William Edward McMillan (1904 - 1983)

Born 22 Jul 1904 in Walcha, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Son of William McMillan and Isabella Jane (Smith) McMillan

Husband of Mabel (Clifford) McMillan — married 19 Apr 1926 in Willoughby, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 11 Dec 1983 at age 79 in Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Jill Mills [send private message]

Biography

• In his early working days Ted lived at Birrell Street, Waverley then after marriage, at North Sydney before moving to Mudgee (1930 & 1932 at Meares Street and Court Street). Moving to Lithgow the family lived at 61 Lett Street (1935 & 1936) then Padley Street (possibly No. 6) before moving to 43 Cupro Street, in 1938 where he remained until his death.
• An Article in the Lithgow Mercury dated July 7th, 1969 reads:
• "Mac's" Last Days At The Test Desk.
• The enigmatic smile on the face of William Edward "Mac" McMillan hides many secrets known only to a test desk technician in a telephone exchange.
• What he has heard in the official line of duty would make the hair on anyone's head but "Mac's" stand up in amazement. With his retirement on July 21 after 51 years of service, "Mac" represents the old order going out because he came into the department at a time when morse code was still the major method of transmitting messages and to many people telephones were frightening of "queer, new fangled gadgets".
• He began his career in 1918 as a junior mechanic in training at the Telephone Works Office, Darling Harbor and was late in the test rooms at Waverley and Vaucluse. His first taste of country life was in 1925 when he was posted to Katoomba for 12 months. Back at Darling Harbor he received another appointment - to Mudgee for a few years - and then he came to Lithgow in 1934.
• Mr. McMillan, who has led a rather colourful career in the P.M.G. saw the manual exchange disappear and the automatic exchange system take over the country. But as "Mac" on the test desk he did not lose contact with the public and business people and his ready patter of humor certainly improved the "establishment".

• Death Notices in Sydney Morning Herald and Lithgow Mercury both read:

McMillan, William Edward - December 11, 1983 at Lithgow District Hospital, late of 43 Cupro Street, Lithgow. Loved husband of Mabel (deceased), loved father and father-in-law of June and Charles Mason, Jill and Don Mills, dear Grandpa of their children.

• He was buried at Lithgow (Anglican 2, Row 8B)
• Ted's Death Certificate states he died from carcinoma of the lungs which he had for 2 months. Indications were that the primary was bowel cancer.

DNA

Paternal relationship is confirmed by a GEDmatch test match between Jill (McMillan) Mills GEDmatch M298737 and her third cousin Margaret (Hamilton) Coote GEDmatch A764712. Their MRCAs are their second great grand parents John McMillan and Margaret (Howat) McMillan. Estimated number of generations to MRCA = 4.1, based on sharing 52.3 cM across 3 matching segments.

Sources

• NSW BDM Birth Registration 27582/1904 (Reg. Walcha)
• NSW BDM Marriage Registration 7359/1926 (Reg. Chatswood)
• NSW BDM Death Registration 4593/1984
• Australian Cemeteries Index
• Death Notice - Sydney Morning Herald dated 12th December, 1983.
• Death Notice - Lithgow Mercury dated 13th December, 1983.
• Probate Notice - Lithgow Mercury dated 6th January, 1984.
• Probate Notice - Lithgow Mercury dated 15th May, 1984.
• Findagrave.com (Memorial #48563945)