08. Daughter – Alice McEwan – McEwen – MacEwan MacEwen (Hicks) – Northern Illawarra

Alice  Amy Hicks, b. 01-11-1852, d. 07/19 of 02-1919 in Thirroul.  (NSW BDM 2097/1919) spelling shown as both McEwen and MacEwen – however no birth certificate is listed on NSW BDM for 1852 for an Alice Hicks daughter of James and Margaret Hicks.

The spelling of the McEwan name by the family is varied –  McEwan, McEwen, MacEwen – and possibly even MacEwan which makes for a lot of confusion.

Alice married William McEwan, married 11 or 18-11-1871 in Newcastle (NSW BDM 3063/1871) – they had several children there, but had moved back to the Illawarra by 1879, where the rest of their children were born.

In the 1913 NSW Electoral Roll for Wollongong Alice is shown as living at Sea View Terrace Thirroul, where Alice’s sister in law Mary Ann Hicks nee McKenzie also lived with two of her daughters, Alice Mary Hicks and Edith Florence Joy nee Hicks. Alice  later died in the Northern Illawarra in the period 1919 – while William had died in 1890. Death notice for Alice McEwen of Shiloh Soudan St Thirroul – 20.2.1919 – see NSW BDM 2097/1919 -and her  son William’s death notice 25.08.1922 – NSW BDM 10212/1922. (Kerrie Question – Was “Shiloh” at No.5 Soudan St Thirroul where Alice’s niece Edith Florence Joy (nee Hicks) would later live from 1948-1958 ?) Alice, husband William and son William were all buried at St Augustines Anglican Cemetery Park Rd Bulli NSW Australia according to Trove entries of their death notices, however only Alice is listed in the Australian Cemeteries Index webpage for this cemetery – see link.

William was possibly born 1844 Paisley Renfrewshire Scotland – the son of William W McEwan and wife Jane Spowart according to the Illawarra Family History Group’s Illawarra Pioneers Pre 1900.

