John AUSTIN
| First name | John |
|---|---|
| Last name | AUSTIN |
| Country of Origin | Co.Westmorland, England |
| Date of Birth | 1857 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1884 |
| Submitted by | Marlene AUSTIN |
Story
John Austin was born 11/10/1857 to parents John Austin 1825-1900 and Mary nee Atkinson 1827-1908 at Bretherdale, Orton, County Westmorland, England. John had 6 brothers and sisters. Orton is a pleasant old town situated at the southern end of the Crosby Ravensworth hills about 800 ft. above sea level, and the natural setting giving commanding views is one of great beauty.
The Austins did not own the land they farmed, but they progressed to working sizeable farms of 30 acres then 98 acres or more. About 1869 at Warcop John could afford to apprentice his son John aged 12 to a grocer and draper, and he sent his two youngest daughters to school at a cost of 2d. each per week. They were a hard working family, keen to improve their status and living standards. In 1881 young John was a grocer’s assistant at Dalton-in-Furness, where he met his bride to be, Elizabeth Mary Wilson. Elizabeth had been born there in 1860 to parents Thomas Wilson and Mary Ann (nee Askew).
John emigrated to Australia on the ORIENT arriving in Melbourne in January 1884 when aged 26. He came “for his health” on doctor’s orders on account of asthma. There is no record of Elizabeth’s arrival, but they were married on 1/2/1884 in the Registry Office, Adelaide, and they eventually had 5 children, Thomas, Mamie, Elsie (died young), Winifred, Marjorie.
In 1884 John, a grocer, leased a general store at 187 Sturt St. Adelaide which he purchased in 1889 and enlarged it to a double storey in 1894 while the family lived in another property he had purchased. He also owned at different times a drapery shop and a grocery store which his son Tom managed until his untimely death in 1919 in the world-wide influenza epidemic.
When 75, John and Elizabeth retired to a quiet suburban home where they lived with 2 daughters, a son-in-law and a grandson. They died 4 years later, John on 24/1/1936 and Elizabeth 9/9/1936 and both are buried in West Terrace cemetery, just down the street from their general store in Sturt St. Adelaide. Four of their five children are also buried there.
Of their children –
Tom 1884-1919 had an excellent singing voice and was in the choir of the Pirie St. Methodist Church with, it is said, local boy Peter Dawson 1882-1961, the world renowned concert singer and recording artist. Tom married Mary Ann Adelaide Granleese 1887-1962 on 29/1/1914 and their only child Brian Wilson Austin was born 28/7/1915 (Mary’s parents were John Granleese and Eliza nee Harrison). Brian was not yet 4 when his father died and did not remember him. Mary found it difficult to buy a home and bring up a child on her own in the days before pension payments. Tom died 28/6/1919 of flu, Mary died 15/7/1962 of a stroke, both buried in the West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide. Brian’s first job started at the time of the Great Depression and he was determined to hang onto it. In WWII Brian joined the Army and later the RAAF, then was reclaimed by the Public Service. Brian married Marlene Trenberth in 1958 but died 30 years later of pneumonia.
Mamie 1886-1979 m. Frank McHugh, accountant, 3 children Frank 1917-92, Tom 1919-89, Patricia 1925-. Descendants carry on the Austin blood in Australia.
Elsie 1888-1889 died 6 mo. old.
Winifred 1893-1934 taught piano and violin but d. 19/4/1934 of a strangulated hernia when only 41.
Marjorie 1895-1964 was a good violinist who married Edwin Livsey 1897-1935 on 28/1/1929. Edwin had been gassed in France in 1916 when 19, then was a clerk with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. They had a son Austin Livsey 1930-1986 a school teacher.