The story of Margaret Knight and Richard Clement - Geelong

The information below is from multiple sources including information provided by Ian Starling and Margaret Tyler in early 2015, the Fagg family, and various personal family documents and photos.

1851 - Birth of Margaret Knight

Margaret Knight was the first-born and only surviving daughter of Thomas Knight (from Reading, Berkshire) and Jane (nee) Bish (from Deal, Kent). Thomas and Jane were married in May 1844 in the Parish Church of St Vedast, London. The Church of St Mary-le-Bow was about 200 metres down Cheapside from St Vedast.

Margaret Knight was born in 1851 'within the sounds of the Bow Bells' according to family history. The family were recorded in the 1851 census living at 9 Sandwich Street, St Pancras along with 5 other families, 16 people in total. Thomas was a 'journeyman, carpenter, and joiner'. Perhaps the overcrowding and general living conditions led them to migrate to Australia, where they arrived on board the Marshal Bennett in Geelong on 11 August 1854.

Read the histories of Margaret Knight, Richard Clement and also the story of various families from Kent, before reading this section.

From 1852 - Fagg siblings migrate to Victoria, Australia

Samuel and William's arrival details

Samuel Hadley Fagg (1827, Deal - 1909, Geelong (Vic BDM Ref 8726)) was the son of Richard and Rhoda Fagg who married in Sholden, Kent in 1826. Samuel was a clerk in his father's building business in Dover. His younger brother William was a carpenter, likely in or connected with his father's business. In 1852, the two brothers left England for Australia as unassisted passengers on board the Chalmers (built in 1851), which arrived in Victoria in 1852. The brothers spent time in the Ballarat goldfields as miners, then carters, then established a hardware business in Geelong in 1854 (which is still running as Fagg's Mitre 10). Samuel Fagg's son Thomas would later marry Margaret Clement (nee Knight)'s daughter Mabel Clement.

Elizabeth Fagg (1834, Dover - 1914 (Vic BDM Ref 14124)) was a Sunday School teacher and seamstress. She migrated to Victoria, and may be the 21 year old woman with that name on the Shackamaxon, arriving in January 1861. He moved to Colac where she married Henry Clifford in 1875 (Vic BDM Ref 339) but there were no children from this marriage. Henry Clifford was previously married to Jane Kirkpatrick in Colac in 1856 (Vic BDM Ref 1670) from which marriage there were three children (Isabella Clifford (1857 - 1901, Colac (married Frank Parkes), George Henry Clifford (1858 - ?, may have married Susan Timmins) and Elizabeth Jane Clifford (1860). Elizabeth Jane Clifford married John Collyer in 1884 (Vic BDM Ref 6336); they ran a store on the corner of Hitchcock Ave and Clifford St in Barwon Heads.

Clement Fagg (1835, Dover - 1920, Waanyarra), recorded as a 21 year old 'gent', arrived in Victoria as an unassisted passenger on board the Evening Star in January 1856. Clement was a gold miner in Victoria, the Otago fields in NZ, and at Waanyarra (near Dunolly) in Vic. One story suggest that he burned to death in his tent at Waanyarra in 1920 but there is no documented evidence of this. He died in 1920 and was buried in the Geelong West Cemetery with his brother William, near Tom and Mabel and the other Clements.

Thomas Fagg (1837, Dover - 1919), recorded as a clerk in the 1861 UK census, may have visited Victoria before that date. A Thomas Fagg aged 26, one of several 'traders', arrived in Victoria in January 1860 as an unassisted passenger on board the Owen Glendower.

George Fagg (1840, Dover - 16 December 1897, Claremont, Tasmania (The Mercury 25 December 1897)) was an architect who migrated to Tasmania with his (wife and?) son William George Fagg (1868 - 15 January 1938, South Africa) in 1885. William George Fagg moved to South Africa in 1895 where he was a Fellow of the Cape Institute of Architects and served for some years on its council and also acted as honorary auditor. He was responsible for considerable ecclesiastical, scholastic, commercial, and domestic work in Cape Town. See also this page Architect George Fagg. (Source: Obituary in The Mercury, 4 June 1938). Note that WG Fagg's first cousin George William Fagg, had moved to South Africa in 1892, see below.

By 1871 - Margaret Bushell (nee Knight) marries Richard Clement

As noted in the link above, Margaret Knight was briefly (7 months) married to Thomas Bushell.

