"Teddy" / "Ted" Edward Kroschel WELLS
Born 25 July 1937 in Three Springs, Western Australia [P500]
Son of "Ned" Edmund Keane WELLS and "Peg" Margaret Agnes KROSCHEL [P500]
He received his first name of Edward after his grandfather Edward WELLS and his middle name was his mother's maiden surname [P1]
Resided with his parents and elder sisters Vida and Margaret on Bushy Park Farm in Carnamah in 1937 and 1938 [P22]
He was baptised at Saint James' Anglican Church in Three Springs by Rev. Alfred J. TOOMEY on 28 November 1937 [P500]
Resided with his parents at their Wells & Wells Pyramid Tearooms at 10 Macpherson Street in Carnamah from 1938 [P22]
He was the best dressed 'Tiny Tot' boy at the annual Children's Fancy Dress Ball in Carnamah in 1939 as a 'Baker' [5: 17-Nov-1939]
In 1939 he had a bad run with sandy blight, whooping cough and a fractured arm [5: 12-May-1939]
He was the best dressed boy under five years as a 'Butcher' at the Children's Fancy Dress Ball in Carnamah in 1940 [5: 20-Sep-1940]
Attended the Children's Fancy Dress Ball in 1944 with Shirley FERGUSON as 'Father Christmas and Christmas Tree' [5: 20-Oct-1947]
He came 2nd in the 10 Years & Under Cycle Race at the Victory Sports Day held in Carnamah on 10 June 1946 [5: 14-Jun-1946]
Dressed as a 'Butcher' he won a Special Prize at the Children's Fancy Dress Ball in Carnamah on 25 October 1947 [5: 31-Oct-1947]
He took one for five for the Carnamah State School in their cricket match won against Three Springs in April 1948 [5: 9-Apr-1948]
Competed in the Carnamah Tennis Club's Junior Tournament held in Carnamah on 30 April 1949 [5: 5 & 12-May-1949]
He won the Boys Under 12 and came Runner-Up in the Boys Under 14, winning the Marion Clune and Don Reynolds trophies [5]
Member of the Carnamah Miniature Rifle Club in 1949 [5: 18-Aug-1949, 1-Dec-1949]
Member of the Carnamah Junior Badminton Club in 1949 [5: 20-Oct-1949]
He competed in the Junior Tennis Tournament organised by the Carnamah Tennis Club on 14 & 15 January 1950 [39: 17-Jan-1950]
Educated at the Carnamah State School and then at Perth Boys School in Perth [P500]
He was confirmed in the Anglican Church on 24 July 1951 at Saint George's Cathedral in Perth [P500]
Commenced a five year Carpentry & Joinery apprenticeship with his uncle Frederick T. WELLS on 29 September 1952 [P1]
Undertook his National Service at the Royal Australian Air Force's Pearce Air Base at Bullsbrook on the northern edge of Perth [P1]
He was Cadet 39887 in the Royal Australian Air Force's Air Training Corps [P500]
Attained his Stage 1 Proficiency Certificate with an average of 81% on 24 June 1953 and Stage 2 with 77% on 21 July 1954 [P500]
In 1957 he was living in the Perth suburb of Victoria Park [P500]
After serving his five years and passing all examinations, he finished his apprenticeship in Perth on 28 September 1957 [P500]
Carpenter for H. G. Robinson in 1957 and 1958, helping build the D. J. Fowler Factory in the Perth suburb of Spearwood [P500]
His 21st birthday was celebrated with over 100 guests at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday evening 25 July 1958 [4: 1-Aug-1958]
The evening consisted of dancing, songs, supper and toasts, and was attended by a number of people from Perth and Geraldton [4]
In 1958 he worked on the construction of a private house in Mukinbudin [P500]
He worked as a carpenter and joiner for builder Charles J. DALLIMORE in Carnamah in 1959 and 1960 [P500]
While working in Carnamah he undertook repairs to houses and farm buildings that had suffered cyclone damage [P500]
Carpenter/Joiner for Travis & Holman Building Company based at Derby in the Kimberley region of Western Australia 1960-1969 [P500]
He worked on the construction of state housing and helped build private homes in Fitzroy Crossing, Wyndham and Kununurra [P500]
Member of the Derby Golf Club, of which he was Captain, President and Champion [P502]
Married (1) Joy Amelia CASSEY in 1965 [66]
He and his wife were living at 101 Howell Street in Derby in 1967 and 1968 [P500]
