David Corrie Stewart

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• _UID: 62933B19050E4E699C8C53FDF1FF6CFEE5FD
• Residence: 1941, 14 Union St, Leith, Midlothian, Edinburgh, Scotland

Notes:

Notes from Terry Stewart
Dad was named after David Corrie, a foot runner that his father trained.
Dad had originally joined the London North Eastern Railway (LNER), in 1936, as a lad porter and gradually progressed to signalman. In March 1941 Dad became the Signalman at Dalkieth Colliery Signal Box at a wage of 4 pounds 12 shillings and six pence.
In March 1941 Dad became the Signalman at Dalkieth Colliery Signal Box at a wage of 4 pounds 12 shillings and six pence.
In 1949, when the Canadian Government called for railwayman to join Canadian Railways, Dad and Mum decided to immigrate to Canada. The family was accepted but before we could leave for Canada the quota was filled.
Just at this time a scheme opened for Railwayman to join the Victoria State Railways in Australia. Dad was accepted as a Porter at Spencer Street Railway Station in Melbourne and so we were soon off to Australia on board the SS Chitral.
Departing London on July 23 1950 we were due to arrive in Melbourne, via Suez, Port Said, Aden, Colombo and Fremantle, on the 22nd August. However we broke down, and spent 5 days in Fremantle, and so arrived at Port Melbourne on 27th Aug, where we were bussed off to our new homes in Sunshine, on the outskirts of Melbourne.
We had no sooner arrived when Dad found that the Victorian Railways were on strike. So he obtained a job at a furniture factory in Sunshine. His first job there was to brand the furniture, which was made in Sunshine, "Made In England".
The strike over he began his work in Spencer Street Station.
When we lived in Sunshine our permanent house was at 110 Wright Street.
Mum got a job in the ICI munitions works and then worked as a Shop Assistant in a fruit and vegetable shop.
Trying to assimilate into the community Mum joined the "Mother's Club" at Sunshine State School, at which I was a pupil. She became a member of their choir and appeared on radio, with the choir.
Mum was very much involved with the Order of the Eastern Star and Dad with the Masonic Lodge.
Dad was the founder of the Scottish Society in Sunshine and became their first secretary and the driving force amongst their committee.
He was quite an accomplished artist especially with pen & ink and in later life turning his hand to oil painting.
After going for a holiday to Fremantle, WA, Mum and Dad decided to sell up and head west.
We left Melbourne onbard the MV Kanimbla and survived a very rough passage, to WA, disembarking at Fremantle in 1955.
First living in a flat at 37 John Street, Mum and Dad eventually bought a house, which Mum made into a boarding house, at Hickory Street, South Fremantle, whilst Dad went to work for the Commonwealth Oil Refineries installation, at North Fremantle, as a Storeman.
On the death of Granny Stewart, Dad's Mum, in 1956 the family returned to Scotland, on-board the MV Moreton Bay.
Mum, never a good traveller, was seasick all the way, even when we were going up the English Channel she was still being sick.
Back in Edinburgh Mum went back to work for Martin's Bakers and Dad rejoined the railways, first as a cleaner and then signalman.
When I got married in 1962 and returned to WA it did not take Mum and Dad long to decide to follow us.
Mum Dad and my sister Patricia arrived back in Fremantle in 1963.
Dad went to work at the Royal Perth Hospital as an Orderly.
After living with my wife and I, at Applecross, they bought a house at Park Street Subiaco.
Wanting to be closer to the coast and to have a bit more space than their house in Subiaco, Mum and Dad moved from there to Forrest Street, Fremantle.
One very early morning Dad woke up and found Mum was not in bed. On investigating he found her sitting next to the telephone.
"What are you doing sitting there?"
"I am waiting on an obscene telephone call."
Dad looked incredulous.
Mum said "I got a phone call a couple of hours ago, from a Police Sergeant. He told me I was going to get a call from an obscene telephone caller. And would I keep him talking so they could trace the call!!!"
Always the gullible one.
In 1971 Dad had a brain aneurism for which he had to be operated on. After recovery he would sometimes be called on to talk with others suffering from the same problem and distressed before an operation. Dad always maintained that the operation never affected him but it had. Before the aneurism he was a very happy go lucky person but afterwards became very short tempered.
Dad loved classical music, which once got him into trouble with the police. Driving, on Canning Highway, the 1812 overturure belting out the highest possible volume, he stopped at the traffic lights when he realised there was someone knocking on the side of the door of the car. It was a policeman ordering him to turn the music down.
Mum never really enjoyed great health but she was a survivor.
It was whilst living at Forrest Street that she first suffered from a bad heart.
Her first set of bypass surgery followed. Six bypasses were inserted, at Royal Perth Hospital.
Some of the bypasses failed and so corrective surgery was attempted.
As the bypasses deteriorated further bypasses had to be installed.
In all she has had 3 sets of bypasses inserted.
The next move was to 12a Alcester Street, East Fremantle and then later to Rockingham.
This proved too far from hospital so they moved back into town buying a house at Myaree.
It was whilst living at Myaree that Mum had her first stroke.
She recovered from this but with a slight loss of memory which caused her to mixe up her words, sometimes with some funny consequences.
One day I was chaffing her about the Aitken's being crooks.
Her reply to that was that the Stewart's were just "sheep shitters". She meant to say sheep-hearders.
From there they moved to Virginia Avenue, Maddington.
In 1996, about 9 months before Dad died, he had a breakdown eventually having to be cared for, at Hillview Nursing Hospital.
The staff were always making mention of his good manners and courtesy to the staff.
Contracting pneumonia he seemed to be getting over it. Mum, Pat Laurie and I, visited him on the Tuesday evening where he seemed to be resting easily. By the time I got home there was a call waiting for me.
Dad had passed away. He died after having a cerebrovascular accident on 12 Aug 1997.
A service was held at Fremantle Cemetery on 15 Aug 1997. Dad was cremated at Fremantle Crematorium, and his ashes are interred at the Garden of Remembrance, Lakes Area, location CBP8 No.6.

David married Sinclairina Spence Aitken on 20 Jun 1941 in St Paul's Church, Lorne Street, Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland. Sinclairina (daughter of Thomas Barton Aitken and Catherine Manson Spence) was born on 9 Apr 1919 in 30 Arthur Street, Leith, Midlothian, Edinburgh; died on 8 May 2004 in Maddington, WA. Australia; was buried on 12 May 2004 in Freemantle Crematorium, Australia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living
2. Living

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• _UID: 68F8A8484D544C399B4697349A9A80F9CF90

Alexander married Mary Graham Kerr. Mary was born in 1886; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _UID: B4B6591C5665450EABBB02ECE2FB292A71D5