Unfortunately, Thomas died on 21 April 1870 from pleurisy. He was 37 and Margaret was only 19. Margaret was now the very young step-mother to the three Bushell children who were now 12, 10 and 7. They likely all ended up living with Margaret's parents.

Sometime before mid 1871, the young widow Margaret Knight, with three young step-children from her late husband's first marriage, met the twice widowed and now childless Richard Clement. Richard was still living in Little Londsale Street, Melbourne, at this time.

Margaret Ann Knight (or Bushell?) 'as a young woman'.

The original of this photograph has notes written by her daughter Margaret Knight Aikman that states 'Mother, when she was a young woman', and, beneath the photograph 'Margaret-Ann Clement taken as a young woman'.

Richard Clement married Margaret Ann Bushell (nee Knight) on 25 July 1871 in the home of her father, Thomas Edward Knight, on Western Road (or Street), Geelong. The wedding was performed by the Rev F P Strickland according to the rites of the Church of England. There is no obvious reference to this marriage in the Victorian BDM register.

Richard and Margaret Clement had the following children:

Hannah Bushell, Margaret's step daughter from her previous marriage to Tom Bushell, is remembered (fondly) as helping her step-mother look after the children. Hannah and brother Tom feature in several of the family photographs. It is not known if their sister Mary Ann appears in any photos as she died in 1875. For details of the lives of the Bushell children, see this page.

1871 - Samuel Fagg marries Sarah Bedggood

Samuel Fagg married Sarah Bedggood (22 September 1850, Stroud, Gloucestershire - 21 June 1933, Geelong (Vic BDM Ref 14278, Father Charles Bedggood, mother Hannah Price)) in Geelong in 1871 (Vic BDM Ref 3887). It is not yet known when Sarah arrived in Australia. A large group of Bedgoods arrived in Victoria on board the Caroline Agnes in 1849; a Hannah Bedgood, aged 29 from Gloucestershire, arrived on the Australia in 1853. She was engaged (for work) to a Mr Taylor of St Kilda. There is no sign of a child.

Samuel and Sarah had the following children:

From around 1871 - Richard Clement, Butcher

Richard Clement operated his butcher shop in Spring Street, Geelong West, for many years. The first shop was at 38 Spring Street, owned by a Mr Hobbs, and described in the rate book as 'a weatherboard shop of 4 rooms and a stable'. The rates were 19/6 plus 8/8 for lighting.

The area (Ashby) where Richard lived and worked was well-known locally as 'Little Scotland' because of the number of people from Scotland who settled there. In those days, shops and houses were interspersed and people lived closed to shops, hotels and churches. A creek, known as Western Gully, ran behind the butchery in Spring Street.

1873 - Death of Jane Knight (nee Bish)

Margaret's mother Jane Knight (nee Bish) died in Geelong on 28 March 1873, aged 55, from syphilitic laryngitis (Vic BDM Ref 1211, father 'David Bisch', mother 'Ann Woodland'). Thomas Knight is understood to have then lived with his daughter Margaret and her husband Richard Clement. He appears in the photograph below.

Richard and Margaret Clement and their twins Margaret and Isabella in a pram outside their shop in Geelong in 1874. It is believed this shop was the one at 30 Spring Street, described below. The elderly gentleman next to Margaret is her father Thomas Knight, born in the late 1820s.

1875 - Death of Mary Ann Bushell

Mary Ann Bushell was the second child of Thomas and Martha Bushell, born in 1860. Sadly, she died aged 15 in 1875 (VIC BDM Ref 6995).

By 1876 - Richard moves shop

Some time later, Richard moved to premises four doors east, to 30 Spring Street, behind Kelly's bakery. The book The Ashby Story by Gladys Seaton notes that Richard owned this land before building in 1876 - 1877. The Geelong Advertiser of 29 January 1887 stated that 'Mr R D Clement of Spring Street Geelong West, announces that he has started a cash butchery shop, a few doors from the Castle Culloden Hotel' on the corner of Latrobe Terrace and Spring Street.

Margaret Knight Clement aged 8 in 1881. The original photograph is smaller than a stamp.

1883 - Death of Thomas Knight

Margaret Clement's father Thomas Knight died on 20 December 1883 aged 73 (Vic BDM Ref 11190). His death certificate states that he died of haemophysis.

