EDWARD and HANNAH DESCENDANT NEWSLETTER
Issue No 1/14
Welcome to the first issue of the Friendship Times for 2014, hope everyone had a great Christmas
but it does seem like a distant memory now, with Easter on our door step. You will see where I have
included an “interesting finds in our family”. Do you have an interesting find in your family to
share?
Meeting held on 8th February at Pugh’s Lagoon Richmond.
It was a great location for the meeting we
had a shelter that had 3 tables and would
seat 8 with comfort at each table so we had
plenty of room. It is a shame it is not named
after our Edward. There was a lot of talking
before the meeting as we had not been
together since the September meeting as we
had to cancel the November meeting due to
the heavy rain around that time.
“Edward & Hannah Corner”
At this time some 227 years ago both Edward and Hannah would have known that they were due to
be sent to the other side of the world. As Edward and Elizabeth left the Castle Gaol at Gloucester on
23rd March and Hannah was moved from the “Dunkirk” hulk to the “Charlotte” on the 11th March.
There would have been a mixture of emotions as they were out of their prison but their future would
have been unknown you would have to imagine the rumours going through all the ships as there
would have been no briefing.
Off course Elizabeth would not have known she would be deceased in less than 12 months or
Hannah have known she would be married and starting a new life out of prison in 15 months.
Last month would have been Edward’s & Hannah’s son David’s 225th birthday if you missed raising
a glass to him maybe you could on the 25th April for 225 years since his baptism.
“History in Edward & Hannah’s time”
Balmain was named after William Balmain who arrived on the first Fleet as assistant surgeon on the
“Alexander” and was given a land grant in the area in 1800.
“Quiz”
A murderer is condemned to death. He is given a choice of three rooms. The first is full of raging
fires, the second is full of assassins with loaded guns and the third is full of lions who haven’t eaten
for three years. Which room is safest for him?
“Members Searching History”
I would like to share with you an interesting and moving find in Ann’s family tree.
Back ground to a great family find
This coming June is the 98th anniversary of the Battle of Fromelles France, where Australia lost 5533
men and the British lost 1547. This was the first action of Australian troops on the Western Front.
They were part of the British Expeditionary Force which was under the command of British Officers.
They were ordered to attack across an open field in 4 waves towards the Germans who were well dug
in as they had been there for some time and the attacking troops were just cut down by machine gun
fire.
A great family find
An interesting and touching find in Ann’s family tree was a Michael Balkin who was the son of a
brother to Ann’s G G grandmother, he was born 1877 in Tamworth and died at Fromelles, France on
20th July 1916.
Michael enlisted in the army on the 12th October 1915 and arrived in the south of France on 28th June
1816 and went into battle on 19thJuly 1916 at Fromelles. He was reported as wonunded and missing
the next day.
On the 13th March 1917 his ID disc was returned after 7 months from Germany via the Red Cross to
London with a letter to say he died on 20th July 1916 from wounds.
In November 2007 Ann and I visited the VC
Corner Australian Cemetery at Fromelles and
saw Michael’s name on the wall with 1298
other Australians who died at Fromelles and
have no known grave.
It is reported as the only war cemetery with
no headstones. Just the long wall with the
names on it.
The VC Corner Cemetery at Fromelles.
There was evidence in 2006 of burial pits dug by the German army at Fromelles, eventually after
debate and ground testing, excavation in 2009 discovered a total of 250 bodies which were exhumed
and it was found that 203 were Australians and the remainder Englishmen.
Michael was identified in the first 75 from the 250 removed from the mass German grave, he was
identified on the 16th March 2010 by DNA. He and the others have now been buried in a new
cemetery on land donated by a local woman next to the village of Fromelles, called “Pheasant Wood
Military Cemetery”
So in May 2011, Ann & I went to Fromelles again
during our holiday and visited the new cemetery
and saw Michael’s grave and headstone.
It was a moving experience to visit the cemetery
and see his and the other individual graves for the
solders after some 95 years. Those who have not
been identified have Unknown on the headstone at
present.
Ann & I next to Michael’s headstone with the
Village Church behind
If you have found in your family tree women who were of marrying age during or after WW1 but
who were never married it is no wonder with the number of young men who were lost or were badly
wounded. There were over 60,000 who died and over 160,000 wounded out of a population of 4.5
million.
You will notice that I have no “Introducing” or “Social Corner” this issue so please let me have
something for the next issue.
“Quiz Answer”: The third, lions that haven’t eaten for three years would be dead.
“Next Meeting;”
You would have read in the minutes of our last meeting that our meetings are now to be held every 3
months. We have Saturday the 17th May as our next meeting, at either John & Lyn’s or Wendy &
Peter’s home in Taree. Carmen will let us all know well before.
Regards Ray (April 2014)