The following photographs are from the family album of Sandy Koushappis and she has kindly shared them with us. The first of the Wild girls in Australia was Esther WILD nee MILLS. She was born, possibly in Lancashire, England on the 8th June 1838. When she was 23 years old she married James WILD in Oldham, Lancashire England on 1st Nov 1861.
Esther Wild nee Mills – Photo Ancestry.com
Not long after their marriage Esther and Samuel travelled to Australia and settled in the Bendigo/Eaglhawk area of Victoria where they remained. Samuel was described as a Mine Manager on his daughter’s death certificate. They arrived no later than 1862 when their second child, Samuel, was born. James WILD was born in England in 1837 and he was 24yrs old when he married Esther.
Samuel WILD – Photo Ancestry.com
The couple were to have 13 children between 1862 and 1885. Seven boys and six girls. One girl and two boys died as babies. The children were:
David born and died in 1862
Samuel born 1864
Mary Ann ‘Polly’ born 1865
Sarah Ellen born 1868
John ‘Jack’ born 1869
George born 1871
Thomas born 1873
James ‘Jim’ born 1875
Henry born and died 1877
Frances Alice born 1878
Eliza Jane born 1879
Esther ‘Acey’ Maria born 1882
Elizabeth Hannah born and died 1885
The women of the Wild Family – L R standing, Eliza (Sandy’s great grandmother) and Esther. Seated Esther, mother of the three girls Francis Alice. The Men? Seated Samuel, behind him John, James in the middle and Thomas right.
Sydney John GILBERT was born in 1884 at 53 Dudley St, Melbourne VIC to William Gilbert and Ellen nee Hall. He married Esther ‘Acey’ Maria nee Wild on the 19 Jun 1907 in Perth W Aust. The couple had the following children:
Sydney John Gilbert – Photo Sandy Koushappis
Wedding photo of John Sydney Gilbert and Esther Wild in Perth WA 1907 – Photo Sandy Koushappis
The couple had the following children:
Winnifred Ellen Gilbert born 1908 Day Dawn WA (died 9mths)
Betty Mills Gilbert born 1910 Day Dawn WA
William Gilbert born 1912 Day Dawn WA (lived 5 hours) Buried Cue Cemetery
Douglas Sydney Gilbert born 1917 Gwalia WA
Esther Gilbert nee Wild Sandy’s great aunt – Photo Sandy Koushappis
Esther’s sewing basket is still in the family and is owned by her Grandaughter.
Sadly Esther was to die a few days after giving birth to Douglas Sydney Gilbert on the 7th of June 1917 at Gwalia near Leonora. On her death certificate however it says the cause of death was heart disease, so perhaps her pregnancy affected her heart.
Esther’s Grave – Leonora Cemetery – Photo Sandy Koushappis
GILBERT Esther Maria — 34yrs, d 7 Jun 1917, at Sons of Gwalia GM, Leonora, Occ: Home Duties, Cause: Heart Disease, Father: James WILD (Mine Manager), Mother: Esther MILLS, Born Eaglehawk, VIC, In VIC 19yrs, In WA 15yrs, Married to Sydney John GILBERT in Perth WA at age 24yrs, Children: Betty Mills 6yrs, Douglas Sydney 1 ½ weeks, Deceased 1 male and 1 female, Reg 16/1917 Mt Margaret, ANG, Buried Leonora Cemetery.
Eliza Jane Alcock nee Wild (1879-1965) & sister Esther Maria Gilbert nee Wild (1882-1917)
My Great grandmother (Eliza) and great-aunt –
Photo Sandy Koushappis
Baby Winifred Ellen Gilbert (died age 9 mths) with cousin Ethel May Kitchen, daughter of Francis Alice (Wild) Kitchen sister to Ester Maria (Wild) Gilbert. Photo Sandy Koushappis
Francis Alice Kitchen nee Wild, mother of Ethel May Kitchen – Photo Ancestry.com
Grave of Eliza Jane Alcock nee Wild in the Boulder Cemetery.
Photo Danelle Warnock.
Moya Sharp
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