Gilbert Darlow BLACKWELL [1540] ²⁶⁸¹

   Another name for Gilbert was Gilbert Angelo Darlow BLACKWELL.

  General Notes:

Gilbert was baptised Gilbert Angelo Darlow Blackwell.

Gilbert enlisted in WW1 on 12th of July 1915 in the 6th Battalion 13th reinforcements. His SERN was 4137
He embarked from Australia on 29 December 1915 on the HMAT Demosthenes, He travelled to the Middle east and then on to France. He was taken on strength to the 6th Machine Gun Company and the 2nd which was redesignated the 1st Australian Machine Gun Battalion. He went to England on leave in September 1917. He was admitted to hospital several times for trench feet in 1918. After the war Gilbert returned to England and married Annie Davies of his old home town of Kettering. He returned to Australia on the Dunvegan Castle in July 1919 with his wife.

In August and September 1916 there are several newspaper articles that list Pte G D Blackwell of Nar-Nar-Goon as wounded.

The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Wednesday 30 July 1919 Page 9
trove /article/4710983
--TROOPS RETURNING.
Victorians on S.S. Dunvegan Castle. The following Victorian soldiers, with their wives and families, are returning on the s.s. Dunvegan Castle, which left England on July 4:-
ACCOMPANIED BY WIFE.
J. Andrew, J. Armstrong, Cpl. A. T. J. Ash, J. T. Bent, J. H. C. Black, G.D.Blackwell,
..................

Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954) Sat 28 Mar 1931 Page 5 Coroner Finds Hazel Wilson Was Murdered by Some Unknown Person.
...................Gilbert D. Blackwell, coach-painter, of Leila Road, Ormond, said that while cycling along Oakleigh Road at 12.30 p.m. on January 10 he saw Frank Wilson and another man- Blackwell continued: "Frank Wilson said. 'My sister has not been home all night. We think there has been an accident as we have found her shoes and there are some marks on the road.' "Three or four minutes later. Frank Wilson returned to witness and said he had found his sister's body and asked him was he willing to go over to the place................................

probably "Pakenham Gazette Newspaper - Sept 5 1973
Death of Mr G D Blackwell
Mr Gilbert Darlow Blackwell who passed away in the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital on August 26th after suffering from poor health over the past 12 months, was an old Nar Nar Goon Resident.

He was the eldest son of the Late Mr. William Blackwell, who conducted a boot and repair shop in Mulcare Street, Nar Nar Goon for very many years.

Gilbert Blackwell was born at Kettering, Northamptonshire, In England in 1895, and migrated to Australia with his parents and brothers and sisters at the age of 15 years, arriving in Australia in 1910. [actually December 1911].

The family took up farming at Allambee in South Gippsland till 1912 and then moved to Nar Nar Goon, where Mr William Blackwell purchased the boot business.

Gilbert worked at various occupations (farm work etc.) around Nar Nar Goon until the out-break of war in 1914, when he enlisted in the A.I.F. and served with the 4th Vickers Machine Gun Battalion in France for the full period to the end of the War in 1918.

Whilst awaiting repatriation to come back to Australia, he spent leave in England and returned to the place of his birth, Kettering and married a former school pal. He brought his bride back to Australia in 1919 and took up residence at Ormond. He was engaged in the trade of coach painting and sign writing in which he was a top class tradesman, for many years and he took over the business of Grant Bros. body works, coach painting and sign writing in Station Street, Malvern, which he conducted successfully till he retired in 1965.

Whilst he resided in Ormond he and his wife were actively associated with sporting bodies.

His greatest love was his Church, and he was very active in the Church of Christ in North Road, Ormond, from 1922 till his death. He served in every conceivable way - Sunday School teacher, Bible classes, secretary, superintendent - he was indeed a very Christian man which was shown by the huge attendance at the Church service and the wonderful tributes paid him by the Minister.

Mr Blackwell's wife predeceased him two years [actually five years] ago after a marriage lasting 50 years. He is survived by two married daughters - Mrs M Knee, of Ormond, and Mrs J MacMillan [sic] of Yarra Glen; sisters, Miss Phyllis Blackwell, Nar Nar Goon, Mrs E Jones, Dandenong, brothers Mr R Blackwell, Clayton, Mr P Blackwell, Dandenong, and Mr E Blackwell Nar Nar Goon.

Mr Blackwell always kept in touch with all the local doings and up to his illness, always came up to Nar Nar Goon at every opportunity. His passing will be a sad loss to all as he was always a cheery and happy gentleman." ^2687,2688

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Military: World War 1 SERN 4137, 1914-1918.

Gilbert married Annie DAVIES [1541] [MRIN: 468], daughter of George DAVIES [5785] and Kate BAMBRIDGE [5786], on 12 May 1919 in Kettering, Northamptonshire, England.²⁶⁷⁹ (Annie DAVIES [1541] was born on 2 May 1896 in Kettering, Northamptonshire, England,²⁶⁸⁹ died on 1 Mar 1969 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia ²⁶⁹⁰ and was cremated on 4 Mar 1969 in Springvale, Vic, Australia ²⁶⁹¹.)

Gilbert next married Eva Mary REYNOLDS [1542] [MRIN: 469], daughter of Henry REYNOLDS [8207] and Mary GANE [8208], about 1972 in Ormond , Vic, Australia.²⁶⁸⁰ (Eva Mary REYNOLDS [1542] was born on 21 Jun 1895 in Richmond, Surrey, England ²⁶⁹², christened on 8 Sep 1895 in Richmond, Surrey, England,²⁶⁹³ died on 27 Feb 1973 in Murrumbeena, Vic, Australia ^2694,2695 and was cremated on 1 Mar 1973 in Springvale Crematorium, Springvale, Victoria, Australia.)