William Leslie MARTIN

Father: William Joseph MARTIN, born on 1 December 1865 at Coonatto, South Australia and died on 4 March 1913 on Murnpeowie Station on the Strzelecki Track in South Australia.  William was the son of Michael Martin and Caroline McCudden.

Mother: Ellen Josephine Elena CALLARY, born on 8 November 1871 in Gilbert, South Australia and died on 13 August 1949 in Jamestown, South Australia.  Ellen was the daughter of Philip Callary and Julia McAuliffe

Siblings

Philip Laurence Martin was born on 31 December 1892 in Arkaba, South Australia.  He died at the age of four on 1 April 1897 in Marianville near Quorn, South Australia.

Myrtle Nellie Martin was born on 29 January 1895 in Farina, South Australia.  She died on 18 October 1973 at Prospect in South Australia.  She married Albert (Bert) Charles Wilson on 11 September 1913, in Farina, South Australia.  He was the son of John Wilson and Emily Caroline Beer.  Albert was born on 27 February 1891 in Gordon, South Australia and died on 5 December 1966 in Kilburn, Adelaide, South Australia.  Both are buried in the Dudley Park Cemetery in Adelaide, South Australia.

Thomas Benjamin MARTIN was born on 19 April 1900 in Birdsville, Queensland. He died on 27 April 1973 in Jamestown, South Australia.  He married Evelyn Mabel Reid on 19 September 1929 in Farina, South Australia.  She was the daughter of Michael Reid and Sarah Russell.  Evelyn was born on 1 October 1911 in Hawker, South Australia and died on 13 November 1980 in Jamestown, South Australia.  Both are buried in the Jamestown Cemetery.

Eileen Elsie MARTIN was born on 3 August 1902 in Queensland.  She never married.  Eileen died on 1 January 1950 and was buried in the Dudley Park Cemetery, South Australia.

Alice Lottie Martin was born on 13 July 1904 in Queensland.  She never married.  Alice died on 17 July 1979 in Port Pirie, South Australia and was buried in the Port Pirie Cemetery.

Children

William John Martin was born on 22 August 1929 in Quorn, South Australia.  He died as a result of drowning in flood waters on 6 February 1944 at Blanchewater Station, Strzelecki Track, South Australia at the age of 14 years and was buried at the site where his body was found on Blanchwater Station.

Muriel Irene Sylvia Martin was born on 26 September 1931 in Farina, South Australia.  She died on 12 December 2015 in Wondai, Queensland at the age of 84 years.  Muriel married Darcy Albert Jarvis on 14 September 1957 in Hawker, South Australia.  They are both buried at the Wondai Cemetery, Queensland.

Ronda Elizabeth Martin was born on 23 December 1933 in Farina, South Australia She died on 16 October 1962 in Hawker, South Australia at the age of 28 years.  Ronda was buried in the Hawker Cemetery.

Valma Rosemary Martin was born on 4 April 1942 in Port Augusta, South Australia.  She died on 11 October 2013 in Hawker, South Australia at the age of 71 years. Valma married Norman Edward Wood on 28 February 1963 in Hawker. Norman was born on 17 April 1940 in Moonta, South Australia and died on 2 March 1996 in Moomba, South Australia at the age of 55 years.

Last child, a daughter, still living, was born in 1946 in Port Augusta, South Australia.

