Person:Claude Achurch (1)

Claude Septimis ACHURCH was the seventh child of George Philip Achurch and Eva Margaret Allen in a family of 8 boys. He was born on 17th August, 1896 at Bullge Street, Dubbo, New South Wales.

Claude attended Superior Public School Darlinghurst for at least some of his schooling. He was living at 10 Leighhardt Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney when his father sent his mother a telegram from Melbourne on her 46th birthday in 1911.

Claude was a private in the army during World War I. He performed clerical duties in Sydney but did not see any action. His corporal sent a letter to him about a meeting, dated 17/1/1915, to Osborne Street, Hurstville.

Claude played A grade soccer for the Y.M.C.A. Soccer Club in the Sydney from 1914 - ????. He also played cricket for 5 seasons with the Sydney District Cricket Club from season 1913-14 to 1917-18. In the 1914-15 season Claude became the youngest player to play first grade in the Sydney competition (at that time) having turned 18 in August 1914. Older brother Roy played for the club until the start of the 1914-15 season and younger brother Norman played the 1917-18 season. Claude headed the first grade batting averages for the 1916-17 and 1917-18 seasons. He played the 1918-19 season with Paddington Cricket Club. (Source - Club Annual Reports).

Claude received a telegram from the New South Wales Cricket Association, Bull's Chambers, 28 Martin Place, Sydney, Nov 21. 1921 stating:

Mr. C. Achurch

Dear Sir, I have pleasure in informing you that you have been chosen to play for N.S.W. against Queensland at Brisbane on December 3,5,6. Train leaves Sydney on November 30. If unavailable reply at once. Yours Truly, Frank A. Iredale Secretary.

Please call at Stardings Nurwing & leave your size for Blazer ...

He also played for N.S.W. in a Sheffield shield match against Victoria in Melbourne and was 12th man against South Australia in Adelaide.

Claude trained as a Wool Classer at the Sydney Technical College in 1921-22. He appeared on the list of members of the Masonic Lodge N.S.W. in 1922 and was living at Gardiners Road, Daceyville, Sydney. Over this period he visited friends in the country on Lower Coolegong station near Young. When qualified he moved out to the country to class wool on a number of properties in the Young area. It was after a local cricket match in Young, at a get together at Lower Coolegong station, that Claude met Florence Hooper, one of the daughters of Tom Hooper who owned the neighbouring property.

WEDDING.

ACHURCH--HOOPER

The wedding was celebrated at St. John's Church on Monday evening pf Florence, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Hooper of "Wolaroi", Young and Mr. Claude Achurch of Epping, Sydney and well known in local cricketing circles.

The bride entering the church on her father's arm looked petite and charming. She wore a pretty frock of ivory crepe silk Louraine embroidered with crystal bead. Her veil of hand made point-lace was kindly lent by Mrs. Jim Stewart of Barmeedman. She carried a shower bouquet of pink and white dahlias, roses and carnations.

The bridesmaid, Miss Madge Hooper wore a fuchsia crepe-de-chine frock trimmed with gold lace, and carried a posey of pink dahlias and maiden hair.

Mr. Norman Achurch of Sydney wasbest man.

Mr. Bert Miller officiated at the organ and during the signing of the register gave a sweet rendering of "The Crown".

The reception was held at "Wolaroi" where the bride's mother, dressed in a gown of dark wine gabardine with oriental trimmings and hat of mauve velvet, received the guests.

The Rev. K. L. McKeown presided, when the usual toasts were honoured. The presents were numerous and useful and included many cheques.

Later the happy couple left per motor for Harden to board the express for Sydney, where the honeymoon is being spent, the bride travelling in a frock of apple green repp, trimmed with mastic, with hat to tone. Their future home will be at "Alpha", Hill End.

Claude married Florence Hooper at St. John's Church of England in Young on 18 April 1927 and moved to Hill End, a fairly large sheep Station, where Claude took up the job of Manager. Claude moved to Epping, Sydney towards the end of 1927 doing various jobs and their first child, James Dudley was born on 21 January 1928. They moved back out to the country some time later and Claude worked in a wool store in Grenfell. Claude moved around a fair bit but he used to say, "each time I moved, I moved to improve my position financially".

