The Field Family Newsletter, Edition 36

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The FIELD Family Newsletter

36th Edition, November 2008, Edited by Dorothy Cefarin
Reprinted here with permission

Welcome to another addition of our newsletter but more stories are needed for this paper to continue so PLEASE send them in.
You may have a query or want to know something about your ancestors, dates, graves, where they lived, etc.. Someone out there may know the answer to your question so please send it in so that is can be printed and maybe answered.

Remember that David Rawsthorne and Colin Field use this Newsletter to update their own records. If you do not have access to the internet you can still send your stories, births, deaths and marriages, letters, queries, answers, etc. to:
Dorothy Cefarin
24 Eggleton Street
Blacktown 2148 Phone: (02) 9671-2129
Email: doff202@ unwired.com.au

A big THANK YOU once again to:
Pan Wilcox for her information.

For more Information on our Family Tree:
Colin Field
PO Box 8051
Rivett ACT 2611
Phone: 02-6288-9237 Mobile 04 1860 7487

You can look up our entire family on Colin’s internet website “From A Distant Field”
http://www.pcug.org.au/~cfield/distantf/

David Rawsthorne
PO. Box 139
Lithgow.2790. NSW
Email: http://www.david@davidrawsthorne.com/

You can look up our entire family and grave sites on David’s internet Website:
http://www.davidrawsthorne.com/

Can you help with this enquiry please???

Dear Dorothy, Please read this brief account of my mothers history and get back to me if you feel it is relevant and of interest to your readers.

I am corresponding with what you and the distant Field family might find or consider an interesting and somewhat sad story regarding a missing arm of your family.

It begins on 24th April 1929 in Grey Lynn a small city suburb in Auckland New Zealand where a child was born. Her name Betty Leck. Betty's mother was Inez Edna Leck Her father a gentleman of Chinese extraction who went by the name of Louis Yook (alt. spelling Youk). Due to what was and what was not socially acceptable of the era Betty was abandoned at the age of 3 months by her mother where she was born at Bethany a hospice for unmarried mothers run by the Salvation Army. Unfortunately records show Inez never returned. Subsequently Betty now aged 79 years has never known any of her direct family ascendants. Betty was raised by the Salvation Army in various orphanages and endured the unenviable situation throughout her life of being a stranger to love, and rejection a common companion, which was served up at regular times like a distasteful meal, unfortunately, this sadness remains with her till this very day. Her life in short has been one of emotional turmoil. Extremely difficult for a child then a young girl and following her all thru womanhood and motherhood and sadly still apparent now as a 79 year old grandmother.

Betty's fathers name was never included on her birth certificate. I was recently in New Zealand and visited Bethany believing we would never know the answer to who her father was. But to make enquiries as to any information that maybe gained, I was surprised by some interesting news that although Betty's father was not included on her birth certificate that the information may in fact exist. To my surprise a couple of days later the matron called me at my hotel to inform me that Betty's father was in fact a Mr. Louis Yook/Youk. Inez had divulged the name of her lover to a young nurse in a moment of weakness and it had been reported and recorded. From accounts Louis Yook/Youk was an honorable man who had paid maintenance for 16 years to the Salvation Army to support Betty. My theory regarding this and it is only conjecture, is somewhat sad. Louis I imagine may have been married and could not take responsibility due to the social stigma of his out of wedlock illegitimate child, apart from financial support. I also think Inez would have preferred to keep the fact that she had had an affair with a possibly married Chinaman as all Asians were referred to at the time from becoming common knowledge. My mother informed me that throughout her childhood other children would be adopted and their lives moved on. I assume simply because of my mother’s benefactor this became a cash cow which was somewhat greedily withheld by her carers as Betty's records show she was never to be adopted. Had Betty been adopted the financial assistance which I now believe was being siphoned off to the benefit of others would have ceased. Betty eventually at the age of 16 released from the orphanages and various carers to make her own way in life. She struggled with relationships having never been shown love sympathy or affection. These basic human emotions were sadly omitted from her life and are still somewhat strange to her. A very difficult period struggling with the dynamics of a maturing young lady with no help or support of a family and certainly a limited number of friends.

Throughout this journey of discovery looking for my mothers family we have continuously encountered resistance and a reluctance to provide any worthwhile information, until one day when my mother was visiting the bureau of deaths births and marriages in New Zealand armed with the little information she new from her own birth certificate her mothers name Inez Edna Leck birth date 5/6/1909. An official informed Betty that she had located records of a woman with all the correct details apart from her family name it was in fact Lecaldano, which would have most likely been anglicized to Leck. It made complete sense as to be Mediterranean in the early part of the century in Australia and New Zealand wasn't kosher, so to fit in and become indistinguishable almost invisible to a degree and slip under the radar to avoid ridicule racism and being alienated by society, it was common practice to avoid this horrendous situation, similar to being Jewish during the occupation of Europe almost. The simple answer was to reduce the unpronounceable and lengthy family name to one that at least sounded of Anglo origin.

