People of East Melbourne

This is a list of biographies of residents of East Melbourne.

This project started to commemorate the soldiers and nurses who went to Europe to serve in World War 1. But it has grown from there to cover biographies of any and all residents of note.

Along with many of their fellow Australians people from East Melbourne flocked to enlist. Many were heroes. Many lost their lives or suffered horrific physical or mental injuries. At home family and friends worked, endured and suffered consequences that were sometimes terrible and persisted long after the war.

Major-General Michael O'Brien gave us a starting point with a list of East Melbourne people who served in WW1. He spoke to the Society in April 2013 to give us some context to the period and to help the EMHS prepare for its own commemorations of this most devastating period in our history.

Everyone can participate by gathering or documenting information:

  • Photos, memorabilia and family records
  • Stories in books, newspapers and on-line
  • Memorial plaques in churches and public places
  • War memorial, church, national and state archives

You can refine the list by applying the various filter criteria and go to a particular detailed biography by click on the title.

GILBERT, John

Date of birth: 
1882
Biographical notes: 

John Gilbert was born in October, 1882, and was a New Zealander by birth, the son of Thomas and Ellen Gilbert. He had at least one sibling, a brother, Thomas Gilbert, living at Puheohahu, New Zealand. He enlisted in Melbourne on 9 February, 1915, giving his address as 198 Albert Street, probably a boarding house. On 27 April, he married Mabel Agnes Stormont in Melbourne and.

  • 3256 reads

GILBERT, William George

Date of birth: 
1891
Biographical notes: 

William George Gilbert was born in East Melbourne and on enlisting, gave his address as 115 Erskine Street, Middle Park. He have his mother, Annie Taylor as his next of kin, advising that she lived at 55 Munro Street, East Melbourne. Her address, in fact, was 56 Munro Street, West Brunswick.

William George Gilbert
  • 3606 reads

GILES, Charles William

Biographical notes: 

Charles William Giles was the son of William Henry Giles of Cassilis, near Omeo, Victoria and his wife, Elizabeth Jane, nee Fulton. He was aged thirty and three months when he enlisted and described his occupation as Engineer/ Driver (Engine Driver).

  • 3072 reads

GILLIMAN, George Patrick

Date of birth: 
1896
Biographical notes: 

Born in East Melbourne December 7th, 1896 to George and Florence Maud Gilliman (nee Deane), George was educated at Christian Brother's College, East St. Kilda, then St Patrick's College, East Melbourne. The eldest of three brothers, the next son Bernard Joseph enlisted for WW1, and the youngest David enrolled for service in World War 2.

  • 3917 reads

GILLIMAN, Joseph

Date of birth: 
1898
Biographical notes: 

Born Bernard Joseph Gilliman in East Melbourne 22 May 1898 to George and Florence Maud Gilliman (nee Dean), Joseph was educated at Christian Brothers College, East St. Kilda then St Patrick's College, East Melbourne. The middle son of three brothers, his eldest brother George Patrick also enlisted for WWI, and the youngest brother David enlisted for WW2.

  • 4253 reads

GLASS, Norman Robert

Date of birth: 
1893
Biographical notes: 

Norman Robert Glass was born in 1893 at Albert Park Victoria. He was the eldest of two sons to Robert William Glass and his wife, Adelaide, nee Modral. He also nominated his elder sister Gladys Glass on his enlistment form,whose address he gave as the State Savings Bank, Elizabeth St., Melbourne.

  • 3444 reads

GLEED, Henry George

Date of birth: 
1890
Biographical notes: 

Henry George Gleed was 26 years old and working as a farmer when he enlisted at Hamilton Victoria on 18 August 1916. He was the son of Eleanor Jane,' Helena' Gleed, nee Gilding and Richard Thomas Gleed, a grazier of Casterton. George, as he was known, was one of six children, Ada Mary (b.1882), Agnes Rose (b.1893), Eleanor Jane (1894-1960), James Edward (b.

  • 3224 reads

GODFREY, Richard Arthur

Date of birth: 
1891
Biographical notes: 

Richrd Arthur Godfrey enlisted on 23 August, 1915. He was  26 years old, single and worked as a contractor, and gave his home address as 121 Powlett Street, East Melbourne. His next of kin was his father, Alfred Godfrey, living at 63 Queen Margaret Grove, Mildmay, London.

