"Bob" Robert SWAN
Born 24 November 1890 in Benwell, Northumberland, England [16] [30]
Son of railway signalman Robert SWAN and Mary Anna SMITH [20] [21]
Resided with his parents and siblings the Railway Cottages at Scotswood in Benwell, Northumberland, England [20]
Departed Antwerp, Belgium on the steamship Cassel and arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia on 21 November 1911 [70]
Married (1) Jennie LAMBERT in Perth in 1912 [66]
In 1916 he was working as a Clerk and lived at Tower House in Francis Street, Perth [30]
Enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in Perth on 1 March 1916 [30: item 8070988]
Upon enlistment he was 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighed 125 pounds and had brown eyes, brown hair and a fresh complexion [30]
After training at Maribyrnong in Victoria he was appointed to the 4th Reinforcements of the 12th Field Artillery Brigade [30]
Embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia for active service abroad on the H.M.A.T. A67 Orsova on 1 August 1916 [18]
Disembarked in Plymouth, England on the 14 September 1916, and proceeded to France on 24 December 1916 [30]
Gunner and later Lance Corporal 25880 in the Signal Sub Section of the 12th Field Artillery Brigade in France [30]
Detached to Signal Cadet School in England in 1918 and then 2nd Lieutenant of the Engineers Signal Service Reinforcements [30]
Embarked from England on the Nevassa and disembarked in Western Australia on 13 April 1919 [30]
His A.I.F. appointment was terminated in Perth on 29 May 1919; received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal [30]
Following his return he was living at 311 Bulwer Street in Perth in 1920 [30]
In 1925 he was working as a Clerk and living at 9 Barrack Street in Perth [50]
Married (2) Sybil Agnes PRESTON in Perth in 1930 [66]
Travelling Representative based in Morawa for the Shell Oil Company 1935-1937[5: 16-Aug-1935] [6] [50]
From August 1935 onwards he was also the local Shell Oil Company representative for the Carnamah district [5: 16-Aug-1935]
Donated a prize for the Carnamah Parents & Citizens Association's Card Evening on Thursday 17 October 1935 [5: 25-Oct-1935]
Attended the Fourth Annual North Midlands R.S.L. Reunion Dinner in Three Springs on Saturday 19 October 1935 [5: 25-Oct-1935]
After holidaying with his family in Perth he returned to Morawa "quite his cheery self" in mid January 1936 [240: 18-Jan-1936]
Competitor in the Billiard Tournament in Three Springs in May 1936 to raise funds for the Hospital in Three Springs [5: 15-May-1936]
Made a contribution for the Reunion of South Australians in the North Midlands in Carnamah on 26 September 1936 [5: 2-Oct-1936]
Attended the Fifth Annual North Midlands R.S.L. Reunion Dinner in Dongara on Saturday evening 24 October 1936 [5: 30-Oct-1936]
Although still in the same position he decided in May 1937 to reside and be based from Carnamah instead of Morawa [5: 14-May-1937]
Travelling Representative based in Carnamah for the Shell Oil Company in 1937[5: 14-May-1937]
After a visit to Perth he returned to Carnamah with his wife on Tuesday 8 June 1937 [5: 11-Jun-1937]
Himself and his wife initially resided at the Carnamah Hotel at 22 Macpherson Street, Carnamah [5: 11-Jun-1937]
Introduced the "famous mannequins" at the Carnamah Football Club's Opening Ball at the Carnamah Hall on 19 June 1937 [5]
The mannequins were playing members of the Football Club with quirky names and dressed in various ladies' fashions [5: 25-Jun-1937]
Attended the Carnamah Repertory Club's Social Evening at the Carnamah Hall on Friday 25 June 1937 [5: 2-Jul-1937]
Donated a trophy to the Carnamah Cycle Club in 1937, which was won by Arthur W. WATSON [5: 9-Jul-1937]
When returning from Three Springs in his car on 12 July 1937 he hit a guide post after rising a graded part of the road [5: 16-Jul-1937]
Entertained the audience with items and introduced the male ballet at the Novelty Dance in Three Springs on 15 July 1937 [5]
The male ballet consisted of six Three Springs men dressed in pink skirts and Dolly Varden hats who danced and sang [5: 23-Jul-1937]
"Humorous and capable entertainer" at the R.S.L. Valedictory for Charles A. METTAM in Carnamah on 28 July 1937 [5: 30-Jul-1937]
Sang a song at the Valedictory Social for William H. & Eva M. MOORE at the Carnamah Hall on Friday 31 July 1937 [5: 6-Aug-1937]
Along with his wife and daughter motored from Carnamah to Perth on Thursday 5 August 1937 [5: 6-Aug-1937]
M.C. at the Community Concert of talent, competitions, a male ballet and dancing in Carnamah on 11 August 1937 [5: 6 & 13-Aug-1937]
Credited for staging the Community Concert - which was Carnamah's first and was a huge success with a crowd of over 300 [5]
Member of the Carnamah Boxing Tournament Committee in 1937[5: 6-Aug-1937]
Master of Ceremonies at the Boxing Tournament held in Carnamah on Saturday 28 August 1937 [5: 6-Aug-1937, 3-Sep-1937]
In August 1937 purchased a new Oldsmobile sedan car [0: image 03667]
Following his transfer to Perth he was farewelled at a function at the Carnamah Hotel on 14 December 1937 [0: image 02887]
In 1942 was living in Albany [16]
Private W44933 in the Australian Army's Bulk Issue Petrol and Oil Depot during the Second World War [16]
Later resided in the Perth suburb of Subiaco [2]
Died 9 September 1971; ashes interred at Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth, Western Australia (Crematorium Rose Gardens, 21, 221) [2]
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Robert Swan' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 19 April 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/robert-swan [reference list] |
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