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.

DE MORTON, Walter Henri

Date of birth: 
1869
Biographical notes: 

Walter Henri de Morton was over age when he enlisted on 11 December, 1916. He gave his age as 39, but was already 47. He was a widower and gave as his next of kin his son, Edward David De Morton.

  • 2461 reads

DEACON, Allan Stanley

Date of birth: 
1886
Biographical notes: 

Allan Stanley Deacon was Scottish by birth and had been born at Milton on Lenzie, Dunbartonshire, in 1886.

  • 2359 reads

DEANE, Cornelius Aloysius

Date of birth: 
1890
Biographical notes: 

Cornelius Aloysius Deane came from a large family at Wahring, near Nagambie, Victoria.

  • 2668 reads

DELANEY, Richard

Date of birth: 
1890
Biographical notes: 

Richard Delaney was Irish by birth and came from Galway. He was 35 years old, single and working as a sawyer when he enlisted on 19 July, 1916.

  • 2554 reads

DENE, Arundel Cecil

Date of birth: 
1886
Biographical notes: 

Arundel Cecil Dene enlisted on 15 December 1914. He was a journalist, aged 28, married to Phyllis Lilian and living at 'Rockleigh', in George Street, East Melbourne, now known at 'Braemar'.

  • 2103 reads

DENSHAM, Roger

Date of birth: 
1890
Biographical notes: 

Roger Densham was the first-born of twins born to Robert Densham and his wife Mary Ann, nee Hartnell, on 20 January 189o.

  • 2231 reads

DEVEREUX, Matthew

Date of birth: 
1884
Biographical notes: 

Born in Maryborough, Melbourne, by 1917 Matthew Devereux was 33 and 3 months old when he enlisted at Redfern, Sydney, NSW on 18 September, 1917.

  • 2492 reads

DEVINE, William

Date of birth: 
1887
Biographical notes: 

William Devine was a parish priest at St Paul's Church, 264 Brunswick Street, Coburg, when he enlisted on 1 July, 1915.

  • 2876 reads

DITCHBURN, William Arthur

Date of birth: 
1881
Biographical notes: 

William Ditchburn was the second of eight sons born to Thomas Ditchburn (1848-1903) and his wife Eugenie Jane, nee Musika. William Ditchburn was an ironmonger, when he enlisted on 1 March, 1915.

  • 2449 reads

DIX, Frank

Date of birth: 
1893
Biographical notes: 

Frank Dix was 22 years old when he enlisted on 18 January, 1916. He was the son of George Albert Dix and Edith Hooper and identified himself by occupation as a student.

Frank Dix - circa March 1916
  • 1774 reads

DOCTER, Alfred William

Date of birth: 
1894
Biographical notes: 

Alfred William Docter and his brother, Thomas Cancel Doctor, were the sons of Thomas Docter, a dairyman, and his wife Alice, of 187 Edward St., Brunswick.

fallen Soldiers at Fromelles 20 July 1916
  • 2367 reads

DONALDSON, Alexander

Date of birth: 
1873
Biographical notes: 

The son of John Donaldson and Elizabeth, nee Lever, Alexander Donaldson was born on 6 September, 1873, at Diamond Creek Victoria. He had one sibling, his sister Annetta, b. 1971.

  • 2180 reads

DONNAN, James

Date of birth: 
1877
Biographical notes: 

James Donnan enlisted on 15 July, 1915. It is a significant date, because it follows on from the assault on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

The 29th Battalion 1915
Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval, France
  • 2779 reads

DOUGHARTY, Douglas Hamilton

Date of birth: 
1888
Biographical notes: 

Douglas was born in East Melbourne on 5th May, 1889, the youngest son and child of George Hamilton Dougharty and Catherine (Kate) Grey Dougharty (nee Innes).

  • 2645 reads

DOUGLAS, Alexander

Date of birth: 
1883
Biographical notes: 

Alexander Douglas was born in 1883 at Junee NSW, the son of Samuel and Ruth Douglas. In 1912, at the age of  29, he married Margaret Emma Connolly (1884-1949) in Newcastle, NSW.

Railway Unit 2 departing on HMAT Ballarat 1917
  • 2165 reads

DOUGLAS, Arthur

Date of birth: 
1876
Biographical notes: 

Arthur Douglas was 41 years old when he enlisted. He was a married man and named as his next of kin his wife, Maria Ethel, known as Maud.

