Joan Marie, was born February 18, 1960, and is married to Richard Neil Van Oss (born December 5, 1954 in Michigan). They have three children; Leida Jeanne, Sarah Elizabeth, and Jessica Paige. They live in the Toronto, Ontario area. (While attending their wedding in Thunder Bay, my mother discovered that Richard's father has served under her father, Dirk Molenaar, in the Merchant Marine. Small world, isn't it.
Barrett James, born March 12, 1963, works as a chef in a hotel in Vancouver, B.C., and at last word is still unmarried.
Louise Kathleen, was born on January 30th, 1965. She married Lars Johan Samuelson (born September 2, 1962 in Stockholm, Sweden). They were married in Thunder Bay on June 19, 1988 and now live in Stockholm.
Returning now to the fourth child of William and Alice, � Stanley White Sherren was vorn on August 3rd, 1887, and died on October 5th 1987, just two months after celebrating his 100th birthday. He and his descendants have remained in the County of Dorset, England.
Stanley trained as an Architect, but World War I intervened. He worked for a metal works firm in Croydon for most of his life and became Corporate Secretary of the firm. On April 18, 1922 he married May Lillian Moss (1891-1964) and they have two children:
Margaret Daphne, who was born in 1924. She remained unmarried and cared for her father until his death in 1987.
John Coventry, was born in 1926, and in 1951 married Rosemary Eunite Todman. She was born in 1929. They live in Porchester, England where they raised their family: Valery Margaret born in 1954, married Alan Muncaster and had two children; Suzanne and Stephen Alan. Valerie is attending University in Weymouth where the family now resides.
Ann Patricia, born in 1956, married John Lightfoot on March 22, 1975. John has his PhD.
David John, born in 1962, who has obtained his B. Sc. (Honours) in Geography/Geology. He is currently employed as map curator at Portsmouth Polytechnic, with responsibility for the video system.
- Page 201-
David John was also involved in the raising of one of Columbus' ships which had sunk in Portsmouth Harbour.
The next in line was Ewert Cecil, born in 1889 and died in 1951. Ewert was an Optician and was very well respected in that field. A write up in the UKOPTIC Magazine (United Kingdom Optical Co. Ltd., states that he was a key founder member of this organization and focused on the value and welfare of the work people.
The editor of this magazine goes on to say that he was "one of the fairest people he had ever known". He worked hard and never spared himself. During World War II his services were in great demand outside of his direct responsibilities at UK. However, no matter how great the pressure on him, he remained calm, judicial, and essentially wise. The magazine goes on to say that "he has been rightly termed one of the chief architects of U.K. as we know it today". He was Chairman of the Board of this organization when he died.
In 1919, he married Dorothy Beatrice Moss, the sister of May Lillian Moss, and had two children.
Joyce Doreen, born in 1920. Joyce has never married, but has devoted much of her later years to researching our William & Alice line of the family tree.
Ian Grahar, born in 1929. Ian was employed as an accountant at Laings (large building organization) until his retirement in 1989. He periodically joins his sister Joyce in her search for more data for our Tree.
Then came Norman Hall, who was born in 1891 and died in 1981. On September 2, 1928 he carried May Josephine Blackman (1898-1978). We have no further information on him as yet.
Eric Vernon, was born in 1894, but died as an infant. He is buried with his father at Sunnydale cemetery.
The last in the family is Frusan Irene Kathleen Sherren, who was born in 1895 and died as a young lady in 1918. No further information about her is available.
This is the end of the families who have direct links with the original William who lived in Broadmayne, Dorset during the 1700's.
The next chapter of the book is devoted to the branch of the family who are living in Australia. At this time I believe the Australian Sherrens may be most closely linked with the families of Broadmayne.
- Page 202 -
Thinking Well is Wise,
Planning Well, Wiser,
Doing Well is Wisest,
And Best of All.
- Page 203 -
The Sherrens
of
Australia
- Page 204 -
AUSTRALIA
Officially, the "Commonwealth of Australia" is the smallest continent and the sixth largest country on the earth, lying between the Pacific and Indian Oceans in the southern hemisphere and covering an area, including Tasmania, of 2,966,144 square miles. Its capital in Canberra.
