| [Index] |
| Frederick Arthur ELWORTHY (1891 - 1967) |
| journalist |
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| b. 31 Jan 1891 at Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia |
| m. 03 Apr 1918 Viola Janet (VJ) HANSEN (1893 - 1987) at Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia |
| d. 23 Jan 1967 at Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia aged 75 |
| Parents: |
| Arthur Ernest ELWORTHY (1866 - 1935) |
| Leah Christian ISAAC (1865 - 1930) |
| Siblings (4): |
| Eileen Christian ELWORTHY (1892 - 1956) |
| James Baker ELWORTHY (1894 - 1965) |
| Doris Henrietta (Dobbie) ELWORTHY (1896 - 1975) |
| John Douglas ELWORTHY (1898 - 1942) |
| Children (6): |
| Frank Arthur Ernest ELWORTHY (1919 - 2000) |
| Robert Fitch Ross ELWORTHY (1928 - 1990) |
| Macarthur Arthur James (Cookie) ELWORTHY (1933 - 2008) |
| Grandchildren (19): |
| Events in Frederick Arthur ELWORTHY (1891 - 1967)'s life | |||||
| Date | Age | Event | Place | Notes | Src |
| 31 Jan 1891 | Frederick Arthur ELWORTHY was born | Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia | 15629/1891 | ||
| 22 Aug 1914 | 23 | Enlist AIF | Rosebery Park, New South Wales, Australia | ||
| 08 Aug 1915 | 24 | Wounded - GSW - eye & left leg | Gallipoli Peninsula | ||
| 13 Dec 1915 | 24 | Embarked for Australia & discharge | Suez | ||
| 03 Apr 1918 | 27 | Married Viola Janet (VJ) HANSEN (aged 24) | Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia | 6508/1918 | |
| 30 May 1919 | 28 | Birth of son Frank Arthur Ernest ELWORTHY | Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia | ||
| 13 Feb 1928 | 37 | Birth of son Robert Fitch Ross ELWORTHY | Crowther, New South Wales, Australia | ||
| 03 Feb 1930 | 39 | Death of mother Leah Christian ISAAC (aged 64) | Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia | 1140/1930 | |
| 16 Aug 1933 | 42 | Birth of son Macarthur Arthur James (Cookie) ELWORTHY | Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia | ||
| abt 1934 | 43 | Separated (Viola Janet (VJ) HANSEN) | |||
| 19 May 1935 | 44 | Death of father Arthur Ernest ELWORTHY (aged 69) | Cooma, New South Wales, Australia | 6133/1935 | |
| 23 Jan 1967 | 75 | Frederick Arthur ELWORTHY died | Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia | 13924/1967 | |
| Personal Notes: |
|
Frederick Arthur, eldest of the five children of Leah Christian nee Isaac and Arthur Elworthy was born in Gundagai on 31 Jan 1891. Also Gundagai-born, Leah was the youngest of Elizabeth and John Isaac's seven children. Arthur was the eldest child of James Baker Elworthy and his second wife Henrietta, daughter of William Large, an Irish-born surgeon who practised at Tumut.