  • 2316 reads

DOW, Wilson

Date of birth: 
1895
Biographical notes: 

Born East Melbourne on the 10 May 1895. Was living in Williamstown with his father in 1915 and was an apprectice Engineer with W Jackson, Nelson Place Williamstown.

Report in Argus 3 JUly 1919. Death of Wilson Dow.
Wilson Dow's notification of the awarding of Military Medal.
  • 2365 reads

DOWER, Leslie Hubert

Biographical notes: 

No connection with East Melbourne. Mother lived as boarder in East Melbourne in 1916.

  • 2097 reads

DOWKER, Robert

Biographical notes: 

No connection with East Melbourne. Widower with small  daughter in foster care in Jolimont

  • 2304 reads

DOWNIE, William

Date of birth: 
1887
Biographical notes: 

 William Downie was born in Kensington Victoria, but at the time of his enlistment was at 57 Angus St., Jolimont, Victoria.

  • 1683 reads

DOWNING, Robert Clifford

Date of birth: 
1889
Biographical notes: 

Robert Downing was 27 years old and working as a Commercial Traveller when he enlisted 3 April, 1917.

  • 2514 reads

DOWNING, William Hooper

Date of birth: 
1890
Biographical notes: 

Robert Hooper Downing was one of two children born to Robert James Downing and his wife, Mary Ellen, nee Scown.

  • 2189 reads

DRUMMOND, Walter

Date of birth: 
1884
Biographical notes: 

Walter Drummond was born in Stirlingshire, Scotland around 1884 to James and Janet Drummond nee Strang. He married Martha Jane Mason of Richmond in 1916.

  • 2310 reads

DU BOIS, Edmond

Date of birth: 
1894
Biographical notes: 

Edmond Du Bois was the son of Rene Du Bois of 99 Hotham St., East Melbourne.

  • 2216 reads

DUFFY, Charles Allan Gavan

Date of birth: 
1889
Biographical notes: 

Charles Allan Gavan Duffy was the son of Charles Gavan Duffy, clerk of the Senate in the Australian Federal Parliament, then held in Melbourne, and his wife Ella.

  • 2361 reads

DUGGAN, Henry James

Date of birth: 
1891
Biographical notes: 

Henry James Duggan was a tram conductor by trade, married to Sarah and living in Commercial Rd, South Yarra, when he enlisted on 1 December, 1915. He was then a month off 26 years old.

  • 2542 reads

DUNCAN, Norman Sinclair

Date of birth: 
1894
Biographical notes: 

Norman Sinclair Duncan was twenty years and six months when he joned u, with his father's permission, to serve in the AIF.

  • 2100 reads

DUNKLING, George Joseph

Date of birth: 
1879
Biographical notes: 

George Dunkling was a watchmaker, aged 38, when he enlisted on 13 April, 1918. He was married (1908) to Elizabeth, nee Bruce, in Sydney and they had one child, Nancy - later Mrs. L. Brennan.

George Joseph Dunkling
  • 3380 reads

DUNLOP, Archibald John

Date of birth: 
1888
Biographical notes: 

Archibald was born in June 1888 at Goorambat in Victoria.

  • 2077 reads

DUNNING, Charles Hamilton

Date of birth: 
1891
Biographical notes: 

Charles Dunning was born at Liverpool England in November 1891.

  • 2100 reads

DYER, Ralph Stanley

Date of birth: 
1894
Biographical notes: 

Ralph Stanley Dyer was the second son of Benjamin Hatch Dwyer, a staircase builder and his wife Frances (Fanny) nee Flinn, living at 317 Nicholson St., Brunswick.

  • 1703 reads

EARLES, William Patrick

Date of birth: 
1893
Biographical notes: 

William Patrick Earles was born in Collingwood, Melbourne, in 1893. He was aged 22, living in Kerang and working as a labourer when he enlisted on 31 December, 1915.

  • 2205 reads

ECCLES, Harold

Date of birth: 
1892
Biographical notes: 

Harold Eccles enlisted on 24 April, 1915. He was 23 years old, single and a salesman for Dairy Produce.

  • 2279 reads

EDGINTON, Arthur Benjamin

Date of birth: 
1886
Biographical notes: 

Arthur Edginton enlisted on 11 February, 1915, and was placed in the 22nd battalion. He was British by birth, 29 years old, single and described himslef as a waiter and cook.

