150 Years in Australia
Descendants of Sarah Watson

Sarah Rumbelow was born at West Row, Mildenhall, Suffolk, England on 28th February 1852. At 2 years of age she accompanied her family to Port Adelaide on the Pestonjee Bomanjee in 1854 and then to Encounter Bay arriving on 5th January 1855.

Sarah married William Jonas Watson, a farmer/labourer, on 18th August 1869 at the Wesleyan Church at Port Victor and they appear to have lived at Encounter Bay, Middleton and Strathalbyn at various times.

William was born at Payneham, South Australia, on 27th May 1847 and moved to Victor Harbor early in 1869.

William died at Victor Harbor on 11th July 1923 at 76 years of age. Sarah died on 28th December of the same year. Sarah and William had five children; Ernest, Clara, Albert, Beatrice and Frances.

[3] Ernest William Watson was born at Middleton on 15th April 1870 and married Eliza Phebe Bridges, at Peterborough SA on 26th March 1894. Ernest joined the SA Railways at Peterborough at the age of 22 and then moved to Victor Harbor where he drove the horse tram that ran to Granite Island (then a Railways responsibility).

He moved on to Callington, and then Bordertown followed by Coonalpyn. He settled at Mt Gambier for the remainder of his career that spanned 44 years. Newspaper clippings reveal that he was a very well known and respected identity in the South East of SA.

Ernest and Eliza had seven children; Gertrude, Vera, Charles, Mona, Lionel, Violet and Iris.

[4] Gertrude Nellie Watson was born at Peterborough, SA, on 22nd February 1895 and married Alfred William Cornish, a cabinetmaker, on 28th December 1915. There is an Alfred William Cornish who enlisted in the Australian Army in WW1 on 12th July 1915 and returned to Australia on 10th September 1917. As Alfred married some five months after enlisting there is some doubt that this information is accurate. They had one son; Alan.

[5] Alan Alfred Ernest Cornish was born at Mount Gambier on 27th September 1916 and married Audrey May Clarke on 9th December 1939. Alan was a metallurgical engineer in Newcastle NSW, and joined the Australian Army on 29th March 1938 and held the rank of Lieutenant when discharged in 1944 posted to 1

Field Company. He then enlisted in the 31 Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps in Newcastle as a lieutenant and was discharged in 1945. Alan and Audrey had three children.

[4] Vera Gladys Watson was born at Callington, SA, on 20th February 1898 and married Albert Horace Brown on 16th November 1920. Their daughter [5] Joyce Mary Brown married Theo Ray Ey and they had one son.

[4] Charles William Watson was born at Bordertown on 30th March 1902 and did not marry. He enlisted in the Australian Army on 22nd June 1940. Neither the date, his rank or posting on discharge are known. He died on 9th March 1946.

[4] Mona Mary Watson was born at Bordertown on 10th October 1903 and married Arthur Burdett Carr, a baker, on 6th October 1924. They had a daughter Mary.

[5] Mary Burdett Carr was born at Mt Gambier on 22nd June 1926 and married Oswald Eric Walters on 16th November 1946. Oswald enlisted in the RAAF on 30th May 1944 and when discharged held the rank

of leading aircraftsman in 38 Squadron. They had three children.

[4] Lionel Lovegood Watson, a painter, was born at Bordertown on 20th May 1905 and married Vera Gladys Stafford on 9th January 1929. He joined the Australian Army on 17th April 1942 and, when discharged, held the rank of Sergeant and was posted to 9 Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps.

Vera was known across South Australia for her interest and talent in floral art. She founded the Mt Gambier Floral Art Club in 1953 and also founded Clubs at Glencoe and Casterton. Vera also founded the first chapter of Ikebana International (Japanese flower arranging) in SA in 1962. She made a bouquet that was presented to the Queen in1954 when she visited Mt Gambier and Vera operated a business in Commercial Street, Mt Gambier. To honour her community involvement, a reserve has been named after her in Mt Gambier. 

Lionel and Vera had two children.