Fred went into the newspaper business and was said to be a whizz with printing machinery. His skill was still spoken of admiringly by an elderly ex-Times compositor in the 1980s. A very patriotic man, Fred joined the Commonwealth Cadet Corps, was a member of the Australian contingent at the Coronation of King George V at Westminster Abbey in 1911. In May 1912 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. Fred was a superb marksman and at Bisley he "achieved the distinction of champion rifle shot among all the cadets of the world". Later in Egypt he also distinguished himself as top scorer in the Regiment. When war was declared on 04 Aug 1914, Fred was quick to enlist and two weeks later became soldier No.300, First Light Horse regiment, BSquadron, sailing from Sydney on 20 Oct 1914 aboard the transport "Star of Victoria", His enlistment papers state he was a journalist, aged 23 years 7 months, height 5'8", weight ten stone, eyes brown, hair black and complexion dark. On board ship, from the training camps in Egypt, from the Gallipoli trenches and from hospital beds Fred wrote newsy and descriptive letters home which Arthur published in the Gundagai Times. His journalistic instincts served him well - by quizzing the wireless operator and officers, Fred got all the exciting details of the sinking of the German cruiser Emden by the Australian cruiser Sydney which was guarding their convoy. Although the actual letters have not survived, I copied them in full from the Sydney's Mitchell Library records. The Light Horsemen took their own horses to war and spent about three hours daily attending to them - the poor animals were terribly seasick. Before landing in Egypt Fred wrote that his horse was in fine condition and the Egyptians were very impressed by the splendid horses. The 2000 Australians camped just 10 miles from Cairo, in sight of the 10 pyramids and a mile from the Nile. The Aussies didn't take too kindly to strict military discipline and the guard tent was nearly always full! The extremely hot days and bitterly cold foggy nights took some getting used to, particularly for Fred who was on sentry duty the first seven nights. On 21 Dec 1914 the Union Jack was to be hoisted in Cairo and Egypt proclaimed a British possession. All the Australian troops were going and Fred looked forward to a 'bit of a scrap' to liven things up a bit. The natives were in revolt so precautions had to be taken. During day leave he visited various mosques and churches, Dead City, the Holy Well, Heliopolis where a luxurious German-built hotel was now the troops' hospital, and also climbed the Pyramid of Cheops - so life wasn't all sand, dust and drill.By February there were 30,000 soldiers under canvas. Fred wrote of Gundagai friends - George Elliott, Billy Oliver, Fred Cornett, Alan Hunt, Harold Price, Jim McLean, as Allsop and Vern Harris. The Suez Canal was attacked by Turks on several occasions and although they were repulsed, the long delay put a damper on the Australians' initial enthusiasm. Fred wrote"a few scraps on the Canal with the Turks as a preliminary would be a fine introduction to the art of warfare." Fred's horse dashed his hopes when it slipped on the wet blocks of a Cairo street and fell on him, injuring his foot badly enough to hospitalise him for six days. The fall was very heavy with the left stirrup iron being smashed into four pieces but his greatcoat strapped in front of the saddle and a full feedbag on the left side cushioned the damage somewhat. But you can't keep a good man down - in a musketry course in March, he topped the squadron's aggregate score and probably was top in the regiment as he hadn't heard of any higher score! The Light Horsemen were left behind in Egypt when the First Division was sent to Callipoli. How Fred must have chafed at the bit! Soon casualties from the ill-fated campaign began arriving in Egypt together with news of their heroic deeds. To have a better chance at the enemy, many men - including Fred, volunteered to serve as dismounted infantry. They arrived at Anzac Cove without their beloved horses on 12 May 1915. From 18 March no more letters from Fred appeared until a short censored note from the firing line on 24 May 1915 - the first time they were allowed to write since landing. He said: "1 have not felt the slightest sign of fear yet, although all hell's been let loose a number of times. Australians have made a name for themselves which will live in history and for coolness, daring and determination, they are second to none - they may have an equal but no superior. I fear God and nothing more. 1enlisted to do my duty for my country and as long as God spares me, 1intend to do it." From his experiences Fred had become a fatalist although he took precautions and was not foolhardy. Casualties on both sides were very heavy but he felt the details too gruesome for his parents' ears. "By the time you receive this letter" he said, "the Turks will have had enough and called it quits." How tragically wrong he was! Fred was now a Senior Sergeant and for ten days was in charge of an outpost at the entrance to Dead Man's Gully, above Anzac Cove and near Quinn's Post. "The bullets used to come rather thick at night and things were interesting at times as we were lying fully exposed. The bullets were