Laurence Mueller Weidenhofer (abt. 1883 - 1957)

Born about 26 Apr 1883 in Lobethal, South Australia, Australia [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Winifred Nina (Flood) Weidenhofer — married about 9 Nov 1908 in Narandera, New South Wales, Australia

Died 21 Jun 1957 at about age 74 in Kogarah, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia [uncertain]

Biography

Laurence's middle name is recorded as "Mueller" and "Miller".

Kogarah
Kogarah is a suburb of southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Kogarah is located 14 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is considered to be the centre of the St George area. Wikipedia

Laurence (or Lawrence) was the second son of John and Pauline Weidenhofer and was born in Lobethal, South Australia.

The reason for his journey to New South Wales as a young man is uncertain, but perhaps we can assume that after his mother, Pauline died in 1906, he decided to seek a new life.

Records show that two years after his mother’s death, he married Winifred Nina Flood in Narrandera in New South Wales. Shortly after their marriage, Laurence and Winifred travelled to Adelaide, where Winifred gave birth to a son, born prematurely. He was named Roy, but lived for only thirteen days.

Returning to Narrandera, Laurence continued with his trade as a carpenter and cabinet maker. He was a very skilled tradesman and became well known in Sydney and beyond.

Laurence and Winifred’s seventh child,Keith remembers his father as a hard worker and a very strict father, who believed that “children should be seen and not heard”! There was no talking at meal times and no one left the table without permission.

However, he was very caring and protective of his children. Keith remembers his mother as a gentle, loving woman, who never complained. Each night she stayed up late attending to household chores which included cutting lunches for her husband and seven children.

A Sunday family ritual saw the family gathering around the radio at 6.30p.m. for a “quiet hour” listening to classical music. Sometimes Laurence played his trombone to accompany the radio. He was also a member of the Black Watch Brass Band. Music had a great influence on the family, as Laurence’s first four children – John,Marion,Winifred and Madge – all inherited their father’s talent, all becoming accomplished pianists, competing at local eisteddfods.

As the difference in the seven children’s ages, from Jack, the eldest to Denham, the youngest, was only fourteen years, they were a close knit family.

Winifred, Laurence’s wife of thirty years, died in 1938. Six years later Laurence married Ivy Huxtable, who died in 1957 only one month before Laurence.

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.

Laurence married Ivy Marjory Huxtable , about 1944 in Rockdale, New South Wales, she died May 1957. There is no credible information that meets the Wikitree source criteria to enable an entry to be made in Wikitree.

This is a works in progress and any assistance with information or source details would be very much appreciated.

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: 1883 - Name: WEIDENHOEFER Laurance Miller - Father: John WEIDENHOEFER - Mother: Pauline MULLER - Districted: Nairne - Registration No.: 304/195.
Link to Index
South Australian Genealogy Index of Birth, Death and Marriage.
https://www.genealogysa.org.au/resources/online-databases.html

Death notice Sydney Morning Herald 24 Jun 1957 WEIDENHOFER Laurence Miller, 21 Jun 1957, late of Arncliffe.