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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.

KEMPSON, Albert Victor

Date of birth: 
1895
Biographical notes: 

Albert Victor Kempson was 21 and 4 months old when he enlisted on 19 July 1915. He was the son of George Kempson and his wife, Amelia, nee Knowles. One of seven children, he had two brothers, Thomas Henry Kempson, b.1889, who would also go to war, and Reginald Knowles Kempson, b.1897, and a sister, Constance Amelia, b. 1886.

  • 1582 reads

KEMPSON, Thomas Henry

Date of birth: 
1889
Biographical notes: 

Thomas Kempson was one of a family of seven children of whom three died at birth, William in 1891, Gerald in 1892, and Norman in 1894. There were four living children, Thomas b. 1889, his brothers Albert b.1894, and Reginald b.1897, and sister Constance Amelia b.1886. Thomas was a Commercial Traveller by occupation, 5' 11" tall, and Church of England by religion.

  • 1613 reads

KENDALL, Eleanor Jane

Date of birth: 
1880
Biographical notes: 

Eleanor Jane Kendall (1880–1957) was the only daughter among the seven children born to William Tyson Kendall (1851–1936) and his first wife, Elizabeth (nee Park) (c1853–1904).

Eleanor Kendall, parents & siblings (Kendall Papers, Uni Melbourne Archives)
Kendall & brothers, Lt Cols Ernest, John & William, Egypt 1915 (AWM P04272.001)
Queen Mary visiting 1AGH, Rouen, 1917 (AWM K00019); Kendall on staff
  • 4437 reads

KENT, John Morris

Date of birth: 
1890
Biographical notes: 

John Morris Kent was born in Brighton, England in December, 1890. He was the son of George Kent and Elizabeth Kate, nee Ellison, known as Kate, at the time he enlisted was living with his father at 96 Hotham St. East Melbourne. He was then one month off twenty-five years of age, single and working as a gardener. By religion, he belonged to the Church of England.

  • 1633 reads

KERR, Alic Oscar

Date of birth: 
1891
Biographical notes: 

Alic Oscar Kerr was the son of Thomas Kerr (1862-1895) and his wife Hannah Ethlean, nee Millard(1870-1898). He also had a half brotherr, whom he named as next-of-kin, Kenneth  Kerr (1897-1968). ALic was 23 and ten months old when he enlisted on 10 February, 1915. He was a clerk by occupation, but had also had twelve months serving with the Victorian Rifles.

  • 1652 reads

KERR, Donald Wallace

Biographical notes: 

Son of John and Ada (Ratcliff) Kerr.  Born 1893 at Mornington.  He was the fifth son in a family of eight sons and three daughters.  The family moved to 12 Simpson Street, East Melbourne about 1900 which was to become their home for many years.  Donald enlisted in Melbourne on 17 August 1914, just a few days after war was declared.   He gave his next of k

  • 2779 reads

KERR, George Ernest

Date of birth: 
1892
Biographical notes: 

In late 1914, two brothers enlisted for the war. The elder, George Ernest Kerr signed up on 29 September, 1914, and his younger brother, Hedley Vernon George Kitchin, on 19 October, 1914. They were the sons of John Henry Kitchin Kerr and his wife, Charlotte Gladstone Clarke. The parents also had a daughter, Claire Zoe Kitchin, and had divorced in about 1900.

  • 1623 reads

KERR, George York

Date of birth: 
1901
Biographical notes: 

Son of John and Ada (Ratcliff) Kerr.  He was the sixth son and ninth child in a family eight sons and three daughters.  The family moved to 12 Simpson Street, East Melbourne about 1900 which was to become their home for many years.  George enlisted in Melbourne on 26 February 1917.  He gave his father, John, of 12 Simpson Street, East Melbourne, as his next of

  • 2085 reads

KERR, Malcolm Edgar

Biographical notes: 

Son of John and Ada (nee Ratcliff) Kerr.  Born c. 1891 at Mornington.  He was the fourth son in a family of eight sons and three daughters.

