GRANT William Henry (Jr)
William Henry (Bill aka Will) GRANT Jr was born at Balmain NSW on 25 April 1883, the seventh child and fourth son to William Henry Grant senior and Mary Elizabeth Grant (nee Chambers). One brother, also named William born at Durham, England, did not survive infancy and another brother, James also born at Durham, died on the voyage to Australia in 1877.
Will married Eleanor Attwater (Nell) Faber of Merrylands, at Holroyd on 28 December 1910. Daughter, Elizabeth Pagiter Faber Grant was born at Bellingen on 21 June 1913 and another daughter, Eleanor Jane Faber Grant was born at Bellingen on 1 January 1915. Unfortunately, Eleanor Jane died on 19 February 1917 at Merrylands. Obviously, the family moved from Bellingen to Merrylands sometime between 1915 and 1917. Elizabeth did not marry.
On 21 July 1917, Will enlisted in the 1st AIF at Victoria Barracks, Sydney and on 28th was posted to the 2nd Battalion. At the time of his enlistment his address was given as Merrylands and his occupation as farmer. On 19 December he embarked on the “Ulyses” for Southampton via Port Suez, arriving on 18 February 1918. Will was appointed acting lance corporal on 31 March, a position re relinquished on 7 August, when his unit was transferred to France. On 18 September, Will was wounded in action and repatriated to the 5th Southern General Hospital in Portsmouth. On 25 January, he embarked on the hospital ship “Ceramic”, arriving back in Australia on 14 March.
This book is a description of the train trip W H Grant Jr took from Egypt to England.
It is best viewed in “Full Screen”
Between 1930 and 1943 the electoral rolls show the family living at Lidcombe. The 1930 electoral roll indicates Joseph Street, with Will’s occupation as attendant. Between 1949 and 1958 the electoral rolls shows the family living at 218 Burnett Street, Westmead, with all three having no occupation. The 1963 electoral roll also shows Nell and Elizabeth living at Westmead.
Will died at 218 Burnett, Street, Westmead on 11 February 1961 and Nell died on 27 April 1964. They are buried side-by-side in Grave 37, Row 9 A J Hare Lawn, Macquarie Park Cemetery, Ryde. Elizabeth died on 2 November 2007 at Richmond NSW and is buried next to her parents in Grave 38.
