Wilhelmina Parnell and William Blayney Beaver Christie
.Wilhelmina Alice Parnell the baby of the family was born on 8/7/1851 at Richmond. After the death of her mother in 1862 her sister Agnes and her husband Lindsay Thompson raised Wilhelmina.
Lindsay George Thompson and William Henry Mackenzie (father of Alexander her brother-in-law) were Trustees of Wilhelmina's estate which included the one hundred and twenty acres at Richmond left to her by her mother. In addition to the land Wilhelmina held twelve thousand pounds invested in Government and Real Securities.
Prior to her marriage to Captain William Blayney Beaver Christie she signed a settlement agreement with William, this document was registered with the Register Generals Office 27th November 1873 file no.179 book 139. William was promoted to Lieut-Colonal William Beaver Blayney Christie, Victoria Barracks Paddington, Sydney.
In brief the basis of the agreement was that William would have no financial control over her investments. If he was to survive her then he was to receive two hundred-pound P/A from the returns of the estate. The trustees would handle the finances regarding the care and education of any issue resulting from this proposed marriage. Upon his death the estate was to be divided between their issue, upon reaching the age of twenty-one.
The couple had four sons and three daughters: - William Farquar-1874 d 1875, Edward L-1875, Ellen A-1877, Arthur T-1879, Beatrice-1881 and Edith Mary-13/4/1883, John Dacre (Dawson) Christie-1885 Kent England.
Edward married Edith A (Marjorie) MacKenzie, Ellen married Wilfred E Harper, Beatrice married William N Kelman, Edith Mary married Leopold Keith Kleimenhagen.
Wilhelmina's sons Edward Lindsay Christie, Arthur Tolfrey and John Dawson Christie all joined the army at the outbreak of the First World War.
Edward Lindsay Christie first joined the Australian Military Forces on the 30th August 1915 he used the name John William Parnell and was given the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. This appointment was terminated on the 10th October in the same year.
On the 28th February 1916 Edward re-enlisted at Newcastle, NSW. He again used the name John William Parnell and claimed to be 37 years of age, born in Middlesex, London.
Edward claimed to have served in the Royal Navy for 8 years and the Kitchener's Scouts for six months with the rank of Sergeant. He gave his cousin Heath Bacon of Fleet Street, London as his next of Kin. (This document has been altered to read next of Kin as his mother W W B Christie).Edward was made Sergeant of the 35th Battalion on the 29th April 1916. Still as John William Parnell faced a Court Martial on the 28th August 1916 charged with drunkenness and escaping from custody, on both charges he was found guilty. He was transferred to the 3rd Division reduced in rank to Private and served in France from the 23rd November 1916.
Edward/John returned to Australia 3rd March 1918, discharged 3rd April 1918.The following is a statement made to the Australian Imperial Force.
I, No.4 Edward Lindsay Christie, do solemnly and sincerely declare that I was enlisted about the end of March 1916 at Newcastle in the state of NSW and marched into camp with the Thirty fifth Battalion of the Australian Imperial Forces under the name of John William Parnell, which I now declare to be incorrect.
The name of Edward Lindsay Christie I now declare to be my true name. I was born near Sydney in the state of NSW on or about the 21st day of 1875 or 1876 at Victoria Barracks Paddington, my father being Lieut-Colonal William Beaver Blayney Christie. I have no Certificate of Birth in my possession.
And I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true and by virtue of the provisions of an Act made and passed in the sixth year of the Reign of King William the Fourth, Chap. 62, entitled "the Statutory Declarations Act, 1835."
Signed Edward Lindsay Christie, 25th July 1917.On the 28/10/1918 Edward sent a letter to the Minister of Defence , applying for employment as an - Officer Instructor - with the Militia Forces. The following are extracts from that correspondence.
1. " That having served with the A.I.F. in France ( there having re-won my Commission)".
2. " I beg to state that my Commission dates from the 18th. August 1915 and was officially signed by His Majesty the King in 1917 - which I now hold".
3. " I would point out that I had the honor of being recommended for the Victoria Cross for acts performed on two different occasions: that to date I have received no official recognition.On the 11th October 1938 in reply to a letter from Lindsay Thompson the "Officer of Records" writes:- "In respect of his service as above, Christie qualified for the award of the British War and Victory Medals, but there is nothing in the records to substantiate his claims of being recommended for any military decoration.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
John Dawson Christie was born the 28th. August 1884 in England he was educated at Cranleigh School, Surrey. He had seen Active Service with the 3rd. Canadian Mounted Rifles and at the time of his Enlistment with the A.I.F. was a member of the Fiji Rifle Assoc. giving his address as the Suva Club, Suva, Fiji.He enlisted on the 19/8/1914 and joined the 4th Battalion on the 14/9/1914 naming his mother of 132 Addison Road Manly NSW. as his "Next of Kin".