Betty's mother is the link to the distant Field family from Hartley in the Blue Mountains in NSW. Betty's grandmother was Inez's mother Catherine May Field born 1877 at Hartley married Camillo Lecaldano born 1871 at Lipari Italy son of Guiseppe and Hattia. Guieppe was a customs officer at Lipari. Catherine and Camillo had a son Vernon born 1901 at Sydney and may have had other children between the birth of Inez who was born on the 5/6/1909 at Palmerston North New Zealand. New Zealand records show Linda born 1907 Engla born 1912 were Inez's sisters. Records also indicate Joyce born to Ada and Vernon 1927 and Joan born 1931

Betty lives on the New South Wales central coast with her 2nd husband Dennis Kelly. Betty has 2 sons from her first marriage to Raymond Clarence Parkinson and 3 grand children. Betty's eldest son Ramon Clarence Parkinson born at Rotorua New Zealand 29/10/1951 also has 2 sons both born at Sydney NSW Don 10/10/1997 and Clarke 27/9/2001 Parkinson, both reside at Beaconsfield Sydney NSW Betty's 2nd son Leslie Dean Ross Parkinson (always known as Dean) born 6/6/1953 Auckland New Zealand and now lives at Tamarama Sydney NSW Dean has 1 daughter with Deborah Anne Tarrant born 8/11/1963 Brighton UK Rockie Speranza Joy Parkinson born 17/6/2006 at RHW Randwick Sydney NSW.

Should any of your readers be able to shed any light on Betty's immediate or distant relatives, we would all be most grateful. We can be contacted through the business contacts in the address panel below. Thank you.
Dean Parkinson

Honeywagons Intl. P/L.
ABN 34 070 612 467
Mob. Ph. + 61 412413200
Fax. + 61 2 93654808
email: honeywagons@bigpond.com
Postal Address; PO Box 7309,
Bondi Beach, Sydney NSW. 2026
Australia

Mabel Elizabeth Magee

Mabel Elizabeth Magee- Eldest child of William and Frances Magee (nee Field)
Born: / /1891 in Sydney
Died: / /1947 aged 57 years at North Sydney and buried Roman Catholic cemetery Rookwood.
Married:
1. 1909 Albert Thurlow in Brisbane, son of John and Emma Thurlow (nee Hadfield) of Christchurch N.Z.
Born-16/3/1879 Christchurch, N.Z.
Died- 3/8/1915 accidently killed at Tenterfield and buried Tenterfield Cemetery.
Issue 4 children.

2. 1937 James Patrick Keating
Born-
Died- 1957 at Canberra.

Biographical data regarding

Albert Thurlow:

Albert Thurlow’s parents were living in Christchurch, New Zealand when Albert was born on the 16th March, 1879. His father, Alfred John Thurlow was aged 25 years and a bricklayer, born in Hull, England, while his mother Emma Thurlow aged 21 years and born at Nottingham, England. (Birth certificate No. 2971 Christchurch).

Alfred John Thurlow born c1854 Hull, England.
Emma Hadfield born c1858 Nottingham, England.

Albert Thurlow was a builder by trade and worked at Murwillumbah, casino and Tenterfield. The buildings on which he worked included the Roman Catholic Convent, Scott Street, Tenterfield, the Commonwealth savings bank, the Central and Premier shopping arcades in Rouse Street, Tenterfield.

On 3rd August, 1915 Albert Thurlow was accidently killed while working on a building site in Tenterfield and is buried in the Tenterfield Cemetery.

Issue of Albert and Mabel Elizabeth Thurlow’s 4 children.

Albert
Born: Murwillumbah 1909
Died: 1946 at Wyong.
Married:
1 child.

Dorothy May
Born: Murwillumbah 1911
Died: 1979 Sydney
Married: 3 children
Alfred John*** see Issue, below.
Born: Tenterfield 9/10/1913
Died:
Married: 1934 Joyce Pearl Krahe
Born:26/12/1914
Died: 6/8/1994 Sydney
Ellen Lillian
Born: -/11/1915 Sydney
Died: 1937 (2 months after fathers death)
Married:
1 child

**Issue on Alfred John Thurlow

Alfred John Thurlow worked as a shearing shed hand in N.S.W. and Queensland from 1930 to 1936, and then as a tram conductor, tram driver and bus driver from 1937-1978 when he retired. Since then he has spent a great deal of time compiling his family history.

Issue of Alfred and Joyce Thurlow 3 childen

Raymond John born Sydney 9/10/1935
High school teacher with B.A.

Beryl Joyce born Sydney 16/3/1939
Ex. High school teacher. Now curator at
National War Memorial, Canberra. B.A.
Dip. Ed. Be. (1985)
Married:15/11/1961 to Desmond Strutz
Who works in Dept. of Mining,
Canberra as a Scientist.

Brian Robert born Sydney 18/2/1948
Ex. Carpenter, now Security Officer at
The Reserve bank Perth. W.A.