[5] Joan Clarissa Watson was born at Mt Gambier on 1st March 1932 and married Edward Bell Morrison, a motor mechanic, in 1959. They had two children.

[5] Dawn Benita Watson was born at Mt Gambier on 7th October 1934 and married Barry John Meaney on 13th July 1968. They had two children.

[4] Violet Dulcie Watson was born at Bordertown on 10th February 1907 and married Frederich Roger Smith on 25th February 1928. They had four children; Yvonne, Patricia, John and Graham

[5] Yvonne Margaret Smith was born at Prospect SA on 13th December 1928 and married Kevin Ernest Radley, a builder, on 1st October 1949. They had fourteen children.

[5] Patricia Elizabeth Smith was born at Mt Gambier on 30th December 1930 and married Donald Pickford on 15th September 1951. Donald joined the RAAF on 27th March 1943 and held the rank of Flying Officer, posted to 37 Squadron, when discharged on 24th July 1946. Donald and Patricia had five children.

[5] John Ernest Smith was born in 1939 and married Pauline Kemp and they have one son.

[5] Graham Terence Smith was born in 1942, married Barbara and we are not aware of children.

[4] Iris Edna Watson was born at Mt Gambier on 22nd September 1913 and married Lindsay John Sproal on 18th March 1939. Lindsay joined the Australian Army and when discharged on 3rd February 1943 was attached to 23/21 Battalion. Iris and Lindsay had two children; Peter and Julie.

[5] Peter John Sproal was born at Pt Fairy Victoria on 9th April 1942 and married Jennifer Lynne Trinham on 7th January 1966. They had five children.

[5] Julie Anne Sproal was born 18th April 1949 in Port Fairy Victoria and married Russell James Scott and they had three children.

[3] Clara Mary Watson (2nd child) was born at Encounter Bay on 15th November 1872 having one son Clifford.

[4] Clifford Watson, born at Middleton on 13th November 1893, was a chauffer and later a caretaker/gardener and he married Ethel Ella Warren on 1st February 1913. They had five children.

[5] Myra Blanche Watson was born at Victor Harbor on 26th July 1913 and married Mervyn Cecil

McGill on 29th October 1935. Merv joined the Australian Army on 1st December 1942 and when discharged on 27th November 1945 was a Corporal attached to 88 ASD PL. They had three children.

[5] Frederick William Watson was born at Victor Harbor on 15th November 1915 and married Dorothy Edith Mildred Muller on 23rd September 1939. Fred was a gardener/greenkeeper who joined the Australian Army on 5th January 1942 and when discharged was in 6 Light Field Ambulance. They had five children.

[5] Roy Clifford Watson was born at Victor Harbor on 29th March 1919 and married Mabel Cowbolt. Roy joined the Australian Army on 19th June 1940 and when discharged was attached to 2 ITD. They had two children.

[5] Daphne May Watson was born at Victor Harbor on 26th June 1920. She operated a hairdressing salon at Victor Harbor.

[5] Reginald James Watson was born at Victor Harbor on 15th August 1924, married Enid and they have two children.

Clara Watson then married Henry Edward Crowe on 2nd September 1897 and they had four children; Beatrice, Edward, Gladys and Hazel.

[4] Beatrice Harriett Crowe was born at Broken Hill on 29th September 1899 and married Gordon Attrill Thompson on 4th August 1921. They had two children; Lindsay and Claire, before Gordon died in 1966.

[5] Lindsay Gordon Thompson was born at Glenelg, SA, on 27th October 1921 and married Audrey Adelaide Morris on 2nd May 1944 and had two children.

[5] Claire Thompson was born at Glenelg, SA, on 14th February 1925 and married Ronald Robert Ross Frankcom on 20th September 1947 and had three children.

Beatrice married Hurtle Josiah Harold Collins. Hurtle had joined the Australian Army on 30th September 1940 and when discharged held the rank of Captain attached to District Accounts Office, 4 MD.