John embarked for Gallipoli on the 20/10/1914.
He was appointed Officer Commanding No. 2 Battalion "A" Com. 1/1/1915.
On the 25th. April 1915 "ANZAC DAY" he was promoted to Lieutenant at the Dardenelles.
John was very seriously wounded in the neck and shoulder on the 1/5/1915, he was dispatched on the "Devanka" to Chesirch, he then spent time in Cairo before returning home on the "Maroola" on the 4/12/1915. Discharged 15/5/1916 suffering sadly from -Delusional Melancholia."The Auckland Herald" 18th May 1944 reads: - Died at her daughter's residence Mrs Hagen of Waiki Beach, Auckland. Widow of Lieutenant Colonel of the South Staffordshire Regiment.
The death notices "Sydney Morning Herald" 20th May 1944 reads: - "Christie; May 17th 1944 Auckland NZ. Minnie, widow of Colonel William Blayney Christie last surviving child of Thomas and Elizabeth Parnell, Richmond and Hunter River. Aged 92 yrs".
The Christie family.
Thomas Christie.
Born in Carnwath Lanarkshire 2 April 1774 Educated at the University of Aberdeen with a medical degree. He married Mary Tolfrey. He entered the service of the East India Co. He was a surgeon in the regiment at Trincomalee 1797, Superintendent of a Military hospital, head of a smallpox hospital introducing the vaccination of smallpox in Ceylon in 1802. He returned to Aberdeen in Feb 1810 - and moved to private practice in Cheltenham until 1829. Through the influence of a friend (Sir Walter Farquar – physician) he was appointed a “physician extraordinary to the prince regent” and died 11th October 1829 aged 56 yrs.
William Harvie Christie (Major).
Born in Ceylon in 1808 where his father was Medical Superintendent of Military hospitals. The family returned from the East in 1810 and settled in Cheltenham where Thomas began private practice. William went to Rugby school, and then to Military academy in Woolwich where he qualified for the artillery – joined the 80th foot as an ensign Lt. in 1827, to Sandhurst then Captain in 1833 and went to Sydney with his regiment appointed assistant engineer and superintendent of iron-gangs in Liverpool. He married Ellen Harrison in Manchester July 28th 1835. He became Major Christie in 1838 – sold commission and left the army in 1839 because of ill health.
He returned to NSW in 1840 and commenced a civilian career including Visiting Justice, Police magistrate, Sergeant at Arms to the legislative council, Postmaster General retiring in 1865. His Obituarist described him as “a conscientious painstaking officer, attentive to the details of his business, and courteous to all in the discharge of his duties. Although somewhat quiet and reserved with strangers. The Major was frank and kindly with all who knew him well and was not without decided powers of conversation”William Beaver Blaney Christie.
He carried on a long line of Military history in the Christie family. He was born in Liverpool NSW and went to Sandhurst following his fathers footsteps when he was 16 – gazetted to the 80th foot as an ensign in 1854 fought in the Indian Mutiny 1858-59, Aide de Camp to his uncle General Sam Tofrey Christie. Witnessed the siege of Paris and entered the city with the Versailles troops. Resigned from the Imperial Forces on obtaining his majority, appointed to the NSW staff went to Sudan with Australian contingent eventually retiring as Lt. Colonel.
The Christie family went to Belgium (Bruges) when Edith Mary was six months old - in 1883. It is presumed that Wilhelmina went to Kent England to have her last child Jack in 1885 and then stayed in Belgium for about 20 years. The military pension was apparently a better deal for sustaining a family in Belgium than in Australia.Edith said that she remembered skating and skiing, and learning French before she spoke English. She returned to Australia around 1904 with her mother and sisters.
His father arranged his marriage to Wilhelmina Alice Parnell, as she was a ‘rich lady’. Her grand daughter Joan stated that it was not a very happy marriage.
The following contribution from Janice Maria Doughty is very much appreciated.
Edward Lindsay Christie
Second son of William Beaver Blayney Christie and Wilhemina Parnell.
Grandson of Major William Harvie and Ellen Christie (nee Harrison).
