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I'm trying to confirm whether Walter S. Prewett, who died in Cairns, Australia, in 1933 is the same Walter Prewett, fourth son of George Prewett from Alderbury, UK.

Walter S.'s marriage was listed in the Brisbane Courier and Walter is reported to be the fourth son of George Prewett of Salisbury. Walter S was said to be 81 when he died and Walter would have been 80'ish. However Walter S.'s obituary mentions a brother Richard that doesn't match my records.

If Walter S. and Walter are one and the same then I would be interested in any information about his first three children. I have notices about their births in 1880 (daughter) 1881 (daughter), 1883 (son) but no other details.

1861 England Census about Walter Prewett
Name: Walter Prewett
Age: 7
Estimated birth year: abt 1854
Relation: Son
Father's name: George Prewett
Mother's name: Martha Prewett
Gender: Male
Where born: Alderbury, Wiltshire, England
Civil Parish: Alderbury
County/Island: Wiltshire
Country: England
Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

View image
Registration district: Alderbury
Sub-registration district: Alderbury
ED, institution, or vessel: 2
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 87
Household Members:
Name Age
George Prewett 44
Martha Prewett 40
Jacob Prewett 18
Albert Prewett 14
Julia Prewett 12
Joshua Prewett 10
Walter Prewett 7
Emily Prewett 4
Viola Prewett 3
View
Original
Record

View original image

Births Sep 1853 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PREWETT Walter Stevens - Alderbury 5a 157

This looks to be the birth of Walter S Prewett - his birth cert would confirm father's name:

Name: Walter Stevens Prewett
Year of Registration: 1853
Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
District: Alderbury
County: Wiltshire
Volume: 5a
Page: 157

Mary

Must be a different George to the one above
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

George PREWETT Sex: M
Event(s)
Birth: 7 Dec 1829
Alderbury, Wiltshire, England
Christening: 27 Dec 1829
Alderbury, Wilts, , Eng
Death: 31 Dec 1910
Ovingham, South Australia, Australia
Burial: 1 Jan 1912
Kangarilla, South Australia, Australia

Parents
Father: Stephen PREWETT
Mother: Martha Hayter Prewett

Marriage(s)
Spouse: Mary Charlotte England FRY
( Marriage: 18 Mar 1850
Alderbury, Wiltshire, England


GRO Ref:
Marriages Mar 1850 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fry Mary Charlotte Alderbury 8 369
Prewett George Alderbury 8 369

Walter S Prewett in 1871


Name: Walter S Prewett
Age: 17
Estimated birth year: abt 1854
Relation: Head
Gender: Male
Where born: Alderbury, Wiltshire, England
Civil Parish: Clarendon Park
County/Island: Wiltshire
Country: England
Registration district: Alderbury
Sub-registration district: Alderbury
ED, institution, or vessel: 4
Household schedule number: 35
Household Members:
Name Age
Walter S Prewett 17


Mary

Maybe George married twice or perhaps they are 2 different Georges


Marriages Mar 1840 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GARTARY Elizabeth Alderbury 8 297
PREWETT George Alderbury 8 297
VANNER Charles Alderbury 8 297

Bride missing.

Looks like it's this one with mistranscribed page number

Marriages Mar 1840
BREAZIER Martha Alderbury 8 277

Would appear to be 2 George's ... here's the birth and death of the other one

George P PREWITT
Event(s)
Birth: 1816

Christening: 16 Oct 1816
Alderbury, , Wilts, Eng
Death: 5 Dec 1901
Downton, , Wilts, Eng
Burial:
Alderbury, , Wilts, Eng

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parents
Father: George PREWITT
Mother: Jane


Marriage(s)
Spouse: Martha BR ....
Marriage: Abt 1840

The birth cert of Walter S will determine which George was his father.

interesting, on the 71 walter is gardener at Clarendon park, home of s famous cricketer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Frederick_Hervey-Bathurst,_3rd_Baronet

Unfortunately there seems to have been a number of George Prewetts at about this tiime. Walter is definitely the 4th son of George so that matches, age at death is about a year out but that's not uncommon at this time; it's just that I cannot find a brother call Richard. See Obit below.

Mr. W. S. Prewett The death occurred at Cairns recently of Mr. W. S. Prewett, 81 years. In the course of long service in the Queensland railways he was station master at Dalby, Ipswich, Toowoomba, and Cooktown, and, at the time of his retirement In 1925, was traffic manager of the Cairns railway system. He was a brother of the late Mr. R. Prewett, at one time secretary to the Railway Commissioner, and later head of the Railway Stores Department. For many years the late Mr. W. S. Prewett was chairman of the Cairns Ambulance Brigade committee, and was prominent in North Queensland Masonic circles.

Not sure if this helps...it appears 'R' may in fact be Albert - does that match?