Arthur John Collits

Arthur John Collits Son of John and Nora Collits
Born: 30/4/1869 “Marragvirnah” Forbes
Died: 14/9/1938 at Forbes District Hospital and buried Methodist portion of Forbes cemetery.
Married: 1. 6/12/1891 Elizabeth Weeks, daughter of William Weeks and Maria (nee Jones) Weeks, at the home of Pierce Collits, Forbes.

2.1899 Betty Ann Hoswell , daughter of George Young and Betty Hoswell. Born 1876. Died. 6/1/1940 aged 63 years and buried at Forbes Methodist Cemetery .

Biographical data

Wesleyan Methodist marriages – Forbes 1884-1908 (G.S.) by Herbert Rumsey 1932
Parents
6/12/1891 Arthur John Collits. John Collits
b. Cowra. Shearer aged 22. Carrier
Eugowra Anora Hennessey

Married

Elizabeth Weeks William Weeks
Sp.Isabella W. Buckley farmer
Private life Maria Jones
Eugowra
Married home of Pierce Collits,
Witnesses-Lillie Collits, Edwin Young

Forbes Advocate – Friday, Sept,16th, 1938

Obituary – Mr. Arthur John Collits

Attacked by gastric influenza last Sunday week with Pleurisy and pneumonia supervening, the death of Mr. Arthur John Collits a well known and highly respected resident of the Forbes district came as a severe shock to a large number of his friends many of whom were not aware that his condition was so critical, as it is less than a fortnight since he was moving around in his usual state of health. His demise occurred in the District Hospital about 5 o’clock on Wednesday afternoon.

The late Mr. Collits was a native of Cowra, and he lived between Cowra and Forbes for the whole of the 69 years of his life. At the time that Mrs. Williamson surrendered the licence of her hotel on the Orange Road, on the Eugowra side of Mr. W. J. Marsh’s home at the eleven mile peg, deceased took over the farming property attached to it, and held it till the land was acquired by Mr. Marsh. He then removed to his late home at the Sandhills near Forbes, where he had resided for 40 years or more.

A man who met with a good deal of personal success in life, Mr. Collits never spared himself in the advocacy of any matter having for its objective the advancement of Forbes and District. He was one of the oldest members of the Forbes branch of the Farmers and Settlers Association, for years actively associated himself with the Forbes P.A. & H. Association and with the Forbes Co-operative Dairy Society Ltd. Which was started during the depression years and he worked untiringly for its establishment, journeyed to Eugowra, Goolagong and other centres for organising purposes. He has always been a member of its directorate and at the recent meeting of shareholders on 2nd September, 1938 was one of the directors who were re-elected unopposed. A man of benevolent disposition and straightforward in all his dealings, his death is deplored by a wide circle of friends in this and the surrounding district.

Mr. Collits was twice married, and in addition to his widow he is survived by six sons and three daughters –Messrs. William J .(Orange Road) Roy and Leslie (Forbes), Arthur, Sidney and James (Sandhills), Mrs. T. W. Webb (Farrand St), Mrs. L. Johnson (Forbes), Miss Beryl (“Peachy”) Collits (Sandhills) . He also leaves three brothers – Harold (Gosford), Ernest (Eugowra district) and Charles (Forbes). The latter was removed to the district hospital the day his brother died.

The funeral yesterday afternoon was largely attended and was to the Methodist portion of the local cemetery. Rev. D. A. Clarke performing the last sad rites at the graveside while Mr. A. G. Jones directed the obsequies.

Forbes C.P.S. – Births

30/4/1869 Arthur John Collits son of John Collits and Honorah Hennessey aged 16 years born Camden. Married 10/2/1868 Cowra. Arthur John Collits born “Marragvirnah”, Forbes.

Forbes Advocate – Tuesday,9th January,1940

Obituary – Mrs.B.A.Collits.

The death took place in the District Hospital on Saturday night of Mrs. Betty Ann Collits relic of the late Mr. A. J. Collits of Sand Hills, Forbes who passed away in September, 1938.

Deceased who was 63 years of age had been ill for some time, but her admission to the hospital only took place a few days prior to her death. She was highly respected by a wide circle of friends and is survived by a family of 5 sons and 3 daughters. They are Messrs. Leslie, Roy, Arthur, James and Sidney (all of Forbes) and Mesdames T. W. Webb (Farrand St.) L. Johnson and Miss Beryl Collits also of Forbes.

The funeral on Sunday afternoon moved from the Methodist Church where a short service was at first held. A large crowd of mourners followed the remains to their last resting place. The service at the church and at the graveside was conducted by Rev. A. Cropp, while Mr. A. G. Jones had charge of the mortuary arrangements.

Forbes Advocate – Friday, 15th September,1944.

In memoriam – COLLITS. In memory of our dear father Arthur John who departed this life 14th September, 1938.
Always remembered by his loving children.

JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON

I wish you and those you love a very blessed, peaceful and safe Christmas as you journey towards the birthday of our Blessed Saviour Jesus..

Love and best wishes from Dorothy

PS.Your subscription of $5 is now due if you wish to receive this newsletter for 2009

NOW DUE $5 SUBSCRIPTION TO THE FIELD FAMILY NEWSLETTER FOR 2009

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