Edward (Ted) Lindsay Christie was the second child of William Beaver Blayney and Wilhelmina Alice Christie (nee Parnell). Edward was born on 21st August 1875 at Victoria Army Barracks in Paddington. He was probably named Edward, after his father’s Uncle Edward Tolfrey Christie, who was killed in 1849 at Chilianwala in India and his father’s brother also Edward Tolfrey Christie. The name Lindsay probably comes from his Uncle, Lindsay George Thompson, who was married to his mother Wilhelmina’s much older sister Agnes. Lindsay and Agnes had been surrogate parents to Wilhelmina after the death of her parents, from the age of 11 months.
Three months after Edward was born, his older brother, 18 month old William Farquar Christie died, and was buried with his grandfather Major William Harvie Christie at Rookwood Cemetery in Sydney in Grave Section S, Row 4, Grave 9 in the Old Church of England Section.Between 1877 and 1883 another four children were born to William and Wilhelmina, they were Ellen in 1877 and Arthur in 1879 both born at Victoria Military Barracks in Paddington, Sydney. Then followed Beatrice in 1881 and Edith in 1883 both born at Canterbury in Sydney.
About six months after the birth of Edith in 1883, Wilhelmina Christie and the children sailed first to England and then on to Europe and settled in Bruges in Belgium.
Edward’s father William, now a Lieutenant Colonel, arrived back in Sydney, Australia on board the S.S. “Carthage”, on the 31st October, 1884 and four months later on the 3rd of March 1885 Lt. Col William B.B. Christie embarked for the Sudan, returning to Sydney on the S.S. “Arab” on 23rd June, 1885. While in the Sudan, William had been on Staff.
Edward’s youngest brother John Dacre (Dawson) Christie, was born in Kent, England in 1885, his mother had travelled to England from Belgium for the birth of John.
Edward Lindsay Christie was sent from Bruges to England to receive his education at a boarding school, which on is at the moment unknown. After he had finished school he joined the British Navy and at the time of the 1901 Census, Edward Lindsay Christie, aged 24, was a crew member on board the HMS “Melita”, in port in Constantinople. He also served for six months with Kitchener’s Scouts in the Boer War in South Africa around the years of 1899 to 1902.
Edward would have made his way to South Africa at his own expense, maybe meeting up with his two younger brothers, Arthur and John when they joined to fight in the war at Cape Town. After the war in South Africa was over, it appears that Edward Lindsay Christie returned to Australia to join his family. There is an Edward Christie in the 1904 Postal Directory living at 141 Botany Road, Waterloo and another at 79 Wilson Street in Redfern. Waterloo and Redfern are inner city suburbs of Sydney.
It was probably around 1902, when Wilhelmina Christie, with her daughters, Ellen, Beatrice and Edith, returned to Australia. If William Beaver Blayney Christie returned with the family or was already in the country, it is not known.
There was another family of Christies in Sydney, also a William Christie, who was an Umbrella Manufacturer, this William lived with his wife Beatrice (nee Wade) at their home called “Brooklyn” at 26 Porter Street in the Sydney suburb of Waverley. William Christie had his umbrella factory in Castlereagh Street in Brickfield Hill in Sydney and his retail store in The Strand between Pitt and George Streets in Sydney. This family also had a daughter by the named of Beatrice.
Where the family was living when they arrived back in Australia is unknown, however when William Beaver Blayney Christie, died in 1907 he was living in the district of Penrith. When William died his youngest son, Arthur Tolfrey Christie, was living with his maternal Aunt, widow Agnes Thompson and her daughter, Arthur’s cousin Kate Thompson at the “Cottage” in Want Street, Burwood.
A year after the outbreak of W.W. 1, Edward Lindsay Christie aged 40 years of age, joined the A.I.F. (Australian Imperial Forces) in Sydney on 30th August, 1915 and was commissioned with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, however for some unstated reason, his appointment was terminated on 10th October, 1915, before he was even allocated to a unit. Why he was terminated is unknown, though his age may have been against him or it may have been his fitness to serve, that may have been in question.
Four months later, Edward, determined to be in the Army, re-enlisted on 28th February, 1916, this time in Newcastle on the mid north coast of New South Wales, where he claimed he had been working as a Rigger. He enlisted under an alias, John William Parnell (his mother’s maiden name). Almost everything he stated on his enlistment form was a lie or facts were changed around, to avoid his real identity being discovered, which could reveal his original enlistment in 1915 and his termination, under his correct name of Edward Lindsay Christie.