1887 - Richard Clement advertises

On 25 January 1887, Richard Clement put the following advertisement in the Geelong Advertiser:

CHEAP MEAT CHEAP MEAT

The public will find it to their advantage to give R D Clement, Butcher, Spring Street, Geelong West, a trial. He has reduced his prices for cash. Good quality kept.

Another advertisement gave the prices of his meat.

The original building housing Richard Clement's butcher store survived until 1982 when it was vandalised and burned to the ground.

1880s and 1890s - life of Richard and Margaret Knight

Richard and Margaret Knight attended the Baptist Church on Aberdeen Street from 1874. The church was quite close to their house in Spring Street. It is believed that whilst attending this church, they became keen Christians. Although the twins Margaret and Isabella had been christened in the Church of England, the children all attended the Baptist Church.

A photograph of Margaret Ann Clement (nee Knight) with her four daughters taken in 1894.

1895 - Margaret Knight Aikman marries

Margaret Knight Clement, the daughter of Richard Clement and Margaret Knight married Alexander Aikman in Geelong in 1895.

Alexander and Margaret Aikman had four children, all born in Geelong:

1897 - Three generations

Margaret Ann Clement (nee Knight) aged 43, her daughter Margaret Knight Aikman (nee Clement) aged 22, and Margaret Dorothy Aikman (later Robertson) aged 16 months, taken August 1897. Rear of photo is written 'To Maude with Love from M A Clement Aug 6th 1897'.

1896 - Isabella Clement is engaged, but her fiance dies

Some time before 1896, Belle Clement became engaged to George Weber. Unfortunately for Belle, George was diagnosed with TB in 1896 and he died in May 1898 (Vic BDM Ref 7623). The Geelong Advertiser of 9 May 1898 reported his death as follows. 'On the 7th May, at his mother's residence, "Helvetia", Laurel Bank parade, George, youngest beloved son of Jessie [nee Swan] and the late Jacob Weber, aged 30 years. The funeral will leave the residence of his mother, "Helvetia", Laurel Bank-parade, this day (Monday) 9th inst, at 12 o'clock, for the Bannockburn Cemetery.'

The rear of this photograph, probably taken around 1896/7, has the following comment 'Ernie Day, George Weber engaged to Belle, and Alex in their boxer hats'. It is believed that the man on the left of the photograph is George Weber. Alex Aikman is standing at the rear.

Caption: 'A picnic at Queens Park taken before Belle's marriage'.

It is not yet completely clear if the photograph above was taken before the original proposed marriage to George Weber some time in 1896 (and if that is George Weber at the front of the photograph in the suit), or if was taken before her marriage to William Strong in 1906/9. However, based on what appears to be Margaret Aikman (nee Clement) holding a baby at the left of the photograph and the fairly strong resemblance of the man in the suit at the left to George Weber in the photograph above, it seems more likely that that this photograph was taken in 1896. Perhaps the wedding was cancelled after George was diagnosed?

After the death of George Weber, Belle travelled overseas and later married Bill Strong - see below.

1901 - Richard Clement and his grandchildren

Richard Clement and his grandchildren Dorothy (aged 4) and Clement (aged 2) taken in 1901.

The rear of the photograph has the following written by Margaret Knight Aikman (MKA): 'Dot [Margaret Dorothy Aikman] thought she was [th?] with the feather on her bonnet, I made all their clothes. Later, [th?] would cash a lot to make these things now. 1896 (crossed out and 1900 put on top), my children were always well dressed on small weekly allowance. M.K.A.'

1902 - Mabel Victoria Clement marries Thomas Fagg

Mabel Victoria Clement (1881 - 1969) married Thomas Gus Fagg (1876, Geelong (Vic BDM Ref 23239) - 1941, Geelong (Vic BDM Ref 17825)) in 1902 (Vic BDM Ref 5123).

Mabel and Thomas Fagg's wedding day (Source: Fagg family).

The Geelong Advertiser recorded the wedding details as follows:

On Wednesday afternoon, at the Aberdeen street Baptist church, the marriage was celebrated of Mr Thomas G Fagg, third son of Mr S.H. Fagg, of Maude Street, and Miss Mabel Victoria Clement, youngest daughter of Mr R.D. Clement of Geelong West. The ceremony was performed by Rev W.S. Worth, the uncle of the bridegroom, assisted by Rev R.K. Finlayson, of Adelaide, a friend of the bride. The bride was given away by her father, and was gowned in white silk, trimmed with chiffon and Valenciennes lace. She wore the customary wreath and veil, and carried a shower bouquet with white streamers. The bridesmaids were Miss Florence Clement (sister of the bride) and Miss Annie Fagg (sister of the bridegroom). ... The train bearers were Miss Dorothy Aikman and Master Vivian Bedggood, whilst the groomsmen were Messrs C Fagg and H.C. Clement. [other details omitted]

Thomas and Mabel Fagg had four children:

A photograph of the Fagg family in 1912 before Reginald was born (Source: Fagg family).

