Rank: Private
Regimental Number: 4980
Place of Birth: Kilkenny, Ireland
Address: 40 Victoria Street, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
Next of Kin: Friend, Thomas Ahearne
Enlistment Date: 18 January 1916
Unit Name: 28th Battalion, 13th Reinforcement
Age embarkation: 27
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Carter
Date of Death: -
Place of Burial: -
Links: -
Rank: Private
Regimental Number: 4510
Place of Birth: Perth Western Australia
Address: Hamilton Street, East Fremantle, Western Australia
Next of Kin: Brother, Mr W Griffiths, Langsford Brewery, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
Enlistment Date: 19 October 1915
Unit Name: 11th Battalion, 14th Reinforcement
Age embarkation: 22
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Assistant tallowman
Rank: Private
Regimental Number: 3079
Place of Birth: Canning Mills, Western Australia
Address: 26 Collie Street(WW1), Fremantle, Western Australia
Next of Kin: Wife, Mrs C Phoebe Barber
Enlistment Date: 19 June 1916
Unit Name: 5th Pioneer Battalion, Reinforcement 7
Age embarkation: 24
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Horse driver
Date of Death: 21 October 1975
Place of Burial: Centennial Park Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia
Links:
https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=12933
https://www.streetsofeastfreo.com/eastfreohouses/30maystreet?rq=barber%20alfred
Rank: Private
Regimental Number: 646
Place of Birth: Newcastle-on-Tyne, England
Address: 52 Glyde Street(WW1: 96), East Fremantle
Next of Kin: Wife, Mrs Emma Kolby
Enlistment Date: 9 August 1915
Unit Name: 28 Battalion, A Company
Age embarkation: 24
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Seaman
Date of Death: 25 December 1936
Place of Burial: Fremantle Cemetery (Anglican Portion A5), Western Australia
Links:
1920 Evidence At Inquest: Gallant Attempt To Rescue Little Girl. At the Fremantle Courthouse this afternoon, the inquiry into the death of Cambridge White, who lost his life while trying to rescue a little girl, who had got into difficulties when swimming in the Swan River, near the North Fremantle railway bridge, on the afternoon of January 2. Alice Irene Hardy, 11 years of age, residing at 19 Bayley-street, North Fremantle, said she was bathing with another little girl and a boy. She could not swim, so put on some cork wings. She got into deep water, and the other little girl called out for help. Witness was not afraid. A man jumped into the water and swam to her. He told her to catch hold of him, which she did, and he started to swim back to shallow water. After going a little distance, however, he told her to let go. She did so, and sank. Mr. Kolby then swam out to her and brought her to the shore. This was the first time she had gone bathing at this spot. Albert Kolby, of 96 Glyde-street, East Fremantle, a lumper, said that at 5 o'clock on the afternoon of January 2, he was going home with deceased. When on the North Fremantle railway bridge they heard cries for assistance, and deceased took his coat and jacket off, and jumped in to assist a girl who was in the water, and who sank once before he reached her. Witness called out, "Are you all right?" and deceased replied "Yes." A little later he called out "Help," and witness went to his assistance. Just before reaching him he heard deceased say very quietly to the girl, "Let go." Then he sank, and did not come up again...The Acting Coroner concurred with the remarks, and drew attention to the fact that Kolby was a returned soldier. (reference)
1915 - 1920: Robert A. Kolby
Rank: Private
Regimental Number: 3382
Place of Birth: Burnley, Victoria
Address: Fire Station, Fremantle, Western Australia
Next of Kin: Mother, Mrs Maria Lundgren
Enlistment Date: 2 August 1915
Unit Name: 12th Battalion, 11th Reinforcement
Age embarkation: 22
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Horse driver
Date of Death: 26 January 1960
Place of Burial: -
Links: -
Rank: Private; Lance Corporal, 07/10/1917; Corporal, 20/12/1917
Regimental Number: 906
Place of Birth: Melbourne Victoria
Address: 332 Mandurah Road(WW1), South Fremantle, Western Australia
Next of Kin: Mother, Mrs Lily Greet
Enlistment Date: 07/02/1916
Unit Name: 44th Battalion Machine Gun Section
Age embarkation: 21
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Clerk
Date of Death: 2 August 1983
Place of Burial: Cheltenham Cemetery, 933 Port Road, Adelaide, South Australia
Links:
https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=181442
https://www.ancestryinstitution.com/family-tree/person/tree/9566995/person/-519384732/story
Rank: Private
Regimental Number: 3003
Place of Birth: Fermanagh, Ireland
