

  • 1444 reads

HARRIS, Edward

Date of birth: 
1893
Biographical notes: 

Edward Harris enlisted on 20 Auguast 1914. He was then just off twenty three years old, 5'3" tall, with a fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair.

  • 1388 reads

HARRIS, John Ernest

Date of birth: 
1885
Biographical notes: 

John Ernest Harris joined up almost immediately war was declared by England on 4 August 1914.  Harris enlisted on 19 August, 1914, and was given the number 48.

  • 1511 reads

HARRIS, Percy James

Date of birth: 
1875
Biographical notes: 

Percy James Harris was born 1st January 1875 at Thornton, Studley-park, Kew.  He was the son of Alfred Harris.  Two months later Alfred sold the contents of his house as he was

Percy James Harris. Photo courtesy Helen Simons
Percy James Harris. Photo courtesy Helen Simons
Thornton, Studley Park, Kew. Birthplace of Percy James Harris.
  • 2778 reads

HARRISON, Edward William

Date of birth: 
1892
Biographical notes: 

Edward William Harrison was a young man of 23 when he enlisted on 15 December 1915.

  • 1669 reads

HARRISON, Martin John

Date of birth: 
1884
Biographical notes: 

Martin John Harrison was given the number 6, when he enlisted to go to war in 1915.

  • 1375 reads

HART, Annie Kidd

Date of birth: 
1875
Biographical notes: 

Annie (Anne) Kidd Hart was the first of eight children born to John Adolphus Hart (c1849–1930) and his first wife Ann née Kidd (1854­–1908).

Annie Kidd Hart 1 (Family Collection)
Annie Kidd Hart Melbourne Hospital reference (Family Collection)
Annie Kidd Hart (2nd left front) with 1ASH, Cairo 1916 (AWM C02305)
Annie Kidd Hart, Weekly Times 19May1917 p10
Annie Kidd Hart 2 (Family Collection)
  • 3334 reads

HARVEY, Norman Kinamond

Date of birth: 
1884
Biographical notes: 
Norman Kinamond Harvey was born in Fitzroy in 1884.  He was the son of John Henry Harvey and his wife, Henrietta Kinamond nee Fairbairn.
  • 2078 reads

HARVEY, Stanley

Date of birth: 
1899
Biographical notes: 

Stanley Harvey was eighteen and four months old when he enlisted to join the AIF. He was an electircla engineer by training and gave his address as Parliament Place, Melbourne.

  • 1455 reads

HAWKES, Richard Morrison

Date of birth: 
1888
Biographical notes: 

Richard Morrison Hawkes enlisted on 13 January, 1916. He was nearly 31 years old, a clerk, 5'7" tall, with blue eyes and brown hair.

  • 1556 reads

HAYES, Edwin

Date of birth: 
1898
Biographical notes: 

William Edward Riley took good care to cover his true name when he enlisted at Richmond, Victoria, on 17 August, 1915.

  • 1513 reads

HEANEY, Gordon Henry Herbert

Date of birth: 
1885
Biographical notes: 

George Henry Heaney used a false name when he enlisted on 8 July, 1915.

  • 1494 reads

HEANEY, John

Date of birth: 
1878
Biographical notes: 

James Heaney was born in 1876 in Casterton, Victoria, the son of Patrick and Honora Heaney, nee Quinn.

  • 1727 reads

HENRY, Arthur Milton

Date of birth: 
1893
Biographical notes: 

 Arthur Milton Henry was born at Geelong, Victoria and was living there when he enlisted on 9 February. 1915.

  • 1553 reads

HENRY, George Winfred

Date of birth: 
1893
Biographical notes: 

George Winfred Henry was born in Hamilton, Victoria, but at the time he enlisted was working as a clerk and living in East Melbourne. His father, Robert Henry, lived in Grey St., Hamilton.

  • 1528 reads

HENRY, Robert Edward

Date of birth: 
1879
Biographical notes: 

Robert Edward Henry was born in Northern Ireland in 1879 and was 35 and 4 months old when he joined up in 13 March, 1915.

  • 1422 reads

HEPBURN, Austin

Date of birth: 
1893
Biographical notes: 

This is not the story of one young man, but of six, of whom two were to die in WW1.

  • 1542 reads

HIDDLESTONE, Cecil John

Biographical notes: 
  • Enlisted on the 10th October 1914 aged 24 years.  Previously his occupation was a Tailor's Cutter
  • Commenced training with the 14th Battalion at Broadmeadows Camp before embark
  • 1667 reads

HILTON, Ernest Roderick

Date of birth: 
1889
Biographical notes: 

Ernest Roderick Hilton was the son of William Hilton, a builder, and his wife Julia Ellen, nee Hawkley. He was one of four children, a brother, Sidney, and sisters, Lily and Irene.

  • 1591 reads

HILTON, John Thomas

Date of birth: 
1873
Biographical notes: 

John Thomas Hilton was the son of Robert Hilton and his wife, Abigail, nee Lambert. He was a barber by trade, and 41 and 9 months old when he enlisted.

  • 1404 reads