  • 3106 reads

GOLDBERG, Harry

Biographical notes: 
  • Born in Glasgow, Scotland and enlisted in the AIF on the 6th July 1917 being 21 years and 9 months old.  His sister Nancy Miller of Aldgate, London was nominated as his next of kin.
  • Training at Broadmeadows Camp before embarkation on the 'Persic"on the 21st March 1918 with the 1st General (Vic) Reinforcements.
  • 2858 reads

GOLDSBURY, John Samuel

Date of birth: 
1897
Biographical notes: 

John Samuel Goldsbury was twenty two and 8 months old when he enlisted on 17 January, 1916. He was, by occupation, a Civil Servant, single and with some military training: 4 years in the Senior Cadets and six months inb the 64th Citizens Forces. He was the son of John Marriott Goldsbury and his wife, Esseltya Baldermery Frohlick. 

  • 3253 reads

GOOD, Walter Ambrose

Biographical notes: 

Ambrose was 6' tall, weighed 12 stone 7 lbs and was 39 years old when he signed his attestation papers on 25 September 1916 at Enoggera in Queensland, although his file says his service dated from 2 February 1916. He had been a labourer in Cloncurry, Queensland, and his enlistment form gave his occupation as "miner". He was C of E, had blue eyes, brown hair and a sallow complexion. 

  • 2936 reads

GOODALL, James

Date of birth: 
1897
Biographical notes: 

James Goodall enlisted  on 11 January, 1915, at the Drill Hall in Powlett St., East Melbourne, following an earlier attempt in Tasmania. He claimed to be nineteen years old and described his occupation as 'gardener and baker'.

  • 3588 reads

GOOLD, Richard Harry

Date of birth: 
1880
Biographical notes: 

Richard Harry Goold was born on 12 December, 1880 in Kyneton to James Crosbie Goold and Ann Martha Goold (nee Gutheridge). He completed Year 6 at State School before attending South Melboutne College to sub-matriculaton level. He then qualified as an engineer.  Richard signed up twice for service in WWW1.

  • 3031 reads

GORRIE, John James

Date of birth: 
1887
Biographical notes: 

John James Gorrie was one of the three children of John James Gorrie (d. 25/8/1888) and his wife, Norah (d. 15/12/1918). From these dates, we might guess that the younger John James was the youngest child, as his father died in the year following his birth. On his enlistment form, he nominates his sister, Mrs.

  • 2732 reads

GOTTS, Rex Elmo

Date of birth: 
1889
Biographical notes: 

Rex Elmo Gotts was born in Geelong, Victoria in 1889, the son of Isaiah Alfred Gotts and his wife, Margaret Josephine, nee Riley. He  was one of twelve children, eight boys and four girls, and the youngest of the three brothers who volunteered for World War 1: Rex Elmo, Roy Stanley and William Alfred.

  • 3267 reads

GRAHAM, Sydney Hartley

Date of birth: 
1880
Biographical notes: 

Sydney Hartley Graham was a married man, an accountant and aged 36 when he enlisted at Adelaide on 7 March 1917. He had married his wife, Christina Jane, nee Macrae, on 11 January, 1911. The couple had no children and were living at 6 berkshire Street, Glenelg, South Australia.

  • 3153 reads

GRAHAM, Thomas McLennan

Date of birth: 
1897
Biographical notes: 

Tom Graham was born in Inverness, Scotland, in April 1897. When he enlisted at Seymour on 24 March, 1916, he was eighteen and eleven months old and working as a crockery packer. He have his  address as 36 Berry Street, East Melbourne, and appears to have had no family in Australia. His next of kin was listed as his mother, living at 21 McLean Street, Glasgow. 

  • 3049 reads

GRANT, John

Date of birth: 
1895
Biographical notes: 

John Grant was born in Sale, Victoria in 1895 to William and Mary Grant (nee Keating). His father was born in Scotland in 1862 and mother in Waterford, Ireland. They married in 1894 at Sacre Coeur, Kew. JOhn was the eldest born of 5 children (3 brothers and 1 sister). He enlisted at the same time as his brother William in July, 1915. His occupation was a Porter with the railways.

  • 4167 reads

GRANT, William Alexander

Date of birth: 
1896
Biographical notes: 

William Alexander Grant was born on Beechworth, Victoria in 1896 to William and Mary Grant (nee Keating. His father was born in Scotland in 1862 and mother in Waterford, Ireland. They married in 1894 at Sacre Coer, Kew. William was the second born of five siblings (3 brothers and 1 sister). His eldest brother John also enlisted for WW1.

  • 3809 reads

GRAY, Alastair Cameron

Date of birth: 
1898
Biographical notes: 

Alisstair Cameron Gray was born in 1898 in Dunedin, New Zealand to William Gray and Mary Gray nee Cameron, both born and raised in the Dunedin area. He was the younger brother of Clark Maxwell Gray who was killed in action at Fromelles in July 1916.

  • 5350 reads