  • 2166 reads

KERRIGAN, Robert Augustus

Date of birth: 
1874
Biographical notes: 

Robert Augustus Kerrigan was born in East Melbourne, Victoria, in May, 1874. His father, John Kerrigan (1834-1907) was then 40 years old, his mother, Mary, nee Kilgar/Kilgour (1842-1878) was then thirty two years old. Robert was one of nine children: William b.1861, Helena b.1866, Matthew b.1868, Mary-Anne b.1870, Patrick b.1972, Robert b.1874; Catherine b.

  • 1539 reads

KIBBLEWHITE, Gilbert Francis

Date of birth: 
1877
Biographical notes: 

When Gilbert Kibblewhite arrived in Australia, he was removing himself from a disgrace and a marriage failed through violence.

  • 1708 reads

KIERNAN, James

Date of birth: 
1895
Biographical notes: 

Little is known about the personal life of  James Kiernan, other than that he was born in Wollongong, NSW, to Mrs. Catherine Tiernan and her husband, Patrick, who had been dead for six years before James enlisted for World War 1. James was a metal worker, 20 years and 8 months old, 5' 3" tall and married Elsie Toy Kiernan in 1916.

  • 1479 reads

KIMBERLEY, Arthur Frederick

Date of birth: 
1885
Biographical notes: 

Arthur Frederick Kimberley was one of five children born to Frederick Theodore Kimberley and his wife Jessie, nee Bonney.  He was born 20 June, 1885, at Devonport, Tasmania, and at the time of his enlistment in 1917 was a married man, working as a saddler and harness maker in  Clifton Hill, Victoria.

  • 1602 reads

KING, Agnes Wotherspoon

Date of birth: 
1884
Biographical notes: 

Agnes Wotherspoon King (1884-1942) was the second daughter and fourth child of Robert King (1843–1919) and his wife Frances (or ‘Fanny’, nee Craig) (1854–1926).

Mansfield Hospital c1908 (SLV)
Agnes King with her brother Nathaniel, 2AGH, Egypt Dec 1915 (private collection)
King (front,3rd from left) 1AAH Harefield 1918 (AWM D00037)
Matron King with dignitaries, Keswick Hospital (Advertiser, 19.12.1935 p22)
Agnes King and her car (private collection)
  • 4008 reads

KING, Charles Trethowan

Date of birth: 
1894
Biographical notes: 

Killed in action 27 June 1915

  • 1696 reads

KING, Gordon Alexander

Date of birth: 
1896
Biographical notes: 

Gordon Alexander King's story is a sad one. He was born in Warrnambool in 1896, the second son of Thomas King and his wife, Elizabeth Smith. He had an elder brother, John Peter King, who enlisted and was to die from Malaria in Cairo, Egypt, in 1918.

  • 1516 reads

KING, Walter John Charles

Date of birth: 
1895
Biographical notes: 

Walter King spent only a small time before he enlisted at East Melbourne. He was born at Rushworth, Victoria, in 1895 and was the youngest of four children, the other three being girls. By the time he enlisted on 26 February, 1916, both parents were dead, and his eldest sister, Mrs. B Dower, was nominated as his next of kin.

  • 1819 reads

KNIGHT, John

Date of birth: 
1893
Biographical notes: 

John Knight was the son of Ernest Knight and his wife, Madge (Margaret), nee Hughes. He enlisted in his home town, Perth, and his only connection with East Melbourne seems to have been his father, who lived in Victoria Parade, East Melbourne. John Knight was 21 years and 11 months old, single, a labourer by occupation and Church of England by religion.

  • 1641 reads

KNIGHT, Victor Ernest

Date of birth: 
1895
Biographical notes: 

Victor Ernest Knight was a printer by trade and was just under twenty years old when he enlisted. He had as his next of kin his mother, Margaret, living at 13 Edmund St., Northcote, but gave as his own address as the Salvation Army Federal Training College in Victoria Parade, East Melbourne.