nothing to the stench that floated down the Gully from the dead. It was awful, make an iron monkey sick!" The slaughter was indeed dreadful with 3-4000 dead Turks lying in front of the Australian trenches. The Turks asked for and were granted, an eight hour armistice to bury their dead. "It was a sight never to be forgotten" he wrote. "I was with a burial party and it was strange - yarning to the Turks and exchanging cigarettes and a few hours later using all your cunning to wing one. I have witnessed sights on land, sea and in the air that will never be obliterated from my memory." The gallant band fought under ghastly conditions until 07 Aug 1915 when Fred was wounded in the eye and left leg. Of his troop, just five were left alive - and he was the only NCO. Evacuated to a hospital in Egypt, Fred played down these injuries in a letter to his mother written on 20 Aug but in a later letter to Tony De Salis on 22 Sep, he described some of the terrible scenes. He also told of the possibility of losing his eye and although the bullet was still in his leg, the flesh wounds from a bomb had completely healed. After seven weeks in hospital, his greatest concern was that he might be sent home! His great concern was realised when he was repatriated on the hospital ship Wandilla, arriving in Sydney on 17 Jan 1916. There was much jubilation in several households when Fred returned to Gundagai on 26 Jan 1916. The town held an official reception in the Council Chambers with the Mayor expressing the opinion that if ever a lad had done his duty to his country, Sgt Elworthy had done his. He added 'he has earned the respect and esteem ofevery man, woman and child in this district.' A large article in the Gundagai Times of 28 Jan entitled WELCOMING A GALLIPOLI HERO also paid tribute to Fred, who said modestly that he didn't deserve all the flattering remarks. He had only done his duty which every eligible young man who was physically fit owed to his country. And he meant it too! He mentioned other local boys who didn't make it home - Beekon, Tom Bell, Bob Sullivan, Bob Isaac, George Frank, Billy Sullivan. "I was quite close to Billy when he was shot through the head and died instantly. He was one of my best mates and I miss him very much." During his 17 months overseas, Fred carried a picture of a lovely young lady. She was Viola Janet, eldest child of Frank HANSEN born 16 Dec 1856 in England of Danish descent, and his wife Hannah Maria nee FITCH born 03 May 1871 at Doctor's Gully near Daylesford in Victoria. On 21 Mar 1916, just nine weeks after again setting foot on Australia soil, the engagement of Fred and almost 23 year old Viola was made public - but they were soon to be parted. On 25 ApI 1916, the first anniversary of ANZAC DAY, the Lord Mayor and aldermen of the City of Sydney gave a luncheon, which Fred attended, to the returned soldiers. From a distance of more than 80 years, many items on the menu wouldn't be now considered party fare - boiled chicken, blancmange and jam, rice custard, prunes and rice! There were other delicacies of course - and plenty of them. Because of medical unfitness Fred was discharged from the army after one year 253 days service, then became a Recruiting Officer. On 02 May Lieutenant Elworthy left Gundagai to take up the important post of Area Officer in charge of 1400 district cadets at East Maitland. Several months later he became Military Representative of the Hunter district, mainly dealing with applications in the Exemption Court of Appeal. In the mid-70s his son Frank met a man at Newcastle who remembered Fred striding along Maitland railway platform slapping his leather gaiters with his swagger stick as newly enlisted men were boarding to travel to Sydney. He said Fred did a marvellous job and was well respected. Apart from duties as Hon. Organist at St John's, Vi kept busy with patriotic fund-raising, teaching Sunday School and training children for concerts. She was a talented pianist and organist, greatly in demand to play for patriotic and social events, often accompanied by Fred's sister Doris. Fred came home as often as duties permitted, but no doubt much of their romance was by correspondence. They must have really liked the town of Albury (where Vi had lived from 1902-06). Fred applied for the job of Secretary of the P & A Society but alas, came second to a bank manager in a field of forty. Nothing daunted, Fred decided to go into the new-fangled moving picture business and bought the open-air Lyceum picture theatre at Harden, taking over at the end of January 1919. Fred was a generous man and no doubt many 'freebies' were given. The Murrumbah Signal of 19 Mar 1919 commended him for the "enjoyable and interesting series of pictures" screened for free in aid of Cootamundra and Burrangong Hospitals, saying he deserved the liberal patronage of the general public. In August 1919, as a conscientious Justice of the Peace Fred advised the Justice Department he now lived at Niel Street at Harden. For almost two years he successfully ran the Lyceum theatre, meanwhile building a new one which opened just prior to Christmas 1920. The Gundagai Times waxed lyrical in describing it " ... a magnificent picture theatre ... best of its kind in any country town ... a specially designed dancing floor ... an up-to-date