Gordon Smith - The Family that went to War

2018 GordonSmith Author.

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ISBN978-1-3103780-1-0

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September 2018update

In 1914Australia went to war.

Six young menfrom the same family in Cootamundra, southern New South Wales,volunteered to fight for their King and country. Only 3returned.

This is theirstory based on official archives, war records and newspaper reportswith some assumptions needed to complete the saga.

This book isdedicated to the memory of them all, including those who stayedhome and worked on the farms and in the factories to support thewar effort.

The authoracknowledges and is grateful for the research materials availablefrom;

The AustralianCommonwealth Archives

The AustralianWar Memorial

CootamundraHerald and the

Sydney MorningHerald

..... And doyou, Iris Anne Evelyn Wright, take Charles Power, as your lawfulwedded husband, for better or worse, in sickness and health and forricher or poorer............

In the countrytown of Murrumburrah, Charles and Georgina Power from Cootamundrawere seated in the front pew of Saint Pauls Church of England.This was for the marriage of their son Charles to Iris Anne EvelynWright. (Iriss mother had passed away several years before)

The Prominentstories on page one, of the Cootamundra Herald that morning hadread;

Mr. Fishersays it will probably be arranged that the Federal Parliament shallsit in the daytime only, leaving the evenings free.

Coadjutor-Archbishop Kelly succeeded Cardinal Moran by right of successionand is now Archbishop of Sydney.

The policeforce in Perth is asking for an increase in pay of Is 6d per 'dayon account of the increased cost of living.

As the sun roseon that beautiful, crisp Saturday morning, no one realised thatsuch a day of joy and hope would be marred in only three more yearsby sadness and loss. Events developing in Europe would have such adevastating effect on the newlyweds. As the wedding party gatheredat the little church, all these other matters were far away fromeveryones thoughts. Today was a day of hope and joy!

The church, onthe top of the hill at Murrumburrah, was bursting at the seams. Thefamily had gathered in this picturesque town from throughout theCootamundra District, and far away. Uncles, aunts, cousins,brothers and sisters, they were all there.

As he waswaiting at the altar with his elder brother, Edward (who was hisbest man) for his bride to arrive, Charles looked around at theseated congregation. In the right front row could see his fatherCharles senior and mother Georgina at either end of the front rightpew. Between them were his younger siblings Wallace, Leslie,Austin, Phyllis, and Thomas. Immediately behind them were his othersiblings William, James, Thomas, and Georgina.

The next twopews were occupied by Aunt Eliza and Uncle Randal Schofield alongwith the cousins Ethel, James, Austin, Randall, Herbert Charles,Henry, and Frederick.

The other sideof the church was for mainly Iriss family, Arthur, Leslie,Thomas, and Dorothy. There was a space left for Albert, who wasstanding in for Iriss mother who had passed away twelve yearsprior.

Iriss unclesand aunts and a couple of cousins were in the next few pews but, inthe excitement, he couldnt remember their names. He did, however,see Aunt Mary and Uncle Paul Kingston along with their children,James, Thomas, Alice and William, who arrived at the lastminute.

His thoughtsreturned with the arrival of the bridal party. The bride lookedradiant! She was followed by the bridal party, comprising AlbertWright, 26 (standing in for Iriss father) Mary Anne Kingston(Matron of Honour), and Alice Power (bridesmaid). The wedding musthave had some effect on Albert because; within two years, the youngpolice constable himself would marry his sweetheart, EllenOBrien.

The weddingbreakfast was a jovial affair with the younger children playing andgetting into all sorts of mischief. Most of the younger cousinsenjoyed the time together while; the older boys gathered around andseem to see who could drink the most. The older girls had allhelped with the food, and it would be true to say that the feastwas one that will be remembered for some time.

No doubt therefreshments for the wedding came from Tooth & Company Limited.And being the brewers of White Horse Ale, they were also wine &spirit merchants and being cordial manufacturers.

Charles andIris made the perfect couple, and in so many of their laid-backways, they signified the hope of a new nation. Australia was onlyeleven years old as a nation. Earlier that year, the site procuredfor the new Australian Federal House of Parliament a few shortmiles away to the east in a paddock called, Canberra.

The Power family were genuinepioneers of the district. Private Thomas Power (son of WilliamPower and Honor ODonnell) was born about 1805 in Ireland. Hemarried Isabella Hastie on the 19th of Sep 1828 in Manchester,England.

He was a memberof the 1st /50th (West Kent) Regiment, Queens own of foot. Alongwith his wife (Isabella) and infant daughter (Jane), he sailed toSydney aboard the convict ship Hooghly. Shortly after arrival (the18th of November) at Port Jackson, they departed (the 5th ofDecember) for Norfolk Island to take up his new post.

They returnedto Sydney on completion of the posting and raised their familybefore eventually settling in the Cooma area. Their son Edward JohnPower was born in 1837 in Sydney. He married Mary Ann Chalker(daughter of Joseph Henry Chalker and Eleanor "Ellen" Kelly) in1858 in Queanbeyan. He died in 1876 in Adaminaby.

Charles Power(son of Edward John Power and Mary Ann Chalker) was born in 1859 inCooma; He married Georgiana Belcher (daughter of John GeorgeBelcher and Frances Fanny Nancarrow) in 1883 in Cooma. She was bornon 18th Sep 1864 in Cooma.

RobertColeman-Wright was born on 2nd January 1824 in Bristall,Leicestershire, England. He married Elizabeth Bennett on 17th June1850 in Adelaide. Elizabeth had been born on 1st February 1830 inUxbridge, Middlesex England. She died on 20th September 1916 atEssendon. Victoria; He died in 1893 at Talbot Victoria.

Gilbert Wrightwas born in 1857 in Amherst Victoria. He married Annie Case(daughter of Henry James Case and Helen Abdy) in 1886 in Junee. Shewas born on 10th Mar 1869 in Queanbeyan. She died on the 11th ofNovember 1899 in Junee. Gilbert died at Lake Cargelligo, on the30th October 1933.

Irissgrandmother (Helen Abdy) was the first non-aboriginal child born inArmadale. Helen was descended from Sir Anthony 1st BaronetAbdy.

The newlywedssettled at Cootamundra. By October next year, their family began togrow.

Charles GilbertRoy Power was the first son, and two years later Edward CharlesPower arrived. Eight other children followed on in due course.

The newresponsibility settled Charles, and he was no longer seen drinkingas often at the Cootamundra Star hotel, and he had steady work withJack Clarkson. There was one occasion when Charles ran afoul of thelaw.

The CootamundraHerald 16th March 1915 reported;

Charles Power,jun., was charged with being drunk in Parker. St. on February 6th,1916, in Cootamundra Court. He was also charged with assaultingConstable Burgess while in the execution of his duty. Mr McMahonappeared for defendant.