  • 1658 reads

KNOWLES, John Valentine

Date of birth: 
1893
Biographical notes: 

Born in East Melbourne, John Valentine Knowles died of wounds 27 March 18, aged 25. He was buried at Outtersteine Communal Cemetery Extension, Bailleul, Nord pas de Calais, France. His Red Cross file tells the story, with Acting Corporal Smith 3458 recalling: At Dranoutse on 25th, he was wounded in the stomach by a shell. he was taken to C.C.S.2 as I was. He was next to me there.

  • 2163 reads

LAMANDE, Henri Joseph

Date of birth: 
1884
Biographical notes: 

Henri Joseph Lamande was born in 1884 in Majorca, Victoria.  He was the son of Ambroise Lamande and Kate, née Harrington. 

Henri Joseph Lamande
  • 2673 reads

LAMANDE, Leopold George

Date of birth: 
1883
Biographical notes: 

Leopold George Lamande was born in 1883 in Maryborough, Victoria.  He was the son of Ambroise Lamande and Kate, née Harrington. 

  • 2532 reads

LANGFORD, Clarence Augustus

Date of birth: 
1893
Biographical notes: 

Clarence Langford was the son of James Langford and his wife Blanche, nee Pope. He was 23 when he signed up to join the Australian Imperial Force. He was 5' 8" tall, a little above average for the time, a salesman by occupation and a member of the Church of England.

  • 1455 reads

LANGLEY, James

Date of birth: 
1867
Biographical notes: 

James Langley was forty when he volunteered for army service. He was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, an accountant, married, living with his wife Evelyn Ellen at 18 Jolimont Rd., East Melbourne. He enlisted at South Yarra on 18 June, 1917.

  • 1583 reads

LAPPAN, Matthew

Biographical notes: 

Matthew Lappin was born in Burnie Tasmania in May 1887. He enlisted on 20 July 1915, at the age of 28 years and 2 months. At the time, he gave as his address C% Mrs Emma Connors, 105 Victoria St., East Melbourne, perhaps a boarding house. He was, by occupation, a labourer, 5' 6" tall, an average height for the time, and by faith, a Roman Catholic.

  • 1447 reads

LARKING, Rupert

Date of birth: 
1886
Biographical notes: 

Rupert Larking was a 29 year old Commercial Traveller from Albury when he enlisted on 27 November, 1915. Born in 1888, he was actually two years younger than his stated age and the eldest of four children of John G.

  • 1825 reads

LARKINS, Brian Lockwood

Date of birth: 
1899
Biographical notes: 

Brian Lockwood Larkins was one of twins born on 27 March 1899 to Margaret and William Larkins. He was the twin of Frank Lockwood Larkins and had two other brothers, William, born 1902, and Noel, born 1907, He also had two sisters, Beryl and Alice (died 1909).

  • 1822 reads

LARKINS, William James

Date of birth: 
1898
Biographical notes: 

 

Receipt for equipment returned to drill hall, East Melbourne
Letter of release from apprenticeship from William Montgomery
  • 1656 reads

LATTIMORE, Victory Reginald

Date of birth: 
1897
Biographical notes: 

Victor Reginald Lattimore was born on 24 May 1897 in Jolimont, the exact address, however, is not known.  He was the son of Arthur Lattimore (1868-1915) and Louisa Augusta, nee Pay (1866-1948).  Arthur has been variously described as a traveller, dairy salesman and grocer.

V R Lattimore and Patterson
  • 2208 reads

LAVELL, George Charles

  • 1609 reads

LAWRENCE, Percival Joseph

Date of birth: 
1892
Biographical notes: 

Percival Joseph Lawrence was born in Didmanton, Gloucester, England on 13 April 1892.  He was the son of Joseph Lawrence.  He arrived in Melbourne in November 1913 and settled in Bendigo.

  • 2121 reads

LEAKE, Lancelot Luke

Date of birth: 
1890
Biographical notes: 

Lancelot Luke Leake was born in Perth, Western Australia, in May 1890. At 25 years old, he enlisted, giving as his next of kin his wife, Jean Winifred Leake. He was well educated and and had a position as a Judge's Associate. His address in East Melbourne -   'Belmont', Clarendon St.

