| Percival Stafford Mitchell and Family Christening: Percival Stafford Mitchell - 15th May 1892 Father - Jonas Mitchell Mother - Mary Laycock Address - 914 Manchester Rd Bowling Father's Occupation - Wheelwright =========================================== Christening: Alice Mitchell - b 1893/1894 Father - Albert Mitchell Mother - Elizabeth ? Address - 2 Brompton Rd Bowling Father's Occupation - Dresser =========================================== Marriage: Bierley - St John's Church September 10th 1918 Percy Stafford Mitchell - Bachelor Age 26 Address 'Reclea' Clark Rd, Neutral Bay N.S.W Australia Occupation - Soldier of NSW married Alice Mitchell Spinster - Age 25 Address Rose Cottage,Toftshaw. Bridegroom's father - Jonas Mitchell - Wheelwright Bride's father - Albert Mitchell - Warp Dresser Witnesses were Henry Mitchell & Bertha Peacock. ======================================================== There were no other marriage(s) for Percy at any time in 1918. Children of Percival (Percy) Stafford Mitchell & Ethel Franklin Maurice Mitchell b 27th October 1925 ========================================================
Details of Percy Stafford Mitchell On discharge from the Army he returned to work with NSW Railways but resigned after 2 weeks to join the Police Force in the UK. He states that he returned to UK early in 1920 and that he commenced with Bradford Police Force in November 1920. Claims he had to resign/retire from the Force in March 1921 because of the condition of his feet. There is slight difference of dates in the report offered by the Bradford Police Dept but this only minor. He was granted a disability pension at a rate of 10% shortly after discharge in Australia from the Army. In 1922 he wrote to the Department of Repatriation (the earlier name of the now Veteran Affairs) regarding his pension requesting an increase (rejected) and to advise that he was now back in Australia and intended to assist his father on a dairy farm. After his big right toe was amputated in 1922 the disability pension was increased to a rate of 15% or 12/6 per week. He found it difficult to obtain work after his return to Australia in 1922 (no further mention of his father and the dairy farm) until his brother-inlaw, who was associated with the firm H.E.Tankard & Co, Sydney, gave him a job as a storeman and he stayed there until September 1929 He lived at many addresses in the Sydney area,
some of which were: In a statement dated march 1930 to the Dept of
Repatriation in which he was applying for an increase in his disability pension he makes
the following statement: During the period 1922 until 1938 most of the file comprises letters from Percy Stafford to the Repatriation Board advising them of illnesses and conditions which he claims are all as a result of his Military service, including a period in 1932 during which he was an inmate of Broughton Hall (Callan Park) for depression which he claimed was brought about by his "Service illnesses and conditions". All these claims were rejected by the Board. In early 1937 he again applied for an increased assistance and among the details provided he quoted his Marital status as having "a wife and 1 child in UK". On 15th March 1937 he again wrote and advised his Marital status as "a widower with 1 child". From 1938 until 1956 the only requests and reports were confined to issues relating to the supply of surgical equipment. Special boots and shoes which were first issued back in 1919/1922 after his toes were amputated. On 16th July 1956 Percy Stafford advised the Department of Repatriation that he had booked passage to England on "Otranto" leaving on 5th September 1956 and a return passage on "Orcades" leaving UK on 27th March 1957. He pointed out that the passage money would be taken from his bank savings account which he had built up over the past 15 years. The fares quoted were 116 pounds Sydney to UK and 140 pounds UK to Sydney. He also stated that his Daughter-in-law, Kathleen Mitchell of Lot 17 Greenwood Ave Narraweena NSW was appointed as his trustee to receive his pension while he was away overseas. The Dept replied that the disability pension would continue for 6 months and then be reviewed. On 2nd February 1957 Percy Stafford wrote to the Dept from UK saying "that because his wife was unwilling to come to Australia he was now living permanently with his wife, Alice Mitchell at 31 Lilian St, Dudley Hill, Bradford, Yorks, UK and that his daughter-in-law in Australia was still acting as trustee for him. On 22nd February 1957 he advised the Dept "My wife is now agreeable to come to Australia. My son's wife is still acting as my trustee". On 12th March 1957 he again wrote to the Dept advising "my wife has changed her mind again and will not come out to Australia and so I am staying in the UK. I request that my pension and surgical equipment be made available in the UK". On the 11th April 1957 the Repatriation Board made the following decision "Service Pension of (pounds) 6.2.6 per fortnight being paid to No 6862 Sapper Percy Stafford Mitchell be cancelled as from 21st February 1957." Here endeth the Dept's file on Percy Stafford. All 330 pages. |
Orient Steam Navigation Company. Built in 1925 by Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness, England. 20026 tons, 192.63m long x 22.91m wide (632ft x 75ft), 2 propellers, 2 masts, geared turbine, 6 double and 2 single ended boilers which gave a speed of 18 knots. Passengers 1700 and a crew of 420. Jan 9 1926 Maiden voyage to Australia from London via the Suez Canal to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. In her first year she ran aground off the Greek coast. In 1939 she was converted to a troopship and in Nov 1942 was fitted out as an assault ship. She was present at the North African, Sicilian and Italian landings. In 1948 she was refitted as a one class ship by Cammel Laird, Birkenhead, initiating Orient Line's post-War single class service. On July 14th 1949 she resumed her service to Australia and made her final sailing to Sydney via Capetown on 13 Feb 1957. In June 1957 she was sold to be broken up at Faslane, near Glasgow, Scotland. |
