Marriage registration: 1934/106/Wellington.7

Marriage registration: 1941/116/Wellington.7

Audrey recalled her time with her first husband, Wellington:
I met Wellington Edwards on Belcher’s farm ‘Kooroocheang’, Waterloo, around 1930 and used to visit ‘Wandoo’ regularly. We courted for 4 years and married in 1934.

We used to walk a lot and went to dances in the Waterloo Hall, at a cost of one shilling & six pence (1/6d.) One of the main attractions was the Indian motor bike – Wellington tried to teach me how to ride. The boys would ride to the front gate then walk the rest of the way down the road because they were scared of Harry Belcher and didn't want to make too much noise.

When we were married we lived at Burekup in our new home made of hand made blocks and shared milking with Ray Edwards. W ho continued to milk after Wellington was struck by lightning.

I shifted from Bunbury to ‘Kooroocheang’ with my mother Beatrice McLeod and brothers Malcolm and Alec when I was 14 and just left school.

Mum made me a beautiful white crepe de chine tennis dress. It was a really cold day so I was standing with my back to the fire- next thing a spark flew out and burnt a hole right through my dress.

Alec would take the cream out to the gate in the cart pulled by Dolly. Mum had an afternoon tea at ‘Kooroocheang’ for Ruth [Wellington’s sister] before her marriage to George Palmer.

Malcolm won a scholarship to Perth Modern School and studied to become a teacher. They closed the college for a year so he returned to the farm for that year then went on to become Headmaster at many country schools. When Alec took over ‘Kooroocheang’ Mum shifted back to Bunbury.

Note: Wellington died in 1940 after being struck by lightning while tending sheep.

Later, Audrey recalled her time with her second husband, Philip:
Philip attended Muresk Agricultural College where he met life long friends Len & Clara Jones, then he came back to the farm.

Three years after Wellington died, Philip and I were married and with all his knowledge we built a lovely timber home ‘Darling View’, Waterloo and ran a very successful farm. Philip would take the cream to the station by horse and cart. Trips to Bunbury were once a week after the car was washed and polished. Many a day was spent playing tennis, swimming in the river and singing songs round the organ at Wandoo’ on Sunday nights. Picnics and fishing down at the river at Clifton’s was also a popular pastime.

Before moving from Bunbury, when a child, we had a shop in Greenbushes selling pies and lollies. Were partners with Mum's sister in a shop in Leederville (the kids fought so much) so then shifted to Bunbury to open tea-rooms.

In Leederville the kids used to sleep on the balcony, fortunately they weren't there the night the railing got blown off. One night we forgot to lock the front door of the shop and were woken by a policeman, who had found it unlocked and came to tell us.'

Note: Philip and Wellington were brothers.

Philip served in the Army during World War II: service #: W70001, enlisted: 10 May 1942, Waterloo, WA, posted to 4th Battalion volunteer Defence Corps.

Acknowledgements:
• Rick Smith, Launceston Tasmania, Australia
• Bev & John Harte, Toongabbie, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
• Iolanthe Cock, Denham Western Australia
• Linley Scott, Busselton, Western Australia
• Mavis Coghlan, Upper Swan, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

References:
Births, baptisms, marriages, deaths & burials (Aust):
• Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Vic), 2001, Historical Index (1855-1920), extract for Deason (ref – D_Doc_#106)
• Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Vic), 1914, Birth certificate, Audrey Jean McLeod (ref – D_Doc_#168)
• Western Australia – Marriage indexes 1906-1965
Family trees & history:
• Rick Smith, 2005, Deason Family Tree (ref – D_Doc_#136)
• Rick Smith, 2011, Deason Family Tree (ref – D_Doc_#408)
• Jaclynne Kelson, 2003, The C. E. Edwards Family Tree February 1874 – July 2003, pp 28-51 (ref - D_Doc_#655)
• Bev & John Harte, 2006, Discussions & correspondence
• Mavis Coghlan, 2006 & 2007, Correspondence
• Iolanthe Cock, 2007, Correspondence
• Linley Scott, 2011 & 2012, Correspondence
Other information:
• Mavis Coghlan, 2007, Discussions

Audrey recalled her time with her first husband, Wellington:
I met Wellington Edwards on Belcher’s farm ‘Kooroocheang’, Waterloo, around 1930 and used to visit ‘Wandoo’ regularly. We courted for 4 years and married in 1934.

We used to walk a lot and went to dances in the Waterloo Hall, at a cost of one shilling & six pence (1/6d.) One of the main attractions was the Indian motor bike – Wellington tried to teach me how to ride. The boys would ride to the front gate then walk the rest of the way down the road because they were scared of Harry Belcher and didn't want to make too much noise.

When we were married we lived at Burekup in our new home made of hand made blocks and shared milking with Ray Edwards. W ho continued to milk after Wellington was struck by lightning.

I shifted from Bunbury to ‘Kooroocheang’ with my mother Beatrice McLeod and brothers Malcolm and Alec when I was 14 and just left school.

Mum made me a beautiful white crepe de chine tennis dress. It was a really cold day so I was standing with my back to the fire- next thing a spark flew out and burnt a hole right through my dress.

Alec would take the cream out to the gate in the cart pulled by Dolly. Mum had an afternoon tea at ‘Kooroocheang’ for Ruth [relationship not known – further research required] before her marriage to George Palmer.

Malcolm won a scholarship to Perth Modern School and studied to become a teacher. They closed the college for a year so he returned to the farm for that year then went on to become Headmaster at many country schools. When Alec took over ‘Kooroocheang’ Mum shifted back to Bunbury.

Note: Wellington died in 1940 after being struck by lightning while tending sheep.

Later, Audrey recalled her time with her second husband, Philip:
Philip attended Muresk Agricultural College where he met life long friends Len & Clara Jones, then he came back to the farm.

Three years after Wellington died, Philip and I were married and with all his knowledge we built a lovely timber home ‘Darling View’, Waterloo and ran a very successful farm. Philip would take the cream to the station by horse and cart. Trips to Bunbury were once a week after the car was washed and polished. Many a day was spent playing tennis, swimming in the river and singing songs round the organ at Wandoo’ on Sunday nights. Picnics and fishing down at the river at Clifton’s was also a popular pastime.

Before moving from Bunbury, when a child, we had a shop in Greenbushes selling pies and lollies. Were partners with Mum's sister in a shop in Leederville (the kids fought so much) so then shifted to Bunbury to open tea-rooms.

In Leederville the kids used to sleep on the balcony, fortunately they weren't there the night the railing got blown off. One night we forgot to lock the front door of the shop and were woken by a policeman, who had found it unlocked and came to tell us.'

Note: Philip and Wellington were brothers.

Philip served in the Army during World War II: service #: W70001, enlisted: 10 May 1942, Waterloo, WA, posted to 4th Battalion volunteer Defence Corps.

Birth registration: 1911/130.5

Service Record
Name EDWARDS, PHILIP JOHN
Service Australian Army
Service Number W70001
Date of Birth 15 Feb 1911
Place of Birth WATERLOO, WA
Date of Enlistment 10 May 1942
Locality on Enlistment WATERLOO, WA
Place of Enlistment BRUNSWICK, WA
Next of Kin EDWARDS, AUDREY
Date of Discharge Unknown
Rank Private
Posting at Discharge 4 BATTALION VOLUNTEER DEFENCE CORPS
WW2 Honours and Gallantry None for display
Prisoner of War No

Philip served in the Army during World War II: service #: W70001, enlisted: 10 May 1942, Waterloo, WA, posted to 4th Battalion volunteer Defence Corps.