1904 - Herbert (Bert) Percy Clement marries Mina Thornton

Bert Clement in 1902. Mina Clement (nee Thornton) in 1924.

Herbert ('Bert') Percy Clement was born in 1877. These names appear to have been new to both sides of the family. (However Richard's brother Thomas, in England, named his youngest child Herbert in 1883.) The picture above was taken at his sister Mabel's wedding in 1902.

Bert married Wilhelmina (Mina) Victoria Thornton in 1904 in Geelong West (Vic BDM Ref 7714). At the time of their marriage, Bert and his younger brother, Richard Norman Leslie Clement operated the family butcher shop under the name of Clement Bros., Butchers.

Mina was born in Pleasant Creek/Stawell in 1881 (VIC BDM Ref 25280) to Hannah White and Thomas Thornton who may have been married in England before 1872 as there is no obvious record in the Victorian BDM. Mina's siblings by date of birth were: Randle Thornton (1872, Stawell (Vic BDM Ref 18602) - 1935, Brighton (Vic BDM Ref 2601)), possibly the Randall Thornton who married Mary Ann Marion Hudson/Kendso in 1904 (Vic BDM Ref 303); Jane Hannah Thornton (1875, Pleasant Creek (Vic BDM Ref 18327) - ); Joseph Hall Thornton (1877, Pleasant Creek (Vic BDM Ref 24089) - 1922, Brim(bank?)(Vic BDM Ref 12106)), married Adelee Ethel Dixon/McLennan (both names recorded) in 1913 (Vic BDM Ref 6564); Edith Florence Thornton (1879, Pleasant Creek (Vic BDM Ref 18393) - 1965, Brighton (Vic BDM Ref 6024)), married Julius Peter Schussler in 1913 (Vic BDM Ref 1630); (Wilhelmina).

The following picture is captioned 'Bert died a few years later'.

Caption reads: 'Alex Aikman at the wheel in the motor relay race on Melbourne Road. With Mr Griffiths and the runner Mr Lowe. Mr Griffiths was the President. Very few could drive a car in these early days, the Melb road was full of pot holes'. Alex Aikman is in the driver's seat, it is not clear which one is Bert.

Bert and Mina Clement had three children:

All three siblings lived in Tatura, west of Shepparton, in the 1930s.

1906 - Florence (Florrie) Ada Clement marries Harry Denmead

Florence (Florrie) Ada Clement (1875 - 1963, Geelong (Vic BDM Ref 9802)) married Harry Nathaniel Denmead in 1906 (Vic BDM Ref 8576).

They had three children:

Click the link for more information about the Denmead family.

1907 - Picnic at Queenscliff

A photograph with the caption 'Picnic at Queenscliff', believed to have been taken in 1907.

There are several copies of the above photograph, two with slightly different descriptions (but in the same handwriting): (1) 'A picnic at Queenscliff. Mother, Bert Clement, Margaret with Wallace a baby. Isobel with short hair. Mina and Edith Clement. Dorothy standing, Clem in sailor suit, Mabel and Hadley'. (2) 'A picnic party taken Dec 1907 at Queenscliff. M A Clement sitting with bonnet. Bert standing. Dorothy next. M K Aikman with Wallace. Mina nursing Edith. Mabel sitting next to Mina. Hadley Fagg (standing?) up his (?). Clem in sailor suit holding book. Isobel in pinafore with [two words], all the (?) was Mina's (?) and relations.

1909 - Isabella Clement marries Bill Strong

William (Bill) Baker Strong - who Belle either already knew or would later meet - had married Ada Dawson Clerverdon/Cleveston Evers (born in Hawthorn on 21 March 1872 (VIC BDM Ref 9420)), in 1894 (VIC BDM Ref 408). Ada was the daughter of Ann Smith and Benjamin Evers. Bill and Ada Strong had three children:

Ada Strong (nee Smith) died in on 6 February 1901 at her home, 32 Malakoff Street, St Kilda (The Argus, 7 February 1901).

