I am working my way systematically through my ancestors, and those of my children. Last week, I wrote about my paternal grandmother, Ivy May Harley. This week, I will be sharing information I have for my maternal grandfather, Wilfred Palmer Marr.
Wilfred Palmer Marr was born 19 Dec 1892 at Myrtleford in the colony of Victoria. He was the fifth child, and second son, born to Henry Palmer Marr and Mary Reeves[1].
The family moved from Myrtleford to North Melbourne between 1897, when his brother Alexander Marr was born[2], and 1899, when his brother John James Marr was born[3].
Wilfred was 23 years old when he enlisted for the army on the 11 January 1916. His service record shows that he was 5 ft 4 ¼ inches tall, and weighed 118 lbs. He had a pale complexion, and he had blue eyes and brown hair. The record also showed he had a scar on the front of his head. His religion was Methodist, and his occupation before joining the army was fitter.
He embarked from Sydney on the “Makarini” on 1 April 1916. He disembarked and joined Miscellaneous reinforcements at Tel-el-Kebir on 3 May 1916.
He was wounded in action in France on 3 September 1916, and sailed from Boulogne to England on 5 September 1916. He had received a serious gunshot wound in his right arm.
On 2 November 1918, a trial by civil powers was held at North London Police Court. He had been charged on 1 November 1918 with being drunk and incapable, and was found guilty. He was fined 5/-
His file also shows: Offence WOAS Neglecting to obey a lawful command given by his senior officer in the execution of his duties on 29 November 1918.
He returned to Australia on 22 May 1919, and was discharged on 15 September 1919[4].
By 1922, Wilfred had moved with his parents to Baxter, and it was here that he met Edith Meriden Docwra. Wilfred and Edith were married on the 8 May 1922 at Baxter[5]. Edith would have been 8 months pregnant at the time, as my mother, Edith Jean Marr, was born 1 month later, on 11 June 1922[6].
Wilfred and Edith had two more children, before his wife Edith deserted the family. His parents and sister Amelia helped him to raise his 3 children
Wilfred was a farmer at Koo-Wee-Rup from 1927 to 1931[7], and he then returned to the family home at 58 Lothian Street North Melbourne[8].
Wilfred was residing at Mount Royal Hospital in Parkville at the time of his death on 22 January 1955. His death certificate shows his Cause of death and Duration of last illness were: Heart failure – 3 days, Myocarditis, – some months, Arteriosclerosis – some years, Paraplegia – some years, Peri-urethral abscess, urinary fistula – 2 years, Wilfred was buried 24 January 1955 at the Fawkner Cemetery[9].
Sources of Information
[1] Wilfred Palmer Marr, birth certificate no. 6168 of 1893 (1892), Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
[2]Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Federation Index Victoria 1889-1901. CD-ROM database (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: MacBeth Genealogical Services, August 1997), birth entry for Alexander Marr, Registration no 21482 of 1897.
[3]Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Federation Index Victoria 1889-1901. CD-ROM database (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: MacBeth Genealogical Services, August 1997), Birth entry for Jno Jas Marr, Registration no 3953 of 1900.
[4]Australia Service record for Wilfred Palmer Marr, service number 7049; series B2455; digital images, National Archives Australia, National Archives Australia Record Search (http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/recordsearch/index.aspx : accessed 5 Sep 2017).
[5]Victoria, Australia Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, marriage certificate 3837 (1922), Marr-Docwra; Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Melbourne.
[6]Edith Jean Marr, birth certificate no. 17058 (1922), Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
[7]Ancestry.com, Australia, City Directories, 1845-1948, Sands & McDougall Victorian Directories: entries for Wilfred P Marr 1927 p 1315 & 3393, 1928 p 2257 & 945, 1929 p 2272 & 951, 1930 p 2179, 1931 p 2128 & 909; digital images, Ancestry.com https://www.ancestry.com.au/ : accessed 27 Jun 2017.
[8]“Australia, Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980,” database and images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com.au/ : accessed 21 Sep 2017); entry for Wilfred Palmer Marr, 58 Lothian St North Melbourne; Year 1949 Division Melbourne Subdivision North Melbourne p 69.
[9]Wilfred Palmer Marr, death certificate no. 881 (1955), Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Background of featured image is a photo from Unsplash – https://unsplash.com/photos/KbqWbgMpUk0 Photo by Mike Wilson
Lois Willis - Genealogy and Family History 