Australia is generally hot, however Tasmania and the Mount Kosiusko area have snow fields in the winter. It experiences frequent heat waves, with daytime temperatures sometimes exceeding 100 degrees. About 18% of the continent is forested, and sugar cane and cotton are common crops.
The area is rich in several mineral resources including bauxite, iron ore, black coal, petroleum, and natural gas; and supplies nearly 18% of the global reserves Of uranium.
Much of the continent's animal life is unique; and best known are its distinctive marsupials, such as the koala bear, kangaroo and the duck-billed platypus.
The population is just over 15 million and is spread thinly over the continent. The population is remarkably homogeneous as a result of the strict enforcement of a 'de facto' white Australian policy. However, it has one non-white minority, the Aborigines. The principal religion is Christianity with Anglicans and Roman Catholics predominating.
Australia is a federal state governed by a constitution adopted in 1900. Symbolic executive power is still vested in the British Monarch, who is represented through-out Australia by a Governor-General.
The first voyage by Europeans to the continent was by the Dutch in 1606, however, they made no effort to colonize the area. Then in the late 1600s, Captain James Cook took expeditions, picking up plants and flowers, near what is now known as Botany Bay. As well, at that time the British did not settle the area because of its preoccupation with North America.
In the early 1800s, convicts could no longer be transported to America, therefore Cook established penal settlements to ease the pressure on the overcrowded british prisons. Sore of the convicts, as well as the british marines and the prison officials who brought them, became a integral part of the settling and development of this land.
In payment for services, these guards were given land grants, which they homesteaded, and bore out a living. Prisoners who had served their term were also provided with parcels of land which was the beginning of the flourishing sheep industry.
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The final section of the family book is dedicated to a branch of the family found in Australia. I have placed it following the section on the Broadmayne Sherrens, since at this time, I believe the ancestor, Philip Sherren of the Australian branch is one of the sons of John, born in 1778, found on page 202 of the Broadmayne section. There has also been speculation that the father of William of Australia, was also a William.
It is also possible that William was a descendent of Adam Sherren who lived in Somerset County in the late 1700s, who was married to Martha Richards in 1778. Only further investigation, and perhaps an examination of the Somerset records, will substantiate this.
Derk Sherren, who was instrumental in putting together that part of the book, plans to continue his research of this section of the family tree and hopefully find the link.
In England, in the County of Somerset, which is a short dis-tance to the north west of Dorset County, records show that on March 29, 1814, a William Curtis Sherren was born. He was the son of Philip and Grace Sherren (nee Curtis), who also had another son, John Curtis Sherren born April 23, 1816.
Philip, whose occupation is listed as Lieutenant of the Royal Artillery, rose from the rank of sargeant and was gazetted as a 2nd Lieutenant on the 1st of May 1808 (earning 4/-per day). It appears that he had suffered from wounds, since he was seconded to an invalid battalion and died on August 16, 1837.
Since we will be following the descendents of William, I will insert what is known about John Curtis (younger brother of William) at this point. He was married in England to Harriett Stagg in the Church of St Martins in the Field, Westminister, London, on October 7, 1838. He then went to Australia around 1857, where he owned and operated a butchers shop in what is now known as South Melborne.
His daughter, Harriet Louise, died prior to the family moving to Australia; and their eldest, Grace Maria, died in 1859 at the age of 19 years. John died on July 29, 1873, and is buried in the Melbourne General cemetery. Since his wife Harriet does not appear in further records, it is assumed that she returned to England.
William earlier immigrated to Tasmania in 1836, and six years later went on to Victoria, travelling with the Austin family. The Austins were very prominent in the early development of the Western District; in particular, Thomas, who founded Barwon Park near Winchelsea.
- Page 206 -
William Sherren
William immigrated first to Tasmania
and then to Australia in 1836. He is
the ancestor of all Sherrens living
in Australia.
- Page 207 -
View Family Tree of William Sherren m. Anna Maria Smith, - Page 208 -
The Sherren Family
Jane Sherren 1856 -
William Sherren 1847-1929
John Curtis Sherren 1863-1939
Philip Sherren 1858-1916
- Page 209 -
James Austin was transported to the Colony of Tasmania on a conviction of a minor nature in England. Then, after becoming a free man, he traveled to Victoria with his brothers and acquired a lease of around 9000 acres which was known as Yeo Station.
