Alexander Stewart Kennedy
Port Adelaide,1893 - Cranbourne 1922
Time in Clyde
Port Adelaide born Alex Stewart Kennedy, a
farrier/blacksmith moved from Cranbourne to Clyde with his young wife, Nellie, to their
new home on the corner of Ballarto and Twyford Roads, Clyde. Their house was
right near the railway bridge (Now 1585 Ballarto Rd). It was about
1912. Nellie, born as Ellen Quinn Thorpe, came from a Cranbourne Presbyterian
family her father being one the bakers in the town.
The young blacksmith showed interest in local
events, the ANA in Cranbourne, was known in the Presbyterian church, met many
farmers through his trade and was a member of the Tooradin Rifles Club. Twins,
Alex junior and Jessie were born to them in 1914.
In March 1916, at 31, Alexander Stewart Kennedy,
signed up for overseas military service and spent that time mostly in France.
Both the Cranbourne Presbyterian Church and the Clyde North School honor
boards list his name as a WW1 soldier. Before embarkment he moved his family to Cranbourne. His Clyde residence was bought by another blacksmith.
If it was any comfort to him Henry
Kennett (40),also from Clyde travelled overseas with him on the Wandilla
that sailed on June 6th 1916.
After two years and nine months of active service he returned in January 1919,
moved to Cranbourne and in August that year, his 5 year old
daughter Jessie died followed by the death of his mother-in-law, Mrs Thorpe.
During the war and afterwards it seems that his
wife, Nellie, was overcome by stress and needed special psychiatric care.
Nellie was committed to a mental asylum and her name was never again listed on
the electoral roll. Her death was recorded as having died in Ballarat in
1970, aged 87. Was Nellie shattered and unable to cope with the war absence of
her husband followed by the death of her daughter and her mother?
Move to Cranbourne
Possibly due to war injury, gun shot wound to his
right shoulder, Alex gave up his blacksmithing work and took up a Rangers job
with the Cranbourne Shire Council.
In April 1922, the next year, Alexander Kennedy, was
tragically killed in a riding accident leaving Alex his eight year old son, to live with his
grandmother and Nellie's older sister, Miss Thorpe. Following the death of
Alexander senior, Miss Sarah Thorpe, assumed to be his guardian, took up the
challenge to obtain the war medals for her nephew Alexander Kennedy junior.
What happened to Alex junior?
Young Alex eventually trained as a baker a trade
that he most likely learnt from his uncle Jack (John Thomas) Thorpe. In 1938 Alex junior, 24, married a very attractive young lady with
notable musical skills also from Cranbourne, linked with the Presbyterian
church. Her name was Annie Davida Joan Campbell. She was better known to all as
Joan and was in demand to play the piano at concerts. About 6 years following
her marriage to Alex Jnr we find Joan Kennedy running her own orchestra and
doing the rounds of the local dance halls including Clyde until the late
1950’s.
Alex Kennedy died in 1988 aged about 74.
Editor’s
Note
Much later in the 1950's, at dances in the Clyde
Hall, as a primary school child I was intrigued by her piano skills, her
flare and style. Often standing near her on the stage, I would look on
adoringly at the way she played the keys. Alex and Joan Kennedy had two
children, a son and daughter. The daughter born in 1943 much
later attended Dandenong High School.
Joan Kennedy died in 2012.
Does anyone recall Kennedy's Orchestra?
If it was any comfort to him Henry Kennett (40),also from Clyde travelled overseas with him on the Wandilla that sailed on June 6th 1916. After two years and nine months of active service he returned in January 1919, moved to Cranbourne and in August that year, his 5 year old daughter Jessie died followed by the death of his mother-in-law, Mrs Thorpe.
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