When I was Local History Librarian at Casey Cardinia Libraries, I started a blog - Casey Cardinia Commemorates: Our War Years - access it here - in January 2014 and wrote 151 posts, the last one being in October 2021, and I resigned from the role in the November. The year 2014 was one hundred years since World War One had started and the blog was originally to focus on the impact of that War on the communities in the old Shire of Cranbourne and Shire of Berwick (now the City of Casey and Shire of Cardinia). It was later expanded to cover other conflicts. One of my earliest posts and one of my favourites (which is why I have updated it and am posting it here) was based on the following newspaper article, published in the Berwick Shire News in November 1915.
Mr D. H. Rowe, baker, of Narre Warren, could provide a small Roll of Honor, bearing the names of his employes who have enlisted since the outbreak of war. The list includes eight names, and is probably a record when compared with the enlistments from any business place of like size outside of the metropolis. The names of those who have enlisted are :- Harry McGuire, Alf. Rooney, Harold Johnstone, Jack Lyons, Fred. Lewis, Vic. Chitts, Reg. Currie, and Geo. Forrester. All the men with the exception of the last two are at the front. There is no doubt that Mr Rowe has been considerably inconvenienced by the quick changes in his staff, but he has shown his patriotism in recognising that the needs of the Empire should have consideration before his personal requirements, and has placed no obstacle in the way of enlistment.
This is an interesting article as it illustrates the fact so well that the whole community had to make sacrifices during the Great War. Donald Hartley Rowe is listed in the Shire of Berwick Rate books from 1912 to 1922. His shop was owned by Sidney Webb, who had built some shops on what is now the corner of Webb Street and the Princes Highway in the late 1880s and which were leased from him and initially occupied by Albert Raduchel, a blacksmith; Thomas Woodley, a baker; Thomas Stones, a butcher and James Middleton, a storekeeper.
Donald Rowe was born on Talbot in 1876 to Samuel and Bridget (nee Hart) Rowe. In 1901 Donald married Isabella Mary Gibson, born in 1876 in Bendigo to Samuel and Margaret (nee Emmerson) Gibson. The wedding took place on September 24, 1901 in Bendigo; the service being conducted by Reverend James McBruce, a Wesleyan minister. Isabella and Donald had two children together - Frances in 1902 in Tungamah and Winifred in 1903 in St Kilda. Sadly, Isabella died on April 17, 1905 aged 28 years old. Donald married again in 1909 to Louise Isles and they had three children - Hartley William in 1912 in Hawthorn; Patricia May in 1914 in Elsternwick and Allan Gordon in 1917 in Elsternwick.
Previous to moving to Narre Warren the Electoral Rolls show the following addresses for Donald: 1909 - Rusden Street, Elsternwick and in 1912 Henrietta Street, Hawthorn. After leaving Narre Warren - 1924 and 1928 - 133 Gipps Street, Collingwood and from 1931 until his death ay the age of 84 on November 6, 1958 - 118 Union Road, Surrey Hills. Donald is buried with Isabella at the Brighton General Cemetery. Louise died aged 74, on October 31 also in 1958, just a week before Donald, and her cremated remains are interred at Fawkner.
Here is the list of Mr Rowe's eight employees who enlisted and their Service Number (SN), if I could find it. As you can see I have only (fairly confidently) identified five of the eight, based on address or the occupation.
Chitts, Vic. You would think with such a distinctive name that Mr Chitts would be easy to identify, but not so. There was a Clarence, a Hector and a Russell Chitts who enlisted and served overseas - Russell was a painter from New South Wales who enlisted in July 1915; Clarence was a Dairyman from Sandringham but who didn't enlist until April 1916 and I have also found him and his wife Alice in the Electoral Roll both before and after the War and there is no local connection. Hector Rudolph Chitts, was a farm hand, but he did not enlist until March 1916, and according to the article which was published in November 1915, Vic Chitts was already serving overseas. I have just had another look in the Electoral Roll and in 1914 there is a Charles Victor Chitts, of 88 Yarra Street, Newport - occupation - baker. This seems likely to be him, but I can find no record of him enlisting. In 1917 a Charles Victor Chitts is at 6 Scott Street in Kew, occupation was a commercial traveller and in 1924 he was in Princes Street in Kew - but are they the same person as Charles the baker? So, 12 years after I first started researching Vic Chitts, I am no closer to identifying him.
Currie, Reg (SN 1840) Reg, born in 1893 in Barnawartha, was the son of Donald and Margaret (nee Doran) Currie of Reserve Street in Berwick and he enlisted on November 6, 1915, at the age of 22. His occupation was Horse Driver. He Returned to Australia April 13, 1919.
Forrester, George (SN 4810) George was born in Shepparton, in 1891 to Zephaniah and Susan (nee Holbrook) Forrester. George, who was a baker, enlisted on November 6, 1915, the same day as Reg Currie, above. His father, Zephaniah, of Taradale was his next of kin. George Returned to Australia July 24, 1919.
Johnstone, Harold. I cannot identify this man. I have looked for Harold Johnson, Johnston and Johnstone and cannot find a man who enlisted with a connection to the area or to the bakers trade.
Lewis, Frederick Archibald (SN 3897) Frederick was born in Eaglehawk in 1892 to Caleb and Agnes (nee Dart) Lewis. Frederick was 24 when he enlisted on July 13, 1915. His occupation was baker's driver and his next of kin was his father, Caleb, of Wilson Street, Berwick. Fred Returned to Australia March 28, 1919.
Lyons, Charles Jack (SN 1394) Jack enlisted on September 14, 1914 at the age of 27. He was born in South Melbourne and enlisted in Tasmania, but his occupation was baker, so this is why I assume that he was Mr Rowe's employee. His actual occupation on his enlistment paper was 'stud groom and baker.' Charles' next of kin was listed as his sister, Grace Blore, c/o G.T. Blore, Lands Department, Melbourne. Charles Returned to Australia on May 12, 1918, suffering from rhuematism and 'bad feet' and was discharged on medical grounds.
McGuire, Harry. I cannot identify this man. I have also looked at any Harry or Henry Maguires, but to no avail.
Rooney, Alfred George (SN 481) Alf was born in Ballarat in 1895, the son of James and Lydia (nee Day) Rooney. He enlisted at Ballarat on October 15, 1914 and his occupation was a labourer, and his next of kin was his father, James, of Ballarat East. I came across an article about Alf in the Berwick Shire News in March, 1917 and he was awarded the Military Medal for having carried ammunition and water under heavy fire in the desert fighting of August 9, 1916. The article goes onto to mention that he was employed by Mr Rowe when he enlisted. He Returned to Australia on January 2, 1919.
