Son of Tom Axford and his wife Mary Ann Axford, Walter Axford was born in Tasmania in 1853.
on 25 November 1890 he married Margaret Ann McQuillan, daughter of Patrick McQuillan, in Adelaide.
He was the father of Victoria Cross recipient Thomas Leslie Axford and reportedly eight other children.
Other children of Walter and his wife Margaret were:
He died in 1918.
The news of the death of Mr. Walter Richard Axford, following
quickly upon the announcement that
his son, Lance-Corpl. Thomas Leslie Axford, had won the Victoria
Cross for conspicuous gallantry,
came as a shock to the community
on Monday morning. The deceased
gentleman had not enjoyed the best
of health for a number of years,
and last week he took to his bed,
but despite the attention that was
paid to him by Dr. Walker, he passed away shortly before nine o'clock
on Monday morning. His end was
calm and peaceful, all the members of his family, except the lance-corporal, being present at the bedside.
The late Mr. Axford, who was 65
years of age at the time of his demise was born at Bothwell, Tasmania, but at an early age he went with the other members of his
family to Ballarat, Victoria, where
for 20 years he was in the employ
of the Ballarat Hardware Company.
He was for several years an active
member of the Ballarat City Fire
Brigade. He left Victoria with
his father and other members of the
family for South Australia, where
for several years they engaged in
farming pursuits at Carrieton, on
the Port Augusta railway. His
father's failing health led to the disposal of the farm, and Mr. Axford
then conducted a successful business as an auctioneer and commission agent at Carrieton, where for several years he also occupied the
post of town clerk. He was a justice of the peace in that district for
a long while in fact, almost for the
whole period of his stay in South
Australia. Like others he was forced by the terrible drought of 20
years or so ago to migrate to West
Australia. He spent 12 years in
Coolgardie, and occupied clerical
positions under Mr. McNamara and
Knight Atkins, besides acting as auditor for Harvey and Culley. Eight years ago he came to Kalgoorlie, since when he has done regular accountancy work for Mr. G. S. Harvey, of Boulder, and other business men.
The late Mr. Axford was married
28 years ago at Carrieton, South
Australia, and his wife and nine
children survive him, a tenth child
having died in infancy. His stepmother, now 85 years of age, resides
in England, where one of his sisters, Mrs. R. M. Osborne, also lives. His brother, Mr. G. C. Axford, is resident at the Wellington Mills, in the
South-West of West Australia; another brother, Mr. A. L. Axford,
lives at Goodwood, South Australia,
and a sister, Miss Axford, resides at
Abbotsford, Melbourne, Victoria.
The eldest children of his family are
Mrs. Rosewarne (whose husband has been wounded during the fighting on the western front); Sergeant Harry Axford, late of the 16th Battalion, A.I.F.; Lance-Corporal Thomas Leslie Axford, V.C., Mr. Harold Axford, and Miss Gertrude Axford.
The Mayor of Kalgoorlie, Mr. B.
Leslie, mentioned in his report to
the council on Monday that it was
with mingled feelings of pleasure
and sorrow that he had to congratulate the relatives of Lance-Corporal
Axford upon the fact that His Majesty, the King had been pleased to
confer upon the young soldier the
Victoria Cross "for Valour." The news had been received at a time when Mr. Axford, senr., was in a declining state of health, but it must become a source of comfort and consolation to the bereaved relatives in their sorrow to realise that the honour conferred upon his brave and and gallant son must have been a great joy indeed to the father during his few remaining days on earth.
The mayor and councillors carried, in respectful silence, the resolution of the council to convey to the bereaved relatives the sincerest sympathy for them in their sad affliction. It was further resolved that the mayor and councillors attend the funeral in their official capacity.
Western Argus (Kalgoorlie, WA) Tue 3 Sep 1918
This week's featured connections are Redheads: Walter is 18 degrees from Catherine of Aragón, 22 degrees from Clara Bow, 25 degrees from Julia Gillard, 17 degrees from Nancy Hart, 14 degrees from Rutherford Hayes, 18 degrees from Rita Hayworth, 20 degrees from Leonard Kelly, 19 degrees from Rose Leslie, 16 degrees from Damian Lewis, 23 degrees from Maureen O'Hara, 20 degrees from Jopie Schaft and 34 degrees from Eirik Thorvaldsson on our single family tree. Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.
A > Axford > Walter Richard Axford
Categories: Kalgoorlie Cemetery, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia