Heywood to Warburton

4th Generation

My Great Grandparents

Birth: James Gorrie  was born at Heywood Victoria Aust. 3^rd February 1860, the eldest of eleven children of Andrew Gorrie and Mary Ann Edwards.

Wife Birth: Jane Penberthy was born at Yambuk Vic. Aust. on 1^st May 1863, the daughter of Thomas Penberthy and Ann Thomas.                    Link: Penberthy Family

Marriage: James was a farmer and 26years old when he

 married 20year old Jane Penberthy at St Peters Church of England, Yambuk Victoria, on the 27^th April 1886. Being under aged Jane had the consent of her father Thomas. Witnesses to their marriage were Andrew Gorrie and Margaret Penberthy.

 Jane Gorrie

                    Jane's tragic Death

Death of Jane Gorrie: Tragedy struck the Gorries when Jane died at the young age of 32years from acute pneumonia, on the 9^th July 1896, just a few months after the birth of their last child. James would have been devastated and at his wits end coping with the loss of his young wife and being left with five young children ranging in ages from 9years to a baby not yet 3months old. James had help caring for the children, baby Jane was reared by her father’s sister Charlotte Gorrie and her husband Charles Murfield and Charlotte was practically reared by the Benbow family.                

How many years James stayed on in the Yambuk Heywood area is uncertain. Some years later maybe after his children had grown up he moved to the Warburton area and worked at Ezard’s mill as an engine driver. James seems to have been a man to get himself into trouble with the law. At Warburton Court of Petty Sessions 9/3/1912 he was charge for stealing vegetables growing in the garden of Elizabeth Hilditch the value of 2pounds and was fined 40/- plus costs. James lived in a de-facto relationship with a lady by the name of Florence ‘Amelia’ Dowden, known as Mrs Gorrie.

Birth of De-Facto wife: Amelia Dowden was born in 1865 the daughter of Edwin and Mary Dowden nee Lambert.

Death of Amelia: James and Amelia's relationship ended in disaster when during a domestic argument Amelia fell hitting her head, dying as a result of her injuries. James served two years imprisonment for manslaughter from 30^th May 1912.  (I have court transcript etc.)

2nd Marriage: In 1916, 2years after his return to the outside world James married 47year old spinster Ester Ivey at Hawthorn. Either Ester at this time knew nothing of James past or she saw the good side of the man.

Wife (2) Birth: Ester was born at Ballarat in 1868 the daughter of John Ivey and Christina Russell.

James and Ester lived at Big Pats Creek before purchasing a four-roomed weatherboard dwelling on Lots 11 & 12 of crown allotment 8 with total frontage to River Road Millgrove. James was an engine driver, and they seemed to live a peaceful existence. My mother Maude and her siblings knew Ester as their Grandma Gorrie. 

Ester Gorrie nee Ivey

Deaths of James: James died at the Austin Hospital, Heidelberg on 26^th March 1941 aged 81years and is buried at Springvale, Location Simmons Lawn–Lawn grave Row DJ Grave No.24.

Death of Ester: Ester lived on for another ten years dying at Heyfield on the 3^rd December 1951 and is buried C/E at Heyfield cemetery. James and Ester had no family.

Family of James & Jane Gorrie

5th Generation

In the following information some dates have been witheld because of the Privacy Act.

5. Jack Thomas Gorrie, born 1926, died 1983. He married Margaret Isobel Gibbons  Margaret died 20^th June 1989. Jack and Margaret had four children David John, Robyn Leslie, Annette Joy and Tony Andrew.

3. Charlotte Gorrie, born 29^th December 1890 at Heywood, married James Lynch on 1^st November 1912 they had a family of six.                                  Link : Lynch family

1. Dorothy Lynch b: 1913 d:2000,  married  James Albert Michell b: 1910 d: 1963, family: Shirley (dec.) Beverley, Graeme.

2. Thelma Maude Lynch b: 1915 d:1972,  married Arol Charles Hort  b: 1912 d:1990, family: Valerie, Jeffrey, Barbara 

3. David James Lynch b:1917 d:1982,  married  Irene Elizabeth Saunders b: (living), family: Terrence, Colin, Ross

4. Harold Lynch b: (living), married Elva Patricia Whitehead b: 1924 d:2005, family Brian & Sandra.

5. William Lynch   b: 1921 d:1996, married  Ida May Morrish    b: 1924 d:1993,  family: David, Maureen, Wendy.

 

6. Allan Edward Lynch  b: (living), married Veda Margaret Curran b: (living), family: John (dec.) Mark, Karen (dec.)

4. David Richard Gorrie, born at Heywood on 20^th August 1893, married Grace Elizabeth Beckham in 1913. ‘Dave’ enlisted in the army on the 2^nd February 1916. Service No.4707, 23^rd Battalion 6^th Infantry Brigade. He served in England and France and was awarded the Military Medal in 1919 for bravery in the field. On discharge his rank was Lance-Sargent, posting 12^th Reinforcements, 23^rd Battalion. Dave died a tragic death in 1945, from an explosion at the Imperial Chemical Works at Yarraville.     

Grace had a shop at Millgrove for many years, in later times she lived at Yarraville. Grace died on the 15^th February 1991 at Bendigo. She is buried with her husband Dave at Footscray Cemetery. Dave and Grace had five children.

1. Doris May Gorrie, born at Warburton married Gregory Joseph Brodie. Gregory died suddenly 8^th August 1956.  Doris & Gregory had a son Ian Gregory and daughter Elaine Margaret.

2. Lucilla Maude Gorrie, known as ‘Lucy or Sis’ was born at Warburton, she married Harry Arthur George Boyer and lived at Kyneton. Lucy and Harry had a family of five, Ron, David, Val, Barbara,  Judith.                          

3. James Keith Gorrie, born at Warburton. James enlisted at Alice Springs NT for service with the Australian Armed Forces on the 18^th August 1942. His service No.VX112682 (V28240). On discharge James was a Lieutenant and his posting 118 Australian Transport. It is not known if James was married with a family.

4. Edward John Gorrie,, born at Yarra Junction. James enlisted in the Australian Armed Forces Bandiana Vic. on the 16^th November 1942. His service No.VX116567. On his discharge his rank given as Corporal, and posting 45 Advance Ordnance Depot. Edward’s wife is thought to be Betty they had a family of four, David, Jan, Rhonda, Sharron.

5. Hazel Gorrie, no information available

5. Janet Maude Gorrie known as ‘Maude” was born 18^th April 1896 at Heywood. The youngest child of James and Jane Gorrie and was only about 10weeks old when her mother Jane died suddenly at the age of 32years. Maude was reared by Charlotte and Charles Murfield her aunt and uncle, her mother’s sister and husband. Maude married Fredrick ‘Henry’ Johnson, she died at Essendon in 1965 aged 68years. They had a son  ‘Frank’.

1. Francis Fredrick Johnson known as ‘Frankie’, married Alison Evelyn Victoria Davis. He died in 1979 aged 62years.

Charlotte Lynch nee Gorrie & Family: My Grandparents