The Webb Wagg Family in Australia

A Webb Wagg family day at Berrys Bay, 1903 Have you ever stared at an old photograph and almost heard the chatter beyond the frame? That’s exactly how this image feels to me. The boat you see is  the Australian , and the cheerful crowd aboard and ashore are Webb Waggs — perhaps gathering for a day out on Sydney Harbour. At the heart of it all stands our patriarch, William Webb Wagg — surrounded by his sons, grandchildren, and extended family, marking not just a moment on the water, but a legacy taking shape on the shoreline. Meet the man on the left Standing tall at the rail is William Webb Wagg — known variously as Bill Webb, Old Billy, or Grandpa Webb, depending on who was speaking. He’s 76 here, clearly proud to be flanked by so many of his descendants. As the family patriarch, he anchors the scene — a steady presence at the centre of a growing clan. Who’s sharing the deck? Grandpa’s four grown sons crowd the cockpit: Charlie  (Charles) Hayden  (Albert Hayden) Bill ...

Today  marks the centenary of the birth of Australian poet Francis Webb - another of our Webb Wagg cousins.  I'm writing about the family connections with Frank, as he was known in the family. I've included an extract from the Australian Dictionary of Biography about Frank and links to a number of articles on his life and work. There's also a link to Frank's service record from the Second World War.  Here's  an image showing Frank's parents,  grandparents  and great-grandparents from my  Ancestry  tree. Frank was the third child and only son of Claude and Leonie Webb-Wagg (shown left from Ancestry.com).  Their first two children, Mavis and Claudia, were born in Sydney before the family moved to Adelaide where the youngest two children, Frank and Leonie (known as Dolly) were born. Claude made his living selling and tuning pianos until his wife died when Frank was only two. It's reported that Leonie was suffering with tuberculosis at the t...