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.

MORRISON, James

Date of birth:

1859

Biographical notes:

James Morrison was born on 10 November 1859 at Scotch College, East Melbourne. His father, Dr. Alexander Morrison, was principal and headmaster of Scotch from 1857 to 1903. James grew up at Scotch and was educated there. A few years after leaving school he became a squatter acquiring Forida Station, near Cobar, NSW.

4321 reads

MORRISON, Howard Clive

Date of birth:

1889

Biographical notes:

Howard Clive Morrison (known as Clive) was born on 5 July 1889. Clive, in one set of enlistment papers, gave his birth place as Surrey Hills, on another set, dated nine months later, he gave it as Melbourne, however the official record has it as Box Hill. He was the eldest son of Henry Howard Morrison (known as Howard and his wife, Esther, nee Mack (or Mark), and a grandson of Dr.

Howard Clive Morrison at Broadmeadows, 1916

5281 reads

MORRISON, Alexander Eric

Date of birth:

1891

Biographical notes:

Alexander Eric Morrison (known as Eric) was born at Inveraven, Erin Street, Richmond on 30 January 1891. He was the second son of Henry Howard Morrison (known as Howard) and his wife Esther, nee Mack (or Mark), and a grandson of Dr. Alexander Morrison, headmaster and principal of Scotch College from 1857 to 1903. Howard was a tea merchant with premises in Flinders Lane.

4460 reads

HARBECK, Arthur Percival

Date of birth:

1892

Biographical notes:

Arthur Percival Harbeck was one of three brothers from Lakes Entrance who enlisted to fight in the Great War. Arthur was 22 years old and working as a salesman. He enlisted at Eastern Hill and gave his home address as 26 Berry St., East Melbourne.

Private Arthur Harbeck prior to enlisting 1914

Grave of Private Arthur Harbeck, Pembroke Cemetery, Malta, 1915

Sergeant Albert Roy Harbeck, 39th Battalion

4391 reads

PURDEY, George Rising

Date of birth:

1887

Biographical notes:

George Rising Purdey was born on 4 June 1887. He was the elder son of James Purdey (1852-1924) and Jessie Carrick Maver (1852-1927). He stated in his enlistment papers that he was born in Melbourne.

George Rising Purdey standing in middle. Brother Joseph Ernest Purdey on right.

4420 reads

PEACOCK, William Knox

Date of birth:

1898

Biographical notes:

William Knox Peacock was born on 24 January 1898 in North Melbourne. He was the younger son of Robert Knox Peacock and Emily Jane Finlay. Robert was an Edinburgh trained doctor, and was a brother of Dr Samuel Peacock, famously charged with murder in 1911 after a young female patient disappeared from his premises at 62 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne.

4913 reads

HAWKINS, Clarence Edmund

Date of birth:

1883

Biographical notes:

Clarence Hawkins was the son of Alfred George Hawkins, a tailor, and his wife Mary Adele, nee Merson.

Clarence Edmund Hawkins 4th Field Artillery Battery

Hawkin's name scratched into the cave walls at Naours. Courtesy Gilles Prilaux

3226 reads

BISHOP, Selwyn Teignmouth

Date of birth:

1891

Biographical notes:

The studio portrait of 15421 Private Selwyn Teignmouth Bishop, 16th Reinforcements, 6th Field Company shows a determined young man. The youngest of six children, of Anglican Archdeacon George Nickells Bishop and his wife, Annie Mary (nee Kelly), he enlisted on 29 February, 1916, and embarked from Sydney on board HMAT 'Ceramic' A40.

4350 reads

MORRIS, Arthur Edward

Date of birth:

1879

Biographical notes:

Arthur Edward Morris was born on 16 November, 1879 to Edward Ellis Morris and Edith Sarah Catherine (nee Higinbotham) at Melbourne Church of England Grammar School (MCEGS) where his father, Professor Morris, was Headmaster from 1875 until 1882. He had 3 sisters. His early years were spent both in Australia and England.

3703 reads

GALLIN, Alice Matilda

Date of birth:

1875

Biographical notes:

Introduction: three Gallin sisters AANS

AGallin (3rd row back,5th from left) 1AGH Egypt 1915 (AWM P00173.001)

Deccan War Hospital, Poona 1917 (AWM P00562.075)

Unidentified nurses and patient Anzac Hostel, Brighton (AWM P03098.004)

5943 reads

GALLIN, Mary Josephine

Date of birth:

1869

Biographical notes:

Introduction: three Gallin sisters AANS

Ward at 2AGH Wimereux c1918 AWM PO1630.002

Nurses and other personnel leaving 2AGH March 1919 AWM 2402.021

Gallin grave, Melbourne General Cemetery, Carlton (ancesty.com Find a Grave)

6205 reads

MORLET, Claude

Date of birth:

1888

Biographical notes:

Claude Morlet was born in Toowoomba, Queensland on 11 August, 1888 to John Stanislaus Morlet and Mary Alice Morlet (nee Brown). His older sister Muriel was born the previous year and younger brother Jack in 1890 when the family had moved to Dromana, Victoria. Claude attended Melbourne Church of England Grammar School, living with his mother and brother in South Yarra at that time.

