Joseph Henry Chambers & Florence Rose Smith ...

 

Joseph Henry Chambers was born on 4 October 1878 at 139 Gloucester Street, Cirencester, the third child of Joseph James Chambers and Hannah (Annie) Fletcher. As noted previously,  Census records show that Joseph appears to have spent most, if not all, of his formative years with either his Aunt Jane and/or or his maternal grandparents, Henry and Hannah Fletcher. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                              The house front right is 139 Gloucester Street, Cirencester, where Joseph Henry was born in 1878

 

Florence Rose Smith was born on 5 December 1880 in Clifton, Bristol, the daughter of Dick Smith and Sarah Radley. Further information on these families can be ​found on the Smith and Radley page.

 

The Boer War broke out in the late 1890's and the young Joseph decided he wanted to enlist and do his bit for God and country. Unfortunately he was not of age, but did this deter the determined young man? I think not. He simply lied about his age and was accepted. He served with the 24th Somerset Light Infantry and, to his family's relief, survived the experience.

 

Joseph married Florence on Christmas Day in 1905 at the New Wesleyan Chapel in Bedminster, with witnesses to the wedding being Joseph's brother and sister, Reginald and Emma. Joseph's residence at the time of his marriage was Stanley House in Southville Place, Bedminster and Florence's was 60 Urie Street, Bristol.

 

Their first child, named after her mother, Florence Rose, was born about 1907 and sadly died when only a few months old. It is told that, following the tradition of the day, they travelled in a horse drawn cart to the Church of England for the service and burial, with the tiny coffin sitting on Florence's knees. On arriving at the church, the priest refused to bury the baby because she had not been christened, claiming that "her soul is damned". Devastated, they travelled to the local Methodist Church and the preacher there performed the service and burial for the family. From that day forward, the once staunch Church of England family remained with the Methodist Church. Over the next few years, Joseph and Florence had 4 more children, Joseph Henry Jnr, Cecil Arthur, Winifred Ethel, and Reginald John. hn.

 

In 1914, England was once again plunged into war, this time supposedly the war to end all wars, World War 1. Joseph once again served his country, this time with the 4th Gloucestershire Regiment. This Regiment holds the distinction of being the only Regiment allowed to wear a cap badge on both the front and rear of their caps, a sign of having engaged in back-to-back battle. From records I have obtained, he held the rank of Sergeant and was awarded the War Badge upon his discharge. It is known that it was during this time that he served in the trenches in Europe and, as with many others during that time, was badly affected by the gases, something which was to have an adverse effect on his health for the rest of his life.

 

After the war, the family lived in College Street, Bristol. Their daughter, Winifred, remembered the house being double-storey with steps leading up to the front door and a cellar for coal storage. Just up the road from their house she remembered a place called College Green, where there was a cathedral. The children would frequently play there, running around amongst all the fallen leaves. In 1912 when King George V and Queen Mary visited Bristol, Winifred remembered watching them go past in their carriage. She had recollections of her paternal grandfather, Joseph James, as being a big, tall man, although as she was a child at the time he may not have been quite as tall as she remembered. She had no recollection of her maternal grandfather, Richard Smith.
 

It appears that Joseph worked at several occupations before and after his service in World War 1. Those that appear on various Census records over the years are toymaker, labourer on the wharves and, at the time of his marriage to Florence in 1905, he worked as a florist.

 

Late in 1921, Joseph and Florence decided to immigrate to Australia, following his brother Frederick and his family who had made the move a few years earlier. Winifred remembered the children at her school in Bristol frightening her with stories of the ship sinking. I'm sure the tragic fate of the Titanic in 1912 must have played a part in that! She was so scared that she had to be forcefully put on the train which left Templemead Station to take them to the Tilbury Docks. She remembers a kind man helping them on to the ship telling her not to be afraid, that there were lots of children on board for her to play with and that she would have a good time. Their journey was undertaken on the maiden voyage of the "Moreton Bay".

 

In general, it appears that their voyage to their new home and life was a good one, although Florence was heavily pregnant with her last child at the time so unfortunately the trip was not that pleasant for her. Joseph helped out in the galley and they allowed Florence to have whatever she wanted, which helped. She was so ill she hardly ate any of it, but according to Winifred, her children made short work of what was left! Winifred remembered seeing flying fishes and porpoises and that the fact that she was quite spoiled by the sailors, being allowed to have dinner with them in their Mess.

 

The "Moreton Bay" docked in Port Melbourne in the February of 1922 where they were met by Frederick's wife, Jenny. They had begun their new life in their new country and were living with Frederick's family in Park Street, Pascoe Vale. On 7 April 1922, Florence gave birth to her sixth and last child, Stanley Frederick (my father-in-law), in Frederick and Jenny's house in Pascoe Vale. 

 

They lived at Frederick and Jenny's house in Park Street until about 1933, when they moved to 17 Avoca Street, Pascoe Vale where they remained until about 1937. They then moved to 7 Sylvan Grove, still in Pascoe Vale, until the time of Joseph's death in 1940. Upon his death, Florence moved in with her daughter Winifred and her husband, Jack Gulliver, where she remained until her death in 1955.

 

Joseph Henry Chambers died 26 August 1940 and is buried at Fawkner Cemetery. Florence died 10 July 1955 and is buried with her husband at Fawkner Memorial Park.

 

Family recollections of them are that Florence was an extremely dedicated wife and mother. She would sacrifice all for her family and they were her life. Joseph appears to have been very 'soft' with his children. If he ever smacked them, it was the 'touch of a feather'. Joseph is also remembered for his love of classical music. His children remember him sitting in his chair, listening to the ABC on the radio and getting so involved with the music, he would end up with tears in his eyes.

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