Right from the get go Arthur was flash
Arthur Edward or as he was also known in my family circles, Dick Helmrich was born to Alexander Burnett Helmrich and Florence MacGill Glendinning Gay on the 11th July 1888 in Woollahra. A fashionable suburb of inner Sydney. He was born like his siblings at the family home “Cooma” a picturesque white brick terrace house that faces onto other pretty Victorian style fashioned homes. Even in those days the area was quite respectable. Now it’s just downright posh!
Arthur’s father was gainfully employed in business and from the sounds of things their upbringing was comfortable. Right from the get go Arthur was reputedly flash. He wore flash clothes, mixed in flash circles and lived a life where opportunities were sought not stumbled over. He would have had a good education by most standards and probably some good connections through his father’s business dealings. A handsome fellow by all accounts, I can just imagine Sydney city being the pearl in his oyster.
He was the second youngest child in a family of six children. George Alexander Helmrich b. 1880, Henry Albert Helmrich b. 1882, Herbert Charles Helmrich b. 1884, Florence Alexandra Helmrich b. 1886, and Frederick William Helmrich b.1892.
Of these children only three survived childhood. His brother George, his sister Florence and himself.
The Sydney Morning Herald Births Notices 21 July 1888. Helmrich – July 11, at her residence, Point Piper-road, Woollahra, the wife of A. Helmrich, of a son. Born at Point Piper Road whose name is later changed to Jersey Road.
Arthur’s own family background was quite urbanised. He had been born and raised in the inner city of Sydney. His father a successful businessman in the city had suicided when he was only ten following a bout of serious depression. His mother’s family had been shipping merchants and come from the Carribbean to Australia. Both of his parents came from financially comfortable backgrounds. His own family was small compared to Priscilla’s large family. Arthur or Dick as he was known must have been a bit of an opportunist because throughout his life he often seemed to be involved in schemes that could potentially bring about quick fortune even if it was bordering on being a bit on the shady side.
The Helmrich family did know hard times with the tragic loss of these three young children over the years. When Arthur was 18 a personal tragedy occurred. Arthur’s father suicided in a most horrendous manner by cutting his own throat with a razor in his bedroom in the family home. I would think this would have had a significant impact on Arthur who was no doubt still living with his mother at the house at 15 Jersey Road, Woollahara.
Six years later in 1912 at the age of 24, Arthur met and promptly marries 21 year old Priscilla Georgina London from the rural climes of Richmond in the Hawkesbury.
I’m sorry I didn’t meet my great grandmother. I was two when she died and living in New Guinea. By the time I was older and began looking for her story it came as a pleasant surprise to know that she too had lived in the northern tropics and it would appear had had the soul of the adventurer about her.
Priscilla was known to her family as “Press” and to her grandchildren later in life she went by “Pat”. She was born in 1891 to Matilda Mitchell and William John London, Orchadists in the Kurrajong. She was the second last of a very large family of children. Priscilla’s childhood would have been quite a noisy and rambunctious one with such a large family. Maybe as one of the youngest she was able to get away with more mischief. Whose to know? I imagine this because at the tender age of 21 she had shot loose from the rural community of Richmond in the Hawkesbury and married a flash Sydney boy, Arthur Edward Helmrich. Quite a jump up from the nearby parish in Richmond where the family had attended for many years. Sydney city for Priscilla at this time must have been incredibly exciting and somewhat overwhelming compared to what she was used to. Arthur Helmrich and Priscilla Georgina London were married at what was then St Paul’s Anglican Church at 242 Cleveland Street. The suburb now being known as Redfern. The church is no longer Anglican but a Greek Orthodox church.
Their wedding was on the 23rd December, 1911. Witnesses at the wedding were Arthur’s brother George and sister Florence Helmrich.
