Movember Monday – Henry Vincent CANET (1878 – 1953)

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Image of Henry Vincent CANET (1878 - 1953)

Henry Vincent CANET (1878 – 1953)

I’m doing a month long meme for November – Movember Monday!! Each monday of the month in support of Movember, I will be posting about a moustached ancestor!! Come on over to the Inside History Hairy Mancestor page and let people know about your post!

Henry Vincent Canet, born 10 Oct 1878 in Tallygaroopna, Vic, Australia[1]; died 09 Feb 1953 in Fitzroy, Vic, Australia.  He was the son of Robert Canet and Elizabeth Ann Montgomery.  He married Cecile Alice May O’Donnell 02 Oct 1918 in Shepparton, Vic, Australia.

He married ALICE CASSANDRA BARTLETT 1907 in Tallygaroopna, Vic, Australia, daughter of John BARTLETT and Cassandra GREY. She was born 1884 in Branholme, Vic, Australia. They had one child named Ernest CANET but both mother and child died. Henry’s second family did not know much about the first family other than he had kept his first wife’s favorite hat (it had flowers around the brim) and a small photo of his son. It was about 10 years after his first wifes’ death before he remarried. Searches have been conducted of all deaths from 1854-1980 for Canet. There is no entry for any wife or child.

He married Cecile Alice May O’DONNELL on 2 Oct 1918 in Shepparton, Vic, Australia, she was the daughter of Hamilton Lewis O’DONNELL and Annie BROWN. She was born 15 Jan 1897 in Bunbartha, Vic, Australia, and died 25 Jul 1984 in Qld, Australia.

Henry Canet played for Tallygaroopna Football Club over many years. There are two team photos from 1907 and 1908 which feature Henry. In the photo from 1907 he is the one behind the man in white, he has a mustache. His brother, Bert (Albert) is also in the photo. Henry also loved to play cricket and played for Shepparton.

In 1896 he is listed in Wise’s Victoria Post Office Directory as a carpenter. In 1903 he is living in Main St, Tallygaroopna, Vic, Australia and his occupation is listed as being a cycle agent[2]. In 1904, he is still working as a cycle agent[3]. In 1909 he has moved to Wyndham St, Shepparton, Vic, Australia and is listed as an agent based at Tallygaroopna Railway Station[4]. He is still there in 1914 and 1919[5]. In 1919 he is listed as living at a different address to his wife, who is in Corio St, Shepparton, Vic, Australia.

He is listed in Wise’s under the Bicycle and Motorcycle agent section. Of interest are other Canet’s also mentioned in the same directory. His brother, A

lbert is listed as a grocer in Tallygaroopna and his mother, Elizabeth is listed as a confectioner in Tallygaroopna.

"SALE OF AIR RIFLE." The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) 5 Jun 1925: 15. Web. 11 Nov 2013 .

“SALE OF AIR RIFLE.” The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1957) 5 Jun 1925: 15. Web. 11 Nov 2013 .

Henry also was a builder/carpenter for a time. He had a Service Station in Shepparton and was the local motorcycle mechanic. Family lore says there was an outbreak of scarlet fever in Shepparton and Henry drove the local doctor to all of his calls, as he was one of the few who owned a car. Later they had a Deli in Carlton, Melbourne.

Some time before 1924, the family moved to Fitzroy, a suburb of Melbourne, Vic, Australia. In 1924 he is listed with his wife as living at 442 Geor

ge St, Fitzroy, Vic, Australia and working as a cycle manufacturer[6].

From 1923 to 1928, Henry is listed in the Sands & McDougall Postal Directories as a “cycle manufacturer” at 431 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. His business was on the corner of Brunswick & Cecil Street’s.

In 1925 he had a run in with the law when he was fined for selling air rifles to two underage boys. He was able to escape with a warning and a small fine. The article regarding this incident provides the name of his business, the Blue Bell Cycle Works. Family lore says that he constructed cycles for Malvern Star.

In 1931 he is still in the cycle business but is now living at 88 Cecil Street, Fitzroy. Henry remained at this address until his death on the 9th Feb, 1953.