Under the alias of John William Parnell, Edward claimed he was born in the Parish of Sydenham in London and was also educated in London. The claim about his education is most likely the truth.
On Edward’s Enlistment Form, he does give some correct information regarding his previous service and that was he had joined the British Navy, where he served for 8 years and also for 6 months he was one of Kitchener’s Fighting Scouts in the Boer War in South Africa, most likely at the end of the war in 1902. He gave his age as 37, when in fact he was 40 years of age. Edward did not give his mother Wilhelmina as his next of Kin here in Australia, but gave the name of his 2nd cousin on his mother’s side, James Heath, of Heath and Bacon, in Fleet Street, in London. James was the son of the Rev. Isadore Dunbar and Emily Mary Heath, (nee Harrison).
Edward stood 5’ 8 ½ “ tall, he had blue eyes, weighed 12 stone 8 lbs, his complexion was dark, eyes were blue, and hair grey. His teeth required attention, and he had a tattoo on his right arm of a rooster, a bunch of flowers and a cross.
On 29th April, 1916 John William Parnell (Edward Lindsay Christie) was given the rank of Sergeant and assigned to the 35th Battalion A.I.F. Sgt. Parnell (Christie) and his Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A24 “Benalla” on 1 May 1916 and was disembarked at Portsmouth in Hampshire on 9th July 1916.
However, there were very rocky times ahead for Edward Lindsay Christie alias John William Parnell. This gentleman had a wild streak in him and it was going to get him into a lot of trouble. On 10th September he is still in England, and he is arrested for drunkenness, he then tried to escape while in lawful custody.
On the 7th October 1916, Sgt. John William Parnell (Edward Lindsay Christie) was charged with being absent without leave between midnight on 1st October and 11.00 am on 3rd October 1916. He appeared before a Military Court and pleaded guilty to all charges; he was fined and reduced to the ranks.
Edward was admitted to the Fargo Hospital at the military camp at Larkhill on the Salisbury Plain on 13th September, 1916 with Asthma. On 10th October 1916, while in the Fargo Hospital, John (Edward) lost a table knife and his pay was docked by 5/-. He remained in hospital for over a month and was discharged on 16th October, 1916.
On 28th October 1916, while on active service John (Edward) disobeyed an order, being in Salisbury city without a pass. On the 4th November John was again taken to hospital as he was feeling ill and on 15th November, he was discharged back to duty. It was on the 22nd November, 1916, John (Edward) and his Company at last sailed to France.
On the 30th May 1917 saw John (Edward) detached to the 3rd D.A.C. On 1st June 1917 he rejoined from detachment. On 28th June, while at Rest Camp, John (Edward) was again absent without leave, from 8.30 pm on 19th June until 3.40 pm 21st June, 1917, he was found in Bologne. As punishment he was docked seven days pay.
On the 25th July 1917, saw Edward presenting himself at Headquarters and declaring that his real name was Edward Lindsay Christie by Statutory Declaration, before his Commanding Officer of the 3rd DAC. What made him admit his lie is unknown, but maybe he could see that if he died, his family would never know what happened to him or he may have heard that his mother had employed Solicitors in Hampshire to find him. His declaration state:-
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.
I, # 4 (Army Service number), EDWARD LINDSAY CHRISTIE, do solemnly sincerely declare that I enlisted about the end of March 1916 at NEWCASTLE, in the State of New South Wales and marched into Camp with the Thirty Fifth Battalion of the Australian Imperial Force under the name of JOHN WILLIAM PARNELL, which I now declare to be incorrect. The name of EDWARD LINDSAY CHRISTIE, I now declare to be my true name. I was born near Sydney in the State of New South Wales on or about the 21st day of August 1875 or 1876 at Victoria Barracks, PADDINGTON, and my father being Lieut-Colonel WILLIAM BEAVER BLAYNEY CHRISTIE. I have no Certificate of Birth in my possession.
And I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true and by virtue of the provisions of an Act made and passed in the Sixth year of the Reign of King William the Fourth, Chap. 62, entitled “The Statutory Declaration Act, 1635.”
Signature of Soldier Edward Lindsay Christie.
No 4, 3rd Division T.M. Bty A.F.A.
Declared before me at Rooelsberg ????
this twenty fifth day of July one thousand nine hundred and seventeen.
…..Graham
Commanding Officer.
Edward also advised that his next of kin was not his cousin James Heath of Fleet Street in London, but in fact his mother, Mrs. W.B.B. Christie, C/- the Commercial Banking Coy. of Sydney.