Address: 135 High Street, Fremantle, Western Australia
Next of Kin: Sister, Miss Louise Maxwell
Enlistment Date: 29 June 1915
Unit Name: 11th Battalion, 10th Reinforcement
Age embarkation: 37
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Journalist
Date of Death: -
Place of Burial: -
Links: -
Rank: Private
Regimental Number: 665
Place of Birth: Island of Skye, Scotland
Address: 137 (or 187) Duke Street(WW1), East Fremantle / 80 Pakenham Street(WW1), Fremantle
Next of Kin: Wife, Mrs McDonald
Enlistment Date: 28 September 1914
Unit Name: 16th Battalion, E Company
Age embarkation: 34
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Lumper
Date of Death: -
Place of Burial: -
Links: -
Rank: Private
Regimental Number: 6701
Place of Birth: Durham, England
Address: Perth, Western Australia
Next of Kin: Mother, Mrs Margaret McKinnon
Enlistment Date: 6 March 1916
Unit Name: 11th Battalion, 22nd Reinforcement
Age embarkation: 33
Marital Status: Widower
Occupation: Teacher
Date of Death: -
Place of Burial: -
Links: -
Rank: Private
Regimental Number: 6858
Place of Birth:
Address: Boulder, Western Australia
Next of Kin: Mother, Mrs A McLaren
Enlistment Date: 14 October 1916
Unit Name: 28th Battalion, 19th Reinforcement
Age embarkation: 25
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Miner
Date of Death: -
Place of Burial: -
Links: -
Rank: Private
Regimental Number: 2407
Place of Birth: Edinburgh, Scotland
Address: Aberdeen Street, Albany, Western Australia
Next of Kin: Wife, Mrs Martha McMurtrie
Enlistment Date: 24 May 1915
Unit Name: 12th Battalion, 7th Reinforcement
Age embarkation: 39
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Labourer
Date of Death: -
Place of Burial: -
Links: -
Rank: Private
Regimental Number: 1759
Place of Birth: Fremantle, Western Australia
Address: 51 Sewell Street(WW1: 111 ), East Fremantle, Western Australia
Next of Kin: Father, Robert Mitchell
Enlistment Date: 7 July 1915
Unit Name: 28th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcement
Age embarkation: 21
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Grocer
Date of Death: -
Place of Burial: -
Links: -
1914 - 1932: Mitchell, Robert
Rank: Private
Regimental Number: 5784
Place of Birth:
Address: 143 Duke Street, East Fremantle, Western Australia
Next of Kin: Father, Wm. T. Mitchell
Enlistment Date: 20 June 1916
Unit Name: 11th Battalion, 18th Reinforcement
Age embarkation: 22
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Seaman
Date of Death: -
Place of Burial: -
Links: -
Rank: Private
Regimental Number: 4655
Place of Birth: Yamba, New South Wales
Address: Cr George And Silas Streets, East Fremantle, Western Australia
Next of Kin: Father, Mr S Morris
Enlistment Date: 7 December 1915
Unit Name: 11th Battalion, 14th Reinforcement
Age embarkation: 30
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Jockey
THE MORRIS FAMILY
Samuel and Mary Morris and their 8 children were a well-known working class family that lived on the corner of George and Silas Streets, East Fremantle from 1914 until 1925. Three of their sons and one son-in-law served with the AIF during WWl and all returned.
Samuel Morris (1859-1925) & Mary Morris (nee Ryan, 1869-1943) and their family traveled to Western Australia from New South Wales c.1897. Family history says Samuel worked as the chief Pile Driver on the construction of the Fremantle Harbour, which opened in 1897.
The family, with their eight children (and subsequent families) mostly lived in the Fremantle area. In 1910 Samuel, Mary and their eldest son Reginald lived at 22 Hubble Street (now 8), East Fremantle and from 1912-1913 they lived at 151 Attfield Street, Fremantle.
From 1914 to 1925 the Morris family lived on the corner of George & Silas Streets Plympton and the family home ‘Milton’ was next to, and some said, underneath, the Royal George Hotel.
Of Samuel and Mary’s four sons, the second eldest Samuel Stanley Morris Snr. (b.1889) was married with one child and did not enlist in WWI but the other three sons (Reginald Walter, Thomas Adolphus and George Arthur) all enlisted, giving their next of kin as either one of their parents at Silas Street. Reginald and George listed their occupations as jockeys and were initially taken into the Light Horse before transferring together to Artillery. Thomas was a labourer. While not exemplary soldiers the three brothers, and their brother in law made a huge contribution to the war effort. Their war records give a realistic account of life as working class and single men experiencing war in Europe. Perhaps with a ‘larrikin’ spirit- Reg and George made an effort to fight together when they could, and all three returned from the War.