[1] Dept of Justice, State of Victoria, Births, Deaths and Marriages, State of Victoria, Birth Certificate.

[2] Ancestry.com, Australian Electoral Rolls, 1901-1954, Australian Electoral Commission. [Electoral roll]. Microform mc N 451-mc N 457. National Library of Australia, Canberra, Australia..

[3] Wise’s Victoria Post Office Directory, 1904

[4] Ancestry.com, Australian Electoral Rolls, 1901-1954, Australian Electoral Commission. [Electoral roll]. Microform mc N 451-mc N 457. National Library of Australia, Canberra, Australia.

[5] Ancestry.com, Australian Electoral Rolls, 1901-1954, Australian Electoral Commission. [Electoral roll]. Microform mc N 451-mc N 457. National Library of Australia, Canberra, Australia.

[6] Ancestry.com, Australian Electoral Rolls, 1901-1954, Australian Electoral Commission. [Electoral roll]. Microform mc N 451-mc N 457. National Library of Australia, Canberra, Australia..

Trove Tuesday – Letters from Soldiers – Jack CANET

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Letters from Soliders - Jack CANET

Letters from Soldiers - Jack CANET - via Trove

My first Trove Tuesday post has been prompted by the discovery of a series of letters written by John (Jack) CANET originally of Tallygaroopna, Victoria, Australia but who at the time of writing was based in Brunswick, Victoria, Australia, written while he was stationed in England during World War One.

Jack was the brother of my great grandfather, Henry Vincent CANET. While I searching for articles about Henry CANET I found these letters (Henry is mentioned in a couple).

The letters were sent to various family members, mainly Henry and his (and Jacks) mother, Elizabeth Ann MONTGOMERY. It appears that they felt the letters would be of interest to members of the communities to which Jack was a part of, Tallygaroopna and Brunswick. In all the letters, a number of other people from these areas who were stationed overseas are also mentioned.

The Story

The letters tell the story of Jacks’ journey from Australia, to England via Africa. He mentions having stopped briefly in Durban and Cape Town, before travelling and landing in Free Town, Sierra Leone. He goes into quite a bit of detail about his time in Free Town. Some of the language used reflects the racial attitudes of the time, so if you read them, be warned. From Free Town he travels for several weeks to finally land at Plymouth, England. From there he and his fellow troops travel by train to Exeter, Bristol, Swindon before finally stopping at Tidworth, the location of his army camp.

The letters then go onto describe life in camp, visiting various sights around the country, including meeting up with other men from Tallygaroopna at Salisbury Post Office before a day on the town. He also talks about possible deployment in France and machine gunner training.

The letters are listed in here in the order in which they appear to have been written, rather than by publication date.

What The Letters Tell Us

About Jack:

  • His address in Australia – 30 Smith Street, West Brunswick, Victoria, Australia
  • The route and method of travel from Australia to England
  • The unit Jack was serving with and where it was based
  • That he was athletic and enjoyed physical activity
  • That he liked to travel and did so whenever possible
  • He attempted, unsuccessfully, to make contact with his father’s family while in England
  • Who many of his relatives were
  • Liked to write really long letters (lucky for us!)

In General

  • That many people from Tallygaroopna joined up and they kept in touch while overseas
  • That the following people known to Jack were serving overseas, they met up while there and where they were stationed:
    • Lester O’BRIEN
    • Billy LEWIS
    • Bert RENNICK
    • Bob RENNICK
    • Bob (Robert) CANET
  • Information about where the other soldiers were stationed and what units
  • The living conditions of the soldiers – 30 to a hut, sports days, leave, quantity and quality of food (better quality but not enough)
  • Local train fares in England
  • Henry CANET address – Wyndham Street, Shepparton, Victoria, Australia
  • The some locations were incorrectly transcribed – there is no Sidworth, but there is a Tidworth near both Salisbury and Perham Downs – always worth checking things on a map

In Conclusion

Even though Jack isn’t a direct ancestor the letters make a fascinating reading. And while there aren’t any earth shattering revelations, there are a few tidbits to fill out the picture about great grandfather Henry CANET – some addresses and who he was on good terms with. And there are many bits of information for non-related family historians.