The following stories about the Crudace brothers was written by their nephew, the late John William Green who was the son of their sister, Clara Elizabeth CRUDACE who married William Henry GREEN from Boulder. John was born in Kanowna in 1905 and died in 1985, he is buried in the Kalgoorlie Cemetery.
William Mellamby CRUDACE & Clara Radley CRUDACE nee JOSEPHS
William Mellamby CRUDACE was born in 1846 at Stockton on Tees, Durham, Northumberland England and and Clara RADLEY nee JOSEPHS was born in Daylesford Victoria in 1855. The family came to WA in 1902, William was an Engine Driver on the Lady Robinson Mine at Burbanks. Their six sons were as follows in order of birth:
William Charles Rudolph CRUDACE – born 27 Nov 1875 in Stawell, Victoria, Married Edith Ellen SMALL in Coolgardie WA in Feb 1902. The couple had four children. He died 15 Aug 1957 in South Perth, Western Australia.
Peter Mellanby CRUDACE – was born on the 2 Nov 1881 in Pleasant Creek, Stawell,Victoria. He married Catherine WEARMOUTH in Burbanks in 1915. Catherine was the eldest daughter of Richard ‘Dick’ WEARMOUTH, Manager of the Main Lode Mine near Burbanks WA and Catherine Julie nee PURDY, her sister Evelyn was married to her husbands brother Arnold. They had no children. Peter ran a successful family store in Burbanks c 1914, Wearmouth and Crudace Store.
Peter at one time owned over 18 mines and one time he was the owner of the Croesus mine in Kalgoorlie. Peter and his two partners sold the Copperhead mine at Bullfinch to the then Great Western Consolidated which later became Western Mining. Peter passed away before being paid, Arnold travelled to Melbourne as the executor of the will to finalize the business.
Coolgardie Miner 5 July 1913, page 4
Peter was recognised as the greatest grub staker for prospectors in the Eastern Goldfields. He died in Perth in 1940 from a heart attack and is buried in the Karrakatta Cemetery.
Peter Mellanby CRUDACE Photo John William GREEN
Joseph Jackson CRUDACE (the 1st) – was born in 1884 in Stawell Victoria.He died as a child of 6yrs in 1890.
Walter Cecil CRUDACE – born 1887, died as a 12 years old in Stawell Victoria in 1899.
Joseph Jackson CRUDACE (the 2nd) – was born in 1892 in Stawell Victoria. He was educated at the Burbanks State School in WA and was a champion in hop-step-jump from 1902-1914. He joined the WA Railways and worked as footman on the Norseman to Coolgardie line. He remained with the railways until his death in 1953 in Coolgardie. He is also buried in the Karrakatta Cemetery with his brother Arnold.
Joseph Jackson ‘Joe’ CRUDACE Photo John William GREEN
Arnold Leslie CRUDACE – was born on the 1 Mar 1895 in Stawell, Victoria. He married Evelyn Mary WEARMOUTH in 1921 in Perth WA, she was the youngest daughter of Richard ‘Dick’ WEARMOUTH, Manager of the Main Lode Mine near Burbanks and Catherine Julie nee PURDY. The couple had no children.
He enlisted in Kalgoorlie in May 1916 giving his occupation as Shorthand typist/ timekeeper.After overseas service he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal ( MSM ) for services to the Army above and beyond the call of duty. He returned to Australia in March 1919 and to the Goldfields in the 1950’s. He died in Perth in Oct 1953 from a heart attack and is buried in the Karrakatta Cemetery with his brother Joseph.
Arnold Leslie CRUDACE – Photo John William GREEN
Clara Elizabeth GREEN nee CRUDACE – Photo Marilyn Green – Ancestry.com
There were also four girls in the family all born in Victoria
Clara Elizabeth CRUDACE born 1877 died Perth WA 1958
Eliza Alice CRUDACE born 1879 died Perth 1950
Mary Agnes CRUDACE born 1888 died aged 3yrs
Caroline Leah CRUDACE born 1890 died Perth WA 1958
The boys father William died in Melvern, Victoria in 1918 on a visit to his daughter and is buried there. Their mother Clara was left in WA where she lived at their home at 106 Piccadilly Street, Kalgoorlie until her death in Kalgoorlie in 1922, she is buried in the Kalgoorlie Cemetery.
Grave of Clara CRUDACE with William’s name also commemorated – Kalgoorlie Cemetery – Photo Find a Grave
Moya Sharp
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