Reginald ‘Walt’ Walter Morris, known as ‘Jockey Jim’ (b.1887-1923) the eldest son, rode as a jockey in unofficial race meetings before and after WWI. He enlisted 14 June 1915 (Service Number 1623), trained with the 10th Light Horse Regiment, and embarked on 23 November 1915 on RMS Mongolia. In Egypt in May 1916 he transferred to Artillery. His Unit- the 111th Howitzer Battery, Australian Imperial Force served in North Africa and France/Belgium. He contracted syphilis while in London and was AWL many times throughout his service. After being arrested in London he was finally court martialed on 4 February 1918, and returned to Australia on 1 May 1919. He never married. He died in Fremantle Hospital.
On March 20, 1923, at the Fremantle Hospital, Reginald Walter, dearly beloved son of Samuel and Mary Morris, of Silas-street, East Fremantle, and a returned soldier, late of the Field Artillery, A.I.F., aged 36 years.’ (The West Australian, Wed 21 Mar 1923 p1) (Reference)
Thomas Adolphus Morris (b.1892-1956) nicknamed ‘Skin’, originally joined up to the 11th Battalion on 14 September 1914 but was discharged a fortnight later, the reason being he was ‘Not likely to become an efficient soldier’ (the usual reason given to men who could not be inducted into the Light Horsemen). He joined up again 8 March 1915 and subsequently went to Gallipoli with the 16th Battalion and was wounded twice (13 July & 8 August 1915) and discharged back in Australia on 16 June 1916. Tom enrolled again on 19 February 1917 and when the ship was in Durban (South Africa) on 23 July 1917 he was noted ‘Absent Without Leave’. Later it was found he had joined the Native Transport Corps of the African Expeditionary Force and was fighting in German East Africa under his own name. Consequently, his record was notated ‘Not Eligible for War Medals’ but on 10 August 1922 he did receive the 1914/1915 Star. Tom married Violet Gwendoline Burton in 1926, and had one daughter Pamela.
George Arthur Morris (1896-1970), nick-named ‘Skinny’, Service Number 4655, enlisted in November 1915 and embarked on the HMAT Miltiades (A28) on 12 Feb 1916 from Fremantle with the 11th Battalion. He then transferred to the 10th Light Horse Regiment, in Egypt, to be with Reg, but Reg was soon transferred to the 3rd Light Horse Regiment. Both then transferred to Artillery. George was hospitalised with VD (Gonorrhoea) in July 1916. In September 1916 he and Reg were both absent without leave and served their punishment together. In May 1917 he was deemed fit for Permanent Base after it was found he was deaf, and was discharged and returned to Australia. He married Doris Hopetoun Pridmore in June 1922, and had two sons. One, George ‘Arthur’ Morris Jr married Phyllis Weston (see Notable People) in Kalgoorlie in 1946 and they are Raymond Morris’s parents- lived at 89 Duke st. (Reference)
Samuel Stanley Morris (b.1889) & Jessie Elizabeth ‘Dollie’ (nee Wisbey) lived at 30 East Street in 1914, 132 King Street in 1916 and 149 King Street in 1917, which was Samuel Stanley’s address when he died of the Spanish Influenza on 14 July 1919. His funeral and burial were held the next day with the funeral procession leaving his parent’s place at the Cnr. Silas & George Streets. Samuel Stanley had four children and his widow subsequently married again in 1920.
The eldest Morris daughter Maggie May Morris (1888-1940) married Neil Miller (b. 1883) in Boulder WA in 1907. Her husband enlisted on the 17 August 1914 at Blackboy Hill – on the day the camp opened - and during the war Maggie lived at ‘Milton’ with her family.
Gunner, Sergeant, Lieutenant Neil Miller (#1796) embarked 31 October 1914 aboard HMAT Medic (A7) from Fremantle and served with 8th Field Artillery Battery, the 35th Fortress Company Australian Engineers 4th Division, and Australian Army Ordnance Corps. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in 1917. (Reference)
MILLER (nee Morris). On July 9, 1940, at Darwin, N.T., Maggie May, the dearly loved wife of Neil Miller (Commonwealth Lighthouse Service), and mother of Mrs. E.A. McNab (of Northern Territory Police) and grandmother of Neil James McNab; aged 52 years. (West Australian, Wed 17 Jul 1940 p1) (Reference)
Mary Anne (Alice) Morris (1899-1961) born Fremantle WA, married James H. Crocker c. 1921
Anna Eileen Morris (24 Dec 1901-1981) born Fremantle WA, married Frank Robson 1923
Nora Kathleen Morris (1904-1985 born Fremantle WA, married Roy Trevor Perham 1934
Family portrait c 1905/6 Standing, Left to Right: George Arthur Morris (b.1896), Reginald Walter Morris (b.1887), Samuel Stanley Morris (b.1889), Maggie May Morris (b.1888) and Thomas Adolphus Morris (b.1892) - they're around and across the back of Mrs Mary Morris (nee Ryan) sitting on the left and Samuel Morris on the right. The girl in the centre of the photo is Mary Alice Morris (b.1899), Anna Eileen Morris (b.1901) is front left, and Nora Kathleen Morris (b.1904) is front right.
