I was recently sent some interesting information and photographs on the Gaston family from Marjorie Burton nee York. Her Gt Grandfather was George Gaston. The Gastons originally came from South Australia and before that from Sussex, England. They were Charles Gaston and his wife Rebecca nee Burfield. Their son George Gaston and his wife Ann Cicely nee Lawson came to WA with most of his 13 children (all born in SA) in about 1899.
There were three brothers Herbert, Walter, and George Gaston. George Gaston was Marjory’s Gt Grandfather and the father of her Grandmother, Olive Prudence Gaston. The Gaston brothers were all involved in mining, the following is from the Post Office Directories of WA for 1916:
Gaston & King Nil Desperandum GM Burtville
Gaston Herbert G & King Burtville
Gaston Walter Mine Manager Burtville
George & Ann Lacey (Cecily) Gaston nee Lawson, and Grandaughter Beryl Moore whose mother Lydia died when she was 8 yrs old in 1908. George and Ann brought her up.
Thomas C H Moore and Lydia Moore nee Gaston with daughter Beryl.
From Laverton Cemetery: MOORE Lydia ― 31yrs, d 28 Oct 1908, at the Laverton Hospital, Cause: Complications relating to surgery for a lingering illness, Father: George GASTON (Miner), Mother: Annie Cecily LAWSON, Born: 6 Oct 1877, Williamstown, SA, Married to Thomas Clement Henry MOORE, 17 Apr 1899, Lyndock Valley SA, Children: Beryl Olive 8yrs, Buried: 29 Oct 1908, Registered by Herbert GASTON (Brother), Reg 54/1908 Mt Margaret, METH, Buried Laverton Cemetery
Grave of George GASTON – Kalgoorlie Cemetery – Died 1920 – Photo Danelle Warnock
Herbert George Gaston & Dan McGinty (not sure if this is the horse or the dog) Photo Marjorie Burton.
George and Cicely’s son, Herbert George Gaston, was the Mayor of Southern Cross on two occasions. He married Elenora PERRY-HENDON in Southern Cross WA in 1896. They had the following four children:
GASTON Thelma Myrtle ― 8yrs, d 24 Feb 1906, at the Laverton Hospital, Cause: Meningitis, Father: Herbert George GASTON (Attorney & Justice of the Peace), Mother: Eleanor PERRY-HENDON, Born: 31 Aug 1897, Southern Cross, WA, Buried: 25 Feb 1906, Reg 21/1906 Mt Margaret, WES, Buried Laverton Cemetery.
Thelma Myrtle GASTON died aged 8yrs.
GASTON Adelaide Victoria — Born: 29 Dec 1904 at Southern Cross WA died 1986 in WA.
Adelaide Victoria GASTON – Photo Ancestry.com
GASTON Melbourne Perth Pery ― 6mths, d 24 Nov 1908, Cause: Illness, Father: Herbert George GASTON (Attorney & Justice of the Piece), Mother: Eleanor PERRY-HENDON, Born: May 1908, Yilgarn (Southern Cross), Buried: 24 Nov 1908,
Reg 62/1908 Mt Margaret, Buried Laverton Cemetery.
GASTON Reginald James — b.1915 Southern Cross – died 17 Jul 1922 East Perth.
Photo when Herbert Gaston was Mayor of Southern Cross – Photo Yilgarn Museum
They owned a mine called Nil Desperandum. They had another by the same name in Southern Cross as well as Burtville. Two of Marjory’s grandmother’s brothers were Malcolm Bruce Gaston who was the mine accountant, he returned to Australia after WW1. The other was David James Lacey Gaston who was killed in action in France in 1917. David was a sleeper cutter in the Kalgoorlie district and could have also been at Burtville as that is where her Grandmother married Henry William Hanson on the 3 August 1909.
The Gaston Home in Burtville – Photo SLWA
Arthur Constant Gaston, a brother of Olive Gaston was the proprietor of the Railway Hotel, Southern Cross in 1902
Southern Cross Times 5 February 1902, page 3
Railway Hotel Southern Cross – Photo SLWA
Malcolm Bruce Gaston was the Accountant for the mine ‘Nil Desperandum’ Mine, Burtville. He was in the 11th Bat. Came back as Lieutenant of the 10th Bat. Malcolm served in Egypt, Gallipoli, and France. Embarked per “Kenilworth Castle” from England for return to Australia. 12 Mar 1918
David James Lacey Gaston was a sleeper cutter in Kalgoorlie, Cemetery or memorial details: Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France War Grave Register notes: GASTON, Lce. Cpl. David James Lacey, 1709. 28th Bn. 3rd May 1917. Age 33. Son of George and Ann Lacey Gaston, of 146, Bourke St., Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. Born in Barossa, South Australia. Source: AWM145 Roll of Honour cards, 1914-1918 War, Army
Frances Ann Gaston married Walter Marvel – Boulder WA 1907.
Marjorie Burton’s Grandmother Olive Prudence Gaston married Henry W Hanson in Burtville 1909.
I’m sure you will agree that Marjorie is most fortunate to have such wonderful family photographs.
Moya Sharp
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