Frederick King Stearn (1894 - 1974)

Born 1894 in Kent, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Hildred Bryde (Birch) Stearn — married 1915 in Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Died 9 May 1974 at about age 80 in Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Susan Birch [send private message]

Biography

Daily News (Perth, WA : 1882 - 1955), Wednesday 23 January 1929, page 6 CITY COURT REMANDS Heavy Bail Demanded Frederick King Stearn (45), a laborer, who was charged in the City Court this morning with theft, was on the application of Prosecuting Sergeant Houston, remanded for eight days. Mr. M. E. L. Cantor, appearing for the accused, successfully applied for bail, which was fixed at a personal bond of £20 and two sureties of a similar amount. Detective S. A. Smith preferred the charge.

Swan and Canning Leader (Victoria Park, WA : 1928 - 1929), Friday 25 January 1929, page 7 ARMADALE NEWS. Theft of 60 Fowls Alleged. Frederick King Stearn (45), labourer, was arrested on Tuesday and charged by Detective S. A. Smith with having at Armadale, between December 22 and January 14, stolen 60 fowls valued at £15, and harness valued at £2, the property of Edwin George Portwine.

West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Thursday 7 February 1929, page 17 POLICE COURTS. PERTH. (Tuesday. — Before Mr. A. B. Kidson, Acting P.M.) Theft of Fowls. — Frederick King Stearne (45) labourer, was fined £6 with £2/5/, costs on a charge of having at Armadale between December 22 and January 14 stolen 60 fowls, a sulky collar, and a pair of winkers, the property of Edwin George Portwine. Evidence disclosed that defendant was engaged to look after a property belonging to Partivine near Armadale and without permission he sold the fowls and the other articles. Defendant said that permission to sell was given him by the owner.

West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Monday 11 February 1929, page 15 CHILDREN'S COURT, PERTH. Before Mr. H. Casper and Mrs. A. Casson, J's.P.) Maintenance Cases. — Frederick King Stearn, who was charged with having failed to comply with a maintenance order, was ordered to pay. 30/ down and £1 a week in the future, part of this to include instalments of arrears.

West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Tuesday 21 October 1930, page 10 MAINTENANCE ARREARS. Arrears of maintenance amounting to £64 were stated to have accrued against Frederick King Stearn, who described himself as a blacksmith, when he was charged in the Children's Court, Perth, yesterday with having failed to comply with an order for the maintenance of an illegitimate child made against him in December 1927. Steam was also called upon to show cause why a recognisance of £10 into which he entered in 1928 for payments under the order should not be forfeited. He admitted both charges, while stating that he had been unable to pay because he had been out of employment. Mr. F. F. Horgan, S.M. was on the Bench. The Maintenance Officer (Mr. J. W. Forsyth) said that no payment had been made since December last. Every effort had been made to trace Stearn since then, but he had only just been found. In May, 1928, he had been charged with failing to comply with the order and the Bench then ordered him to enter into a cash recognisance of £10. Defendant: Yes. and I did four and a half months' gaol before I could find it. Mr. Forsyth explained that the default of the recognisance had been six months' imprisonment and defendant had served part of this term before finding the £10. The child had since been adopted. The Magistrate ordered Stearn to enter into a recognisance of £25 for payments at the rate of £3 a month, in default two months' imprisonment. The former bond was to be estreated and applied to the reduction of that arrears.

West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Tuesday 9 June 1931, page 6 City Arrests. Detectives S Dowsett and G. Smith yesterday arrested Frederick King Stearn (34), unemployed carpenter, of the corner of Miller-street and Albany-road, Victoria Park, on a charge of having, on June 5, stolen six carpenters' saws valued at £5, the property of Nellie Rumsey, of South Perth. Subsequently the accused was further charged with having, between April 10 and April 17, stolen a quantity of tools valued at £8/10/, the property of Arthur Blake, of Victoria Park.

Western Argus (Kalgoorlie, WA : 1916 - 1938), Tuesday 1 June 1937, page 13 P.M. CRITICISES BIG STORES For Cashing Cheques Indiscriminately Perth, May 26. Criticism of departmental stores for indiscriminately accepting cheques from strangers, and of banks for allowing strangers to obtain cheque books, without making proper investigations, was made by the Police Magistrate. Mr. H. D. Moseley, in the Perth Police Court to-day when sentencing a man, who pleaded guilty to six charges of false pretences in connection with the passing of valueless cheques, to two years' imprisonment. Frederick King Stearn (42), iron worker, was charged with six counts of false pretences in relation to cheques passed at Boans, Ltd., Bon Marche Ltd., Economic Stores, Ltd., Foy and Gibson's, Ltd., Charles Moore and Co., and Doig and Horn, Fremantle. In each case Stearn presented the cheque to an assistant, and obtained goods and the change in cash. "There are two extraordinary features of this case," said the magistrate. "The first is that a complete stranger can apparently enter a bank and obtain a cheque book when he has no account at the branch of the bank, and the second is that he can pass the cheques with apparent ease at large stores and obtain, not only goods, but money. This is a constant source of amazement to me. "You (addressing Stearn) will serve four months' imprisonment on each charge, making two years in all. The goods recovered will be returned to the owners, and the cash found on him had better be divided pro rata. "In my opinion none of the stores is deserving of much sympathy."

Frederick was born in 1894. He passed away in 1974.

Sources

• Western Australian Births, Deaths, Marriages at bdm.wa.gov.au
• Death Notice in the West Australian newspaper
• Metropolitan Cemeteries Board index at mcb.wa.gov.au