The Webb Wagg Family in Australia

Sarah Jane Wagg was second child of William and Sarah Wagg - named after her mother (Sarah) and her maternal aunt (Jane).  A transcript of Sarah's birth registration shows she was born on 11 July 1856 at Botany Road, Redfern - just over 6 months after the death of her brother, William George.  Her father, William Wagg, a drayman, aged 28 from the West of England is the informant.  Sarah Turner, aged 23 and born in Sydney is shown as Sarah Jane's mother.  The date and place of William and Sarah's marriage is recorded as 18 April 1853 at St James Church, Sydney.  The transcript also show the previous issue as "1 boy deceased". By the mid 1860s, the Wagg family has moved to the Blues Point area on the North Shore of Sydney Harbour. In 1883, Sarah Jane, aged 27, married James Judkins Gillett, aged 35.  The marriage is registered at St Leonards.  James Judkins was born in about January 1848 in Islington, England.  He was the second child and o...

We are lucky to have this beautiful photo of Pearle Beatrice who passed away on this day 47 years ago. Pearle Beatrice Wendes (nee Gillett) In 1887, Pearle was born in Armidale - the only daughter and second child of James Judkins Gillett and Sarah Jane Wagg.   On 28 August 1912, Pearle married Walter Keith Jack Wendes at her parent's home, Mascotte in North Sydney.  Walter was born in about July 1883 on the Isle of Wight in England.  He was the son of Charles and Emily Wendes.   Family Notices (1912, September 7).  The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) , p. 14.  Retrieved May 15, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28132826 Pearle and Walter's only child, Thelma Muriel, was born in 1913.  When Thelma was about 12, Walter and Pearle were divorced. In the 1930 and 1937 Electoral Rolls, Pearle shows her occupation as a dressmaker and she is living at 35 Concord Road Hurstville.  The photo sh...

Leslie Hayden "Les" Gillett (1889 to 28 January 1943) I couldn't let Anzac Day pass without sharing this information which I've receive just hours ago. Les is a grandson of William and Sarah - his parents are James Gillett and Sarah Wagg. Les was awarded the Military Medal for his gallantry in leading a patrol on 29 August 1916 in France. A great niece of Les has kindly provided us with this extract from his memoir.  In this, Les  describes being buried in mud as a result of gunfire. He writes “I was with two others, one was buried up to the neck in mud, I was covered right up, but the other one dug us out. They both went back with shell shock, but I stayed on. I went back for my false teeth which I lost when I called out for help as the mud was coming over me. The Lieutenant said I couldn’t have any nerves". Extract from the memoir of Les Gillett We don' know if Les ever found his false teeth! Les's Enlistment Papers - Page ...