THE MILLAR STORY

CLARKE PHOTOS

First generation 'down under'

William was probably born in Kent, and Mary was born in Salisbury, Wilts.

They married in Melbourne in 1840.

William Joseph Sayers Clarke 1814-1855

Mary Ann Welsford 1821-1910


		GEORGE THOMAS SAYERS CLARKE (1853-1925) - elected Lord Mayor of Sydney in 1912. Later, when Mayor of North Sydney, he was Chairman of the gathering for the "turning of the sod" on 28.7.1923 at the construction of Sydney Harbour Bridge. There is evidence that he participated in the discussions that took place on the design of the bridge. Thus in a letter to the Sydney Morning Herald in 1922 he stated in reference to the proposal for a bridge from Miller's point to Balmain and Ball's Head by way of Goat Island he had submitted 35 years ago a proposition of a low level bridge commencing at Ball's Head and making use of Goat Island for the centre pier Previously he had been elected Grand Sire of International Order of Oddfellows, New South Wales, in Hobart 1905. He laid the foundation stone of their new Temple in Elizabeth Street, Sydney on 29.6.1912 He was also a stalwart member of the Waverley Bowling and Recreation Club.. His granddaughter, ELIZABETH GRACE THOMPSON, married FLYING OFFICER THOMAS ROBERTS MILLAR RAAF.


		<<ELIZABETH JANE MORTIMER (1851-1911) born in Exeter. Married George Thomas on 23.7.1874 at the Independent Church, Collins Street, East Melbourne. The Clarke family in the 1920s>>

BROTHERS IN ARMS

Two sons of GTS Clarke who fought in France in WW1,

<< Sergeant George Thomas M Clarke 1886-1942 who survived the war and continued in army service.

L-Corporal Jack Mortimer Clarke, 17th Bn., A.I.F., aged 22 years, who gave his life for his Country and Nation. Killed in France 29th July 1916>>

"Jack.fell as only a brave man can fall. He was leading his section in a charge, in face of murerous shell and machine gun fire, and he was one of the many fatally wounded as he knew himself to be. He refused to go on a stretcher from the battlefield, and insisted on walking away to the doctor so as to allow hopeful cases to be cared for. He proved a hero to the very end"

This 1916 French 10 centime WW1 coin was found by Alec Goulding in his late uncle's coin collection. It shows the name and company of GTM Clarke. A unique dogtag !
Amazingly Alec tracked down GTMC's great niece and very kindly gave the coin to her.


Violet Lizzie looking out of the window		Florence Welsford out walking

The daughters of George Thomas Sayers Clarke, left to right:-
Florence Welsford Clarke 1875-1940
Vera Welsford Mortimer Clarke 1889-1958
Violet Lizzie Clarke 1876-1945
Nellie Mortimer Clarke 1877-1942

SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE - 1923

Alderman George Thomas Sayers Clarke invites his daughter, Vera Welsford Mortimer Clarke 1889-1957, to the ceremony of Turning the First Sod in creating the bridge and railway.

		<<Violet Lizzie Thompson nee Clarke1876-1945 and her daughter Beth photographed at Circular Quay, Sydney, in the late 1930s. Violet Lizzie in her wedding dress on the day she married Frank Herbert Thompson in March 1912 >>

THE CLARKE FAMILY in SYDNEY - 1930s

L to r: Mabel Nesbitt Clarke 1909-1989; Miss Bell; Herbert Ralph Thompson 1884-1968; Florence Welsford Clarke 1875-1940; George Thomas M Clarke 1886-1942; Vera Welsford Mortimer Clarke 1889-1958; Elizabeth Grace Thompson [later Millar, then Cort] ;Violet Lizzie Thompson nee Clarke 1876-1945; Mollie Clarke nee Bell; Nellie Mortimer Trist nee Clarke1877-1952; Frank Herbert Thompson 1884-1968; Frank Trist b1875.



John Nutt Sayers Clarke 1849-1926, brother of George Thomas Clarke.	John's wife, Jean, nee McKellar, 1856-1935. Photos contributed by Sandra Francis	Jean's father, Donald McKellar b1815 in Scotland, from a publication "Pastoral Pioneers of Port Philip" by R V Billis & H S Kenyon

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