(Known to the family as Sandy)

b. Wallangra Station, Warialda District, near Graman NSW 13 November 1864

(Parents: Alexander Dill Gamble and Fanny O’Donnell)

d. 27 June 1947 at Nirranda Street, Concord West NSW

(at his daughter Margaret Mona’s home)

Interred: Northern Suburbs Cemetery Lot 26 Section J3 Anglican

Aged: 82 years 7 months

Married: 30 December 1896 aged 32 years at Dollar Hill, Gullengutta, Warialda District near Graman NSW to Margaret Jane Parr, Margaret a young bride of 17 years of age.

(Parents: William James Parr and Jane Irwin)

Alexander was the first son and second child, like his sister Fanny travelled about in horse and dray until his father became employed as sheep overseer for the Gordon family at Wallangra Station in 1865. Alexander spent his childhood on Wallangra Station until 1870 when the family moved to their selection “Oakbank ”Gullengutta and a family home erected. Alexander also learning to read and write from daily readings by his Father from the Family Bible.

Alexander was a boundary rider in his younger years, later managing a dairy farm for his father at Spencers Gully where he took a wife named Margaret Parr. The Parr family lived on a neighbouring property and when asking for permission to marry, Margaret’s father Mr Parr said “I have older daughters, why don’t you take one of them?” Alexander’s reply was he liked them young.

Margaret with her first child Annesley Alexander William Robert Bede.

Together Alexander and Margaret made their home at Spencers Gully and had five children:

Annesley Alexander William Robert Bede Gamble b 12 Sept 1897

Margaret Mona Gamble b 22 Sept 1898

Lorne Septimus Dill Gamble b 25 March 1900

Katherine Rachael Gamble b 22 Aug 1902

Neil Connell Dill Gamble b 10 June 1906

Unfortunately it was here at Spencer’s Gully on 9th June 1907 that Margaret died from early complications with a 6th pregnancy, she is interred in Inverell Cemetery - Church of England Section Row 20C.

On 10th December 1908 Alexander’s father, Alexander Dill Gamble died. Following the sale and disbursements of the estate Alexander John purchased his own property “Auderlee” at Oakwood near Inverell. It was here he lived with his four eldest children while the youngest child Neil was placed in the tender care of his two maiden Aunts Fanny and Catherine in Inverell.

Alexander kept the property at Oakwood for 5 – 6 years, failing to make a living and facing bankruptcy he sold up and around 1915 moved to Sydney with his two daughters Mona and Katherine. The two elder boys Annesley and Lorne enlisting in WWI.

Upon arrival in Sydney, Alexander found employment on a dairy farm at Botany and later worked at the Mortlake Gas Works.

Having boarded with his children at 3 George Street, Newtown and “Bronte” Park Avenue, Burwood (now demolished) he finally bought “Loransley” Queen Street, Concord West – which consisted of two blocks of land.

Later in life Alexander John purchased a place at Pearl Beach NSW, this was a ram shackled old weekender but was to be the place of many happy holidays for the family including aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

Children

L-R: Neil Connell (Con), Katherine Rachael (Kit), Margaret Mona (Mona),

Lorne Septimus (Lorne).

Annesley Alexander William Robert Bede

b. 12 September 1897 Spencers Gully, Graman NSW

d. 26 September 1917 Aged 20 years Died following wounds received the prior day at the Battle of Polygon Wood on the Western Front France.

Interred Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery – Belgium Plot XlX, Row C, Grave 20A Enlisted as R A Gamble due to deserting from his first enlistment in Sydney as A.A.R.B. Gamble.

Annesley Alexander William Robert Bede

Margaret Mona

b. 22 September 1898 Spencers Gully, Graman NSW

d. 11 September 1974 Aged 76 years Interred Northern Suburbs Cemetery.

Moving from Inverell with her father and sister Kit, the family initially lived in rented premises at North Sydney. When younger brother Con joined them the family moved to Newtown. It was here Mona secured a position in a shop at Enmore. Later the family moved to Burwood where Mona found work with fruiterer, Mr Wilcox. When Con came into the shop, Mona would ensure his little bag was loaded with additional fruit and vegies, supposedly unbeknown to Mr Wilcox. Mona had a loving and generous soul and was a much loved sister, wife, aunt and grandmother. Everyone loved going to aunty Mona’s place. She married Ted Hokin, a policeman and together they had five children:

Alec b. ……………… m Hazel…………….. ? children Colin,

Gwen b. …….m Lance Wicks 4 children Gary, Rhonda, Billy, Debbie

Lorne b ………………..m Maree…………….

June b ………………..m Claude Parker 3 children Carol, Ross, Leigh

Barry b ………………..m ………………….. There was a second marriage late in her life to Gill Audsley. This followed the death of her first husband Ted.

Lorne Septimus Dill

b. 25 March 1900 Spencers Gully, Graman NSW

d. 31 October 1989 Aged 89 years

Interred Northern Suburbs Cemetery Church of England Section 01 Grave 0009

Against his Father’s wishes rode his bike from Inverell to Toowoomba, accompanied by a mate who rode a horse, they wanted to enlist in WW1, there was no requirement for a birth certificate in Queensland to enlist and stated his dob as 1896. The boys sold the horse and the bike and were robbed shortly after. Lorne served his country for 2.5 years initially appointed to 10th Reinforcement 52nd Battalion and sent to France. Upon returning home Lorne became a painter. He married Grace Muriel Leigh Purkis (sister of Edna Purkis who married Lorne’s brother Neil) and together they had three children.

Dawn b 1927 m Lawrence Cullen – 1 child Paula

Donovan John b 1928 m Lois …….. 2nd marriage Betty Stevens - 2 children Todd and Donna

Ross b 1939 d 25 June 1948 aged 9 from pneumonia

Katherine Rachael

b. 22 August 1902 Spencers Gully, Graman NSW

d. 1987 Aged 84 years Interred……………………………….

Moving from Inverell with her father and sister Mona, it was when the family moved from North Sydney to Newtown that Kit was able to secure employment with ‘Joe Gardeners’ the shoe people. Kit remained in this employment until she married Harold Crompton, who was a butcher. Together Kit and Harold had four children:

Douglas b. ……….. m Laurel………. 1 child Terry

Henry b. …….. m Marj…. 4 children Strath, ? female, Judith, Linda

Joan b 14/1/1928 m Sidney Drew 2 children Katherine, Ross 2nd marriage James….. no issue 3rd marriage: Ian Bennett no issue

Margaret b………… m Harley Hunt 1 child Sharon

Neil Connell Dill

b. 10 June 1906 Spencers Gully, Graman NSW

d. 10 May 1984 Aged 78 years 11 months

Interred Northern Suburbs Cemetery with his Father Lot 26 Section J3 Anglican

Neil’s first job was selling newspapers on Strathfield Railway Station before he became indentured at age 13 to King and Mann a firm of Painters and Decorators. He married Edna Winifred Purkis and together had two children:

Annesley Raymond b 24 June 1926 d 20 December 2005 m Nancy May Gough 15 December 1945 1 child - Rae Denise b 3 October 1946

Inez Winifred b 23 December 1928 d 14 July 2012 m Leo Shikaloff 18 November 1951 1 child - Michael Leo 18 July 1952 2nd marriage William Frank Grover 2 children - Julie Ann 27/1/1957 and Neil Raymond 15/10/1959