On 13th September, he was transported to a Field Hospital by ambulance, this time suffering from Scabies. On the 19th September, Edward was transferred to another Field Hospital further behind the lines, on 25th his condition was not improving, so he was transferred again, this time to # 56 General Hospital (possibly a hospital ship) in the French fishing port of Etaples. His condition was showing no signs of improvement so he was shipped back to England, and admitted to St Andrew’s Hospital, suffering from Impetigo and Fever and without the use of antibiotics, in the war years skin infections could sometimes be fatal.
On the 9th October, 1917 Edward was again in hospital, this time in Colchester Military Hospital in England, suffering from Trench Fever. On 5th November Edward was admitted to the 3rd AA Hospital at Weymouth. On 18th November, he was in Burdon Hospital and his condition was not improving, as he was suffering from Bronchitis. After a meeting of the medical board on 15th January 1918, it was decided Private Edward Lindsay Christie’s condition would not improve and he should be returned immediately to Australia as “medically unfit”.
Edward was embarked on the H.M.A.T. “Corinthie” and disembarked in Sydney on 17th March 1918 and then discharged from the Australian Military Force on 3rd April, 1918.It would appear that Edward’s mother, Wilhelmina Christie (nee Parnell), became concerned regarding Edward. She appears to have been aware that he joined the Australian Military Force, under his correct name Edward Lindsay Christie, in 1815, but she appears to never have been informed by her son, that he had been terminated from the A.I.F. He may have just disappeared from Sydney, and was working in Newcastle as a Rigger, before he again enlisted in 1916 under the alias of John William Parnell. His mother and family appear not to have been aware of his whereabouts.
On 15th November 1916 the Australian Imperial Force at Administration Headquarters, at 130 Horseberry Road, in London received a letter from Mr. C.H.Clarke Solicitor of 103 High Street, Portsmouth. He was enquiring as to the current whereabouts of 2nd Lieut. Edward Lindsay Christie. In reply on 22nd November, 1916 a letter was sent to Mr. Clarke, advising him that Headquarters could not help him and the Officer in question had probably not yet left Australia.
Another letter was written to the Australian Headquarters of the Australian Imperial Force in London, this time by Messrs Trayler and Co. Ltd, of High Street, Portsmouth, again enquiring about the whereabouts of 2nd Lieut Edward Lindsay Christie. This letter was replied to by Headquarters on 1st December, 1916, advising the Solicitors that they should contact the Department of Defence in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia regarding their enquiries to the whereabouts of Edward Lindsay Christie.
On 14th May 1917, Trayler and Co. Ltd, Solicitors of Portsmouth wrote to the Department of Defence in Melbourne, informing them that Lieut. Jennings the D.A.A.G. in London, suggested they contact the department regarding the whereabouts of Edward Lindsay Christie, who joined the A.I.F. and was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in August 1815.
A letter of reply was sent to Messrs. Traylor & Co. Ltd in Portsmouth, Hampshire by the Defence Department in Melbourne, informing them that indeed 2nd Lieut. Edward Lindsay Christie had been appointed to the Australian Imperial Force on 30th August, 1915, however his appointment was terminated on 10th October, 1915 and no further record are held regarding this individual.
It appears that the Solicitors in Portsmouth then contacted Akehurst and Lawrence Solicitors at 327 Collins Street, Melbourne and request that they may have better luck in obtaining information from the Department of Defence, regarding the whereabouts of Edward Lindsay Christie. On 16th August 1917, the Melbourne Solicitors forwarded a letter to the Officer in Charge, acknowledging that it was understood that this officer’s appointment was terminated on 10th October 1915, however it was hoped that the department could trace the whereabouts of Mr. Christie after his appointment was terminated and particularly they wished to know, in which state he resided prior to his appointment and his private address, if it was known. Also, requesting if the department could confirm that Edward Christie had previous service in the Royal Navy and whether he was or had been an Officer of the Commonwealth Military Forces other than the Expeditionary Force.
A reply was sent on 30th August, 1917 by Major????? Officer in charge of Base Records, to Messrs. Akehurst and Lawrence, Solicitors of 327 Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria, informing them that no further records were held regarding Edward Lindsay Christie. However, the matter had been referred to the Assistant Adjutant General, Victoria Barracks, in Brisbane, for favour of investigation as to whether any record of Edward Lindsay Christie is available and that he would reply to the Solicitors direct. As promised, the Major did refer the matter to Victoria Barracks in Brisbane.
