William Thomas AXTILL
1864-1943
Father Nm: William Axtill b. 27 May 1816, St Pancras, London d. 15 Jul 1894, Beaufort, Pyrenees Shire, Victoria
Mother Nm:Ellen Purcell, b. 1834, Kilkenny, Ireland d. May 1931, Melbourne
Marriage Dt:1888, Carngham, Pyrenees – South, Victoria
Kin comments: Son Stanley John served with the Australian Army Service Corps in WW1. Grandson Stanley John Axtill served with the 23rd Bn. in WW2
Spouse Comments: Alice Emma Blencowe [8441] b. Abt 1864, Onetree Hill South Australia d. 4 Dec 1908, Saint Arnaud, VIC
Children:
1. Percy Rivers Axtill, b. 1889, Wirrimbirchip, VIC d. 1980, NSW (Age 91 years)
2. Stanley John Axtill, MSM, b. 3 Oct 1895, Ballarat, VIC d. 1956, Leeton, New South Wales (Age 60 years)
3. Sydney Robert Axtill, b. 1894 d. 1967 (Age 73 years)
4. Doris Emma Ellen Axtill, b. 1898 d. 1959 (Age 61 years)
Birth
1864 Ballarat, Victoria
1886
- 4 May Appointed Bailiff Mounted-Constable. Kerang Times and Swan Hill Gazette: Crown Lands Bailiff Mounted-Constable
William Thomas Axtill has been appointed Crown Lands Bailiff in, and for, the colony of Victoria.
1888
- 20 January. Inquest Proceedings. Elmore Standard (Vic. : 1882 – 1920, Friday 20 January 1888William a witness at the death of an Italian immigrant . “ I dived down to the bottom of the dam, and brought up the body. I had endeavored to recover the body previously by letting off about 3ft. of water, but did not succeed. William Thomas Axtill deposed — I am a mounted constable stationed at Elmore. About 20 minutes past 1 on Sunday afternoon I received information that deceased was drowned in Rattray’s Dam at Corop West. I left at 2 p.m., and went by way of Rochester to obtain the assistance of Constable Walker and a drag. The drag was at another station. Constable Walker and I proceeded at once to the scene of the accident with a portion of a harrow, and did our best to recover the body; also, several young men dived into the water, but all proved unsuccessful on that day. I started at 8 o’clock on Monday morning with a drag and ropes, meeting the Corop constable there, and dragged the dam all day, but could not get the drag to catch the body owing to the deceased being naked. At half-past 5 p.m. the young man McDonough dived down where the body was supposed to be, and recovered it.
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| Gallery | 22nd Battalion |
WW1
William Thomas Axtill,1864, Ballarat Vic. Private,10th Depot Bn. and 22nd Bn.
Synopsis
William the son of a Convict who became rich from his gold prospecting and a mother with wealthy English connections, seemingly started life off on the straight and narrow. At age 22 he was sworn in as a Bailiff Constable with the Victorian Mounted Police. Several news reports of some serious incidents in Elmore district of Victoria attest to his role. He married Alice Emma Blencowe 2 years into this job, but when he left the Poilice force we don’t know. We do know that he was a widower in 1908 at the age of 44 years. It is then surprising he declares himself that same age 6 years later when he joins the Australian Army. In his attestaion he says he is a farmer and certainly in 1925 other evidence that points to him being a Sheep Farmer at age 57 years. William didnt last long in the Army court martial for stealing 9 months into his service in Melbourne he is discharged with ignominy. In contrast son Staley John Axtill served with honour throughout the war and appears to have had a crime free life. Was William then acase of a desperate and poor old widower falling on hard times, I do not just months before his death he is involved in a case where he claims the shared winnings of a lottery but his denied by the courts this claim.
1915
- 15 July. Enlisted age 44 years , a Farrier he was transferred to the ASC, the 10th Depot Bn.at Ascot Vale.
- Sometime after this was transferred to the 22nd Battalion, 3rd Divisional Horse Train.
- 25 Dec.Contused leg while breaking in Horses, sent to Clearing Hospital at Ascot Vale for six days.
1916
- 6 Mar. Court Martial for theft, he was sentenced to 90 days plus hard labour. Confusingly the records and the newspapers report discharge from the Army but this clearly didn’t happen until June 1916.
- 15-16 Jun.Injury to ankle .Discharged from No 6 General Hospital after 2 days.Recommended for permanent discharge due to unfit .(Puzzling given previous Court Martial)
Medals
None recorded.
After the War
1925
- 28 August. News Article about mother reveals William occupation and location in 1925.
- Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 – 1954), Friday 28 August 1925, page 2Title TO LONDON AT 91
Mrs. Axtill’s Plans
Mrs Ellen Axtill, of Kooyong road, Armadale, who celebrated her ninety-first birthday today says she will go to London next year to sell an estate.
“I hope to come back to Australia when the business is cleared up,” she added. Leaving Kilkenny, Ireland, at an early age, Mrs Axtlll arrived at Wil-llamstown in 1846 on the clipper Sir Edward Perry. Six years later, at Geelong, she married William Axtill, a successful miner, who died 30 years ago. They had a large family, of which seven daughters and two sons are living. The eldest daughter (Mrs Baird), who lives in West Australia is 73 years of age. William Axtill, the eldest son, was formerly with the Vic torian mounted police. He is now manager of a sheep station near Temora, N.S.W.
- 27 LB. NUGGET “My husband was a lucky digger,” said Mrs Axtlll today, “He came down from the Ballarat fields in 1851 with one of the largest nuggets seen in Melbourne. I remember its weight 271b. 6oz. 19dwt., odd grains — and I still have the large handkerchief in which he carried it over his shoul der. The nugget was exhibited in Melbourne and £1000 was raised by charging 1/ to see it. “Mr Axtill often urged me to return to London with him, but I always de clined. Some valuable property at Gravesend, London, has been left in his name by his relatives, and I am going to England next year to sell it for my children. I hope to come back and live a few more years in Australia.” Mrs Axtlll reads and sews without trouble. She is very fond of motor ing, but she remarked “Even now nothing would please me more than a drive with a four-in-hand.”
- Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 – 1954), Friday 28 August 1925, page 2Title TO LONDON AT 91
1943
- 2 April. William is named as a claimant denied his claim in this news article. Sunraysia Daily (Mildura, Vic. : 1920 – 1971), Friday 2 April 1943, page 1
Claim for winnings on lottery ticket failed
Death
| 15 May 1943 | Bendigo, Victoria |
GALLERY