Little is known about the early years of William, other than he was married to Anna Maria Smith in the Presbyterian Church in Geelong by the Rev. Andrew Love on January 14, 1843. Anna, born in 1822 in Wiltshire County England, was the daughter of Robert Smith, a blacksmith, and Elizabeth Maxfield.
From 1846 to 1849, William obtained a pastorial lease from the government for "Meadoranooke", a property in the Portland Bay District consisting of 3,648 acres. The land was located on the south shore of Lake Colongulac (then known as Lake Medoranooke) four miles from Camperdown. It had a capacity of 700 cattle or 4000 sheep. However, the land was poor quality and in 1860 was abandoned to scrub.
William initially joined Thomas Austin and managed this property for him, before moving to Bushey Park, which he leased from the government prior to purchasing it. This was a section consisting of 2000 acres situated in both Yeo and Polwarth Counties.
The property was also used to make bricks, since it was only covered with light scrub. One of the brickmakers was a Methodist minister, E. Usher. Ministers in those days had to earn their own money for sustenance, since the farmers could not afford a full-time preacher. In 1870, William used these bricks to build a two-story home.
He was also a member of the Colac Shire Council from May 1864 to 1865. The first "ordinary" meeting of this Colac Shire Council was held on July 14th, 1864. In attendance were Hugh Murray (President), and councillors A. Dennis, S. Bromfield, J.H. Conner, J. Chapman, W. Sherren, and F. Butches.
William and Anna had eight children, the first three being born in the Colac area and the remainder near Bushey Park.
Mary 1844 - 1925 Page 211. Anna Marie 1846 - 1868 Page 214. William 1847 - 1929 Page 215. Elizabeth 1852 - 1892 Page 216. Jane 1856 - 18__ Page 216. Philip 1858 - 1916 Page 218. John Curtis 1863 - 1939 Page 225. - Page 210 -
William died on November 22, 1874, at the age of 60 and Anna in 1896. Both are buried in the Warncoort cemetery, C.O.E. section, which was then known as Irewarra.
Mary, the first daughter of William and Anna, was born on May 16, 1844 at Colac, Victoria, Australia. Although she was born of a rather upper class family for the region, she had a very independent nature (which seems to run in many Sherrens), and learned to do everything that was necessary in order to survive the hardships that was to come later in her life.
While still only 16 years old, she was courted by a James Price (who worked for her father), and wished to marry him. However, because of her age (or that William did not take kindly to her suitor), she was not permitted. Therefore, they eloped, making their way north to the Dennison gold digging area of New South Wales.
Here, James changed his name to David James (using his first name last and taking his first name from his brother), we can assume, to hide from Mary's father. They built a home out of large timber and Mary raised nine children.
When the gold petered out at Moonan Brook, David left home to find work. He wanted his wife to go with him, but she did not want to leave. It is believed he established a farm in the Morpeth area (200 Km south of Moonan Brook) and sent her money from time to time.
After residing in that area for awhile, he became a wardsman at the Scone District Hospital, and also pumped the organ at St. Lukes Anglican Church Scone. Later in life, he lived with his daughter Anna Keevers at Scone.
In 1905, Mary, began caring for her baby granddaughter, Olive
Simpson. She did this because she thought her daughter, Mary Simpson, had too large a task raising three baby girls in the mountains, where her home could only be reached by horseback. Olive lived with her grandmother until she died in 1925.
Mary's son, Ted, also lived with her until she died. Ted had land well up in the hills where he had cattle, but came home on weekends to replenish his mother's food supplies.
Mary made bread in a camp oven, over an open fire, until she got a stove. She had plenty of fruit trees around her home, and made jams and dried plums in the sun. She also had a vegetable garden and a couple of milk cows.
- Page 211 -
David James
(James Price)Mary Sherren 1844-1925
Wife of David James- Page 212 -
She set milk in large flat dishes and skimmed the cream off to make butter. When the cows were giving plenty of milk she made cheese at a neighbour's place. She also kept a couple of pigs and when ready, they were butchered and she made bacon.