Morning Post (Cairns, Qld), Friday 24 January 1902, p.2
DEATH.
At the residence of his daughter " MEADOWLANDS," Downton, England, on December 1st, 1901, GEORGE PREWETT, only surviving partner of the late firm of George Prewett and Co., Builders and Contractors, Salisbury, in his 86th year. Father of Albert Prewett, late Secretary of Railway Department and Walter S. Prewett, Trafiîc Manager Cairns Railway.

Morning Post, Tuesday 28 January 1902 , p.2
Obituary.
We have recently had to chronicle the death of more than one of the progenitors of some of our most prominent citizens. We regret to have to place amongst the category the name of Mr. George Prewett who expired at the residence of his daughter "Meadowlands," Downton, England, on December 1st at the ripe old age of 86. Mr Albert Prewett late secretary to the Queensland Railway Department and Mr Walter S. Prewett, Traffic Manager of the Cairns railway were sons of the deceased who was the only surviving partner of the late firm of Geo. Prewett and Co., builders and contractors in "ye olde towne of Salisbury"-a firm whose transactions as vouched for by documents preserved as heirlooms date back to the 15th century. Here then, close to the ancient Druidicial cromlechs dies a firm whose history is almost as ancient as the [illegible]-historical [illegible]


Walter's funeral notice lists his extended family:

Cairns Post, Monday 19 November 1934, p.6
FUNERAL NOTICE:
The friends of the late WALTER STEVENS PREWETT, of Cairns, are respectfully invited to attend his funeral, which will leave his late residence, 'Alder-Claren," No. 55 Mulgrave-street, at 5 o'clock THIS (MONDAY) AFTERNOON for St. John's Church, en route to the Cairns Cemetery, Martyn-street.
The friends and relatives of Miss Eva Prewett (Cairns), Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Foulis and family (Cairns), Mr. and Mrs. L. Born and family (Mackay), Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Browne and family (New South Wales), Mrs. M. Campion and son (New Zealand), and Mrs. M. Prewett and family (Rockhampton) are also invited to attend the funeral of their late father and grandfather, respectively.
The Worshipful Master, Officers and Brethren of Gregory Lodge, and all other Masonic Brethien are invited to. attend. By special request only natural flowers.
H. M. SVENDSEN PTY. LIMITED, . Undertakers and Embalmers

Lots of memorial notices, and also birth notices for his children, also at www.trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper

The Brisbane Courier, Saturday 19 January 1907 , p.6
Mr Albert Prewett, formerly Secretary to the Queensland Railway Commissioner died peacefully at his home Maubert Southport on December 7. His death was not unexpected as he had been in failing health for some time having had to resign from the railway service on that account in 1898. He was a native of Salisbury, Wiltshire, England and was educated it the Salisbury Grammar School, where he was afterwards a teacher for a few years. He entered the army, but finding a military life unsuitable, he resigned, and was for some time in the Metropolitan Railway Service, London. In 1873 Mr Prewett arnved in Queensland, and entered the Railway Department in 1875. In 1877, while in the Traffic Department, he originated a diagram for the safe working of trains on a single line, a scheme which has ance been successfully used in both Queensland and New South Wales. While in the railway service Mr. Prewett was highly esteemed for his ability, courtesy, and trustworthiness. He leaves a widow and a grown up family ; one son, Mr. F. Prewett of Sarum, Tweed River, and two daughters, Mrs N. Mackinnon and Mrs W. Pickburn, of Johannesburg, South Africa.

On page 3 of the Cairns Post on Monday 24 October 1932, there is an interview published written by Walter himself about his work on the railways, wonderful stuff!

There is a longer obit about him in the Cairns Post on Monday 19 November 1934, p.6 and one about attendees at his funeral in the same paper on the 29th on page 8.

A long obituary about his wife Martha (from Lewisham, Kent) in same paper Monday 16 May 1927 on page 4.

Arrival in Qld:

PREWETT Albert [aged] 25 [aboard] Ramsey [on] 29 Jun 1873 IMM/114 379 Z1958 M1697
PREWETT Elizabeth 24 Ramsey 29 Jun 1873 IMM/114 379 Z1958 M1697
PREWETT Walter S 22 Windsor Castle 21 Jun 1876 IMM/115 1130 Z1958 M1698

Elizabeth's maiden name was BROWN; she died in 1935 aged 86. They had daughters Edith (1875) and Clare (1877). Can't find son Frederick's birth.

Children of Walter & Martha (nee EADES):
1880/C1809 Maud Agnes, m. BORN
1881/C2137 Eva Eades, d. 1963/C3252 [did not marry]
1883/C2590 Walter Edgar, d. 1919/C2817
1885/C4070 Violet Martha, m. BROWNE
1886/C1863 George Cecil, m. CLARK, d. 1929/B9704
1887/C2072 Ida, m. FOULIS
1889/C2391 Mabel Clare, m. BOWDEN
1891/C2602 Victor Edward, d. 1922/F7189

See www.bdm.qld.gov.au for more results.

:)

nudge

Thanks to everyone for their help in confirming this connection, and especially to Cherilyn, for the additional information on Walter's family. Have a great Christmas - John