Now whilst Arthur and Priscilla were getting settled and making their social acquaintances about town it probably didn’t hurt that Arthur was cousin to rising and well known singing artist, Dorothy Helmrich. Dorothy would go on to be quite famous in her own right as a successful musician who would travel the world.
The year after their marriage in 1912 Arthur and Priscilla welcomed their first child. It would not be long however before they started moving northward to Queensland. On the 24th November 1912 Audrey Florence Helmrich was born. In 1914 their second child Edward (Ned) Burnett Helmrich was born in Sydney. By the 5th April 1918 when my grandmother Neva Irene Helmrich was born, the family had moved to Mt. Morgan in Queensland where Dick was involved in the mining business as an Engineer. In 1919 Arthur was listed as a Miner and Priscilla as Home Duties. They were living in Duaringa, Capricornia in Queensland. On the 1st October 1922
On the 15 January 1914 the Morning Bulletin – Rockhampton Queensland reports, Arthur Helmrich, aged twenty five years living in Hull Street and working in the Mount Morgan mine, had his left wrist badly lacerated when barring down this afternoon. The ambulance bearers rendered first aid and took the sufferer to hospital.
The same year Arthur and Priscilla welcomed their second child, a son – Edward Burnett Helmrich. Throughout his life he will be known as Ned. On the 5th April 1914 a second daughter was born at Mt Morgan in Queensland. Neva Irene Helmrich. On the electoral roll in 1919 Arthur is listed as living in Duaringa, Capricornia, Qld and employed as a Miner.
On the 1st October 1922 George and Sydney Arthur Helmrich were born however they died near birth. I would suggest that perhaps they were stillborn babies? This must have been a desperately sad time for their parents and families. In 1925 the family were living in Mt Morgan Queensland. Arthur was still involved in the mines. During these years they had different properties and addresses. Arthur even selected some land which he later disposed of.
On the 18th August 1924 Arthur found himself (and his wife) in front of the courts for selling Sly Grog. ( I did say he was flash right) Both he and Priscilla end up with a conviction and a fine to be paid. The story ended up in The Brisbane Courier.
SLY GROG CASE. £ 50 FINE IMPOSED. ROCKHAMPTON, August 18. 1924 In the Police Court this morning, Arthur Edward Helmrich was charged with unlawfully selling a bottle of port wine, and also for having kept liquor for sale in an unlicensed house in Mt. Morgan.
Two other defendants had pleaded guilty, and were fined £50 each, while liquor worth over £300 was confiscated. Inspector O’Connor prosecuted, and Mr. J. Pattison appealed for defendant who pleaded not guilty. The Police Magistrate convicted, and fined defendant £50, and ordered the liquor seized to be confiscated. It was intimated the fine will be paid.
Getting this into perspective, it’s hardly likely that Arthur and Priscilla were up to the standards of famous sly groggers like Tilly Devine or Kate Leigh who were active in Sydney at this time. They got busted selling liquor from their home without a licence. Thus the fine. If they were serious sly-groggers then there would have been some jail time.
In the 1925 electoral rolls Arthur and Priscilla were both living in the electorate of Baralba and Arthur is listed as a Miner and Priscilla as Home Duties.
In the Morning Bulletin Rockhampton Queensland. 5 Jan 1927, Arthur applied to select 15-16 square miles at 5 pound (per ?) at a place called Alberta. The application was heard in the monthly sitting of the Rockhampton Commissioner’s Court presided over by tho Land Com missioner, Mr. W. J. Hooper. The application was approved.
Given a photograph I have recently had forwarded to me by a very kind distant relation it would appear that Arthur and Priscilla do indeed move onto this selection. At some point in time however they disposed of this land, as to how? I’m not quite sure.
The same year in Waverley, NSW, Arthur’s mother Florence died at the age of 72. She names her three surviving children as administrators of her affairs.
Somewhere along the track Arthur came across a great opportunity and by the 27th June 1929 he had the family aboard the ship Marella and they were waving goodbye to Queensland and moving to Malim Nawar in Malaya.
