Father
21st July 2014 was the 112th Anniversary of my Father’s birth in 1902.
MORRIS SOMERVILLE BARTON lived until his death on 27th June 1994.
He witnessed the evolution of the motor vehicle, the airplane, the radio, the television, early telephones, and the computer and most of the many electronic and mechanical machinery we take for granted in our homes today.
My Father lived and survived 2 World Wars in England. He was at boarding school during World War 1, (1914-1918) and was one of the first to enter active duty on outbreak of war again in 1939. Dad served in the Medical Corp as a Dental Mechanic until he was repatriated after surviving the famous evacuation of British troops from Dunkirk beach, France in 1940.
My parents were married on 14th December 1940, in Edinburgh, Scotland.
I was born on 21st March 1945.
After the War, (1939-1945) my Dad and my Mum (Leonora Barton) started planning to come to emigrate to Australia. Dad had previously lived in Australia from 1923 until about 1930.
Unfortunately, my Grandfather on my Father's side, Walter Somerville Barton died on 30th November 1948
6 weeks after my brother, Neil was born on 25th August 1949, the family left for Australia from England on the RMS Orontes. We arrived in Melbourne Victoria on the 6th November 1949 bound for St Helens, Tasmania, where the owner of holiday homes, previously had agreed to sponsored the family.
To celebrate the anniversary of my Father’s birth, I salute the vision of my parents to take us out of war torn Britain, and into Australia, for a much improved future.
Mother
My mother LEONORA BARTON (single surname was Butterworth).
BORN 27TH DECEMBER 1911 - DIED 21ST JUNE 1987
HER DEATH WAS IN ROYAL ADELAIDE HOSPITAL AFTER SUFFERING A STROKE.
MUM IS BURIED WITH DAD AT THE ENFIELD CEMETERY IN THE ROSE GARDEN, WEST OF HAMPSTEAD ROAD, CLEARVIEW, ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
THE SOUTH ENTRANCE TO THE ENFIELD CEMETERY WILL GIVE YOU PROXIMITY TO THE ROSE GARDEN. THE ACTUAL LOCATION IS OBTAINED FROM THE SEARCH DATABASE AT THE SOUTH GATE ENTRANCE BUILDING.
MUM's EARLY DAYS
Mother was born at Wallasey over the Mersey River to Liverpool. Basically the dormitory city to the huge business city of the North West of England.
A brilliant student and athlete, Mum was not permitted to go to school after the age of 14 - which apparently was Government policy of that era for a girl.
She won trophies for running and field sports like Lacrosse.
Her Dad had a powerful wireless for listening to broadcasts. Mum was fascinated to listen to stations from all over Europe. She often told me that she listened to a musical programme from Copenhagen at lunchtime. Most broadcasts of that era were on long wave (below the present medium wave spectrum). Most of these pioneering stations were of huge powers with optimum long distance reception during daylight hours. Years later, I followed the same interest, when Mum was able to help me identify foreign language stations from her listening experience of the 20s and 30s.
Parents
THE LOVE STORY
My parents were musical people and enjoyed social dancing!
They met through this interest.
Dad was not of the same wealth as Mum’s family but she loved being around Dad.
*The greatest love story was the one of Mum marrying Dad after Dad returned from the war in France in a disabled condition after the famous Dunkirk, France evacuation across the English Channel to safety.
*The evacuating forces waiting on the beaches of Dunkirk, were targeted by enemy aircraft with bombs exploding into the sand.
*Dad was one of those waiting for the small shipping vessels on the beaches. The trauma of the explosions caused Dad to suffer physiological problems.
*Dad was stationed at Edinburgh castle to receive treatment, but as this type of ailment was not known at this time, isolation was all that was recommended.
*But Mum came to be with Dad and she agreed to married on 14th DECEMBER 1940 at Edinburgh, Scotland near where Dad was receiving treatment.
*According to my mother, it was traditional for wealthy families of this era to choose the future son in law for their daughter.
*My mother was given a man from a wealthy family to marry. But Mum preferred our father, Morris Somerville Barton.
*Because Wallassey, Liverpool and other towns and cities surrounding the Mersey River (now called Merseyside) was target by enemy aircraft for bombing of shipping and factories in the region, my parents lived in Selkirk, Scotland, well away from the war zone. Mum had 2 miscarriages of pregnancy before I was born.
*6 months after i was born the Second World War ended, and we would have moved back to the family home in Wallasey.
*Dad’s father, Walter died on 30th November 1948, and as his mother Florence, had left for the USA when Dad was 7 years old Dad had no close family in the United Kingdom.
* October 1949 - just over 4 years after World War two had ended, the family left for Australia on The Orient Liner RMS (Royal Mail Ship) "Orontes"
*The ship arrived in Port Melbourne, via the Suez Canal, Port Said, Aden, Perth and Adelaide on 6th November 1949.
Mum was never to see her parents again as when she arrived in Australia she declared that Australia was her permanent home. Dad did return home in 1967 for a short visit. but it was still the long sea voyage.
SO BOTH MUM AND DAD AGREED THAT AUSTRALIA WAS THEIR FUTURE
THANK YOU MUM AND DAD FOR YOUR FORESIGHT