When Olive was older, she helped milk the cows and ran the hand-operated separator. As well, she helped make the butter which they sold to neighbours. Mary also raised money by selling eggs from the hens that she kept.
It is believed that because Mary eloped, she was ignored by her family until her father's death. However, a letter written to her at that time by her sister seems to indicate that she was then accepted by her family. It appears that she also took that opportunity to visit her family. Mary's son, Ted, also went to Victoria to learn more about the Sherrens, but it is not known how he made out.
After the death of her father Mary's family sent her a couple of large sums of money. One of those bank drafts was for 45 pounds, which in those says was money enough for two years.
In 1925, after a period of illness, the bush doctor sent Mary to the hospital in Scone, but she died shortly after on January 25. The James' family home at Moonan Brook, which is not standing today, eventually came into the hands of Ted James.
David James died on April 24, 1915, and his Welsh bible is now in the hands of one of his grandaughters, and is said to be one of the oldest in Australia.
The children of Mary Sherren and David James are:
Anna Maria, born April 7, 1863, is buried in Scone, NSW, Australia. She married Matthew Keevers and had a family of eight children; George, Jane, Adolphus, James, Walter, Aubrey, Albert and Olive.
William Isaac, born April 14, 1865 who died in 1938 and is also buried in Scone. He married Mary Ann Simpson and their children are; Hilda, Francis, Ernest, Elsie, George, William, John, Edith, and Archibald,
John Samuel, born on November 2, 1867 was never married and is buried in Glouchester, N.S.W..
- Page 213 -
James Edwin (Ted), was born on April 4, 1871, at Moonan Brooke. He is also buried at Scone and had never been married.
Matthew Augustus, born June 14, 1873, and died in 1952 at Sandgate, NSW. In 1897, he married Isabel Urquhart. In 1914 he was married the second time to Elsie Crouch and had four children; Leonard, Evelyn, Vivien and Noella.
Mary Elizabeth, who was born on April 15th, 1876, at Moonan Brooke, and died on June 4th, 1954, is buried at Scone. She married William Simpson on June 19, 1901 and raised eight children. The first was Edith, then Olive, Vera, Annie, Irene, Melba, Florence and Dulcie.
The person who provided the details on the families of Mary (Sherren) James was Mrs. Gaye (McCosker) Drady. She is the great granddaugter of Mary Elizabeth, and her grandmother is Vera, the third daughter of Mary Sherren.
The seventh in the family of Mary (Sherren) James was Philip Adolphus, born May 16, 1878, who died September 7, 1968 and is buried at Scone. He was married to Ellen Urguhart and had no children.
Jane Edith, born on July 21, 1880, was married to Joseph Wells and had four children; Austin, Aileen, Pauline and Mavis.
The last in the family was Emily Adelaide, who was born on January 1st, 1883, at Moonan Brook and unfortunately died as an infant on September 20, of the same year.
Back to the family of William and Anna Marie, the second in line was Anna Marie, born March 6, 1844. At the early age of 17 she married Samuel Talbot who was 24 years her senior, being born in 1822.
There was a reference to him which appeared in the book "Victoria and its Metropolis, Vol. 2 Past and Present" which was published in 1888. In it is written:
"Samuel Talbot, Birregurra, was for nine years station manager for Mr. J. Austin, having been most of his time at Yeo Station near Colac. In October 1863, he was married at Melbourne and purchasing 1197 acres of land 'Yeo Vale' near Birregurra, settled down to (other) pursuits. Mr. Talbot is a native of Somersetshire, England and landed in Melbourne in 1853."
- Page 214 -
Anna and Samuel had three children:
Anna Marie, born November 2nd, 1864, does not appear to have married.
Thomas William, July 17, 1866, married Annie Gibb in 1897, who was the daughter of Thomas Gibb and Ellen Rippon. They raised a family of six: Gladys Mary (1897), Samuel Thomas (1900), Norman (1903), Florence (1906), and twins Annie and Mabel (1907).