Samuel Morris died at Silas Street, Plympton in 1925.
1925 The funeral of the late Mr Samuel Morris, of the Fremantle Harbor Works, and of Silas-street East Fremantle, took place on Saturday afternoon and was largely attended. The deceased, who was 66 years of age, was born at Newcastle, NSW. He had resided in this State, and principally at Fremantle, for the last 29 years. He was highly respected at the Port, and during his residence there he made many friends. A widow and a grown-up family of two sons and three daughters survive him... The pall-bearers were: Messrs. W. Glasson (president), C. Sullivan (secretary), J McKay, C. Reid, W.Steele, and S. Robinson, of the Coastal Docks River and Harbor Works Union of Workers. (The Daily News, 19 Sep 1925 p5)
In loving memory of my dear husband Samuel, who departed this life on September 3, 1925. Also dear sons Samuel, July 14, 1919; and Walter (Son), March 20, 1923. Inserted by their loving wife and mother. (The West Australian, Fri 23 Mar 1926 p1) (Reference)
In 1943 Mary Morris died at her daughters house, 53 Holland Street, East Fremantle
On November 9, 1943, at Fremantle, Mary Morris, widow of the late Samuel Morris, of 53 Holland-street, Fremantle East, loving mother of Thomas, George, Alice (Mrs J. Crocker), Anna (Mrs F. Robson), Nora (Mrs R. Perham) and the late Walter, Cis (Mrs N. Miller), and Samuel; aged 75 years. R.I.P. (The West Australian, Wed 10 Nov 1943 p1) (Reference) Loved mother of George, mother-in-law of Doris, grandma of Arthur (RAAF) and Kevin Morris (RAAF), 9 Edmund-street (changed to Chalmers St), Fremantle, beloved mother of Anna, mother-in-law of Frank, grandma of Allen (AIF) and Val Robson, dearly loved mother of Nora, mother-in-law of Roy (RAAF), grandma of Harry Perham, dearly loved grand-mother of Phyllis, Edna (AWAS), George (AIF), Stan (RAN), Jack (AIF), Fred (RAN), Albert; great-grandmother of Greg, dearly loved mother of Alice, mother-in-law of Jim, loved grandma of Joy, Jim (AIF) and Marj Crocker, grandma of Edith, Eric and Bill McNab (Adelaide, South Australia), our grandma-deeply missed by Joy, George (AIF), and Jan Devereux. (Reference)
Written and researched by Jo Darbyshire, Neil Smithson and from information and photos given by Ray Morris on his great grandparents Samuel and Mary Morris ( 2020)
Rank: Private
Regimental Number: 1623
Place of Birth: Newcastle New South Wales
Address: Perth, Western Australia
Next of Kin: Father, Samuel Morris
Enlistment Date: 24 June 1915
Unit Name: 10th Light Horse Regiment, 12th Reinforcement
Age embarkation: 28
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Jockey
THE MORRIS FAMILY
Samuel and Mary Morris and their 8 children were a well-known working class family that lived on the corner of George and Silas Streets, East Fremantle from 1914 until 1925. Three of their sons and one son-in-law served with the AIF during WWl and all returned.
Samuel Morris (1859-1925) & Mary Morris (nee Ryan, 1869-1943) and their family traveled to Western Australia from New South Wales c.1897. Family history says Samuel worked as the chief Pile Driver on the construction of the Fremantle Harbour, which opened in 1897.
The family, with their eight children (and subsequent families) mostly lived in the Fremantle area. In 1910 Samuel, Mary and their eldest son Reginald lived at 22 Hubble Street (now 8), East Fremantle and from 1912-1913 they lived at 151 Attfield Street, Fremantle.
From 1914 to 1925 the Morris family lived on the corner of George & Silas Streets Plympton and the family home ‘Milton’ was next to, and some said, underneath, the Royal George Hotel.
Of Samuel and Mary’s four sons, the second eldest Samuel Stanley Morris Snr. (b.1889) was married with one child and did not enlist in WWI but the other three sons (Reginald Walter, Thomas Adolphus and George Arthur) all enlisted, giving their next of kin as either one of their parents at Silas Street. Reginald and George listed their occupations as jockeys and were initially taken into the Light Horse before transferring together to Artillery. Thomas was a labourer. While not exemplary soldiers the three brothers, and their brother in law made a huge contribution to the war effort. Their war records give a realistic account of life as working class and single men experiencing war in Europe. Perhaps with a ‘larrikin’ spirit- Reg and George made an effort to fight together when they could, and all three returned from the War.