3625 reads

LATHAM, Leslie Scott

Date of birth:

1879

Biographical notes:

Leslie Scott Latham was born on 13 June, 1879 in Fitzroy to Thomas and Janet Latham (nee Scott) of Ivanhoe. He was educated at Scotch College and commenced a Bachelor of Arts at Melbourne University in 1897, residing at Ormond College. After completing his B.A. Leslie commenced studying Medicine , graduating with a MB. BS in 1904.

3555 reads

BROOKE, Katie Winifred

Date of birth:

1876

Biographical notes:

Katie (Kate) Winifred Brooke (1876-1939)

Introduction

Extract from Edward Brooke's probate (PROV)

Deccan War Hospital, Poona (AWM P00562.075)

Katie Brooke commemorated at St Peter's Eastern Hill, East Melbourne

4762 reads

ROBERTS, Margaret Dorothy

Date of birth:

1870

Biographical notes:

Margaret Roberts’ life was a remarkable one by any measure. Born in a Welsh workhouse, deemed too delicate for domestic service or hard work, she blossomed in body and mind and trained as a nurse in London.

Margaret Dorothy Roberts, QAIMNS (Imperial War Museum)

Margaret Dorothy Roberts, St Peter's Church, Eastern Hill, Melbourne

Margaret Dorothy Roberts, St Peter's Eastern Hill Honour Board, Melbourne

Margaret Roberts, St Peter's Eastern Hill Honour Board, Melbourne (detail)

War Office advertisement seeking Margaret Dorothy Roberts' next of kin

7985 reads

THOMPSON, Muriel Edith Lucy

Date of birth:

1889

Biographical notes:

Muriel Edith Lucy Thompson (1889–1951)

Introduction

Muriel Edith Lucy Thompson is named on the Great War honour boards commemorating parishioners who served overseas between 1914 and 1918. Her connection with the parish was as much by family (she was related to the vicar) as by attendance.

Nurse Muriel Thompson (Archives Tasmania)

Sister MEL Thompson (seated) 2AAH 1919 (AWM D00545)

War Memorial Board showing nurses, St Peter's Eastern Hill, East Melbourne

4938 reads

PURCELL, Annie Watkins Bennett Vize

Date of birth:

1887

Biographical notes:

Annie Watkins Bennett Vize Purcell

1 Australian General Hospital in the Heliopolis Hotel, Cairo (AWM16957)

Sister Annie Purcell (Argus 3 December 1926)

Annie Purcell commemorated at St Peter's Church Eastern Hill, East Melbourne

6024 reads

PAYNE, Violet Minnie

Date of birth:

1880

Biographical notes:

Violet Payne

Violet and her twin sister Lily both served in the Australian Army Nursing Service during the Great War. (Twins serving were not unknown; twins Catherine and Amelia Uren of SA also joined the AANS). They enlisted and embarked separately and served in different theatres of war but returned to Australia in 1919 on the same ship.

Entrance to 2AGH Wimereux 1917 AWM P02804.002

Sisters quarters 2AGH 1917 Wimereux (AWM P02402.002)

Extract from 2 Canadian CCS unit diary on bombing of 17 CCS August 1917

Violet Payne (back second right) 1928 (SLV MS 13606)

Violet Payne in Tanganyika (SLV MS 13606)

Violet & Lily Payne on honor board, St Peter's Eastern Hill Church, Melbourne

Ede, Violet & Lily Payne with Alice and James Dunlop 1945 (Ebury, 'Weary...', op

7524 reads

PAYNE, Lily May

Date of birth:

1880

Biographical notes:

Lily Payne

Lily and her twin sister Violet both served in the Australian Army Nursing Service during the Great War. (Twins serving were not unknown; twins Catherine and Amelia Uren of SA also joined the AANS). They enlisted and embarked separately and served in different theatres of war but returned to Australia in 1919 on the same ship.

The contingent for Salonika, June 1917 (AWM AO1240)

Payne nursed at 66 General Hospital ('x'), Salonika (AWM H15764)

Payne wore anti-mosquito protection on Salonika (AWM H15761)

Patients on Salonika (State Library of Victoria MS Box 3991)

Lily & Violet Payne on the honor board of St Peter's Church Eastern Hill

7424 reads

SMITH, Winifred Jane

Date of birth:

1876

Biographical notes:

Winifred Jane Smith and her younger sister Elsie Dora Smith joined the Australian Army Nursing Service together and sailed from Australia on active service together on 7 July 1915.