John Donaldson ~ 1868 - 1959
married 1899
Eliza Paull Dowdy ~ 1865 - 1942
John, the First
John Donaldson was born 24 September 1868 in Tooborac to William Donaldson and Mary Ann (nee Hayes). 'Jack' was the eldest son and lived 91 years. His parents went on to give him five brothers and six sisters all born there in Tooborac and registered at Heathcote. They arrived in this order: Maria Jane; Margaret Esther; William; Mark Edward; Mary Ann; Elizabeth; Annie Eliza; Sarah Louisa; David Henry; Joseph Albert; and George Henry finally arrived in 1885.
Eliza in the middle
Eliza Dowdy was born to Richard James Dowdy and Maria E (nee Reading) on 3rd May 1865 in Sebastopol in Victoria. When Eliza was born, she had three big brothers and a big sister: Richard, Catherine, Edwin and Harry. After Eliza came Alfred, Ada, Lucy and Frederick. Thus Eliza was the middle child of nine. Her father, Richard Dowdy, had been born in Wells-next-the-Sea in Norfolk on the east coast of England. His wife Maria had been born in London. We assume they meet in South Australia, as they were married in Adelaide and the first three children were born there. The rest of the siblings were born in various parts of Victoria.
Wedding Bells
War Service
Jack was ascribed the Service Number 1153 when he joined the 10th Light Horse for the Great War at 45 years of age. His wife Eliza was in Alphington in Melbourne at this time.
He embarked with his unit 2 September 1915 from Freemantle on the HMAT A68 Anchises. His records at this point state that his rank was Bombardier with the 11th Field Artillery Brigade. |