James Robert, born 1868, married Charlotte Dora Bound, a Londoner, in 1893. He was a founding member of the Birregurra Rifle Club which was formed in 1900. They had two children; Hilda Annie (1894) and James Clive (1895). James, a gunner in unit V2a 'TMB' enlisted on April 2, 1915, and was killed in action on September 22, 1917. A memorial window in Christ Church in Birregurra (National Trust) bears his name.
After the death of Anna, in 1868, at the age of 22 years, Samuel was remarried to Lavina Byron, but did not have any children. Samuel died in 1897 and all are buried in the Warncoort cemetery.
William Sherren, the first son of William and Anna, was born at Colac in 1847. As a young man he worked for a while in his uncle's butcher shop in Emerald Hill. After the death of his uncle, he returned to Bushey Park and took over management of the family property when his father died in 1874.
He married Lydia Silk, the only daughter of Edward Silk and Edith Pierce, from Wiltshire, England. They were married at the home of the bride's parents in Irrewillepe, which is a short distance from Colac.
The Bowden's first cricket club was formed during 1866, and William (Sr) was on the first committee, and his son William was on the membership list. He was also one of the players selected for the first match held on April 16, 1868.
In 1888, he was vice President of the Birregura Football Club and elected to the Colac Council, serving for a continuous period from 1883 to 1897. He was also a Justice of the Peace during this time. After leaving Bushey Park, he took over the property known as Yeomont until the turn of the century.
- Page 215 -
Lydia died in 1914 of cancer and her eldest daughter Edith in 1917, both in Geelong where they lived. Later, William moved with his family to Hawthorn East, where he died on the 31st of August, 1929.
William and Lydia had a family of eight; the first, were two sets of twins, Edith Annie and William Edward, and Frederick Philip and Mary Elizabeth. Next was Annie Lydia, Ethel Grace, Harold John and Ivy Jane. Ethel married Thomas Champ and was the only one in the family to marry.
Then came Elizabeth, born at Yeo Station on September 4th, 1852. She marries Frederick Samuel Orchard, who came to Australia in 1869, from Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire, England. They were married in Christ Church, Birregurra, but later moved to Geelong where he was employed as a bookkeeper
They had a total of eleven children, four of whom died before reaching the age of six years. Elizabeth died of convulsions on July 21, just two days after giving birth to her youngest daughter.
Their children were: Millie Elizabeth Sherren (1877-1878), M & F (stillborn 1878), Norman Percy(1880-1960), Edgar Harold (1882-1962), Hector Charles (1884-1957), Stanley Frederick (1886-1891), Leslie Bertram (1888-1967), Sidney Rupert (1890-1918), who was killed in action in France and Bessie Dorothy (1892-1971). Jane Sherren was born on the 12th of April 1856. In 1895, she was married to William McKenzie, and moved with him to Tasmania which was his birth-place.
They raised two children, Gladys and Talbot. Unfortunately there is no further information on this family.
Elizabeth Sherren - Page 216 -
View Family Tree of Philip Sherren m. Robina Johnston, - Page 217 -
The sixth in the family of William and Anna was Philip, born on May 31, 1958 at Birregurra. He was educated at Geelong Grammar School where he distinguished himself as an athlete, winning the school cup for athletics in 1876.
On April 16, 1889, he marries Robina Davidson Johnston, the daughter of James Johnston and Margaret Brown Howden. He took over the old home property at Bushey Park where he and Robina raised six children who were all born in Birregurra, except the youngest.
A Geelong solicitor named Gray attended to the Sherren legal matters and held the titles to the properties of the three brothers, William, Philip and John Curtis, as well as holding trust funds for them. He forged their signatures, took out mortgages on their properties (as well as on other clients), which netted him a considerable sum of money, and then he fled to America.
This left the brothers in considerable financial difficulties and the properties had to be sold. At the time, this caused quite a sensation and led to changes in the legal system. The legal decision is still used in law school today and quoted to law students.
Philip then managed Woolamata Station at Lara, and in the early 1900s, took over the management of Pine Grove, Flinnstead, which was near Rosedale in Gippsland. This is about 190 km east of Melbourne.
In March of 1908, Robina, while pregnant, had an accident driving a horse and buggy. The horse shied, she was thrown out, and died shortly after giving birth to her youngest son George.
