Talk:J. B. Atholwood

Info about J. B. Atholwood

Hi Doug,

I just wanted to share some information about J. B. Atholwood, who was my 2nd Great Grandfather, that could be added/edited on the page.

Some information about JB Atholwood’s early life can be found at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/21067620

James Brown Wood was born in St Kilda, Victoria, Australia in 1863 (source Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria).

James married Ethel Ruby Yelverton Parnwell Smith in Victoria, Australia in 1897 (source Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria https://my.rio.bdm.vic.gov.au/efamily-history/60cc25c70a2f001bed0e9949/record/5c6565384aba80ac31824fad?q=efamily&givenName=Ethel%20Ruby%20Yelverton%20Parnwell&familyName=SMITH).

James believed his marriage to Ethel was void as she was still married to Barry Marshall thus he was free to marry Lillias (NSW Government, State Archives and Records https://search.records.nsw.gov.au/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=INDEX1238240&context=L&vid=61SRA&lang=en_US&search_scope=Everything&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=default_tab&query=any,contains,atholwood&offset=0).

James was released from prison as his lawyer was able to prove that Ethel had been dishonest about her marital status having noted on her first born child’s birth certificate (Clissold Surrey Leroi Yelverton) that she married Follett Barrett Leroi Yelverton (aka Barry Marshall) on 4th July 1890 in Auckland, New Zealand which was not the case. Ethel never married Barry Marshall.

James never reconciled with Ethel. She would not divorce him. James continued to live at Diamond Bay Road, Vaucluse with Lillias and their four children (source Evening News 11 Mar 1931 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/115399021?searchTerm=%22atholwood%22%20death).

Ethel moved to England in 1929 with daughter Sybil, arriving 9th May 1929 (source UK Incoming Passenger Lists, www.ancestry.com.au). Ethel died in 1944 in Croydon, Surrey, England (source https://www.freebmd.org.uk).

Lillias Ann Townsend (spelt with no h) was born Mary Ann Townsend in Collingwood, Victoria, Australia in 1873 (source Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria). Lillias married JB Atholwood on 26th May 1902 under the names James Aitchison and Lillias Mary Townsend (source Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria). Lillias died in Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia in 1929 under the name Lillias M Townsend (source NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search/result?7).

Sybil Edna Marguerite Atholwood left for England in 1929 to further her career (source The Advertiser 9 Apr 1929, Page 8 The Woman’s World https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/73749454?searchTerm=%22sybil%20atholwood%22). Sybil died in 1961 in Marylebone, England (source https://www.freebmd.org.uk)

James’ children with Lillias Townsend did not all have the same surname. The name Aitchison comes from JB Atholwood’s uncle James Aitchison Brown (mother’s side of the family). The first two children with Townsend were born before the bigamy case in 1908 and had the surname Aitchison. The other two children were born after 1908 and had the surname Atholwood.

James Sidney Samuel Aitchison was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia in 1902 (source NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages). Married Leveadie Natoly in Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia in 1924 (source NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages). Died 1970 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (source NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages).

Keith Atholwood Aitchison was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia in 1906 (source NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages). Married Hazel Lucy Isabell Essey in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia in 1928). Died 9th October 1964 (source https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/191740007/keith-atholwood-aitchison)

Ronald Lyle Atholwood was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia in 1910 (source NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages). He was an actor and radio announcer (sources The Brisbane Courier 3 Oct 1931 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/21745242?searchTerm=%22ron%20atholwood%22 and https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Station-Albums/STATION%20BOOKS/The-3KZ-Story-Walker-1984.pdf). Ron married Dorothy Marguerite Coffey in 1936 in Victoria, Australia (source Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria). Dorothy died 14 Oct 1948 at St. Vincent’s Hospital (source https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/22688881?searchTerm=%22dorothy%20atholwood%22) Ron married Ruby Lorraine McCrohan in Victoria, Australia in 1950 (source Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria). Ron died in Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia in 1967 (source Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria).

Joyce Aitchison Atholwood was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia in 1913 (source NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages). Married William Austin Shipp in Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia in 1936 (source NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages). Died 26 October 1988 (source https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/152903488/joye-shipp)

I hope this information is useful. Let me now if you need any more details.

Thanks,

Felicity JADev41 (talk) 04:26, 11 December 2022 (UTC)