Sometime after the death of George Weber, Belle travelled to the UK with her brother Bert Clement. On her return, she married William (Bill) Baker Strong on 11 November (or September?) 1909 (VIC BDM Ref 6587). The following is a photograph taken on their wedding day.

Isabella and William Strong on their wedding day.

William and Isabella Strong had three children:

1909 - Death of Samuel Hadley Fagg

Samuel Hadley Fagg died on 13 August 1909 and was buried in Geelong's Eastern cemetery. His wife Sarah Matilda Fagg (nee Bedgood) died on 21 June 1933 and was buried with her husband.

1910 - Richard Norman Leslie (Les) Clement marries Jessie Ferguson

Les Clement in the UK in 1907.

Richard Norman Leslie Clement married Jessie Ronald Ferguson (born 1882 - 1 July 1931, the daughter of John Ferguson and Mary McInnes, in Geelong West (Vic BDM Ref 9506)) in 1910 (Vic BDM Ref 1954, Richard's second name shows as 'Noonan'). They were Baptists and attended the Aberdeen Street church near to the family home in Spring Street. Click the link to learn more about the Ferguson family. Jessie father and uncle arrived together in 1852. Her siblings were as follows - note that her father and two siblings died in Geelong:

Les and Jessie's wedding photograph in 1910. Les' niece Dorothy Aikman (later Robertson) is the flower girl on the left hand side. It is not known who the others are but they are likely to include members of Jessie's family.

Les and Jessie Clement had three children:

Les had joined his father in the butcher shop and it was he who took over the business, following his father's retirement and his brother's death in 1914. At one time Leslie owned three butcher shops.

1912 - Captain Tom Clement - Richard's nephew - visits Geelong

Captain Tom Clement appears in several photographs taken in 1912 when he visited Geelong as the Captain of a cargo ship.

Captain Tom Clement's ship in 1912.

Tom was Richard's nephew, Thomas Forster Clement (abt February 1872 - 1951). (See this page for details of the Clement family)

Photograph taken in 1912 during Tom Clement's visit. Captain Tom Clement with Dorothy and Clem Aikman.

The two photographs below show Captain Tom Clement with the children of his cousins.

Captain Tom 'with some of the grandchildren. Named children in the album are: Gladys Fagg, Clem Aikman, Dorothy Aikman, Isobel, Edith, Don, Wallace Aikman, Ruth, Jean, Hadley Fagg (standing, front left), Randall, Dick.

The photograph below shows Richard and Margaret Clement, Tom Clement, and the various Clement siblings and spouses except for Belle (and Bill) Strong.

Clement family with Captain Tom Clement in 1912. (ALL NAMES TO BE CONFIRMED) Rear: Alex Aikman (kneeling), (possibly) Harry Denmead holding baby, Florrie Denmead (?), Clement Aikman. Front: M A Clement, Richard Clement, Mabel Fagg, Tom Clement, Thomas Fagg, Margaret Aikman, Jessie Clement (nee Ferguson), Les Clement, Dorothy Aikman, Mina Clement, Bert Clement.

1914 - Death of Bert Clement

Bert Clement was working for Clement Bros (butchers) in Spring Street Geelong West in 1914 when he suffered an untimely death, aged 37. According to the Geelong Advertiser of 7 October 1914:

The glass casket hearse was preceded on foot by 12 members of the Sunday School class of the Aberdeen Street Baptist Church, and was followed by two mourning coaches and 45 public and private vehicles to the Aberdeen Street Baptist Church, of which the deceased was a deacon and active member.

Following Bert's death the butcher shop passed down to his younger brother, Richard Norman Leslie Clement (30 January 1883 - 1957) who in 1910 had married Jessie Ronald Ferguson (born 1882 - 1 July 1931).

1920 - Les Clement builds a new family home at Geelong West

In 1920, Les acquired a vacant block of land at 9 Gertrude St, Geelong West (one of the few vacant blocks in a very early Geelong West street), and in 1921 he began to build a house from 'concrete and weatherboard'. The house was completed and the family moved in in 1922. The house remained in Les’s family until it was sold in 1986.

1920s - Richard and Margaret Clement's later life and anniversary

In the early 1920's, Richard (then in his 80s) and Margaret Clement moved into a house at 4 Victoria Street, Geelong which they named 'Patterdale' (after one of the Lakes in the Lake District in England). Their daughter Margaret and her husband Alexander Aikman, lived in a home nearby.