On the 8th June 1929 the newspaper reported Priscilla and two of her children being aboard the Marella berthing at Dalgetty’s Wharf, Bulimba. They had come from Sydney back to Queensland. It is likely that they may have been visiting family.
Arthur had found work in the tin mines. Their arrival was announced in the local social pages and the Helmrich’s began a life as colonial expats. Life was completely different to what they have known but it seemed to suit the Helmrich family and it would appear they embraced it enthusiastically.
From The Brisbane Courier (QLD) Saturday 8th June 1929. On the 27th June 1929 the family were again onboard the Marella this time journeying to Singapore. The family were relocating for for Dick’s work in the mines. Malim Nawar a tin-mining operation was their destination. Life in Malim Nawar in Malaya must have had a degree of far east excitement about it. One year they were being hauled into court over sly grog charges and a few years later in 1931 they were making very respectable announcements in the papers for their eldest daughter Audrey’s engagement to a wealthy Engineers son from London.
In 1929 Arthur found himself in court again. This time he is cautioned, fined $100 and discharged by the Magistrate for giving the Police false information regarding an incident that was heard in the Perak Appeal Court, where a European, Thomas Hurst “has caused the death of a Chinese at Bidor by rashly and negligently driving his car.
During their time in Malim Nawar Arthur’s occupation was an Engineer. What exact role he played in the mines at this time is unknown. However during their time they enjoyed many of the local colonial pursuits and social opportunities afforded the expats from Australia
On the 18th February, 1930, Arthur and Priscilla’s daughter Audrey, became engaged to Thomas Welch a motor car engineer with the tin mines from England, whose family were well established in Malaya and Singapore. The engagement appeared in the local papers.
Difficult to see but Arthur and Priscilla are on the far left elephant. Title of news article. They let the elephants do it in Perak.
The Straits Times 18 February 1930 The engagement is announced between Miss Audrey Florence, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.E. Helmrich of Malim Nawar, and Mr. Thomas C. Welch of Ipoh The couple would later marry and eventually move back to Thomas’ home in Nottingham.
In 1933 Priscilla and Arthur were on the electoral roles as having a home at 139 Nelson Bay Road, Waverley NSW.
Audrey would visit Australia from time to time but lived out her life in England. By 1933 Arthur and Priscilla had moved back to Australia and were living at 139 Nelson Bay Road, Waverley in New South Wales. Their daughters remained in Malaya. At the time Arthur was listed on the Australian census records as an Engineer and Priscilla as Home Duties. On the 7th March 1936 Arthur was back in the social pages being back in Malay for visit. It is likely that he was visiting his daughter Neva who lived in Ipoh. 7 March 1936 – The Straits Times Mr. A.E. Helmrich an Australian Engineer has arrived in Malaya, after paying a visit to Siam. He is spending some time in Ipoh at present and will return to Australia shortly. The following year on the 1st April 1937, Arthur was back in Ipoh again for the wedding of Neva to Brian Miles.
1937 wasn’t all a good year for Arthur. By the 17th December his marriage to Priscilla was officially ended in divorce. Seems he got caught out with an L Peterson. Like all papers in those days, it made the news! Helmrich V Helmrich, Priscilla Georgina Helmrich (formerly London) v Arthur Edward Helmrich. Marriage December 1911, at Sydney. Issue respondent’s adultery with one L. Peterson. Decree nisi. Mr Jack Richards instructed by Mr. John M. Hellmrich for petitioner.Sydney Morning Herald (NSW) Thursday 17th December 1936. At this time, Priscilla told the judge that she didn’t need want any financial support from her ex-husband and would look after herself!
Both of their daughters married in Malaya to men who were involved in the mines. Audrey married Thomas Cecil Welch. They would eventually move back to Poole in Dorset, England where Thomas was from. Audrey did visit Australia again from time to time but never comes back to Australia to live.
