Australian Connection

Can anybody help with any additional information on my Australian relatives and their descendants?

Descendants of Thomas Coombs

1 Thomas Coombs 1892 - 1940 d: November 11, 1940 in Adelaide Hospital, S.A. aged 48 Had live in Oz 25yrs b: 1892 in 2, Corbett's Lane, Rotherhithe, London
. +Caroline George 1893 - 1961 m: October 23, 1921 in S. Cuthbert Church, Prospect, d: June 6, 1961 in 3, Hennessy Terrace, Kelmscott, Adelaide age 68 b: 1893 in Alberton, S. Australia
........ 2 Kenneth James Coombs 1921 - b: February 1, 1921 in Adelaide, Australia b: February 1, 1921 in Adelaide, Australia
............ +Patricia June Farquhar m: 1943 in Manly, NSW, Australia
................... 3 Sharon
................... 3 Terry
................... 3 Leonie
................... 3 Mark
................... 3 Gayle
........ 2 Nancy Coombs 1924 - b: 1924 in Australia, Adelaide? b: 1924 in Australia, Adelaide?
............ +Pat Welch

Descendants of John Hadley George

1 John Hadley George
........ 2 Caroline George 1893 - 1961 d: 6 June 1961 in 3, Hennessy Terrace, Kelmscott, Adelaide age 68 b: 1893 in Alberton, S. Australia Age at death: 68 est.
............ +Thomas Coombs 1892 - 1940 m: 23 October 1921 in S. Cuthbert Church, Prospect, d: 11 November 1940 in Adelaide Hospital, S.A. aged 48 Had live in Oz 25yrs b: 25 January 1892 in 2, Corbett's Lane, Rotherhithe, London Age at death: 48
................... 3 Kenneth James Coombs 1921 - b: 1 February 1921 in Adelaide, Australia
....................... +Patricia June Farquhar m: 1943 in Manly, NSW, Australia
................... 3 Nancy Coombs 1924 - b: 1924 in Australia, Adelaide?
....................... +Pat Welch

........ 2 Female George
............ +Male Marks
................... 3 Frederick Charles Marks

The 1941electoral roll shows that Caroline remained at 7, Percy Street, Franklin (now Cheltenham), near Port Adelaide but had been joined by her nephew Frederick Charles Marks, occupation "Driver"

The 1959 electoral roll shows that Caroline and her nephew had moved to 3, Hennessy Terrace, Kelmscott (now Rosewater), near Port Adelaide.

Caroline died at Hennessy Terrace 6th June 1961 and is buried with Thomas in Cheltenham Cemetery.

In the announcement of Caroline's death in the Adelaide Advertiser it states she was mother of Ken and Nancy, mother in law of Pat, aunt of Fred, and grandma of Sharon, Terry, Leonie, Mark and Gayle.

I have no idea how and when Thomas made it to Australia. His death certificate says he was resident in the Commonwealth for 25 years. I am not sure whether he departed from England, America or Canada.

He was 16 when his father Henry James Coombs died in May 1908. His elder brothers Henry John (my dad) and Alfred James were in America and Canada at the time. I know Thomas wanted to join them there.

I do know that his hobby was breeding chickens. He apparently won the Australian best egg award several times and was actually reported in the News of the World in early 1940. In 1937 he had belonged to the NUPBA The National Utility Poultry Breeders Association for 4 years and had 250 fowls. He did very well with 1st's and 2nd's in the Egg Laying competitions. Does this organisation still exist?

Kenneth James Coombs joined the Royal Australian Naval Reserve on 2nd January 1941. His mother Caroline was listed as next of kin and was living at 7, Smith Street, Manley. The date of the change of next of kin (6th July 1943) to Patricia June could be their marriage date.

His demob address dated 20th August 1947 is given as 6, Tapley's Hill Road, Queenstown, SA

Can somebody decipher this entry at the bottom right hand corner of Kenneth's Navy service record.It's important to me as this is the last reference I have to him.

Discovered from someone in a chat room (I think) that there was a repatriation hospital in Adelaide. They advised me to go to the Veterans Affairs in Adelaide and on 7th September 2001 they wrote to me telling me Kenneth had died 7th January 1972. Thanks to Keith Warren in Melbourne I now have his death certificate which shows there were 5 children living at the time. I shall be in Adelaide for a few days in November 2001. Pity there's not more time to try and make some kind of contact with them.

added 28/08/2002

Whilst in Adelaide we found the house Kenneth was living in up to his death, 20, Bardsley Avenue, Parafirld. Managed to find a neighbour who remembered Ken and Patricia, he also remembered Leonnie and Gayle. He said Leonnie was so prim and proper and a Legacy Child. I understand Legacy Children got a special education due to her father being an ex-serviceman. This confirmed the 5 children were Kenneth's and not Nancy's as we at first thought.

Right- Tom Coombs

died in Adelaide 1940

«See funeral notice

Ken joined the Australian Navy Reserve 2nd January 1941. He married Patricia June Farquhar in 1943 and was demobbed 20th August 1947 to 6, Tapley's Hill Road, Queenstown, S.A.

Does anybody know his whereabouts or what happened to him and his wife?

Right -Ken and Nancy his children.

We think Nancy married a Mr. Pat Welch and had 5 Children. Sharon, Terry, Leonie, Mark & Gale. Does anybody know their whereabouts.