  • 1789 reads

LEARY, Joseph

Biographical notes: 

Joseph Leary was aged 18 at enlistment, and working as a mechanic.  His enlistment form is marked 'not to leave Australia until 19 years of age'. His next of kin and adoptive father was Thomas Haig of 32 Jolimont Street, Jolimont.  Joseph Leary  5ft 7ins; 154 lbs; dark complexion; black hair; grey eyes.  He embarked from Melbourne 21 Nov 1917.

  • 1890 reads

LEE-ARCHER, Estelle Frances

Date of birth: 
1879
Biographical notes: 

Estelle Frances Lee-Archer (1879-1960) was born in Detention, Tasmania, the eleventh of fourteen children born to John Lee-Archer and his wife Mary Anne (nee Lyons).   

Estelle Lee-Archer
Estelle Lee-Archer with Royal Red Cross (2nd Class) decoration c1916
3AGH and 1SAGH, Abbeville, 1 July 1916. AWM PO3088.018
Extract from letter from Estelle Lee-Archer to Prime Minister Lyons, 9.11.1937
Estelle Lee-Archer's restored grave, Cheltenham Cemetery, Melbourne 2013
  • 5807 reads

LEE, Harold

Date of birth: 
1894
Biographical notes: 

Harold Lee was twenty-one years and five months when he enlisted at Melbourne on 7 July, 1915. He was a confectioner by trade and lived with his mother, Matilda Elizabeth Lee, a widowed dressmaker living at 9 Albert St., East Melbourne.

  • 1731 reads

LEE, Roy Martin Corrington

Biographical notes: 

Roy Martin Corrington Lee joined the AIF on 17 June, 1915. He was then 25 years old, married, and working as a Motor or Coach Painter. He had been born in Ballarat, and gave as his next of kin his father, Henry Lee, of Warrnambool. He then crossed this out to make his next of kin his wife, Bertha Alice Lee, living at 412 Albert St., East Melbourne.

  • 1723 reads

LEIGH, Allen Frederick

Date of birth: 
1897
Biographical notes: 

Alan Frederick Leigh was the son of William James Thomas Leigh, a baker by trade, and his wife, Elizabeth, nee Mclean. In 1916, when Alan enlisted at the age of eighteen, the family were living at 476 Albert St., East Melbourne, where Elizabeth ran a boarding house.

  • 1838 reads

LEIHY, John Henry

Date of birth: 
1896
Biographical notes: 

John Henry Leihy was born in 1896 in East Melbourne, but the exact address in not known.  He was the third son of Andrew Richard Leihy and Marion, née Eivers.  Andrew was a French polisher and in 1916 was president of the Furniture Trade Union. He was also a member of the Total Abstinence Society and in 1920 was vice-president.

  • 2475 reads

LEIHY, William

Date of birth: 
1888
Biographical notes: 

William Leihy was born in Fitzroy in 1888.  He was the eldest of the five sons of Andrew Richard Leihy and his wife Marion, née Eivers.  Andrew was a French polisher and in 1916 was president of the Furniture Trade Union. He was also a member of the Total Abstinence Society and in 1920 was vice-president. The family moved to 1209 Hoddle Street, East Melbourne in 1901.

  • 2263 reads

LENNOX, Andrew

Date of birth: 
1890
Biographical notes: 

Andrew Lennox was 25 years and 11 months old when he enlisted in the AIF at East Melbourne. He had been born in Scotland and gave his next of kin as his sister Jenny Lennot, living at 11 Olm St., Pennycuik, Scotland.

  • 2081 reads

LENZER, Simeon

Date of birth: 
1893
Biographical notes: 

Simeon Lenzer was born in Fitzroy on 4 May 1893.  He was the son of Jacob Lenzer and his wife Bertha, formerly Zipporah Brocho Lescht.  Jacob was minister of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation, emigrating from Russia in 1889 especially to take up the position, and which position he kept until his death in 1921.