He next bought a general store and petrol pump on the Forbes road, 12 miles from Grenfell. He also travelled around wool classing and carted wheat during this time. His second child, Audry Florence was born on 29 June 1930. The Kippax Touring Cricketers(a city rep. team) which included Don Bradman played a Grenfell District team skippered by Claude during this time. He sold the store and 6 months later the new owner was apparently murdered by someone who was after petrol late one night. Claude and family moved to Bribbaree after selling the store where Claude ran the petrol depot around 1934.

He then bought a run down sheep farm called Bogolong which was on the Forbes road 6 miles from Grenfell. He did the place up over 18 months then sold it and moved into the town of Young. Here he worked in a skin and wool store. His third child, Colleen Maybelle was born while here on 1 Jan 1937. From here they moved to Harden where Claude bought his own skin and wool store. He sold this after 6 months or so and bought Pine Grove farm 8 miles from Goolagong. He ran cattle and grew small crops and lucerne.

In 1939, when many people were moving out into the country after the outbreak of war, they moved back to Sydney. Claude exchanged the Pine Grove farm for a tennis court complex on Paramatta Road, Croydon. Claude did bookwork for a number of firms as well as look after the tennis courts. During 1949 they bought a large house in Burwood but sold it after 3 months and it was turned into a nursing home. Claude moved to Queensland in 1950 with his wife and two daughters leaving his son in Sydney to finish off his railway carriage building apprenticeship. In Bundaberg, Claude bought a souvenir shop / fancy dress hire buisness and lived in Mulgrave Street.

When his son finished his apprenticeship in Sydney, Claude asked him if he would be interested in going into a small crop farm with him. So in 1951 Jim moved north and Claude and family moved south to Nambour where they bought a farm on Bli Bli Road andworked it for about 18 months. They sold up and Claude bought his own pineapple farm on Ehrbacker Road, Nambour and Jim helped him work it. In 1953 Claude become a real estate agent and went into partnership with MacIntyre. They moved into Nambour to live in an 'Old Queenslander' in Coronation Avenue. Claude wrote, "I have been a bit of a speculator over the years, dabbling a bit in the Real Estate buisness".

Claude retired in 1960 and had a house built in Oxley Cresent, Nambour. From there they bought a house in Parsons Road, Nambour. They then moved to a house at 17 Fairmeadow Road, Nambour. On 7th October 1973 he wrote a letter to a Michael Achurch in Melbourne in responce to a letter Michael had sent to his son Jim re: Family history and descendants. I received a copy of this letter in 1999 from Elisabeth Collyns, the sister of the now deceased Michael Achurch. In the letter Claude wrote,

"I can remember, when living in Sydney over 50 years ago someone mentioning that our predecessors name was 'STEWART'. It appears that my Great Grandfather (Samuel Achurch) owned a factory or a mill in the North of England and employed a fairly large number of people by the name of Stewart. One day on his way to his office he confided with his old coachman of getting his name changed. They had passed a Kirk by the roadside and the old coachman suggested 'AKIRK'. After a while the old chap mentioned 'AKIRK' didn't sound so good but thought 'ACHURCH' sounded better. I believe it cost the old chap about £100 to have the name changed and he thought it was worth it. In those days a name was practically everything but time has changed a little since then".

I have yet to find any evidence that the name change story is true.

Finally, Claude and wife Florence moved to a flat in Sydney Street, Nambour. Claude got cataracts in his eyes and lost some of his sight.

Records show that Claude Septimus ACHURCH died on 16th August, 1979 at Selangor Private Hospital, Nambour, (the day before his 83 birthday) of a Cerebrovascular Accident. His death was certified by F.B. Achurch, Wife, of 21 Sydney Street, Nambour and byM. Hall, Matron, Selangor Private Hospital Nambour. He was buried at the Nambour Garden Cemetery by G.A. Lupton of the Church of England. He is survived by his wife Florence Bartlett and his three children: James Dudley (51), Audry Florence (49) and Colleen Maybelle (42).

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7} Ancestry.com. Australian Electoral Rolls, 1903-1954. (Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2007;)
   Database online.

   Record for Claude Septimus Achurch

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Ancestry.com. Australian Electoral Rolls, 1903-1954. (Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2007;)
   Database online.

   Record for Clarude Septimus Achurch