  • 2251 reads

EDWARDS, Ernestine Mabel

Date of birth: 
1883
Biographical notes: 

Ernestine Mabel Edwards, like other members of her family, was known by several variations of her name, most commonly Nesta. 

25 British General Hospital, Hardelot c1918 (AWM AO3237 [www.awm.gov.au])
Matron Edwards and staff of Kearsney College in Natal (1923) (Kearsney archives)
  • 4355 reads

EDWARDS, Norman Daly

Date of birth: 
1888
Biographical notes: 

Norman Edwards was 27 years old when he enlisted on 11 September, 1915.

4th Light Horse Badge
4th Battalion departing Melbourne on HMAT Ceramic
Two soldiers from 1st Australian Cyclists Corps
  • 2477 reads

EDWARDS, Norman John Henry

Date of birth: 
1898
Biographical notes: 

Norman Edwards was a bank clerk and just nineteen years old when he enlisted at Hobart, Tasmania, on 13 February, 1918.

  • 2076 reads

EDWARDS, William Bertrand

Biographical notes: 

No connection with East Melbourne

  • 1967 reads

EGAN, Marshall John Patrick

Biographical notes: 

Marshall John Egan seems to have been eager to go to war and proved to be a good soldier.

Letter from Gracie Doe to Mrs. Bella Egan
Page 2 Letter from Gracie Doe to Mrs. Bella Egan
Memorial Cross, France
  • 2133 reads

ELLIOTT, William Ewart

Date of birth: 
1892
Biographical notes: 

William was born at Port Melbourne July 1892. He married Elizabeth Llewelyn at East Melbourne in May 1912. After the wedding they were living at 112 Grey Street, East Melbourne.

  • 2527 reads

EMERY, George Washington

Biographical notes: 

George Washington Emery was an early recruit to the Australian war effort, enlisting at South Melbourne on 20 August, 1914.

  • 2208 reads

ETHEREDGE, William Walter

Date of birth: 
1896
Biographical notes: 

William Walter Etheredge was born in Jolimont, but grew up in Traralgon, Victoria.

Eulogy 1 p.3 Gippsland Farmers' Journal 30 October 1917
Eulogy 2 p. 3 Gippsland Farmers' Journal 30 October 1917
Ambulance Corps. Messines, June 1917
William Walter Etheredge 1914
  • 3089 reads

FALCONER, James

Biographical notes: 

James was born in England. Has no real connection with East Melbourne except as listing a forwarding address of

'a friend' in Powlet street East Melbourne.

  • 1866 reads

FALKINGHAM, Henry

Date of birth: 
1883
Biographical notes: 

Henry Falkingham was born in 18813 at Tallarook, Victoria, the son of Henry Falkingham and hsi wife, Mary Elizabeth, nee Bolin.

  • 2194 reads

FALKINGHAM, William

Biographical notes: 

William Falkingham enlisted early, on the 14 October, 1914. He was then eighteen years old and had the consent of his father, Henry Falkingham.

  • 2104 reads

FARLEY, John Henry

Date of birth: 
1874
Biographical notes: 

John Henry Farley, a 36 year old railway employee, enlisted on 8/9/1914. He was then a railway employee and a widower.  The next day, he married Clara Elizabeth Turton, the Rev. W.S.

Casualty Form
Letters between Clara Farley and AIF
  • 2466 reads

FARLEY, John Henry

Biographical notes: 

Born at Prahran, Victoria, John Henry Farley was a grocer by trade. He enlisted in East Melbourne, and was killed in action on 1 July, 1916, France at Armentieres.

Casualty Form
  • 2170 reads

FARRELL, Michael James

Date of birth: 
1890
Biographical notes: 

Mick O' Farrell was 25 and 5 months old when he enlisted on 12 August, 1915.

  • 2127 reads

FAWCETT, George Henry

Date of birth: 
1894
Biographical notes: 

George Fawcett was English by birth, born in Lewisham, England, he went to school at Cheltenham College, where he served eighteen months with the Cadets, then went to Charters Towers School of Mine

  • 1721 reads

FAWKES, James Guy

Date of birth: 
1885
Biographical notes: 

James Guy Fawkes was born in Peckham, Surrey, England, the son of Charles and Ellen Catherine Fawkes, nee Davies.

  • 1812 reads