  • 2298 reads

LEWIS, Louis

Date of birth: 
1891
Biographical notes: 

Louis Lewis's only connection to East Melbourne is his mother, cited as next-of-kin on his enlistment form and living at Canally, on the corner of Powlett and George Streets, East Melbourne. At the time of his enlistment, he was just off 24 years old and was working as a railway clerk.

  • 1747 reads

LEWIS, Raymond

Date of birth: 
1896
Biographical notes: 

Raymond Lewis was a waiter, living in Albert St. East Melbourne when he enlisted on 23 July, 1917. He was a Tasmanian by birth, his father John Lewis living at 269 Murray St., Hobart, with his wife Sarah, nee O'Brien. They had at least four other children: William George (1891), John Francis (1894), Victoria Irene (1898) and Lilian Priscilla (1901).

  • 1794 reads

LIDDY, Michael

Date of birth: 
1885
Biographical notes: 

Michael Liddy is somewhat of a man of mystery. He was born in Fallas Green, County Limerick, Ireland, probably in March 1885, as Michael Augustine O'Dwyer, but when he came to Australia or when and why he changed his name, is unknown. In 1916, when he enlisted, he was 31 years old and working as a Law Clerk with Mr. W. Murphy, solicitor, of 60 Queen St., Melbourne.

  • 1836 reads

LINDSAY, Ina Isabel

Date of birth: 
1887
Biographical notes: 

Ina Isabel Lindsay was born in East Melbourne in 1887, but at the time she enlisted in 1916 she was lving with her mother at 'The Hutte' , Irving Avenue, Armadale, Victoria. She enlisted in Melbourne at the end of 1916, when she was 29 years old and embarked on HMAT Orsova A67 as a Staff Nurse with the Australian Army Nursing Service.

  • 2113 reads

LINDSAY, Robert Henry

Date of birth: 
1882
Biographical notes: 

Robert Lindsay enlisted for war service on 18 May, 1916. He was 34 years old when he joined the AIF, single and a miner at Cootamundra, NSW. He had grown up in East Melbourne, however, with his parents, Matthew and Frances Lindsay, still iving at 30 Gipps St. 

45th Battalion Band, Belgium, January 1917, with Robert Lindsay
  • 2891 reads

LISSON, William Thomas

Date of birth: 
1899
Biographical notes: 

William Thomas Lisson first tried to enlist on 8 March, 1915. He would have been just over sixteen at the time, but claimed to be eighteen and to be working as a jeweller in Hobart, Tasmania. He was one of nine children born between 1878 and 1895  to Adam Claude Lisson and Caroline Gleeson Lisson, who lived at North Richmond, Tasmania.

  • 2285 reads

LITTLEJOHN, Euan Ironside

Date of birth: 
1892
Biographical notes: 

Euan Ironside Littlejohn was born on 26 October 1892 in Nelson, New Zealand where his father William Still Littlejohn had been assistant master at Nelson College since his arrival from Scotland in 1881.

  • 2821 reads

LIVINGSTON, David Frederick

Date of birth: 
1876
Biographical notes: 

1168 Corporal (Cpl) David Frederick (Fred) Livingston, 29th Battalion was from Larraville, NSW, but gave as his own abdress that of his wife's address, 144 Simpson St., East Melbourne, Victoria. A 38 year old grazier prior to enlisting on 5 November 1914, he embarked with the D Company from Melbourne aboard HMAT Ascanius on 10 November 1915.

1168 Corporal David Frederick (Fred) Livingston
Livingston's German Casualty Card
Livingston - notifying his wife of his death
  • 1825 reads

LLOYD, Franklin Samuel

Date of birth: 
1891
Biographical notes: 

Franklin Lloyd was 23 years old, 5 feet eleven inches and weighing twelve stone when he enlisted at Melbourne on 2 July, 1915. He was a gasfitter by trade, and gave as his next of kin his mother, Mrs. Emily Bailey, living at 93 High St., Northcote.  He trained at the military camp in Queens Rd., Melbourne, before being sent overseas attached to the 12th battalion.

  • 1756 reads
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