The family moved into a house called 'Belle Vue', in Rosedale and Philip later took on the job of local pound keeper. Their daughter Ruby, only 16 at the time, left school and took over the running of the household.
Philip died on October 5, 1916, at Belle Vue, Rosedale, and was interred in the Rosedale Cemetery.
The first child of Philip and Robina was also a Philip Cyril who was born on November 9, 1890. After the death of his mother, he went to Melbourne where he completed a bookeeping course after which he moved to Ballarat. Here he stayed with his aunt, Mrs. Sophie Selleck, and obtained a position as clerk with the ElectricSupply Company which ran the trams.
-Page 218 -
He was a keen runner and was secretary of the east Ballarat Harriers until the outbreak of the war in 1914. He immediately enlisted as a signalman in the 8th Battalion and sailed for Egypt on October 19th.
After training in Egypt he took part in the Gallopoli landing on April 25, 1915. He was badly wounded by shrapnel and was taken by the hospital ship to England where he entered the Wandsworth Hospital. After a stay of nine months, as well as a period of convalescence in the Glastonbury area, in 1916 he returned to Australia in the hospital ship Chelmer.
On board, he befriended Leonard Clayton and Jim Gray who had been prisoners of war in Germany and had developed tuberculosis. After a spell at the Caufield Hospital to regain his strength, he was a regular visitor at the Grays in Geelong.
Jim's health deteriorated and it was not long before he died. Philip made all the necessary arrangements for the funeral, etc and later he was able to arrange for Jim's family to move into a war service home. Philip divulged to his sister Ruby that in fact Jim was the son of the solicitor who had earlier defrauded his family. To Philip's honour, he never mentioned this to Jim.
Philip was also a frequent visitor to the Clayton home in Surry Hills, a suburb of Melbourne, and on October 17, 1917 he married Gertrude Clayton. Their first home was the Gunyah in Bowen Street, Camberwell. They soon outgrew this and moved temporarily to Angle Road, Deepdene and later to 17 Rubens Grove in Canterbury where they raised their family.
Soon after his return from England, he joined the Melbourne and Metropolitin Tramways Board. He was promoted to the position of Chief Clerk which he held until his retirement.
In spite of hardships, including the depression, Philip always found the means to take his family on a couple of holidays each year and maintained a special closeness with his family. Easter, for instance, was spent in rented houses in Belgrave, in the Dandenong Ranges east of Melbaurne; and the Christmas holidays were spent at various locations along the shores of Port Philip Bay.
- Page 219 -
Later they enjoyed these occasions closer to Melbourne, so Philip could travel daily to his work, the family being fortunate to own automobiles during this time. One of these cars in particular, a 1926 Chevrolet, was wonderfully reliable and lasted into the 1950s.
At the time Philip was operated on for his war wounds, they were unable to remove some pieces of shrapnel which were very close to his lungs. For many years, caused intermittent internal bleeding and he had to avoid vigorous exercise.
His wife Gertrude had a stroke near the beginning of the 2nd World War (1939-1945), and the daughters took turns looking after their mother. She died in 1954.
Philip later married Myra Wood, a long time friend of the family, and moved to 1 Wellington Avenue, Blackburn. He later developed Parkinsons Disease and died on April 29, 1968, at the age of 77.
Philip and Gertrude had four children:
Dorothy Gertrude, who was born March 4, 1919, began her education, as did all her siblings, at East Camberwell Elementary school. They also continued on to University High School. She was keen on sport and was captain of the school hockey team.
She first worked at the commonwealth Bank, but left to look after the family when her mother had a stroke. She later took up nursing, and lived at Reservoir.
She married Norman Richard Mobberley and raised their family:
Judith Helen, born March 14th, 1951, is married to Douglas McIntosh and has two children, Grant Douglas (1974) and Kylie Helen (1976).
Neil Richard, born January 23, 1953.
Dorothy and Norman have retired to Tootgarook, which is on the Mornington Peninsula, south of Melbourne on Port Phillip Bay.
- Page 220 -
Margery Aimee, born July 29, 1920, the second child of Philip and Gertrude. After her schooling she worked for the T & G Mutual Life Assurance Society.
