Elizabeth (Roberts) Kingham (1873 - 1959)

Born 20 Feb 1873 in Morphett Vale, South Australia

Ancestors

Wife of James Melville Kingham — married 29 Jun 1896 in Port Augusta, South Australia, Australia

Died 26 Aug 1959 at age 86 in Prospect, South Australia, Australia

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Biography

Bessie was born at Morphett Vale (SA), on 20 Feb 1873. Her parents were James Roberts and Elizabeth Alvis Tansell. Soon after her birth her family moved away from the area and settled in the northern mining town of Port Augusta West (SA).

In 1896, Bessie married James Kingham at her father's home at Port Augusta West. She was 23 years of age. James was a 24 year old migrant from England. They settled in Port Augusta West and raised their family there. James was employed at Young & Gordon Ltd., where he worked for 18 years.

Their first child, Vera, was born at Port Augusta West in 1897. She was followed by Madge in 1899, Clem in 1901, Harold in 1904, and baby Neil, who was born in Port Augusta in 1907.

On 25 Nov 1897, the South Australian Register newspaper reported that James Melville Kingham had been elected unopposed as a councilor for Victoria Ward in Port Augusta West.

On 26 Aug 1904, the Port Augusta Dispatch newspaper reported that J. Kingham had won 1st and 2nd prize at the Port Augusta Show with his Houdan cock.

Bessie and James Kingham's children, Vera, Madge, and Clem, attended Port Augusta West State School between 1903 and 1908. James was described as a storeman or storekeeper during that time. They lived near the township. They had not attended school previously. In 1905, Madge departed the school, her record indicates that she had "gone to Melbourne". In 1907, Clem's school record indicates that he attended the school briefly and his guardian was his grandfather James Roberts. The other Kingham children were transferred to the school at Beltana (SA). Clem joined them there shortly after. They all returned to Port Augusta West School at the beginning of 1908, and then transferred to the Observation School in Adelaide (SA) at the beginning of 1909. This was a facility for training teachers and was highly regarded for the quality of its teaching.

James Kingham went into partnership with his brother George Kingham in Beltana for a time, then he moved his family to Adelaide, where he worked in the Cooperative Stores and afterwards at the abattoirs.

By the 1920's, when the Army history unit were making contact with his family in relation to Darcy Roberts's wartime service, the Kingham family were living at 21 Hudson Street., in the Adelaide suburb of Prospect Park (SA).

James Kingham died in Adelaide in 1942 at the age of 70.

Bessie died in Adelaide in 1959 when she was aged 86.

Sources

• Roberts, Perce, & Roberts, Marcus, The Roberts Family, Geelong, 2000.

• Birth Citation, SA BDM - Digger - SA Births 1842-1906 [SAGHS] (Secondary evidence), Page: MoV 119 329, Text: Given Name(s): Elizabeth Last Name: ROBERTS Birth Date: 1873, February 20 Gender: F Father: James ROBERTS Mother: Elizabeth Alvus TANSELL Birth Place/Residence: Morphett Vale District: Morphett Vale Symbol: Book/Page: 119/329

• Marriage (m. KINGHAM, James Melville) Citation, SA BDM (Secondary evidence), Page: Frome 187/1280, Text: Groom Given Name(s): James Melville Groom Last Name: KINGHAM Bride Given Name(s): Elizabeth Bride Last Name: ROBERTS Marriage Date: 1896, June 29 Marriage Place: Res of James Roberts Port Augusta West Groom Age: 25 Groom Approx. Birth Year: 1871 Groom Marital Status: S Groom Father: Frederick Charles KINGHAM Bride Age: 23 Bride Approx. Birth Year: 1873 Bride Marital Status: S Bride Father Name: James ROBERTS District: Frome Symbol: Book/Page: 187/1280

• Death Citation, SA BDM (Secondary evidence), Page: Ade 896 5726, Text: Given Name(s): Elizabeth Last Name: KINGHAM Death Date: 26 Aug 1959 Gender: F Age: 86y Approx. Birth Year: 1873 Marital Status: W Relative 1: James Melville KINGHAM [DH] Relative 2: Residence: Prospect Death Place: Prospect District: Adelaide Symbol: H Book/Page: 896/5726

• Obituary, Transcontinental, Port Augusta, 19 Jun 1942, Trove, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/168454540/19804050], James Melville Kingham, 1942.