Priscilla and Arthur’s son Edward (Ned) traveled back and forwards from Malaya and Australia. In 1937 in Canterbury NSW he married Eva Baker. Ned became a Barber and for many years owned a busy barbershop in Railway Square Sydney. Priscilla like her son Ned also held a Barbershop Licence Card to allow the business to be carried on. This was a licence allocated by councils to ensure monitoring of standards was met. Priscilla and her second husband John owned another barber shop which was called The Shearing Shed in George Street in Sydney. They would ‘hire’ out chairs to barbers to use. Throughout all the census records I have checked Priscilla always gave her occupation as Home Duties, odd.
Back in Malaya, 18 year old Neva married Brian Miles in 1937 in Ipoh, Perak. Arthur attended the wedding. On the 1936 electoral roles back in Australia, Priscilla is listed as living (with no mention of Arthur) at 48 Flood Street, Bondi, NSW. This was an apartment building called Savona.
On the 9th July 1937 Priscilla sues Arthur for a divorce. SUPREME COURT. IN DIVORCE. I (Before Mr.1 Justice Davidson.) DECREES ABSOLUTE. Decree nisi which had been made in the following cases were pronounced absolute and the marriages dissolved: Priscilla Georgina Helmrich v Arthur Edward Helmrich. Getting a divorce in those days was rough stuff, the whole story made it into the papers: – Helmrich V Helmrich Priscilla Georgina Helmrich (formerly London) v Arthur Edward Helmrich. Marriage December 1911, at Sydney. Issue respondent’s adultery with one L. Peterson. Decree nisi. Mr Jack Richards instructed by Mr. John M. Hellmrich) for petitioner.Sydney Morning Herald (NSW) Thursday 17th December 1936.
Within twelve months Priscilla married her second husband John Edward Vesperman. They resided at 52 Crystal Street in Petersham, New South Wales. Priscilla and John were living in Petersham when the Japanese army invaded Malaya and Singapore in December 1941. By January 1942 Singapore fell to the advancing Japanese army. Priscilla must have been beside herself worrying for her daughter and toddler grandson. Neva told the story of how she and her son had been on one of the last ships out of Singapore as it fell and when she got to Australia she went to stay with her mother and stepfather in Petersham.
Arthur changed his business interests somewhat as in 1943 at 55 years, Arthur owned The Ritz Private Hotel in Elizabeth Street, Sydney. The Ritz was called in legal terms, a disorderly house (a nice way of saying brothel and gambling/flop house), it had had its order rescinded and became a respectable boarding house. (Sydney Morning Herald)
An order, made by Mr. Reed. C.S.M., on January 18th declaring The Ritz private hotel. Elizabeth Street, Sydney, a disorderly house, was rescinded yesterday by Mr. Hardwick, 5.M., Central Summons Court. Yesterday’s application was made by James Alfred Parker, of Kanimbla Hall, Tusculum Street, Potts Point, who stated that he had sold his interest in the business to Arthur Edward Helmrich, of Simpson Street, Bondi, who for the past 15 years had been a mining engineer in Malaya. Inspector Courtney said that since the order was made the place had been well conducted. The rescinding order was made subject to the completion of the transfer from Parker to Helmrich within 28 days. Arthur must have been’ delighted’, the original newspaper story didn’t paint a pretty picture at all.
PRIVATE HOTEL DECLARED DISORDERLY – YOUNG GIRLS IN THE NUDE
The Ritz Private Hotel, Elizabeth Street, Sydney, on the application of the police on Monday was declared a disorderly house by Mr Reed, S.M. The declaration was made under the National Security Regulations on the ground that disorderly and in decent conduct had taken place on the premises and was likely to take place again, and that liquor had been unlawfully supplied.
According to a police affidavit, police had visited the premises several times and on each visit they had found young girls nude or nearly nude in the company with Allied sailors. In most instances all were under the influence of liquor.
