What did the Certificates Reveal? Clara Lilian Phibbs

Clara in 1961 at grandson, Colin's wedding

"Have you found something revealing in a birth, death or marriage certificate?"

This was the topic for another Friday Hang Out with the SAG late last year, which prompted the following story related to my paternal great grandmother, Clara Lilian Phibbs, who was born 132 years ago.  

Various certificates and other documents revealed a lot of previously unknown information about Clara and other members of her family!

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Clara Lillian Phibbs was born 8 August 1889 in Bradford St, Birmingham, the second youngest of 7 children born to Clara Williams and William Charles Phibbs, who had married on 20 July 1879 at the Parish Church of St. John, Ladywood. 

At the time of her birth, Clara had 5 brothers and sisters, Florence Louisa aged 9, William Charles aged 7, Alice Maud aged 5, Albert Harold aged 3, and May aged 2 years.   

Clara's birth certificate dated 1903 likely obtained so she could obtain work

On 5 April 1891 when the census was taken, Clara's family were living at 95 Emily St, Bordesley, a suburb of Birmingham.  At this time, her father, William was employed as a tortoiseshell worker,  Her mother, Clara was a jeweller's polisher. Her older siblings were all at school.  

Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891 - 95 Emily St, Bordesley, Birmingham

 

In March 1892, a brother, Stephen Paul was born, however he died when he was just 7 years old of Hodgkins Disease and exhaustion on 20 Feb 1900.  

On 14 Jun 1894, Clara's father, William died of phthisis (now known as tuberculosis) and exhaustion. He was just 36 years old. Her mother, Clara was the informant, was also present when he died.

At the time of the 1901 census dated 1 April, the family were living nearby at 3 Melbourne Place, off Rea St, South.   Clara's mother, and sisters, Florence and Alice were working as Press Workers in the bicycle industry and her brothers, William and Albert were both carters on the railway. Her 13 year old sister, May was an Errand Girl. 

Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901 - 3 Melbourne Place

In 1903, Clara's eldest sister, Florence married James Titus Floyd and they went on to have a family of 7 children. Five years later, in 1908 her brother, Albert Harold married Florence Hancock, they had two children and immigrated to Australia in the 1926.

The 1911 census was taken on 2 April.  Clara was living in Sherlock St, with her mother; brother, William and sister, Alice. Clara was described as a guillotine worker in the tinplate works, William was working in a Plumbers warehouse and Alice was still a Press Worker.  Her niece, Florence Floyd, was also residing in the family home that evening. 

Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 - 25b 5h Sherlock St

Tragically, on 15 July 1912, Clara's mother took her own life. The cause of death was "suffocation by coal gas a result of suicide whilst of unsound mind". 

Birmingham Daily Gazette - 17 Jul 1912

Shortly after the outbreak of World War I, Clara made the very brave decision to immigrate to Australia and travelled out on the Ballarat arriving in Sydney on the 7 February 1915. She met her future husband, Arthur Samuel Rake onboard. 

NSW Unassisted Immigrants - Ballarat - 1915

Clara and Samuel married 10 months later, on Christmas Eve, 1915. Clara's sister, May was one of the witnesses, having just arrived in Australia a week earlier onboard the Athenic on 18 December.

Marriage Certificate - Arthur Samuel Rake and Clara Lilian Phibbs - 24 Dec 1915

Clara and Samuel made their home in Redfern where their first two children, Esther Rose Lillian (my grandmother) and Florence Sarah May were born in 1916 and 1918 respectively.

Esther and Florence c1924

While of limited means, as Sam worked in the steelworks, the family returned to England for a holiday in 1924 travelling on the Esperence Bay arriving in Hull on 7 August. I'm not sure why Florrie isn't recorded on the shipping records, as she did appear on the passenger list when they returned on the same ship in Feb 1925. Clara's sister, Alice Maude joined the family on their return to Australia and married a widower, Walter Henry Coppock the following year. I recall my nan talking about this trip and also meeting her paternal grandmother in London.

UK and Ireland Incoming Passenger Lists - Esperence Bay - 7 Aug 1924

On their return to Australia they settled at 65 Premier St, Marrickville where their son George was born in 1925 and their daughter, June in 1930. 

Australia suffered badly during the period of the Great Depression of the 1930s. For many Australians, the decade began with problems of huge unemployment, and because of the economic downturn, people’s lives changed drastically.  Many hundreds of thousands of Australians suddenly faced the humiliation of poverty and unemployment, with a peak of approximately 30% of the nation being unemployed in 1932.

Clara's husband was one of those unfortunate to lose his job and travelled to Brisbane, Queensland in search of employment. His body was found floating in the Toowong Reach of the Brisbane River, near the Regatta Hotel. The post-mortem examination revealed that death was due to asphyxia by drowning. It is unclear if he took his own life or if it was the result of an accident. He is buried at Toowong Cemetery. 

By 1935, Clara and the children were living at 13 Rickard St, Turella, where her daughter, Esther met her husband, Alfred William Hails who she married in July that year. Esther and Alf had two sons. 

The following year, Clara again travelled over to England with her children, Florence, George and June and stayed with family in Birmingham. Her sister, May had also left a few months earlier. 

UK and Ireland Incoming Passenger Lists - Ormonde - 2 Jul 1936 

On her return to Australia, Clara was living at 58 Albion St, Annandale before moving to 108 White St, Leichhardt, with the children and her sister, May.  Her daughter, Florence married Francis O'Reilly in 1941, they had one son.

On 20 Jan 1942 at the District Registrars Office in Petersham, Clara married William Jones. William, a widower, gave his usual residence as the Military Camp in Bathurst. Clara, a widow, gave her residence as 74 White St, Leichhardt. Witnesses to their marriage were C. W. Monhouse and Frank O'Reilly, her son-in-law.

William Jones had enlisted in the Army Citizen Military Forces on 7 May 1941 and gave Clara Rake as his Next of Kin, so it would seem they were living together at this time, although they obviously did not marry until the following year.

The marriage certificate however revealed that William was in fact a bigamist!

William Jones was convicted on an indictment for bigamy at the Sydney Quarter Session he having on the 20 January 1942 married Clara Lillian Rake at Petersham NSW whilst Ellen McDonald whom he married on the 10 August 1912 at Waterloo, NSW was alive.

While their marriage was annulled, William and Clara moved to 124 Coonanbarra Rd, Wahroonga and remained together as a couple until his death in 1957.

Clara (centre) with children left to right, Esther, June, Florrie and George

Clara's son, George enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force Service in 1944 shortly after his 18th birthday. He did his basic training at Tocumwal, NSW and served at Cootamundra, NSW; Batchelor, NT; Morotai, Indonesia and Balikpapan, Borneo. After his discharge he continued his studies and became a Entomologist. He married Rhoda Ada Beavis in 1956. Clara's daughter, June went onto become a school teacher, she had one daughter.

Esther, Florrie, Frank, Clara, Pat, June, Reg and Colin (at grandson, Trevor's wedding) 1958

By 1963, Clara was living with her daughter June at 5 Quarry Rd, Dural. They then moved to Lockwood St, Merrylands, where Clara died of a heart attack on 21 Sep 1966. She is buried at Rookwood Cemetery, Anglican Lawn, Section 2, Row 5. The inscription reads "Our Mum How We Loved Her".