Reginald ‘Walt’ Walter Morris, known as ‘Jockey Jim’ (b.1887-1923) the eldest son, rode as a jockey in unofficial race meetings before and after WWI. He enlisted 14 June 1915 (Service Number 1623), trained with the 10th Light Horse Regiment, and embarked on 23 November 1915 on RMS Mongolia. In Egypt in May 1916 he transferred to Artillery. His Unit- the 111th Howitzer Battery, Australian Imperial Force served in North Africa and France/Belgium. He contracted syphilis while in London and was AWL many times throughout his service. After being arrested in London he was finally court martialed on 4 February 1918, and returned to Australia on 1 May 1919. He never married. He died in Fremantle Hospital.
On March 20, 1923, at the Fremantle Hospital, Reginald Walter, dearly beloved son of Samuel and Mary Morris, of Silas-street, East Fremantle, and a returned soldier, late of the Field Artillery, A.I.F., aged 36 years.’ (The West Australian, Wed 21 Mar 1923 p1) (Reference)
Thomas Adolphus Morris (b.1892-1956) nicknamed ‘Skin’, originally joined up to the 11th Battalion on 14 September 1914 but was discharged a fortnight later, the reason being he was ‘Not likely to become an efficient soldier’ (the usual reason given to men who could not be inducted into the Light Horsemen). He joined up again 8 March 1915 and subsequently went to Gallipoli with the 16th Battalion and was wounded twice (13 July & 8 August 1915) and discharged back in Australia on 16 June 1916. Tom enrolled again on 19 February 1917 and when the ship was in Durban (South Africa) on 23 July 1917 he was noted ‘Absent Without Leave’. Later it was found he had joined the Native Transport Corps of the African Expeditionary Force and was fighting in German East Africa under his own name. Consequently, his record was notated ‘Not Eligible for War Medals’ but on 10 August 1922 he did receive the 1914/1915 Star. Tom married Violet Gwendoline Burton in 1926, and had one daughter Pamela.
George Arthur Morris (1896-1970), nick-named ‘Skinny’, Service Number 4655, enlisted in November 1915 and embarked on the HMAT Miltiades (A28) on 12 Feb 1916 from Fremantle with the 11th Battalion. He then transferred to the 10th Light Horse Regiment, in Egypt, to be with Reg, but Reg was soon transferred to the 3rd Light Horse Regiment. Both then transferred to Artillery. George was hospitalised with VD (Gonorrhoea) in July 1916. In September 1916 he and Reg were both absent without leave and served their punishment together. In May 1917 he was deemed fit for Permanent Base after it was found he was deaf, and was discharged and returned to Australia. He married Doris Hopetoun Pridmore in June 1922, and had two sons. One, George ‘Arthur’ Morris Jr married Phyllis Weston (see Notable People) in Kalgoorlie in 1946 and they are Raymond Morris’s parents- lived at 89 Duke st. (Reference)
Samuel Stanley Morris (b.1889) & Jessie Elizabeth ‘Dollie’ (nee Wisbey) lived at 30 East Street in 1914, 132 King Street in 1916 and 149 King Street in 1917, which was Samuel Stanley’s address when he died of the Spanish Influenza on 14 July 1919. His funeral and burial were held the next day with the funeral procession leaving his parent’s place at the Cnr. Silas & George Streets. Samuel Stanley had four children and his widow subsequently married again in 1920.
The eldest Morris daughter Maggie May Morris (1888-1940) married Neil Miller (b. 1883) in Boulder WA in 1907. Her husband enlisted on the 17 August 1914 at Blackboy Hill – on the day the camp opened - and during the war Maggie lived at ‘Milton’ with her family.
Gunner, Sergeant, Lieutenant Neil Miller (#1796) embarked 31 October 1914 aboard HMAT Medic (A7) from Fremantle and served with 8th Field Artillery Battery, the 35th Fortress Company Australian Engineers 4th Division, and Australian Army Ordnance Corps. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in 1917. (Reference)
MILLER (nee Morris). On July 9, 1940, at Darwin, N.T., Maggie May, the dearly loved wife of Neil Miller (Commonwealth Lighthouse Service), and mother of Mrs. E.A. McNab (of Northern Territory Police) and grandmother of Neil James McNab; aged 52 years. (West Australian, Wed 17 Jul 1940 p1) (Reference)
Mary Anne (Alice) Morris (1899-1961) born Fremantle WA, married James H. Crocker c. 1921
Anna Eileen Morris (24 Dec 1901-1981) born Fremantle WA, married Frank Robson 1923
Nora Kathleen Morris (1904-1985 born Fremantle WA, married Roy Trevor Perham 1934
Family portrait c 1905/6 Standing, Left to Right: George Arthur Morris (b.1896), Reginald Walter Morris (b.1887), Samuel Stanley Morris (b.1889), Maggie May Morris (b.1888) and Thomas Adolphus Morris (b.1892) - they're around and across the back of Mrs Mary Morris (nee Ryan) sitting on the left and Samuel Morris on the right. The girl in the centre of the photo is Mary Alice Morris (b.1899), Anna Eileen Morris (b.1901) is front left, and Nora Kathleen Morris (b.1904) is front right.