In 1943 whilst WWII raged around, Arthur was living at 55 Simpson Street Bondi and his employment was given as Proprietor. His daughter Neva and grandson made it out of Singapore before it fell to the Japanese and were back in Australia. Arthur and Priscilla’s son Ned marries Eva Baker in 1937 and worked as a barber in Sydney. Audrey was in England. In the same year Priscilla married John Vesperman, they lived at 52 Crystal Street in Petersham, NSW for the remainder of her life. One of the great jokes that John and Priscilla used to tell their grandchildren was that one day one of them noticed that a barber-shop on the other side of the road in Sydney to where they had their barber/hairdessing shop was up for sale. Without delay the Vespermann’s bought this shop and then would always laugh that ‘if they didn’t catch the punters on one side of the road, they’d get them on the other.”
(John Vespermann is the larger gent in the photos).
On the 14th November, 1953 Arthur was at Saratoga with his daughter Neva and her family. He has been unwell for some time. Family stories suggest he had cancer. Arthur had owned a place at Saratoga before becoming unwell. Neva and her husband Ernest Whitehead had also relocated to Saratoga.
I know that Arthur was with them because my father who was a child at the time remembers sleeping in the bed next to his grandfather and being woken by his mother early in the morning and being quietly taken out of the bedroom and put to sleep in another bed. His grandfather had died in his sleep next to him and obviously Neva didn’t want to frighten a small child. He was told later in the morning that his grandfather had passed but did not know for some years later the actual circumstances.
The newspaper notices read:- Helmrich. Arthur Edward (Dick) – November 14. 1953. Of Saratoga, beloved father of Audrey (Mrs Welsh, Bournemouth, England). Edward (Ned). Canterbury, and Neva (Mrs E. Whitehead, Bronte), Aged 65 years. At rest. Sydney Morning Herald 16 November 1953 Helmrich-The Funeral of the late Arthur Edward (Dick) Helmrich of Saratoga. will take place at Eastern Suburbs Crematorium this day at 10 a.m. R.H. Creighton Central Coast Funeral Service p/l Gosford Helmrich – In loving memory of our dear father, father-in-law, and grandfather, Arthur (Dick) who was called to rest November 14 1953. Sadly missed by his daughter, Doll. Arthur is laid to rest, cremated and buried in the Matraville Cemetary in the Methodist Section.
Outcome of probate :- In the Sydney Morning Herald on the 31st March 1954 an announcement was made regarding the last will and testament of Arthur. In the will of Arthur Edward Helmrich late of Saratoga but formerly of Bondi in the State of New South Wales Retired Mining Engineer deceased – Application will be made after 14 days from the publication hereof that Letters of Administration with the Will dated 1st March, 1943, annexed of the Estate of the above named deceased may be granted to Priscilla Georgina Vesperman the Attorney for Audrey Florence Welch, the sole beneficiary named in the said Will for the use and benefit of the said Audrey Florence Welch limited until she shall apply for a grant; George Alexander Helmrich (this was Arthur’s brother) the executor therein name having predeceased the deceased. And all notices and claims may be served at the undermentioned address and creditors and all others having any claim against the Estate of the said deceased are required to forward particulars thereof to the undersigned. HENRY DAVID AND SONS, Proctors for the Applicant, 44 Martin Place, Sydney.
In 1952 Priscilla enjoyed a lottery win. With the money she took her daughter Neva and grandson by ship to Poole in England to visit her other daughter Audrey and her family. At the same time (likely as a result of the lottery win), Priscilla was investigated by the Taxation Department and was subsequently fined for tax evasion. That’d be flaming right!
From all that I have been told John was a kind and decent fellow who took great care of Priscilla and cared for her until her death at the age of 81 on the 15th February 1972. Priscilla’s funeral was held at Rookwood Cemetery. She was cremated and her remains were kept by her daughter Neva and were interred with her after she died.
Yews to Eucalypts 