His wife's two teenage sons, her married daughter and son-in-law were living with them in Derby in 1967 [P500]
He and his wife adopted an infant son in 1968, who they named Keane (after his father's middle name) [P500]
In April 1969 they moved from Derby to nearby Koolan Island, where he worked for BHP's Townsite Maintenance Department [P500]
Carpenter 1969-1970, Leading Hand 1970-1978, 2nd in Charge to Foreman 1978-1984 and Foreman 1984-1987 [P500]
Townsite Maintenance Department looked after over 170 houses, offices, recreation facilities and a shop on Koolan Island [P500]
His marriage with Joy ended not long after they shifted to the island [P176]
Member of the Koolan Island Golf Club - was Captain and Champion multiple times and served as President [P500]
Charter Member of the Lions Club of Koolan Island in 1983 [P500]
He was made a Life Member of the Koolan Island Club and the Koolan Island Golf Club [P500]
In July 1987 he was retrenched due to the scaling down of mining operations on the island [P500]
He received a reference from his employer, describing him as "an honest, dependable and loyal tradesman and supervisor" [P500]
Purchased the house at 16 Yarra Street in the Carnamah townsite from L. William GRIERSON on 8 April 1976 [100]
The house was on Lot 20 of Victoria Location 1936 on the north east corner of Yarra and Bowman streets [62]
His mother shifted from Perth back to Carnamah and resided in the house from 1976 until 1991 [P1]
He sold the house at 16 Yarra Street in Carnamah for $10,000 to Patrick M. and Rachael J. RYAN on 7 November 1991 [100]
After being retrenched from Koolan Island he shifted to Perth, where he was a cleaner in Kewdale in late 1988 and early 1989 [P500]
Married (2) Noeleen Helen WILKINSON and purchased a house at 37 Weeks Way in the Perth suburb of Bull Creek [P500]
Security Officer and later Security Supervisor at Curtin University in the Perth suburb of Bentley from 1989 until 2002 [P500]
He undertook a Security Officers Training Course in 1992 and a Fire Awareness Theory & Practice course in 1994 [P500]
Retired from his job at Curtin University and from working on his 65th birthday on 25 July 2002 [P500]
In retirement he continued to play golf and maintained an active interest in carpentry and joinery from his home workshop [P500]
Avid supporter of East Fremantle Football Club in the Western Australian Football League and regularly attended their games [P503]
He was an active member of the Bicton Men's Shed for a number of years and in 2017 was granted Honorary Membership [P500]
Periodically returned home to Carnamah and stayed with his sister Mrs Vida E. WHITEHURST [P1]
He attended both Vida's 70th birthday at Prowaka Spring Farm in Carnamah and her 80th at the Bowling Club in Carnamah [P1]
Later resided at the aged care home Aegis Carrington in the Perth suburb of Hamilton Hill [P1]
His wife Noeleen, who remained living at their home in Bull Creek, passed away at the age of 82 years on 8 August 2018 [2]
Died 12 September 2018 [2]
From The North Midland Times newspaper, Friday 30 July 1937:
Personal
"Congratulations to Mr and Mrs E. K. Wells, of Carnamah, on the birth of a son. The baby was born at the North Midlands District Hospital, Three Springs, on Sunday."
From The North Midland Times newspaper, Thursday 29 September 1949:
Carnamah Miniature Rifle Club
"On Sunday, September 25, the Carnamah Miniature Rifle Club conducted a Trophy Shoot, the winner being T. Wells with 104 with handicap, and J. Jenkinson and W. D. Grierson tied with 99 off the rifle... The Junior Trophy donated by Mr Bebbington was won by T. Wells who also won the open handicap; this trophy being donated by Mr Davison..."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Edward Kroschel Wells' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 19 December 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/edward-kroschel-wells [reference list] |
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