John Watts GREGSON and Amelia nee LANCASTER with children: front Lily and behind her Ethel and baby Ivy. Coolgardie 1901
On the 11th Sep 1928 the ‘Rainbow Argus’ in Rainbow Victoria, reported the death of John Watts Gregson. It said he was a highly respected resident of the town. He was born in Chepstone Victoria in 1871 and was the eldest son of Mrs Gregson of Ararat Vic and Charles Gregson of Coolgardie WA. He was in business in Wycheproof Vic but after hearing of the discovery of gold in Coolgardie he sold up and headed for Western Australia in 1898.
He remained mining in Coolgardie and Bonnievale for over 20 years before returning to Victoria where he remained untill his death in Rainbow Vic in 1928.
When he left Coolgardie he was presented with engraved silverware from both The West Australian Goldfields Miners Union and the Amalgamated Miners Association for services rendered to these groups.
John and Amelia married in Coolgardie:-
17 Dec 1896 at the District Registrars Office Coolgardie, John Watts GREGSON age 25 and Amelia LANCASTER age 19, His address was given as Bonnievale and hers as Coolgardie (formerly of Mooreland VIC) His parents were given as Charles Gregson Elizabeth LUMSDEN and hers as Richard Alfred LANCNCASTER and Sarah Ann RAVENSCROFT (address Brunswick Melb Vic), Charles Gregson was one of the witnesses.
Of the 12 children that John and his wife Amelia had 10 survived to adulthood. Two of the daughters married and remained in Western Australia, Lily, and Ethel, and the other children returned to Victoria with their parents.
The two photographs were supplied by the Gregson family and the names of the pupils were given by Ethel Gregson, the middle child in the family photograph. She is also in the school photograph a few years later. It is most unusual to have so many children identified in such an old photograph. Ethel must have had a wonderful memory.
Bonnievale State School 1907 Information supplied by Ethel MOORE nee GREGSON who was born at Bonnievale on the 20 Oct 1897, the daughter of John Watts GREGSON and Amelia nee LANCASTER. She attended the Bonnivale school with some of her siblings and maternal uncle Walter LANCASTER. Her younger sister Lily (Mrs W SLOCOMB) lived all her life in the district and passed away at the Kalgoorlie Hospital on 19 Nov 1990.
Back Row:– L-R 1. Arthur BRADSHAW, 2. Watty WILKES, 3. Joe REYNOLDS, 4. ??, 5. Percy PUNCH. 6. ??, 7. George BROWN, 8. Arnold LAXTON, 9. Raymond BRADSHAW, 10. Leslie VORNES, 11. Ivor REECE, 12. ? COX, 13. Walter LANCASTER.
2nd Row:– Miss L BAKER, 1. ? COX, 2. Walter NORRIS, 3. Gladys DENNIS, 4. Doris REECE, 5. Naomi JAMES, 6. Mable MOORE, 7. Elsie BROWN, 8. Hilda BRADSHAW, 9. Alice COLE, 10. Nellie THROSSELL, 11. Kate LAXTON, 12. Beaulah RINER, 13. Evelyn RINER, Mt PARKER & his small son.
3rd Row:- Sitting, 1. Annie DOYLE, 2. Ethel GREGSON, 3 Ella BROWN, 4. Stella BRAMLEY, 5. Irene MARTIN, 6. Lily GREGSON, 7. Dorcas MARTIN, 8. Stella MARTIN.
4th Row:- 1. Ann DAVIS, 2. Maggie MORGAN, 3 Daphne VORNES, 4. Elsie RICHARDS (son) may be missing. 5. Maggie JAMES, 6. Ethel MOORE, 7. Lena AUSTIN
Front Row:- sitting on ground, 1. L THOMAS, 2. ? PENN, 3. ? PENN, 4. Tommy RICHARDS, 5. Jeffery BURNS, 6. Frank DOYLE, 7. Pat DENNIS, 8. ??, 9. ??, 10. ? PENN, 11. ? DAVIES, 12. ? VORNES, 13. Anthony DELMINICO, 14. ? WILLCOX, 15. Bert QUAN, 16. Gordon BROWN
Moya Sharp
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Ethel May gregson ( married name. Moore) born bonnievale 20 October 1897. Died 10 Jan 1993 Narrogin. My husbands grandmother.