Samuel Morris died at Silas Street, Plympton in 1925.
1925 The funeral of the late Mr Samuel Morris, of the Fremantle Harbor Works, and of Silas-street East Fremantle, took place on Saturday afternoon and was largely attended. The deceased, who was 66 years of age, was born at Newcastle, NSW. He had resided in this State, and principally at Fremantle, for the last 29 years. He was highly respected at the Port, and during his residence there he made many friends. A widow and a grown-up family of two sons and three daughters survive him... The pall-bearers were: Messrs. W. Glasson (president), C. Sullivan (secretary), J McKay, C. Reid, W.Steele, and S. Robinson, of the Coastal Docks River and Harbor Works Union of Workers. (The Daily News, 19 Sep 1925 p5)
In loving memory of my dear husband Samuel, who departed this life on September 3, 1925. Also dear sons Samuel, July 14, 1919; and Walter (Son), March 20, 1923. Inserted by their loving wife and mother. (The West Australian, Fri 23 Mar 1926 p1) (Reference)
In 1943 Mary Morris died at her daughters house, 53 Holland Street, East Fremantle
On November 9, 1943, at Fremantle, Mary Morris, widow of the late Samuel Morris, of 53 Holland-street, Fremantle East, loving mother of Thomas, George, Alice (Mrs J. Crocker), Anna (Mrs F. Robson), Nora (Mrs R. Perham) and the late Walter, Cis (Mrs N. Miller), and Samuel; aged 75 years. R.I.P. (The West Australian, Wed 10 Nov 1943 p1) (Reference) Loved mother of George, mother-in-law of Doris, grandma of Arthur (RAAF) and Kevin Morris (RAAF), 9 Edmund-street (changed to Chalmers St), Fremantle, beloved mother of Anna, mother-in-law of Frank, grandma of Allen (AIF) and Val Robson, dearly loved mother of Nora, mother-in-law of Roy (RAAF), grandma of Harry Perham, dearly loved grand-mother of Phyllis, Edna (AWAS), George (AIF), Stan (RAN), Jack (AIF), Fred (RAN), Albert; great-grandmother of Greg, dearly loved mother of Alice, mother-in-law of Jim, loved grandma of Joy, Jim (AIF) and Marj Crocker, grandma of Edith, Eric and Bill McNab (Adelaide, South Australia), our grandma-deeply missed by Joy, George (AIF), and Jan Devereux. (Reference)
Written and researched by Jo Darbyshire, Neil Smithson and from information and photos given by Ray Morris on his great grandparents Samuel and Mary Morris ( 2020)
Rank: Private
Regimental Number: 971 / 2086 / 3310(AIF Record used) / 7229
Place of Birth: Mosquito Island, Newcastle, New South Wales
Address: Silas Street, East Fremantle, Western Australia
Next of Kin: Father, Samuel Morris
Enlistment Date: 19 February 1917
Unit Name: 44th Battalion, 8th Reinforcement
Age embarkation: 24
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: lumper
THE MORRIS FAMILY
Samuel and Mary Morris and their 8 children were a well-known working class family that lived on the corner of George and Silas Streets, East Fremantle from 1914 until 1925. Three of their sons and one son-in-law served with the AIF during WWl and all returned.
Samuel Morris (1859-1925) & Mary Morris (nee Ryan, 1869-1943) and their family traveled to Western Australia from New South Wales c.1897. Family history says Samuel worked as the chief Pile Driver on the construction of the Fremantle Harbour, which opened in 1897.
The family, with their eight children (and subsequent families) mostly lived in the Fremantle area. In 1910 Samuel, Mary and their eldest son Reginald lived at 22 Hubble Street (now 8), East Fremantle and from 1912-1913 they lived at 151 Attfield Street, Fremantle.
From 1914 to 1925 the Morris family lived on the corner of George & Silas Streets Plympton and the family home ‘Milton’ was next to, and some said, underneath, the Royal George Hotel.
Of Samuel and Mary’s four sons, the second eldest Samuel Stanley Morris Snr. (b.1889) was married with one child and did not enlist in WWI but the other three sons (Reginald Walter, Thomas Adolphus and George Arthur) all enlisted, giving their next of kin as either one of their parents at Silas Street. Reginald and George listed their occupations as jockeys and were initially taken into the Light Horse before transferring together to Artillery. Thomas was a labourer. While not exemplary soldiers the three brothers, and their brother in law made a huge contribution to the war effort. Their war records give a realistic account of life as working class and single men experiencing war in Europe. Perhaps with a ‘larrikin’ spirit- Reg and George made an effort to fight together when they could, and all three returned from the War.
