Bruce St. Clair McCallum (1907 - 1931)

Born 15 Nov 1907 in Winton, Queensland, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Dulcie Doreen Josephine (Bourke) Crowley — married 28 Apr 1927 (to before 18 Nov 1931) in Queensland, Australia

Died 18 Nov 1931 at age 24 in Withington, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Pat McCallum [send private message]

Biography

Bruce was born in 1907 and is the son of Stewart McCallum and Elizabeth (Skinner) McCallum^[1]

He married Dulcie (Bourke) Crowley on April 28, 1927 in Queensland^[2]

Bruce was the witness to the marriage of Stewart McCallum to Lucy Vera Brown which took place on on 10 Dec 1927.

BRISBANE SPEEDWAY RIDERS. A cable message from London states that National Speedways Limited has been registered in London to carry out dirt track motor cycle racing and that cables have been sent to a number of Australian riders to embark for Great Britain.

It. is learned that offers have been made to the best or the riders, who compete each week at the Davles Park Speedway, among them F. Pearce, F. Arthur, C. Spinks. B. Lamont, J. Bishop, H. Buchanan. S. Bayly. B. McCallum. and N. Johnson. Not all of these have accepted.

Those who are going will, it is understood, leave by the Oronsay towards the end of the month. ^[3]

Alleged false pretences - 1928 ln the Police Court on Monday, before Mr. H. L. Archdall, Chief Police Magistrate, Bruce St. Clair McCallum, on remand from Townsvllle, was charged that, on September 23, 1927, he falsely pretended to Francis O'Brien, secretary of the Sheet Metal Workers' Union, that his wife was ill, and required money to pay medical expenses, and thereby obtained £15, the property of the union, with intend to defraud. Sub-Inspector Lipp prosecuted, and Mr. C. A. Morris (Instructed by Messrs. Morris, Fletcher, and Cross) appeared for the defendant, A remand was granted until July 5 being allowed bail, self in £50. ^[4]

At the Police Court on Saturday morning, a local motor-cycle rider named Bruce St. Clare McCallum was charged that at Brisbane on September 3, 1928, by falsely pretending to Francis O'Brien, Hon. Secretary of the Sheet Metal Workers' Union of Australia, Queensland Branch, that his wife was ill and that he required a sum of money to meet the necessary medical expenses and to defray other expenses incurred through the Illness of his wife, obtained the sum of £15, the property of the Union mentioned, with intent thereby to defraud. Detective Senior Sergeant Jesson gave evidence that he saw the defendant at a house on the strand the previous day, and acquainted him with the fact that a warrant had been Issued in Brisbane for his arrest. The defendant stated to the Senior Sergeant that he had obtained money from O'Brien, he thought about £14/10,, and should have made it up. He also said that if he had been able to get to the speedway that night he might be able to get the money, and that he had done no good since comIng to Townsville. The defendant, who is 20 years of age, was remanded till Monday, bail being allowed in self £15 and one surety of a like amount.^[5]

Australian Speedway Rider Australian Press Association. LONDON. February 4. Bruce McCallum, an Australian speedway rider, was sentenced in Manchester to-day to imprisonment for 49 days for arrears of maintenance of his wife and child in Australia to the extent of £22 6s. He was also gaoled for 25 days for neglect of his family. McCallum, who had previously served 49 days for falling to observe an order, pleaded unemployment and lack of money. The magistrate said that be could not be permitted to leave his family chargeable to the world.^[6][7]

Arrival in London - 1929 BRUCE McCALLUM TO GO TO ENGLAND. It is stated the popular Speedway rider Bruce McCallum has signed up to go to England to compete in Speedway meetings there. It is expected. that McCallum will leave at an early date at the termination of his present contract at Townsville. ^[8]

Bruce St. Clair McCallum arrived in London from Brisbane aboard the Osterley, on 21 Jun 1929 aged 20, Motor Mechanic for the International Speedways Ltd. Fleet St. London.

SPEEDWAY RIDING. Australians Defeated. THE MANCHESTER TESTS. [AUSTRALIAN CABLE SERVICE.] LONDON, Wednesday.—In the presence of 50,000 persons at Manchester, England defeated Australia in the second Speedway tests by 56 points to 39. The teams were eight each side, and 16 heats were contested. Grosskreutz was the only rider to win four heats. Huxley won two, and Lamont one and Arthur one. The Englishman, Burton, made the fastest time of 82 3-5sec. The Australians, Case, Chapman, Wise, and McCallum, also competed. ^[9]

Birth of daughter and Death of Bruce in Manchester

• On 5 May 1930 a birth is recorded in Manchester of Sheila to Bruce St. Clair McCallum, mother Elizabeth Ellen Bailey.
• On 7 Nov 1931 Bruce McCallum, aged 24, Dirt Track Rider died of Pulmonary Tuberculosis at 20 Nell Lane Withington Manchester South District.

Burial Date Deceased Cemetery Grave Number Grave Details 18/11/1931 Mr Bruce McCallum Southern Cemetery GRoman Catholic 1464^[10]

Bruce McCallum, the well-known Australian speedway rider, who was associated for some time with the Belle Vue, Manchester, speedway, and who died in Withington Hospital, England, early in November, was buried in the Catholic section of Southern Cemetery. The coffin was carried to the grave by some of his fellow speedway riders. McCallum was 23 years of age. — R.I.P. ^[11]

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.familyhistory.bdm.qld.gov.au/details/1c19dce72daa1e863dc5543956f7c95a9e3789f0eb2bd238f7d7932dd2d232dd
2. ↑ https://www.familyhistory.bdm.qld.gov.au/details/032b395d25522eca4e7fbd4739b9e3f025fa73b8213e1f99ccb4f5745fbc6cbc
3. ↑ The Week, Fri 23 Mar 1928. P. 28. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/181770447
4. ↑ The Telegraph, Tue 3 Jul 1928. P. 2. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/179098735
5. ↑ Townsville Daily Bulletin, Mon 11 Jun 1928. P. 6. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/60214180
6. ↑ The Telegraph, Fri 6 Feb 1931. P. 12. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/186736106
7. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/182836593
8. ↑ Bowen Independent, Sat 9 Jun 1928. P. 5. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/194358728
9. ↑ Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs Gazette, Fri 25 Jul 1930. P. 11. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/254145308
10. ↑ Accessed at https://www.burialrecords.manchester.gov.uk/GenSearch.aspx on 3 Mar 2021
11. ↑ The Catholic Press, Thu 21 Jan 1932. P. 18. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/106384787

• b. Queensland births, deaths & marriages - birth 15/11/1907 1908/C/7567 accessed at <https://www.familyhistory.bdm.qld.gov.au/details/1c19dce72daa1e863dc5543956f7c95a9e3789f0eb2bd238f7d7932dd2d232dd>

• m. Queensland marriage registration #1927/B/1046 accessed at <https://www.familyhistory.bdm.qld.gov.au/details/032b395d25522eca4e7fbd4739b9e3f025fa73b8213e1f99ccb4f5745fbc6cbc>