After the outbreak of the war she worked at the commonwealth Aircraft Factory at Fishermans Bend. Later she resigned and looked after the family home.
She married Max Oliver Muller on the 21st of June 1947, and lived in Rostrevor Parade, Mont Albert, a Melbourne suburb. They later went to live in Horsham, where Max established a refrigeration business.
They had three children: Jill Wendy, born September 18, 1949, Roger, born September 25, 1952, and Andrew, born October 10, 1955. Jill married Graham Barrett and has one child, Allister, born September 17, 1987.
Nancy Lydia was born on May 12, 1924. After leaving elementary school, she went to Mount Albert Central School, and then to the Presbyterian Ladies College. She qualified as a metallugist and worked in the laboratory at McPhersons Ltd., in Melbourne.
On September 21, 1951, she married Malcome Bruce Elms, who was a partner in the families engineering business, which he took over after the father's retirement. Nancy and Malcome raised four children.
The first was Barbara, born in August 1952 who only lived four days; then Margaret Jennifer, born September 18, 1953. Margaret was married to Anthony Rudolph Arthur Bateman on August 14, 1976, a solicitor, and resides in Castelmaine with their three children: Eliza Gwen (1982), Julia (1984), and Michelle (1957).
Nancy's third child was Bruce Jeffery, born July 31, 1955. In September 1979, he married Alison Parsons and they have four children: Ben (August 10, 1982, died as an infant), Joanna (April 10, 1987), and twins named Danielle and Alexandra (April 8, 1989).
The youngest, Mendy Judith, was born March 26, 1963, which is all the information I have about this family.
- Page 221 -
Philip Stuart (known as Stuart) so as to avoid confusion with his father, was born on December 17, 1921, and was the only son of Philip and Gertrude.
He also attended the East Campberwell Elementary School and then went to University High School for two years. He finished up his education with three years at Scotch College.
In 1939 he joined the Bank of New South Wales (now the Westpac Banking Corporation), and during the war served with the 2nd. Survey Corps. He was transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force and trained as a pilot under the Empire Air Training Scheme.
From there he went on to Centralia S.T.F.S. (Service Training Flying School) in Ontario, Canada, where he gained his wings. Then it was off to England and further flying instructions at Babdown Farm A.P.U. (Advanced Flying Unit), Gloucestershire, Moretown in the Marsh O.T.U (Operational Training Units), and Glos, Dishforth, HCU (Heavy Conversion Unit).
Then he was posted to 462 Squadron, RAAF, at Driffield, Yorkshire Flying, Halifax, 111s. The squadron then moved to Foulshar, in Norfolk. He attained the rank of Flying Officer.
After the war, he returned to the Bank of NSW and served in Melbourne and suburban branches. On April 7th he married Peggy Lennard, the daughter of Sutton Hector and Mabel Annie Lennard.
The family lived in Blackburn until he was transferred by the bank to the country in 1971. Ha spent two years at Linton, three years at Elemore and was the manager at Camperdown, near Lake Mederinook. This is where William Sherren first took up a land holding in 1848; and was the one responsible for naming it 'Mederinook'.
Philip and Peggy have two sons:
Malcolm Philip, born January 21, 1954, attended Blackburn State School and Blackburn High School. When the family moved to Linton, he attended Ballarat College, completing a tertiary course at Melbourne University.
- Page 222 -
He was first employed by Pancontinental Mining as an environment officer in Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory. He later joined the Environment Protection Authority at Traralgon, a victorian country town.
He enjoys golf and skiing, and lives in East Malvern, a suburb of Melbourne.
Geoffrey Ian, born August 9, 1956, the younger son of Philip and Peggy also attended the same schools as his older brother. He also completed a tertiary course at Latrobe University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Honours in Geology.
He was first employed by C.R.A. as an exploration geologist, based at Alice Springs, Central Australia. He left CRA to complete a computer course and joined Broken Hill Proprietary Co. Ltd.
At Latrobe University, he met Rohani Paiman, a Malaysian student, who stayed on and gained her PhD. in Science (Chemistry). She then returned to Malaysia, where she tutored at the Sabah University in Kota Kinabala,
In 1985, Geoffrey was sent by BHP (Broken Hill Proprietory Ltd,) to Sabah, as a geologist to explore for coal. He was badly infected by a jungle virus and had to resign from that position.
