Pages

Friday, 22 November 2019

Fredrick Powling Early Motoring History

                                                       FREDRICK        POWLING

Born    25th January    1902 Died 2088

Location     Inglenook      Ford street  Brunswick  Victoria    Australia

Father     William   Powling  55      Solicitor   1843-1903

Mother   Jean Dean Price       25     Domestic Servant   1846- 1934
                             Her Father John Bridgeman Price  1849-1908                 Born at sea.
                             Her mother  Caroline Emily Brown 1850- 1934 Born London


Birth Certificate of Fredrick Powling my father.

1904 Jean Powling and son Fredrick moved to Sydney,renting a property in Cameron street Edgecliff.
1906 Jean ,Fred's mother married William Arthur Williams of Stanmore,and had two childen,Arthur born  October 1907,address on the birth certificate given as Russel street Burwood and Harvey born August 1910.address on birth Certificate given as"Dalesford"Bland street Haberfield
1908 .Where Fredrick attended the Public school in Bland street.
1910 They lived in 4 Gillies st Haberfield


1910. Fred sold papers on the Haberfield tram,which require dexterity jumping on and off trams.
1911. Fred learnt to ride a bike which open up a whole new world,meet other cyclist,joining a group which rode the dirt roads to Richmond.Stealing fruit from the roadside orchards,getting caught and facing the embarrisment with the Law.
Photo of the Williams family




1916 Left school,living at Alt street Ashfield with his step father W.A. Williams and mother.Found work at Dunlop Tyre Co. at Wentworth Avenue city which required him to cycle to town each day.
He  worked at Kelly Motors Elizabeth street city.He also worked at William Bros Elizabeth street,
agents for Douglas motor cycles.




Fred also did a spot of rowing on the Parramatta river,shown in the above photo.He told me stories of their trips to Freshwater beach for weekends before the Spit Bridge was built,to enjoy the surf,drink beer with his mates and play cricket,photo shows the team in whites.Freshwater developed a reputation of larakins and the name was changed to Harbord.It could be the reason Fred did eventually buy a ruin in Hill street.



Early photo of Fredrick Powling


Above photo of winchman Fred Williams aboard the SS Brunda steaming to Englind.Fred did tell me when in London he called at the company's head office to collect the shilling he was paid for his employment.Its quite possible he called on the Douglas Motorcycle company as Williams bros were NSW agents.


Photo above SS Brunda full steam ahead.



Photos above Williams family outside their Alt street Ashfield property.

Promoting the Brand. Fred on his motorcycle and sidecar.


Because he also worked for Smith Sons and Reeves at Wentworth Avenue Sydney his whole
working life was involved with the motoring industry,it was natural that his recreational time was involved in driving motor vehicles.
Below are photos of some of the many vehicles he drove on dirt roads,in motoring trials and speed trial.It was a love of motoring.




Fred astride an early Douglas twin.The other people in the photo are likely to be the Williams Bros who had the Douglas agency and W.A Williams Fred's stepfather.





Time as a countryman.Top left with brothers Harvey and Arthur on a shooting trip.Handling a Merino ram on a sheep station at Moree.Bottom row at the Partridge Brothers tin mine at Tinga.the steam engine,which provided the power, and Partridge Fred on the right dressed,as a white shoed spectator.
1927 Fred commenced business in Elizabeth Street as Williams and Plumber.Motor dealers.
In 1929 Fred officially changed his name to Fredrick Williams,although he was know as that for a number of years.


















1929 Married Frances Elizabeth Craig.Honeymooned in England.Where first child Lindsey was born.
In 1929 Fred officially changed his name to Fredrick Williams,although he had been know by this name for years










Round 1935 the Williams family had a holiday at Mt Wilson in the Blue Mountains.Below are the house Windyridge owned by the Gregson family,the tall trees which grew well in the volcanic soil
aided by high rainfall.The old utility van belonged to the postman.We rode horses and played on the Giant Stride,and experienced the chocolate wheel toilet,when you lifted the lid a ratchet caused the toilet to rotate.


Fred used to visit on weekends,on one occasion he ran out of petrol and had a long walk to Mt Victoria to fill a can of petrol.Its one thing Fred was good at was walking.
Photos below at 30 Guilfoyle Avenue Double Bay.Top left,mowing the lawn,top right with the children,foreground nursie Janet Llewellyn.Bottom left with Louise Williams,Arthur's wife.
In his AIF uniform 2/5th Field Regiment.Willow tree growing in the garden.

Fred Williams Family Tree.Commencing in England with the conviction of Thomas Powling in 1816.








The life of Fred Williams continues in NX14522.