John Birchby (1901 - 1978)

Born 25 Aug 1901 in Bolton, Lancashire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Florence Jean (Duell) Birchby — married 14 Apr 1934 in Semaphore, South Australia

Descendants

Died 27 Jun 1978 at age 76 in Largs Bay, South Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Glen Birchby [send private message]

Biography

Known all his life as "Jack", John Birchby was born in Bolton, Lancashire, England on 25 Aug 1901. There is no known proof of his paternity and some confusion arises from his mother, Louisa Jackson having been previously married to William Dawson in 1897, from whom she apparently separated but was not divorced, not marrying John Birchby (Jack’s father) until 1943. However, on 26/09/1901 Jack’s mother registered his birth, recording his name as John Birchby, but without a father named and using Dawson (legally correct) as her surname. ^[1] This strongly suggests that John Birchby (sen) was indeed his father, and that he and Jack’s mother were living together at the time.
Ten years later the 1911 Census of England and Wales gives John Birchby (Sen) as "Head" of the house, then obviously there was some confusion over the propriety of how to describe the relationships, as it has Louisa Dawson (her legally correct name) as "housekeeper", and the children all have "Birchby" as one of their first names, but also have their mother's legal surname "Dawson" and are labeled as John Birchby's "step" children.

Jack was baptised at the same time as his sister Ellen (“Nellie”) on 24/06/1903 in the parish church of St Peter, Bolton, with his mother again using Dawson as her surname but, under "Child's Christian Name" giving "Ellen" and "John", as well as the surname of Birchby. The word “Birchby” was later crossed out for both, as only christian names could be entered into that column on the form. ^[2]

He went to school at Emmanuel Church of England School in Cannon St.
When he turned 12 he started in the usual half-time work arrangement when half the day was spent at school and the other half at work.
His work was at Salmon and Taylor cotton spinning mills in Bolton, where he became full-time when he turned 13, in the role of “Little Piecer” who would sweep up and run errands for the Spinner and his assistant, the “Side Piecer”, which Jack eventually became.

Jack was good at sport, and probably played soccer for Bolton Wanderers Football Club at an unknown level, probably Junior grade, as by the time that he was 23 he had already migrated to Australia. He also played tennis and coached his church rounders team for some years.

He was a regular church-goer, changing at some stage from Anglican to Methodist at the instigation of his step-brother James (Jim) Jackson, the oldest of the siblings, with whom, and along with his sisters, he then attended Kings Hall Methodist, in Bolton, singing in the choir and as a tenor soloist. He had a fine tenor voice.

A friend from Bolton, Bill Gleaves, left for South Australia and wrote glowing letters back urging Jack to come out to the “land of prosperity” and, with little prospect of ever advancing in Bolton, he agreed. He left from London’s Tilbury Dock on 18/08/1925, on the vessel “Largs Bay”, landing at the Outer Harbour of Port Adelaide, South Australia, on 26/09/1925, having had his 24th birthday on board.

Jack stayed with his friend Bill Gleaves at Semaphore South for a while until he became settled, and soon began playing soccer again. He joined Port Adelaide Soccer Club, and then in 1928 when the Soccer Association started "international team" matches, he was selected for the Britain Team, which became premiers.

He also began attending the Semaphore Methodist Church where he became very involved. It was here, at Semaphore Methodist, that he met Jean Duell, becoming engaged to her at Christmas 1931, and after a long engagement, they were married in that church on 14/04/1934. They first lived with the Gleaves family, at Semaphore South, until they bought a house at 15 Devon Street, Largs Bay, in 1936.

In Adelaide Jack first worked as a storeman for Colton Palmer & Preston, but the depression of 1929-34 reduced employment to 1 week in 3, so he started a milk delivery business in Semaphore, then purchased other delivery areas in the Semaphore/Largs locality. Around 1946 he started working as a shop assistant at Harvey’s grocery in Largs North as well as running the milk delivery business, eventually selling this and working full time for Harvey’s. He continued working here until Harvey’s closed around 1964, then found employment as a gate-keeper at CSR sugar refinery at Glanville until his retirement around 1969.

He was very well known in the district, largely due to his extensive involvement in the activities of the Largs Bay Methodist Church, and was honoured by the church naming a new building “Birchby Hall” in 1963.

Jack died at home at Largs Bay on 27 Jun 1978, and was cremated at Centennial park Crematorium, Pasadena, South Australia.

Sources

From first-hand information as remembered by Glen Birchby, and from discussions with John “Jack” Birchby, Jean Duell (Florence Jean, Jack’s wife), Ellen “Nellie” Greenhalgh (Jack’s sister in Bolton), Frank Greenhalgh (Jack’s nephew in Bolton).

Also:

1. ↑ Birth Certificate - copy with Glen Birchby.
2. ↑ Parish church baptism certificate - copy with Glen Birchby.