On their 60th wedding anniversary in 1924, the family took a photograph in the rear garden of their house (possibly 4 Victoria Street, Geelong West). Click this link to see a photo of all their children and grandchildren.

In the latter years of his life, Richard stayed in a 'holiday house' at Barwon Heads owned by his daughter Florence (Florrie) Denmead (born 1875) and husband Harry Nathaniel Denmead, apparently to help with his health. The house may be the one described on this page at 5 Noble Street, Barwon Heads. Richard wrote the following letter to his wife:

My Dear Margaret, I got your letter to day I am pleased you are well and all things are right I feel the rest is dowing me good I am getting so strong I have a splendid apetite and so hungery at times So you may tell the Doctor the Sea Air is better than all the Medicen about Florry Cottage is verry nice Country so green the trees out in blossom and birds are singin so sweetly Yes I feel like singing all the time So I may say it is good for me to be here in this quiet Rest a nice warm Bead at night Sleep well night and day and I have few pains I have some pain in one week it is Wonderful It is not Cold here it is rarther Stormy some times it puts me in mind of Ship at Sea to hear the Sea and the rain on the Roof when am Snug and warm in my Bead I am never lonely for I have the Best Company whith me My Dear Lord as promised to be with me So me Dear Margaret keep your at rest about me and the weather I wish you the same experance in Life Yes Life His worth Living (Praise the Lord) You tell me to stay as I like and as the Garden is getting Rain and all his well I need not come in for the Rads (roads) are bad and the Motor shake me up it is nessery So if you See the Doctor on Munday to get the Certificit of Clearence of Sick list tell im how I am much Better and please give it to Mr. O'Leal tell im the Sane about my Health I might come Home some time Next week I will let you know I dont require anything to be sent I have a good supply on hand Meat Fish Bacon Eggs good Butter fresh from the Farm Splendid Milk and good Bread and good Fire wood So now I will conclud whith Love to you all Richard (and in a PS on the side: glad you have the 9 chickens)

Richard Clement taken in February and March 1925.

Richard Clement and his great-grandson Alexander John (Jock) Robertson) taken 1927.

1925 - Mina Clement re-marries

Mina Clement (nee Thornton) remarried William Hepworth in 1925 (VIC BDM Ref 8803). William Hepworth was a widower with two children from his marriage to Mary Jane Jones:

Mina and her children appear in several Clement family photographs taken after the death of Bert.

Wilhelmina Victoria Hepworth (nee Thornton) died suddenly in Stawell in May 1962 (VIC BDM Ref 8935). She was at the time living in Hampton in south-east Melbourne. Her son Randall died in 1970. Her son Dick died in 1975.

1927 - Edith Clement marries John Hastie

Edith Margaret Clement (1906 - 2004) was the daughter of Bert and Mina Clement. She announced her engagement to John William Hastie (born Werribee in 1896) in the Shepparton Advertiser of 10 March 1927. They married on 4 February 1932 in the Cairns Memorial Church in Melbourne. Their wedding notice in the Shepparton Advertiser of 11 February 1932 indicates that Edith had taken on her step-father's surname: 'The Rev J.P. Schussler, uncle of the bride, was the officiating clergyman at the wedding ... of John William, eldest son of Mr and Mrs Thomas Hastie, of Toolamba and Edith Margaret, only daughter of Mrs W Hepworth of Toolamba, and the late Mr H.P. [sic] Clement of Geelong' Her bridesmaids were Misses Bertha Hill (of Tatura), Muriel Hastie (sister of the groom), Ruth Schussler (cousin of the bride) and Myra Hepworth. The best man was Allan Hastie (brother of the groom) while the groomsman was Dick Clement (brother of the bride).

Edith and John Hastie had at least one child:

John William Hastie died at Tatura in 1945 (VIC BDM Ref 17425). Edith subsequently married ? Vigar (possibly not in Victoria) and lived on the Gold Coast in Queensland where she died in 2004.