  1. Margaret McEwan, b. 2.3.1872. in Waratah, Newcastle – NSW BDM 14224/1872 – died in New Norfolk Tasmania in 1951 married Richard Spowart born at Newcastle on Tyne (1862-1940) in 1892 (note name spelled as McEwen) in Wollongong (NSW BDM 7802/1892)  (Richard was a retired  mine manager at his death in Storey’s Creek in 1940) Had been Mine Manager at Western Silver-lead Mine, Zeehan, the Tasmania Gold Mine, Beaconsfield, and at the Jubilee Gold Mine, Mathinna, and at tho Storeys Creek Tin and Wolfram Mining Co. – continued working into his mid 70’s – Obituary “Mr. Richard Spowart, mine manger, died at Storeys Creek on Monday after a long illness. He was in his 78th year. Born at Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, he emigrated to New South Wales at the age of 21 years. He engaged in the mining industry nearly all his life. He was underground manager at the Western Silver-lead Mine, Zeehan, the Tasmania Gold Mine, Beaconsfield, and at the Jubilee Gold Mine, Mathinna, and at the Storeys Creek Tin and Wolfram Mining Co. He retired 15 months ago. Mr. Spowart leaves a widow, three daughters – Mrs. Norman Scott (Glenorchy), Mrs. Roy Williams (Williamsford), Miss Ada Spowart (North Fitz-
    roy, V.), and a son, Mr. Geo. Spowart (Richmond, V.).“
    1. William 1893 – 1940 born in Beaconsfield died in Launceston – also lived in North Lyell in 1915 ? Served in WWI 1915-1919 – military record
    2. Jane/Jean Ethel 1894 –1938 – death notice – married John Francis Xavier Ritchie (1894-1962) born in Strahan died in Launceston. He had remarried by 1943 to Reta ( – d. 1973).
      1. Lilian Jean Granley Ritchie (1918-2010) m. William E Emerton
      2. Marjorie Ellen (Buzz)  Ritchie (1920-1997) m. Ernest Rastall Glenton (1909-1982)
        1. Geoffrey Francis Glenton (1950-1969)
        2. Meredith G Glenton (1958-1958)
      3. Violet Minnie “ANZAC”  Ritchie (1922 – 1995) married Charles John Robinson
      4. Ethel P Ritchie (1924 – 1988) married Michael Zasadny
    3. Alice 1898-1983 m Norman Cyril Scott 1890-1974 born in Zeehan died in Hobart
      1. Norman John Scott 1919 – 1983 married Marjorie Ethel Cracket. He served in the Navy in WW2.
        1. Wendy Scott
    4. George 1901 – m Rose died 1990 born in Zeehan lived in Richmond Victoria in 1940
    5. Minnie 1904 – m Roy Richard Harold Williams 1902-1947 born in Beaconsfield
      1. Richard Spowart Williams born 1935 –  died 1994 (or 1993)  in Ulverstone
      2. Roy Williams b.1936 – d.1937
    6. Ada 1911- 1945 ? – death notice – unmarried lived in North Fitzroy Victoria in 1940
  2. Jane McEwen also MacEwen b 24.8.1873 15682/1873 in Waratah, Newcastle – NSW BDM 15682/1873 – died 1875 in Lambton (NSW BDM 8512/1875)
  3. William James McEwen also MacEwen b 20.6.1876 in Waratah, Lambton – NSW BDM 17024/1876 – died 23.8.1922 -10212/1922  in Hurstville  m. Myrtle E Stone in 1921 in Sydney ?
    1. Charles “William” MacEwan b 1921 in Parramatta
    2. James McEwen
  4. Charles Henry McEwen b 12.3.1879 in Bulli, Wollongong 1879 NSW BDM 26056/1879 – d. 4/1/1950 Claremont, W.A. Australia may have been a miner in Coolgardie in 1906 and Kalgoorlie in 1937- military record for WWI 1915-1917 – was a single miner of 39 years old- mother’s address is Thirroul however he enlisted from Geraldton and departed from Fremantle – Mapping our ANZACS – served in the 4th Pioneers of the 1st AIF in WW1 – lived in Claremont – married  Mary Catherine “Mollie” Salter in 1917 (WA BDM Registration 138 for 1917)
    1. William Alexander “Bill” McEwan b.1919 Fremantle – d. 1969 married Thelma. He served in the 2/4 Machine Gun Battalion in WW2.
    2. Jean married Henry D Drage
      1. Donald
      2. Maureen
    3. Lorna May b. 1923 married Michael Herbert “Bert” Kelly
      1. Lorraine
      2. Reginald “Reg”
      3. Meredith
    4. Ronald Thomas (b. abt 1926 – d. 27.3.1927) Galena, Geraldton W.A. Australia – did not marry
    5. James “Jim” abt 1927 ?
    6. Leslie John (abt 1932 – d. 23.5.1953 Claremont W.A. Australia) – did not marry
  5. Herbert H McEwan / McEwen, b. 17.2.1881. in Bulli, Wollongong – NSW BDM 18836/1881 died 18.11.1920 in Murwillumbah (NSW BDM 19653/1920) – possibly married Margaret Ann Scott (1890 – ?) in Western Australia in 1910.
  6. Jean/Jane Alice McEwen also MacEwen b 2.1.1883 – NSW BDM  21161/1883  in Bulli/Woonona – d. 10.12.1923 Mullumbimby –  married Thomas Caldwell Downie b. 22.03.1875 in Woonona to James Downie & wife Margaret Kay McCann – d. 21.06.1939 Goonengerry
    1. Aileen Dora Downie b. 18.09.1903 Thirroul married Edward J C Stratford Byron Bay
      1. Arthur Thomas Stratford ( -d.1944)
      2. Ronald D. Stratford (-d. 1981) m.
        1. Arthur Edward Stratford (1971-2002)
    2. Arthur Caldwell Downie b.16.10. 1906 Thirroul married 1928 Vera G Williams Lismore 1928
    3. Roy Cecil Downie b. 5.11.1908 Byron Bay – served in WW2
    4. Thelma Alice Downie b. 30.06.1911 St Helena m. 1935 Edward F.A. Morrison Byron Bay
    5. Hector Caldwell Downie b. 31.07.1913 Byron Bay m. Ethel Rhoda Hiscock
    6. Olive May Downie b. 7.01.1914 – d. 1990 Newstead Byron Bay m. Leslie George Bryant (1918 – 2006)
    7. Hazel Heather Downie b. 21.11.1923 Mullumbimby m. George Edward Jamieson (1923-1976)
  7. Marian McEwen also MacEwen b 19.7.1885 in Bulli/Woonona – NSW BDM 23749/1885 d. 1887 Woonona – NSW BDM 9623/1887
  8. James Hicks McEwen also MacEwen b 7.3.1889 in Bulli/Woonona NSW BDM 24621/1889 – died 1962  -10999/1962 in Lismore m. Constance Maude Evans. He served part time in the home defence in WW2
    1. Joan McEwan

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