GRANT, William Arthur

1887 - 1959  (72 years)

• Name	GRANT, William Arthur
  Birth	10 Jan 1887	Wyndham, New South Wales   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Occupation	a farm Labourer and Quarry Foreman.
  Occupation	1911	Karangahake, New Zealand
  	Miner
  Occupation	1912	Waihi, New Zealand
  Reference Number	MP14072
  Death	29 May 1959	Sutherland, New South Wales   [2]
  Burial	Woronora Memorial Park & Crematorium, Sutherland, New South Wales
  Notes	"My father went to NZ in 1902 with two Grants from Wyndhamand one of them, Mick went to California after the 1906earthquake.  My father said he too was going but gotdrunk and missed the boat (may be true).  Now Mick'soffspring make up a portion of California's one millionScots." "One day my father went up the road (in Waihi) to buy someclothes for himself but came home with a push bike forus.  We all got a very pleasant surprise except mumwho now had to pay off what was owing."  "Our father was a good worker and in NZ only drankhome-brew which cost only about two pennies a bottle. It was only in Australia that he boozed most of hiswages.  In Waihi mum got most of hiswages".   "We (Jim and his family) went to Menai February 1940. My parents came in 1941.  They bought a block of landabout a quarter of a mile away.  I got them a plan fora 2 room home but my father would not have it.  Theprice was 50 pounds.  My father got steel plates forthe floor, second hand iron for the roof and I think thesides were fibro.  It was rough but liveable. They lived in it for about 4 years then he sold it. I can remember them going to a house in Sutherland. They had not yet bought it or even paid a deposit.  Myfather started up dating the house and made bigimprovements to the yard, so good that I think the ownerchanged his mind and told them to get out.  He bought another block at Menai in the same road and aboutthree blocks from their other house.  This one was abeaut.  The land had a slope.  He got some timberout of the bush for the frame, dug holes in the ground toput the uprights in, put old rusty corrugated iron on theroof and used chaff bags for the side walls. The floor wasdirt.  It had an open fire inside for cooking. They must have lived there for about 4 years.  Every time I visited them it upset me to see my motherliving under such primitive conditions. One day I said toher, if you pay for a block of land I will build you betterhome. Mum agreed.  The block cost 70 pounds.  It was a corner block andhad a ditch running across the back taking the streetwater.  I had it piped a few years later.  Thesize was 50 feet wide and 110 feet long.  I went tothe State Bank to borrow money.  They asked me if Ihad any other property.  I told them I had a block atOatley.  They said we can't give you a loan as youhave other property.  I thanked him and said I willnot tell the truth again.  He looked aghast.  Ithen went to a building Society they asked me the samequestion and I said I have nothing and received 715pounds.  With a friend, Jimmy Pearson, we started tobuild in late 1949.  By August 1950 you could live init so on the 11 August 1950 they moved in. A lot of work still had to be done.  If the Councilhad known they were in they would have been put out. I eventually finished the place on my own.  My matejust forgot me.  After living there for about 3 years my father said one day"sell the place and give me back the money I havepaid".  The rent was 1 pound a week.  I told himhe could go any time he liked but mum was stayinghere.  He did not go.  He frequently tried thisstunt until he died May 29 1949. Mum liked the place. It was the nicest home she had everhad and the most modern.  I think it would have beenthe first time she would have had a warm shower.  Shelived there until 1974 aged 90 when she had to move to theSalvation Army Home at Redfern where she died 14 January1977.  Those last years on her own were the best yearsshe had ever had.  She could do as she wished." (excerpt from Jim Grant's Reflections)
  Person ID	I14072	Genealogy Connections | Monaro Pioneers Information
  Last Modified	24 Jul 2015

  
  

  Father	GRANT, Robert,   b. 6 Dec 1834, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland d. 3 Nov 1906, Wyndham, New South Wales (Age 71 years)
  Mother	CHAPMAN, Eliza Jane,   b. 16 Jan 1846, Sydney, New South Wales d. 12 Oct 1932, Wyndham, New South Wales (Age 86 years)
  Marriage	11 Apr 1864	St. Matthias' Church of England, Bombala, New South Wales   [3]
  	The Marriage certificate states the consent of WilliamChapman, father of Eliza Chapman was given to the marriageof his daughter with Robert Grant, the said Eliza Chapmanbeing under the age of statutory years.This is interesting as Eliza's father's name was Henry andhe is listed as such on the certificate. Witnesses were Henry Grant and Caroline Grant.
  Family ID	F3772	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	MCKEE, Annie Christina,   b. 22 Nov 1883, Hunua, Auckland, New Zealand d. 14 Jan 1977, Redfern, New South Wales (Age 93 years)
  Marriage	2 Jan 1911	Manse, Pukekohe, New Zealand
  Children	1. GRANT, Arthur Purvis,   b. 8 Feb 1911, Auckland, New Zealand d. 22 May 2006, Queanbeyan, New South Wales (Age 95 years)   2. GRANT, Cecil Gordon,   b. 7 May 1912, Thames, Paeroa, New Zealand d. 29 Nov 1975, Kogarah, New South Wales (Age 63 years)   3. GRANT, Freda Alice,   b. 24 Aug 1913, Thames, Paeroa, New Zealand d. 25 Jun 1990, Sydney, New South Wales (Age 76 years)
  Family ID	F4138	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	24 Jul 2015

  
  

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  Birth - 10 Jan 1887 - Wyndham, New South Wales Occupation - Miner - 1911 - Karangahake, New Zealand Occupation - 1912 - Waihi, New Zealand Death - 29 May 1959 - Sutherland, New South Wales Burial - - Woronora Memorial Park & Crematorium, Sutherland, New South Wales  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Monaro Pioneers Images » Slide Show		Three Grant Brothers .JPG William Arthur, Percy Francis, Walter and Ernest Grant(Ernie) son of Robert born 1910 and nephew of the others
  		William Arthur Grant.JPG
  		William Aurthur Grant

  
  

• Sources

  [S1] NSW BDM Index, 20555/1887 (Reliability: 3). [S1] NSW BDM Index, 11999/1959 (Reliability: 3). [S1] NSW BDM Index, 1656/1864 (Reliability: 3).