On the 25th July of 1917 John William Parnell made a Statutory Declaration, stating his correct name was Edward Lindsay Christie. So one can assume his mother through her Solicitors, was at last informed of her son Edward’s whereabouts.
It would appear that on Edward’s return to Sydney, he resided with his mother at her home at 132 Addison Road, Manly in Sydney.
On the 28th October, 1918 Edward Lindsay Christie sent a letter to the Minister of Defence in Melbourne, Victoria, applying for employment as an - Officer Instructor - with the Militia Forces. The following are extracts from that correspondence.
1. " That having served with the A.I.F. in France (there having re-won my Commission)".
2. " I beg to state that my Commission dates from the 18th. August 1915 and was officially signed by His Majesty the King in 1917 - which I now hold".
3. " I would point out that I had the honor of being recommended for the Victoria Cross for acts performed on two different occasions: that to date I have received no official recognition. The forwarding address on the above mentioned letter sent by Edward Lindsay Christie was C/- Alderman Ernest Thompson, Architect of King Street, Sydney. This gentleman was a relative of Edward’s on his mother’s side. However, he is not Edward’s uncle, George Lindsay Thompson, the husband of Agnes (nee Parnell) as he passed away in 1899. Ernest Thompson B.Arch, F.R.I.B.A, F.R.A.I.A. was a well known Architect of his time and is known for his design and re-erection of the Macquarie Hotel, on the corner of Commonwealth and Goulburn Streets in Surry Hills an inner suburb of Sydney.
http://www.macquariehotel.com/history.htm
What joy Wilhelmina must have felt when her son Edward, at last married. He married Edith Marjorie Mackenzie in Manly in 1920 and a son was born to the couple on 3rd March, circa 1922. Douglas Edward Lindsay Christie was born in Griffith a country town in far south west of New South Wales, as per information Douglas provided at the time of his enlistment, when he joined the Navy at the time of the Second World War. However, the date and place of his birth is questionable.On the 11th October 1938 in reply to a letter from a family member the "Officer of Records" writes:- "In respect of his service as above, Christie qualified for the award of the British War and Victory Medals, but there is nothing in the records to substantiate his claims of being recommended for any military decoration…”
In some family research it is reported that Marjorie (Edith) Christie (nee Mackenzie), Edward’s wife died in childbirth, this is incorrect as she was still alive in 1939. However, it appears that by 1939, Edward Lindsay Christie and his wife Marjorie had separated, as Edward Lindsay Christie was living at 9 Laurence Street, Manly and his wife, Marjorie Christie was living at Flat 12 A, The Crescent, Manly. Edward later moved to 136 Carrington Road in Waverly and later to 44 Ellery Parade, Seaforth, just up the road from Manly. This information is also provided on their son Douglas Edward Lindsay Christie’s enlistment records in the Australian National Archives.
Some time after Douglas Edward Lindsay Christie was discharged from the Navy in 1945 he married a young lady by the name of Marie and four children were born, Penny, (Penelope) Ron (Ronald), Elizabeth and Lindsay.
Edward Tolfrey Christie died on the 8th June, 1956 at the age of 80, and is buried with his grandfather, Major William Harvie Christie and his baby brother William Farquar Christie at Rookwood Cemetery, in the Old Church of England Section: - Section S, Row 4, Grave 9.
Edward may have left his home at Seaforth, to his son Douglas, as Douglas was living at Seaforth at the time of his death. Douglas Edward Lindsay Christie was 66 years of age when he died at Seaforth on 10th November. 1987. Leaving his wife, a son and three daughters.
Douglas Christie’s death was announced in the Sydney Morning Herald on 12th November, 1987 and there were two in the Manly Daily, the first was placed by the family.
“…..Douglas William Edward Christie died on 10th November, 1987 aged 66, beloved husband of Marie and father to Penny, Ron, Elizabeth and Lindsay….”
The other notice was placed by the Balgowlah – Seaforth Returned Soldiers League, announcing the death of a colleague:-
“…the funeral of Douglas William Edward Christie will be held at the Northern Suburbs Crematorium at North Ryde at 10.30 am on Friday 13th November, 1987…”Ronald Christie, the son of Douglas William Edward Christie, the son of Edward Lindsay Christie, the son of William Beaver Blayney Christie, the son of William Harvie Christie, would be the one to carry on the Christie name in Australia. However, there is nothing known about Ronald. Did Ronald married, and did he have sons? This is another chapter in the Christie story to be solved.
Source: -
Janice Maria Doughty 15th September, 2005