Reginald ‘Walt’ Walter Morris, known as ‘Jockey Jim’ (b.1887-1923) the eldest son, rode as a jockey in unofficial race meetings before and after WWI. He enlisted 14 June 1915 (Service Number 1623), trained with the 10th Light Horse Regiment, and embarked on 23 November 1915 on RMS Mongolia. In Egypt in May 1916 he transferred to Artillery. His Unit- the 111th Howitzer Battery, Australian Imperial Force served in North Africa and France/Belgium. He contracted syphilis while in London and was AWL many times throughout his service. After being arrested in London he was finally court martialed on 4 February 1918, and returned to Australia on 1 May 1919. He never married. He died in Fremantle Hospital.
On March 20, 1923, at the Fremantle Hospital, Reginald Walter, dearly beloved son of Samuel and Mary Morris, of Silas-street, East Fremantle, and a returned soldier, late of the Field Artillery, A.I.F., aged 36 years.’ (The West Australian, Wed 21 Mar 1923 p1) (Reference)
Thomas Adolphus Morris (b.1892-1956) nicknamed ‘Skin’, originally joined up to the 11th Battalion on 14 September 1914 but was discharged a fortnight later, the reason being he was ‘Not likely to become an efficient soldier’ (the usual reason given to men who could not be inducted into the Light Horsemen). He joined up again 8 March 1915 and subsequently went to Gallipoli with the 16th Battalion and was wounded twice (13 July & 8 August 1915) and discharged back in Australia on 16 June 1916. Tom enrolled again on 19 February 1917 and when the ship was in Durban (South Africa) on 23 July 1917 he was noted ‘Absent Without Leave’. Later it was found he had joined the Native Transport Corps of the African Expeditionary Force and was fighting in German East Africa under his own name. Consequently, his record was notated ‘Not Eligible for War Medals’ but on 10 August 1922 he did receive the 1914/1915 Star. Tom married Violet Gwendoline Burton in 1926, and had one daughter Pamela.
George Arthur Morris (1896-1970), nick-named ‘Skinny’, Service Number 4655, enlisted in November 1915 and embarked on the HMAT Miltiades (A28) on 12 Feb 1916 from Fremantle with the 11th Battalion. He then transferred to the 10th Light Horse Regiment, in Egypt, to be with Reg, but Reg was soon transferred to the 3rd Light Horse Regiment. Both then transferred to Artillery. George was hospitalised with VD (Gonorrhoea) in July 1916. In September 1916 he and Reg were both absent without leave and served their punishment together. In May 1917 he was deemed fit for Permanent Base after it was found he was deaf, and was discharged and returned to Australia. He married Doris Hopetoun Pridmore in June 1922, and had two sons. One, George ‘Arthur’ Morris Jr married Phyllis Weston (see Notable People) in Kalgoorlie in 1946 and they are Raymond Morris’s parents- lived at 89 Duke st. (Reference)
Samuel Stanley Morris (b.1889) & Jessie Elizabeth ‘Dollie’ (nee Wisbey) lived at 30 East Street in 1914, 132 King Street in 1916 and 149 King Street in 1917, which was Samuel Stanley’s address when he died of the Spanish Influenza on 14 July 1919. His funeral and burial were held the next day with the funeral procession leaving his parent’s place at the Cnr. Silas & George Streets. Samuel Stanley had four children and his widow subsequently married again in 1920.
The eldest Morris daughter Maggie May Morris (1888-1940) married Neil Miller (b. 1883) in Boulder WA in 1907. Her husband enlisted on the 17 August 1914 at Blackboy Hill – on the day the camp opened - and during the war Maggie lived at ‘Milton’ with her family.
Gunner, Sergeant, Lieutenant Neil Miller (#1796) embarked 31 October 1914 aboard HMAT Medic (A7) from Fremantle and served with 8th Field Artillery Battery, the 35th Fortress Company Australian Engineers 4th Division, and Australian Army Ordnance Corps. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in 1917. (Reference)
MILLER (nee Morris). On July 9, 1940, at Darwin, N.T., Maggie May, the dearly loved wife of Neil Miller (Commonwealth Lighthouse Service), and mother of Mrs. E.A. McNab (of Northern Territory Police) and grandmother of Neil James McNab; aged 52 years. (West Australian, Wed 17 Jul 1940 p1) (Reference)
Mary Anne (Alice) Morris (1899-1961) born Fremantle WA, married James H. Crocker c. 1921
Anna Eileen Morris (24 Dec 1901-1981) born Fremantle WA, married Frank Robson 1923
Nora Kathleen Morris (1904-1985 born Fremantle WA, married Roy Trevor Perham 1934
Family portrait c 1905/6 Standing, Left to Right: George Arthur Morris (b.1896), Reginald Walter Morris (b.1887), Samuel Stanley Morris (b.1889), Maggie May Morris (b.1888) and Thomas Adolphus Morris (b.1892) - they're around and across the back of Mrs Mary Morris (nee Ryan) sitting on the left and Samuel Morris on the right. The girl in the centre of the photo is Mary Alice Morris (b.1899), Anna Eileen Morris (b.1901) is front left, and Nora Kathleen Morris (b.1904) is front right.