He and Rohani were married on June 20, 1986, at Bukit Gambir, Johore, Malaysia, where her parents (Paimin Adar and Raseah Hussein) lived. Their first child, Daniel Zakaria, was born on April 19, 1987 at Kote Kinabala.
They returned to Australia that year where he resumed employment with BHP in their computer section. Their second child, Arlene Zelina, was born April 19, 1990, in Melbourne. They now live in Hoppers Crossing.
Rohani is a lecturer at Footscray Institute. She is an excellent sportswomen and represented the State of Victoria in hockey. She was also the Malaysian Squash champion in 1985 and 86. They now enjoy their time together playing squash and golf.
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Stuart and Peggy are now retired and very much involved with golf being members of the Portsea Golf Club. He is also involved in bowling and boardsailing. However, his main hobby for years, has been propagating and growing Australian native plants. He is the convenor of "Friends of Victoria's First Settlement Site" and "Friends of Point Nepean", which are National Parks.
Philip and Robina's next child was Ruby Margaret, born on January 28, 1892. After the death of her mother in 1908, she took over the running of the household when the family lived in Belle Vue. Then, after the death of her father, she and her sister Muriel moved to Melbourne to seek employment.
In time she secured the position of matron at St. Catherines Girls School in Toorak, where she remained for many years. She was very respected there, and had a school house named after her.
Late in life, she married Douglas Lawrence, a solicitor who died in the early 1960s. She suffered her first heart attack (angina) not long afterwards, and in spite of this, she lived until 1977 to the ripe age of 84.
Then came William Eric, born February 3, 1894. At this time we have not been able to trace his movements or any of his descendents.
The fourth in the family was Muriel Anna Maria, born on November 30, 1895. As stated earlier, after her fathers death in 1916, she and her sister Ruby moved to Melbourne.
Here, she was married to the Rev. Alexander Fonder, on March 1, 1922; and later to Robert Sheeley. There were no children from either of these unions. She died during the 1960s predeceased by Robert Sheeley.
Next, in the family of Philip and Robina, was Stanley Stuart, who was born on October 2, 1898. He initially worked on the family farm in Flinstead, but later moved to Melbourne where he completed a course in accountancy. On completion of this course, he obtained a position with Jas. Henty & Co., located on William Street.
In 1915, although not quite 18, he enlisted in the 8th Battalion. He was killed in action in Poziers, France, on August 18, 1916.
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The youngest in this clan was George Johnston Sherren, born on March 6, 1908. Because of his mother's early demise, his father arranged for him to be adopted by his uncle and aunt, Gower and Sophia Johnston.
George never married, however, he served in the 1939-1945 war in New Gunea. He now lives at 32 Gilgandra Road, Bonei, which is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales.
The youngest of the original William Sherren, who immigrated to Australia, was John Curtis Sherren, who was named after William's brother. He was born on February 23, 1863, also at Birregurra.
He was educated at Geelong; was an outstanding athelete, and in 1879 was the 300 yard champion. He won the high jump under 16 from 1879-1881, and was a member of the school's football XVIII and Cricket II teams.
(Geelong Grammar school, was known as an institution for the upper crust; and boasts that Prince Charles gained some of his education here.)
On July 24, 1889, he married Jessie Edwarina Tanner, daughter of Samuel Hart and Jessie Peters of Colac. At this time, he was running the property "Lumeah" on the banks of the Barwon River at Birregurra.
John and Jessie had three children:
John Roy, born January 25, 1891, spent some time in New South Wales, and on his return, in 1918, was met by his father in Melbourne. In December of 1920, he married Florence Edith Sparrow .
They had one son:
John Francis Roy, known as Frank was born August 5, 1922 and married the first time to Gwen Anglenton. They had a son Darren Lee Francis born on August 8, 1964.
They were divorced, and Frank was remarried to Beverly Anne Michaels. They had two children: Jonathon Prancis, born on September 19, 1974, and a daughter, Jacqueline Anne, born January 31, 1977.
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