1929 - Death of Richard Downes Clement

Richard Clement was 90 when he died on 11 November 1929. His death certificate states that he died 'from old age and heart failure', a condition that had lasted for six months. The Geelong Advertiser carried the following notice:

The private funeral of the late Mr. Richard Downes Clement, of 4 Victoria Street, Geelong West - an old and respected resident of Geelong for 60 years - took place on Tuesday morning, November 12th, from his late residence. His remains were buried in the Baptist portion of the New General Cemetery, in the presence of his immediate relatives and friends. The casket was born to the grave by his grandsons, Messrs. Clement Aikman, Hadley Fagg, Wallace Aikman, Dick Clement, Bill Denmead, and Don Clement. The pall-bearers were messrs. Ian Clement, Randal Clement, Reg Fagg, Robin Clement (grandsons), and Messrs. F. Shrimpton, Reg Rix, Alex McCaskill, and J.C. Robertson. The services at the house and grave were conducted by the Rev. E.C. Burleigh, of the Aberdeen Street Baptist Church.

1931 - Death of Jessie Clement (nee Ferguson)

Jessie Clement (nee Ferguson) died on 31 July 1931 at the family home 'Mossgrey', in Gertrude St, West Geelong, aged 50. The newspaper notice carried the words 'At rest in the Palace of the King'.

1932 - Les Clement re-marries

After the death of Jessie, Les re-married on 16 April 1932 to Edna Gladys West (born 1900, Bright (Vic BDM Ref 1135). From this marriage twin boys were born:

1930s to 1951 - R L Clement and Son

Les Clement and his son Robin Leslie Clement continued to run the business known as 'R.L. Clement & Son' butchers at 19 Elizabeth Street, Geelong West, until August 1950 when the partnership was dissolved by mutual consent. The Argus of 2 August 1950 also noted that 'Robin Leslie Clement ... will continue to carry on the business at the same place under the name of R.L. Clement & Son'.

Les was also involved in the Aberdeen St, Baptist Church, and is listed in the centenary booklet in 1952 as the Church's only life deacon at that time. He died in Geelong in 1957 at the age of 74. Edna lived to the age of 82 and died in Geelong in February 1982.

Four generations: Margaret Knight Clement, her daughter Margaret Ann Aikman, her daughter Margaret Dorothy Robertson, and Dorothy's son Alexander John (Jock) Robertson taken 1927.

1935 - Death of Margaret Ann Clement

Margaret Ann Clement (nee Knight) died on 22 June 1935, aged 84, with the same ailments and duration as her husband. At the time of her death she was a patient in the Pineville Rest Home on the corner of Pakington and Gertrude Streets, just opposite the western end of Spring Street. The Geelong Advertiser carried the following notice:

Mrs. Margaret Ann Clement, widow of the late Mr. R.D. Clement, of 4 Victoria Street, Geelong West, a well known and respected resident of Geelong for over 80 years passed peacefully away after a short illness at a private hospital on Saturday, June 22. The cortege moved from the residence of her son, Mr. R.L. Clement, 9 Gertrude Street, West. Her remains were interred in the Baptist portion of the New General Cemetery in the presence of a large number of relatives and friends. The casket was borne to the grave by six of her grandsons, each representing a member of her family (Messrs. Leslie Strong, Wallace Aikman, Bill Denmead, Dick Clement, Hadley Fagg and Ian Clement). The services at the house and grave were conducted by the Rev. Chapman Harris, of Belmont Baptist Church, and the Rev. Mr. Carne, of Manifold Heights Baptist Church. The funeral arrangements were carried out by Alex McDonald, of 17 Melbourne Road, Drumcondra, and 68 Ryrie Street, Geelong

After her death, Richard and Margaret's house 'Patterdale' was sold at auction. It was described in the sale notice as follows: 'W.B. RESIDENCE on brick and stone foundations, contains 5 rooms, plastered throughout, large lobby, pantry, bathroom, wash-house with copper, troughs and gas stove: fowl pens, wood shed etc. Erected on land having a frontage of 66 feet to VICTORIA ST. by a depth of 130 feet through to VIRGINIA TERRACE at rear.

1936 - Herbert Randall Clement marries

Herbert Randall Clement (1910 - 1970) was the son of Bert and Mina Clement. He married Annie Christina O'Brien in 1936 (VIC BDM Ref 10531) and had at least one child, a daughter born on 20 January 1944, announced in The Argus of 31 January 1944.

Randall was noted in the Shepparton Advertiser on 4 October 1946 with his brother Dick, performing in a local play.

1940s - Clement Siblings

The five remaining Clement siblings were together in this photograph, which appears to be at a funeral in Geelong the 1940s.

The Clement siblings in the 1940s.

Page created 5 January 2012, last updated 20 August 2021 (various updates). Copyright © 2021 Andrew Warland. (andrewwarland(at)gmail.com)