Herbert Lesley Williams (1900 - 1962)

Born 8 Jul 1900 in Terowie, South Australia, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Violet Miriam (Thomson) Williams — married 24 Oct 1923 in Unley, South Australia

Husband of Gladys (Unknown) Williams — married 1960 in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Died 6 Sep 1962 at age 62 in Clearview, South Australia, Australia

Biography

Bert Williams was born in South Australia, Australia

Always known as Bert, Herbert Lesley was the sixth child of George Charles WILLIAMS & Louisa Sophia WEHR’s seven children. Born in 1900 in Terowie, South Australia, he was only two years old when the family made the long trip to the new irrigation settlement of Renmark, S.A. on the River Murray.
During the First World War, with his three older brothers fighting in Europe, Bert’s help on the family fruit block was essential.

In October 1923, Bert married Violet Miriam Thomson in St Andrew’s Church, Unley, S.A. officiated by Rev. W. Floyd Shannon. Their marriage certificate records Bert was working as a horticulturist so he presumably was still working on the land in Renmark.

Violet, one of eight girls, was raised on her parents’ sheep station “Noola” on Lake Victoria N.S.W., situated roughly midway between Renmark, S.A. and Wentworth, N.S.W. The marriage certificate states that she was born on the neighbouring station “Tareena”, but at the time of her marriage she was living with her parents in Leabrook, an Adelaide suburb.

It is possible that Bert’s sister-in-law, Dulcie and Violet may have been friends because, in 1919 at the time of Dulcie’s marriage to Bert’s brother, Vic, she was living on “Tareena Station” – the same station where Violet was born.
Bert and Violet settled in Renmark where their first two children – Patricia and William – were born. Bert worked for the S.A. Railways and it was here that he was involved in an accident. His ankle was crushed when changing points on the line. Subsequently, still working for the railways, he was stationed at Tailem Bend, where their third child, Irene was born, then to Bordertown where their last child, Colleen was born. Bert’s final posting with the railways was at Coonalpyn in South Australia.

Leaving the service of the railways in 1939, Bert and Violet bought a small holding at Clarendon, a fertile rural area of the Adelaide Hills. Here they were able to have fruit trees and cows to help support their four children who were now attending the local school.

Bert was too young to enlist in the First World War, but during the Second World War, at the age of 43, he joined the R.A.A.F. (no.140519) in June 1943 and served as a Leading Aircraftman with 3 Transport and Movement Office in Australia until his discharge in December 1945.
At this time the family was living at 8 Alexander St, Evandale, an eastern Adelaide suburb. After his discharge, Bert worked for the Post Master General Department.
His daughter, Colleen remembers that her father was a good pianist and used to play by ear. Violet also played the piano, but she required a music book to guide her.
In 1959, Violet who had suffered with chronic leukaemia, had a stroke and died at Osmond Terrace Hospital, Norwood, aged 61.

Bert remarried in 1960, a widow, Gladys Wood and they lived opposite his daughter, Irene and her family in Forrest St, Blair Athol.
Bert and Gladys were not married for very long before Bert was admitted to Daws Road Repatriation Hospital with cancer of the bladder and he died on 6 September 1962, aged 62.

Gladys had become a very dear friend to Irene and her family, and would have been comforted by Irene’s friendship.
Gladys lived until she was 95.

Both Violet and Bert are buried at the Enfield Cemetery.

A History of the Weidenhofer Families in Australia 1846 - 2004. Written by Wyn Allen (née Weidenhofer) 2004 ©.
Reproduced with permission of Stewart Allen, Barry Malcolm and Carlien Melrose.

Sources

• Information taken from the Weidenhofer Database compiled from family input and research for the book “A History of the Weidenhofer Families in Australia 1846 – 2004© ”.
• Reproduced with permission of Stewart Allen, Barry Malcolm and Carlien Melrose.

South Australian Genealogy Index of Birth, Death and Marriage.
Birth
Date: 1900 - Name: WILLIAMS Herbert Lesley - Father: George Charles WILLIAMS - Mother: Louisa Sophia WEHR - District: Burra - Registration No.: 661/160.
Marriage
Date: 1923 - Registration No.: 297/263 - Name: WILLIAMS Herbert Lesley - Spouse: THOMSON Violet Miriam - District: Adelaide.
Death
Date: 1962- Registration No.: 944/5510 - Name: WILLIAMS Herbert Leslie - Relative: undefined - District: Adelaide.
South Australian Cemetery Records
Resting Place: Enfield Memorial Park - Name: WILLIAMS Herbert Leslie - Age: 62 y - Date: 1962.
Link to Index
South Australian Genealogy Index of Birth, Death and Marriage.
https://www.genealogysa.org.au/resources/online-databases.html

Enfield Cemetery Records
Herbert Leslie Williams
DETAILS
Died on 6/09/1962 at 62 Years of age. - Previously lived in BLAIR ATHOL .
Enfield Memorial Park
Section: General - Row: AA - Site Number: 12 - Service Type: Burial - Grant Expires: 3/06/2009.
Link to Website
http://www.aca.sa.gov.au/Memorial-Details/cem/Enfield%20Memorial%20Park/mapid/4524

• Cemetery Herbert Leslie Williams died 6 Sep 1962 at Clearview, Port Adelaide Enfield City, South Australia. Interred at Enfield Memorial Park. Birth date; 1900. "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2WY-736Q : 11 January 2022), Herbert Leslie Williams, ; Burial, Clearview, Port Adelaide Enfield City, South Australia, Australia, Enfield Memorial Park; citing record ID 167346987, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.