refreshment establishment where everything in the line can be supplied without going out of the theatre. It is also fitted with a powerful marine engine and very large screen, the throw being 90 feet ... is brilliantly illuminated with electric light also comfortable seats and electric fans ... capable of seating 1,000 people." Wow! Although Fred was a man of vision, maybe he was a little ahead of his time. Sadly but inevitably, the magnificence of the theatre proved a bit much for a small country town and the business eventually failed. At Harden the family had grown to three with Nan in 1922 and Bill 1923. Still undaunted Fred bought a store at Crowther, a village midway between Cowra and Young. He also had an agency for Mungo Scott, flour millers. There were no wheat silos in the district and bagged grain was stacked outside in an area as big as two house blocks. Mail was delivered to the shop by goat cart whilst the shop manager Mr Barrett, delivered groceries to surrounding farms by spring cart. Another baby arrived in 1926, Betty. Maybe his burgeoning family prompted Fred to purchase a brand new Buick touring car with running boards which Frank's airdale Prince considered his special domain. It was easily the most modern and elaborate motor vehicle in the whole district! Although she had domestic help, Vi didn't have time for social life. Frank and Nan were getting their first education from Mr Mostyn in the little school behind the shop but Vi had the two toddlers to care for - then Robert arrived in 1928. Repercussions of the Wall Street crash in USA made their mark in Australia. Before long effects of the Great Depression were widespread. Unemployment was rampant and the failure of many businesses, large and small, was rife throughout the land. All types of people - many quite desperate, roamed the country looking for work or handouts of food - in the idiom of the day "humping their bluey". Country areas were hit just as badly as the cities and Fred's store became unviable. In 1930 a decision on the future had to be made. In such unsettled times and with five children to look after, Fred and Vi had no option but to go back to Gundagai and seek family help. To a proud man it must have been chastening to depend on others for his family's welfare. It is hard to determine exactly when they moved but most likely not too long after Nanny Elworthy's death in February. The family lived in the Elworthy home behind the Times office in Sheridan Street for some months while Fred worked out on the farm. Eventually they moved 12 miles out to Burrenderry where there was room for the children to run about, sheep to be killed for meat and a chance to be self-supporting. The house was very basic. Made from pise or mud-brick, it contained four rooms with a hall down the middle and open verandahs on three sides. When they first pushed open the window of the main bedroom from the front verandah, white leghorns flew in all directions, much to the amusement of the children and the despair of the mother. A snake in the fireplace didn't help matters either! There was no electricity -light was provided by kerosene lamps; washing was done in an outhouse with a wood copper and Mrs Potts irons used to press the clothes. Vi soon learned to make soap and to preserve meat and eggs. Until they could get a vegetable garden established, cabbage thistles made a healthy substitute and wheat was ground for porridge. The children all helped where they could with the chores. Fred was a talented carpenter and as soon as possible he built sleep-outs on the side verandah for the children who had been sleeping with tarpaulins over the beds to keep off winter frosts. Fred made a cement front veranda in place of the packed earth one and also built a tool shed and bathroom. The quality of his workmanship was outstanding - the shearing shed he built at Braemar for 750 pounds, still stands today. In early October 1930 Fred's leg was badly smashed up and he was in plaster and on crutches for quite some time. A year later it still needed specialist treatment in Sydney. Since his Light Horse days, Fred's brother Jim suffered stomach problems and earlier in the year had an operation at St Vincent's in Sydney for ulcers. It may have been at this time he went out to live at Burrenderry where Vi could keep an eye on his diet - and he could help Fred. Added to her duties Vi taught the older children by lessons mailed weekly from Blackfriars Correspondence School. Under her supervision the children did their lessons each day around the dining table - except for Frank who usually managed to complete a week's lessons in one day. If he was lucky it was out the window and off fishing - but mostly he had to help with ploughing and other farm chores. Christmas was a special time for the children when the "Jackwordy" family from Braemar joined with the "Fredwordys" at Burrenderry. The children adored their Uncle Jack who always talked to them and was interested in their doings. Grandfather Uppa drove out to play Santa - rewarding each child with the unbelievable amount of sixpence! Most of the area had been taken up after the First World War by soldier settlers who drew lots for farms. They felt the children needed more than correspondence lessons and a school was now a necessity. An