William Thompson Dewsnap was born on the 23 Dec 1865 in Ancrum, Roxburghshire, Scotland, the son of John Dewsnap and Isabella Murray. He arrived in Bundaberg, Queensland aboard the Nairnshire on the 9 Jul 1884 aged 18 yrs with his brother. Two years later he was to marry Annie Cecelia Matthews, a recently widowed lady who had only just arrived from Middlesex England where she was born, she was five years older than William. There were no children in her first marriage to Frederick William Ross, which only lasted 6 years.
William and Alice were to remain in Queensland where their eight children were all born and survived to adulthood. In 1899 the whole family of ten travelled to Western Australia and then on to Coolgardie where William established a bakery business in Bayley Street, Coolgardie which he purchased from A Trotter, who called it the Pioneer Bakery. It was near to the corner of Renou and Bayley Streets and next to the Freemasons Hotel. It was called Dewsnap & Co Bakery.
Dewsnap & Co, Bakery, Bayley Street, Coolgardie – Kalgoorlie Western Argus 9 December 1902
The family built a house in Woodward Street near the corner of the Renou Street crossover. Also accompanying William to Coolgardie was his brother, George Murray Dewsnap, who was married to Alice Phoebe Avenell in QLD in 1891, and they lived in Wittenoom Street, Toorak (Coolgardie). He was the first licensee of the White Hart Hotel in Hunt Street and he also helped in the family bakery.
George and Alice had one child in QLD before coming to WA, Alice Isabel born in 1892. They were to have the Dewsnap families first WA born baby, Gerald George Dewsnap, born in Coolgardie 1898. However this marriage was to end unhappily. George became involved with a barmaid at the White Heart Hotel and ended up deserting his wife and children and absconding to South Africa with her. A divorce was granted to Alice on the grounds of desertion and adultery.
The Dewsnap Family 1911 outside their home in Woodward Street, Coolgardie c 1911.
Back Row: – George Arthur born 10 Jul 1896 – William John born 16 Feb 1892 – Minnie Alice born 7 Feb 1890 – Mary Matilda born 26 Feb 1894 – Archibald born 13 Jul 1898
Front Row: – William Thompson DEWSNAP, Father – Alice Cecelia nee MATTHEWS, Mother – Isabella born 20 Dec 1887 – Jessica born 3 Mar 1886 – John McGeorge ‘Jack’ BARCLAY (Jessie’s husband and their two children). On fathers knee Gladys Myrtle born 1909 and baby Beryl Born 1913.
Coolgardie Miner 20 January 1899, page 4
The family remained in Coolgardie until 1909 but the bakery business was not a success and he and his partner, Robert Stanton, declared bankruptcy in 1906. William moved to Perth where he worked for the tranways until he retired, he became a strong advocate as a unionist.. His wife Alice Cecelia died in Perth in 1924 aged 63 years and William then married Agnes Cashin a year later in 1925, she was his junior by 18 years.
William died on the 4th Mar 1940 aged 74 years in Maylands near Perth and is buried in the Karrakatta Cemetery with his first wife Alice and their daughter Isabella.
Dewsnap Family grave Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth- Photo Find a Grave.
Moya Sharp
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