1 Michael MARTIN b:1841 d: 1/8/1903
   + Caroline McCUDDEN b: 1845 d: 8/6/1890
      2 William Joseph MARTIN 1/12/1865 d: 4/3/1913
         + Ellen Josephine Elena CALLARY b: 8/11/1871 d: 13/8/1949
            3 Philip Laurence Martin b: 31/12/1892 d: 1/4/1897
            3 Myrtle Nellie Martin b: 29/1/1895 d: 18/10/1973
            3 William Leslie Martin b: 7/2/1899 d: 3/6/1973
               + Emily Elizabeth Chapman b: 9/12/1906 d: 19/2/1987
                  4 William John Martin b: 22/8/1929 d: 6/2/1944
                  4 Muriel Irene Sylvia Martin b: 26/9/1931 d: 12/12/2015
                  4 Ronda Elizabeth Martin b: 23/12/1933 d: 16/10/1962
                  4 Valma Rosemary Martin b: 4/4/1942 d: 11/10/2013
                  4 Last child, a daughter, still living, was born in 1946
            3 Thomas Benjamin MARTIN b: 19/4/1900 d: 27/4/1973
               +  Evelyn Mabel Reid b: 1/10/1911 d: 13/11/1980
                  4 James (Jim) Reginald Martin b: 11/6/1927 d: 26/9/2009
                  4 Geofrey Benjamin (Biffy) Martin b: 10/2/1930 d: 13/4/1989
                  4 Daphne Fay Martin b: 9/3/1932 d: 4/8/2016
                  4 Second daughter, still living, b: 1934
                  4 Third daughter, still living, b: 1939
                  4 Fourth daughter, still living, b: 1944
            3 Eileen Elsie MARTIN b: 3/8/1902 d: 1/1/1950
            3 Alice Lottie Martin b: 13/7/1904 d: 17/7/1979
      2 Benjamin MARTIN b: 14/11/1867 d: 4/2/1921
      2 Thomas James MARTIN b: 20/2/1870 d: 21/4/1896
      2 Alice MARTIN b: 28/4/1872 d: 28/3/1917
      2 Caroline MARTIN b: 14/6/1874 d: 23/4/1923
      2 John MARTIN b: 17/1/1877 d: 1/1/1923
      2 Catherine Margaret MARTIN b: 9/4/1879 d: 28/3/1883

This Biography is a summary extracted from the full document which is available to view in the “Further Reading” tab.

William (Bill) Leslie Martin was born on 7 February 1899 on Adelaide Road in Birdsville, Queensland. 

William’s family had been in Farina since his father William Joseph Martin had taken on the job as Mail Driver in January 1912.  William attended school at Birdsville and Farina.  In 1912, William won the boys sports championship and the high jump medal while attending the Farina School.

Little is known about William’s activities.  However, William was recorded as working as a stockman at Farina for 1926 and 1927.  There is a family story that he also drove mail coaches in the region.

Newspaper articles of the time indicate that residents of Farina and the surrounding area had a good social life.  The Martin’s were active members of the Farina Community.  In 1923 at a fundraising event to repair the damage to the Anglican Church, Bill was declared the second laziest man in a Lazy Man competition.

William was also a Committee member for the Farina Racing Club in 1924 and during the New Years Eve sports day Bill Martin won the standing high jump.  Clearly his high jumping expertise from school paid off.  At the Farina Fancy Dress ball on 28 January 1924, William went dressed as an Oriental and won the balloon dance by successfully keeping his balloon away from the ladies’ dainty feet.

An article about a social gathering at Lyndhurst Siding in 1927 lists Bill Martin being from Lyndhurst Siding rather than being a guest from Farina.  It is interesting to note that Miss E M Chapman from Farina attended the social.  While the second initial is different, possibly a typo, William was to marry a Miss E E Chapman less than 18 months later.  Perhaps this is how they first met.

William married Emily Elizabeth Chapman on 19 November 1928 in the All Saints Church in Farina, South Australia.  Emily was born on 9 December 1906 in Blinman, South Australia.  Emily was the daughter of Charles Kemble Chapman and Elizabeth Ann Gill.  Both of her parents are buried in the Farina Cemetery.

After his marriage he continued to work in Farina.  However, he gave up being a stockman and worked as a fettler on the South Australian Railways from 1928 to 1943 according to the Electoral rolls.

William died on 3 June 1973 in Hawker at the age of 74 years and was buried in the Hawker Cemetery.

There is no record of William owning land at Farina.

William Leslie Martin comprehensive biography with documents, articles and photographs.

William and Emily Martin life at Farina