application was made to the Education Department and permission was granted for a 'Subsidised School' near the Bengarralong homestead. Introduced in 1903 these subsidised schools were designed for localities where even minimum attendances required for the smallest of government schools could not be met. The department paid a subsidy for each pupil but parents were wholly responsible for providing a building and a teacher. The fathers - Fred and Jack Elworthy, Herb Robertson, Tom Hainsworth, Frank Henry and a few others pitched in to build a 15' x 12' concrete one-room one-teacher school which stood in a large fenced-off playing area. Unfortunately while mixing the concrete, one of the fathers lost his false teeth! In the third term of 1934, Miss Ursula McEvoy became the first teacher and was still in touch with some of her pupils in the 1980s. Parents were rostered to provide her accommodation - no doubt causing heartache for any misbehaving child who had to face up to both teacher and parents at the dinner table. It may have caused complications for the teacher too! At the end of sixth class students either went to a city boarding school or as weekly boarders to Tumut High. Frank was old enough to go direct to Tumut; Nan stayed until 15 then went to St Cath's in Sydney; Bill and Betty went to Tumut as did Rob who also went to school in Canberra. When Bengarralong was upgraded to a Provisional School at the start of 1938, John Shumack taught until its closure on 28 Jul 1943. Both teachers made a big impact to be remembered so fondly by their erstwhile students nearly 60 years later. Life was not easy for Fred. Unable to sleep because of severe pain from his leg, he spent many nights twiddling on his crystal wireless set, smoking interminable cigarettes. He did not complain - and his children were unaware of his problem. Vi's last child James was born in Gundagai in 1933 and not very long afterwards, Fred and Vi parted company. Fred stayed with his sister Eileen De Salis and family, both at their property Yarrawa near Cooma and from 1937 at Weston in Canberra where he 'masterminded' the extensions to their house. Later he lived in rented accommodation, working with the Commonwealth Department of the Interior. His nephew Dr Eric De Salis recalls that during this period Fred spent many lengthy periods in hospital, his leg still giving much trouble. At the outbreak of war in September 1939, Fred joined the Australian Security Forces spending his time guarding important installations like the Cotter Dam and its vital pumping station as well as Canberra's power station. Fred lived at the Kingston Guest House and Eric well remembers his uncle in khaki uniform - with a revolver at his hip! In 1949 Fred was with Commonwealth Peace Officer Guard Headquarters. A screed he compiled for distribution to fellow officers entitled "Discipline and the Disciplinarian" gives an insight into Fred's own personality and beliefs ... "Discipline means natural obedience, orderliness,justice, mercy, loyalty, honesty, kindliness and moral courage. "A good disciplinarian ... produces discipline naturally by just being himself and acting to the highest sense of what is right. There is a time to be easy and a time to see the slightest dereliction from duty. "You must have a sense of humour. You must like your men, there is something to like in almost every man ... " All his life Fred was a passionately keen trout fisherman and Canberra's streams provided good recreation. He was loved by his De Salis nephews and as the post-war generation arrived he was in great demand as a trusted babysitter. Following retirement Fred moved to Diamond Head Drive on the NSW Central Coast where he had a small boat and fished to his heart's content - no trout of course. It wasn't long until his widowed sister Doris Frew Brown built a house next door, a mutually agreeable arrangement. Fred saw his children and grand children more often than ever before. It was a great sadness to them all that they didn't have a chance to know him better. Although separated for 34 years, Fred and Vi were never divorced. Just six months prior to his death Fred made a new will leaving a sum of money to Vi and to Gundagai Hospital. The balance went to his daughter Nancye on condition she provided satisfactory accommodation for her mother for the rest of Vi's life. As trustee Nancye's husband Frank Mackenzie was given discretion in distributing Fred's effects to his other children and to his 'wider issue'. Unhappily Fred developed cancer of the pancreas and died at Oatlands Convalescent Hospital on 23 Jan 1967 - just 8 days before his 76th birthday. For 15 years his ashes remained at Burrenderry until his children sprinkled them on his favourite fishing spot on the Tumut River on 19 April 1982. Canberra First World War Embarkation Roll Frederick Arthur Elworthy Number 300 Rank Corporal Unit 1 LHR [Light Horse Regiment] (October 1914) Ship Name HMAT Star of Victoria Ship number A16 Date of embarkation 20 October 1914 Place of embarkation Sydney record http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=3542029&I=1&SE=1 |
| Source References: |
| 2. Type: Book, Abbr: Devon to Downunder, Title: Devon to Downunder, Auth: Bettie Elworthy, Publ: Bookbound, Date: 1997 |
| - Reference = 200ff (Name, Notes) |