[4] Edward William Crowe was born at Hay, NSW, in 1902 and married Ethel Eileen Smelt on 13th April 1926. They had three children; Eileen, Alfred and Neville.

[5] Eileen Mary Crowe was born in 1925, married Simon John Jones and had one son.

[5] Alfred Henry Crowe was born in 1927, married Joan Wall and had three children.

[5] Neville Crowe married Pamela Harding and had one daughter.

[4] Gladys May Crowe was born in 1908 and married Harold Brooke. She later married Frank Keable. We have no record of children.

[4] Hazel Clara Crowe was born in 1911 and married Iwan Macorovitch Wertenberg. She was a tall lady who ran a dress shop in Victor Harbor for many years.

After the death of Henry Crowe, Clara married John James Hall.

[3] Albert Malen Watson (3rd child) was born at Strathalbyn on 1st April 1875 and married Rose Florence Swain on 7th November 1902. Albert operated a hire car business at Victor Harbor. Their two children were Leslie and Elwyn.

[4] Leslie Albert Watson who was born at Encounter Bay on 28th April 1905 and married Dorothy Leila Mavis Collins on 14th February 1925. Leslie was a motor service proprietor who died at the age of 26 and had one daughter.

[4] Elwyn Arthur Watson (Bob) was born at Encounter Bay on 28th September 1913 and married Lillian Percival Wheaton on 5th December 1936. Lil was an excellent tennis player who played and won at the top local level for many years. Bob continued his father’s business and drove a hire car at Victor Harbor. He joined the Australian Army on 3rd March 1945 and when discharged was a Driver posted to 73 Transport Platoon. 

Bob and Lillian had three children; Bruce, Barry and Rosalie.

[5] Bruce Leslie Watson was born at Victor Harbor on 13th December 1938 and with wife, Shirley, had three children. Bruce and his brother Barry joined the State Bank of South Australia and Bruce was a Relieving Manager and Barry was the Branch Manager at Ceduna in the 1980’s.

[5] Barry Charles Watson was born at Victor Harbor on 22nd October 1941 and inherited his mother’s love of tennis. He and his wife, Kay, had two children.

[5] Rosalie Helen Watson was born at Victor Harbor on 16th December 1949 and married Robert Penvose Bartley on 3rd February 1968. They have two children.

[3] Beatrice Alice Watson (4th child) was born at Encounter Bay on 6th October 1877 and married Albert Evens, a farmer from Curramulka, SA, on 13th February 1901. They had two children; Elsie, Thelma and Lindsay.

[4] Elsie Alice Evens was born at Curramulka on 25th March 1902 and married Frederick Cassebohm on 10th September 1921. Their four children are [5] Bronte, Joyce, Betty and Gay Cassebohm

[4] Thelma Mary Evens was born at Curramulka on 30th July 1905 and married Loris Vincent Day on 20th October 1923. Thelma and Loris had three children; [5] Rhonda Mary, Audrey Lois and Dulcie Maureen.

[4] Lindsay Albert William Evens was born 15th January 1915 at Curramulka SA.

[3] Frances Susan Watson (5th child) was born at Middleton on 5th July 1882, married Alma James Gregory, a farmer, on 7th July 1908 and they had one son; Ronald.

[4] Ronald James Gregory was born at Encounter Bay on 6th August 1910 and married Lorna Joan Pettman. Ron joined the Australian Army on 6th April 1942 and when discharged, was attached to 3 Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps. Ron and Joan had four children; Graeme, Heather, Jeffrey and Margaret.

[5] Graeme Ronald Gregory married Robyn Elizabeth Hall and had three children.

[5] Heather Joy Gregory married Trevor Young and had four children:

[5] Jeffrey Edward Gregory was born at Adelaide on 22nd August 1947 and married Raelene Margaret Loffler on 13th April 1968. Jeffrey is a minister of religion in the Baptist Church at Mount Barker, SA. Jeffrey and Raelene have four children:

[5] Margaret Jean Gregory was born at Back Valley on 28th July 1958 and married Kenneth William Staude.