In 1996 (yes, I really do keep my mail from that long ago ♥), I was in correspondence (by post, of course) with a lady called Helen Saunders from Figtree in NSW. She was asking if I could look into her grandparents’ time in Kalgoorlie to see what I could find about them. She very kindly enclosed the following wonderful photograph of the family taken in Kalgoorlie c 1915.
John Edwin KAYE with wife Isabella nee MAIN and two of their children, Isabella Jean Cameron and Jack Douglas, taken c 1915 – Photo Helen Saunders.
Unfortunately, my reply to her has been lost, but it seems that I did reply, as I received a second letter, so I thought it best to start again from scratch with what she told me, which was as follows:
Helen’s Grandfather, John Edwin Kaye, was born in Sale, VIC, in 1883. John travelled to Western Australia with his parents. He was aged just 17 years when his father, Edwin Kaye, died in Fremantle, WA, in 1899, leaving his wife Annie to bring up their two children, John Edwin and Annie Margaret. John studied hard and first became an accountant for Swan Breweries, then Manager and part-owner of the Union Brewery in Kalgoorlie. He was living at 36 Hanbury Street, Kalgoorlie when he married Isabella Sommerville-Hay nee MAIN in Perth, WA in 1909. She was from Dubbo, NSW, and was a nurse at Fremantle Hospital.
Union Brewery Kalgoorlie – Photo SLWA
Helen said that the family story was that John was an ‘aide-de-camp’ to Sir Benjamin Franklin. At John and Isabella’s wedding, Isabella was given away by a Mr Franklin and the wedding reception was held at the Franklin home in Perth so there may be some truth in this, but I have not been able to confirm it.
The couple’s first child, Isabella, was born in Fremantle, WA, before Isabella joined John in Kalgoorlie and moved briefly into a house at 36 Hanbury Street, Kalgoorlie. When Isabella moved to Kalgoorlie, for some reason, the entire contents of the house at 36 Hanbury Street were sold, including everything from furniture to crockery. The family then moved to 54 Lewis Street, Lamington. This house is still there at this address, although much altered.
As well as his managerial work with the Union Brewery, John was also involved in gold mining and had part ownership of a lease in Broad Arrow called the Territoria Gold Mine.
Union Brewery Kalgoorlie Advertisement – Photo SLWA
The Kaye Children:
Isabella Jean Cameron KAYE born 6 Jun 1910 in Fremantle WA
Jack Douglas KAYE born 26 Jun 1913 in Kalgoorlie, WA
Gordon Peter KAYE born 1916 in Kalgoorlie, WA
While on a visit to Perth in 1916, John Kaye was staying at the ‘Weld Club’ when he fell from the second-story balcony while walking in his sleep. He sustained severe injuries after a fall of 30 feet and was removed to a private hospital where he made a favourable recovery. He was to return to Kalgoorlie in time for the birth of his third and last child. The injuries he received were to trouble him for the rest of his life.
The family lived at 54 Lewis Street until 1919 when they returned to live in NSW. Sadly, John and Isabella divorced in 1933. John passed away in 1939 aged 56 yrs, and Isabella died aged 89 in 1973, both in NSW.
Moya Sharp
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