Name: Lionel Charles Christmas(s)

Date of Birth: 8 November 1884

Birth Location: Northam, Western Australia

Also Known As: Lionel

Age at Burial: 82 years

Date of Death: 16 March 1967

Death Location: Bunbury, Western Australia

Date of Burial: 20 March 1967

Denomination: Anglican A

Row/Grave: Row 5 Grave# 41

Grave Transcription:

CHRISTMAS

1884 – 1967

Dearest Friend of 

The Ken Prowse Families

10TH ALH.  11TH Coy. Imperial Camel Corps.

Sayeeda

Father: William Christmass.  Born 20 May 1860, Northam, Western Australia.

Mother: Emma Crouch.  Born 22 December 1858, Northam, Western Australia.  Died 1 May 1895, Northam, Western Australia.

Grandparents (father): Frederick Charles Christmass 1832 – 1893 and Hannah Martin 1838 – 1926

Grandparents (mother): James Crouch 1829 –  1909  and Emma Steel 1833 -1891

Siblings:

Edith Evaline Christmass 1881 – 1883

Lewis Eldred William Christmass 1883 – 1959

Sidney Elliot christmass 1886 – 1955

Annie May Olive Christmass 1888 –

Maud Ellen Christmass 1890 – 1956

Albert James Christmass 1892 – 1952

Florence Emily Christmass 1894 – 1934

Spouse: Never Married

Children: None

Occupation: Farmer

Military Service: 10TH Australian Light Horse Division.  11TH Company Imperial Camel Corps

Service Number 1552

Their Story 

Lionel Charles Christmas was born 8  November 1884 in Northam Western Australia to William Christmass and Emma Crouch. One of the 8 children he grew up on the family farm at Grass patch near Northam. His mother passed away when he was 11 years old.

When WW1 broke out Lionel enlisted in July 1915 with the Australian Light Horse. He later served with the Camel Corps in Egypt. Discharged on 10 October 1919 he returned to Western Australia.

National Archive Military Service Records – Link

While living in his Army tent on the Brunswick River he worked on local farms. He meets Ken Prowse Snr who offered him a job on his Capel Farm “Wattle Hill”. He lived there until he moved to a timber cottage on Halls Road Capel with his two ponies “Tiny Tot” and “Two Bits”. Lionel also became good friends with Len Payne and family, and he was often seen around Capel in his little cart pulled by “Tiny Tot”.

Lionel passed away in the Bunbury Hospital on the 16 March 1967 aged 82 years. He is buried at Capel Cemetery Anglican Section A

Story researched and compiled by ST (CDCP team member)

Links to other websites with additional information included in story.

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