Samuel Morris died at Silas Street, Plympton in 1925.
1925 The funeral of the late Mr Samuel Morris, of the Fremantle Harbor Works, and of Silas-street East Fremantle, took place on Saturday afternoon and was largely attended. The deceased, who was 66 years of age, was born at Newcastle, NSW. He had resided in this State, and principally at Fremantle, for the last 29 years. He was highly respected at the Port, and during his residence there he made many friends. A widow and a grown-up family of two sons and three daughters survive him... The pall-bearers were: Messrs. W. Glasson (president), C. Sullivan (secretary), J McKay, C. Reid, W.Steele, and S. Robinson, of the Coastal Docks River and Harbor Works Union of Workers. (The Daily News, 19 Sep 1925 p5)
In loving memory of my dear husband Samuel, who departed this life on September 3, 1925. Also dear sons Samuel, July 14, 1919; and Walter (Son), March 20, 1923. Inserted by their loving wife and mother. (The West Australian, Fri 23 Mar 1926 p1) (Reference)
In 1943 Mary Morris died at her daughters house, 53 Holland Street, East Fremantle
On November 9, 1943, at Fremantle, Mary Morris, widow of the late Samuel Morris, of 53 Holland-street, Fremantle East, loving mother of Thomas, George, Alice (Mrs J. Crocker), Anna (Mrs F. Robson), Nora (Mrs R. Perham) and the late Walter, Cis (Mrs N. Miller), and Samuel; aged 75 years. R.I.P. (The West Australian, Wed 10 Nov 1943 p1) (Reference) Loved mother of George, mother-in-law of Doris, grandma of Arthur (RAAF) and Kevin Morris (RAAF), 9 Edmund-street (changed to Chalmers St), Fremantle, beloved mother of Anna, mother-in-law of Frank, grandma of Allen (AIF) and Val Robson, dearly loved mother of Nora, mother-in-law of Roy (RAAF), grandma of Harry Perham, dearly loved grand-mother of Phyllis, Edna (AWAS), George (AIF), Stan (RAN), Jack (AIF), Fred (RAN), Albert; great-grandmother of Greg, dearly loved mother of Alice, mother-in-law of Jim, loved grandma of Joy, Jim (AIF) and Marj Crocker, grandma of Edith, Eric and Bill McNab (Adelaide, South Australia), our grandma-deeply missed by Joy, George (AIF), and Jan Devereux. (Reference)
Written and researched by Jo Darbyshire, Neil Smithson and from information and photos given by Ray Morris on his great grandparents Samuel and Mary Morris ( 2020)
Rank: Private
Regimental Number: 6030
Place of Birth: Edinburgh Scotland
Address: John Street, Fremantle, Western Australia
Next of Kin: Father, Robert Hay Nestor
Enlistment Date: 8 May 1916
Unit Name: 28th Battalion, 17th Reinforcement
Age embarkation: 23
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Labourer
Date of Death:
Place of Burial: -
Links: -
Rank: Private
Regimental Number: 2529
Place of Birth: Melbourne, Victoria
Address:
Next of Kin: Wife, Mrs Maud Fredericks
Enlistment Date: 2 July 1915
Unit Name: 29th Battalion, 4th Reinforcement
Age embarkation: 31
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Owner shop
Date of Death:
Place of Burial: -
Links: -
Rank: Private
Regimental Number: 7069
Place of Birth: Perth, Western Australia
Address: East Fremantle
Next of Kin: Mother, Mrs Barbara Hicks
Enlistment Date: 11 May 1917
Unit Name: 28th Battalion, 21st Reinforcement
Age embarkation: 18
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Clerk
Date of Death: -
Place of Burial: -
Links: -
Rank: Private
Regimental Number: 52000
Place of Birth: Ballarat, Victoria
Address: Subiaco, Western Australia
Next of Kin: Father, J Egan
Enlistment Date: 9 June 1917
Unit Name: 28th Battalion
Age embarkation: 27
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: School teacher
Date of Death:
Place of Burial: -
Links: -
