Name: Harold Leslie Griffiths

Date of Birth: 22 December 1912

Birth Location: Geraldton, Western Australia

Also Known As: Les

Age at Burial: 75 years

Date of Death: 16 January 1987

Death Location: Capel, Western Australia

Date of Burial: 20 January 1987

Denomination: Anglican C

Row/Grave: Row 1 Grave # 2

Grave Transcription:

Griffiths

Harold Leslie (Les)                            Linda Jesse

22.12.1912 – 16.1.1987                  23.2.1915 – 28.1.1988

Dearly loved parents and parents in law of

Maureen and Ted

Pop and Nanna of Brett & Nadia

And Belinda & Kevin

Memories of you are ours to keep

Father: Thomas Leonard Griffiths

Mother: Lavinia May Kelly

Grandparents (father): Thomas George Griffiths and Elizabeth Tench

Grandparents (mother): James Kelly and Christina Moore

Siblings:

Thomas Albert Griffiths born 1911 in Geraldton.  Died 1966 in Perth – Willagee

Elva May Griffiths born 1915 in Geraldton. Died 4 April 1983 in Perth

Muriel Jean Griffiths born 1917 in Geraldton. Died 22 June 1992

Clement Carmel Griffiths born 1919 in Geraldton.  Died 1936 in Quairading, WA

Norman David Griffiths born 1920 in Geraldton.  Died 1977 in Katanning.

Mabel Elizabeth Griffiths born 1922 in Geraldton.  Died 11 September 2008

Mona Eugenie Griffiths born 1926 in Geraldton.  Died 4 Jan 2012

Spouse: Linda Jessie Williams

Children: Maureen Lavinia Griffiths born 1940

Occupation: Truck Driver (cream carter)

Military Service: Service number W70532

Their Story

Harold Leslie Griffiths (known as Les) was born 22 December 1913 in Geraldton to parents Thomas Leonard Griffiths and Lavinia May Kelly.  He was one of eight children to this couple.

He lived on Fitzgerald Street, in Geraldton with his parents until they separated in around 1930 and his mother moved to live in Fremantle. His parents had a history of domestic troubles (please see newspaper articles attached to Thomas Leonard Griffiths.) for further information

At the age of 27 years, Harold married Linda Jesse Williams in 1939 in Fremantle, Western Australia, she was the daughter of Frederick David Williams and Martha Harris, they started their married life in Capel, and had a daughter whom they named Maureen Lavinia Griffiths is 1940.

He enlisted on 3 May 1942 – service number W70532 at Capel.  He was described as 5 foot 10 inches with brown hair and brown eyes with tattoos on both arms, he was 29yrs of age at the time. There are no records of Harold seeing active service. Posting at discharge:  5 Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps.

National Archive Records – Service Record W70532 link

Extract taken from “Just a Horse Ride Away” page 280-281 – 1939-1950

Under wartime restrictions and labour shortages several country dairies had closed; but Joe Strong managed the Capel factory until 1945, when it was sold to Watsons, with co-managers Bill Lake and Bob Lumsden.  Bill Roebuck was a boiler attendant, Steve Williams worked in the butter room, Stan Turner did a variety of jobs and Clarrie Delaporte, whose hearing was damaged in the war, worked as a cream can washer and tipper, George Davis, after a brief stint with the Road Boards, went back to driving the big cream trucks (now up to seven tons).  With petrol still rationed, not many farmers got to town often, so George and his driver mates like Charlie Carruthers and Les Griffiths delivered mail and filled shopping lists for grateful farm wives.  Shopping lists could and did include anything; and it was quite acceptable to see the truckies bargaining with butchers and drapers, or slipping into Haywards to buy baby clothes, a length of ribbon or, on one occasion a pair of bras.  Sometimes they even picked up a load of super, a drum of petrol or a tin of kerosene for properties on their routes.

Les Griffiths was listed as a truck driver in 1946 according to Trove Article of an accident that involved a fellow truck driver from the same company. He was instructed to collect the cream cans and continue the route of the injured truck driver.

Trove Article 1946 – Truck Collision link

Lesley along with his father in law – Frederick David Williams and six others appear to have been in a little bit of trouble for having a few drinks at the Capel Pub on a Sunday morning.  The ruling at the time was broken for consumption of drinks if not bona fide travellers, which these men were not, in fact they were locals.

Trove Article June 1949 – Trouble at Pub link

The Electoral Role from 1977 lists his occupation as cream carter.

The Family lived there remaining years in Capel on Roe Road.

Harold died in 1987 and is buried at the Capel Cemetery. His Wife Linda died shortly after and is also buried in the Capel Cemetery.

Research complied by PP (CDCP team member)

Links to other websites and family members with additional information included in story.

If you are visiting this page and have further information that pertains to Harold Leslie Griffiths that you would like to add, can you please contact the Capel District Cemeteries Project via the CONTACT US section at the bottom of the main page.

© Capel Cemetery Districts Project 2021

Linda, Maureen and Les