When William met Jessie – Part 2

Jun 1, 2023 | Biographies, Love in War Time

This story is a continuation of one which was published on our Blog back in March of 2021 and you can click here to read that beautiful story.

William John Betts marriage to English nurse Jessie Florence Brown at Walthamstow, Essex in February 1919, resulted in the births of three children in Gympie Queensland. (A world away from Essex, England). Herbert Edward—April 24th 1921, Sylvia Evelyn—1925 and one stillbirth December 27th 1929.  The Betts children were very musical with both children mentioned in the results of the practical music examination held in Gympie by Trinity College of Music (London) in June 1931, Herbert Edward Betts-85- Honours, Sylvia Evelyn Betts- 84-Honours. They were pupils of Miss M.Woolgar, L.T.C.L.

Herbert Edward finished his education at Gympie State High School in 1937 where he achieved well in the Junior Public Examination. The results published in The Telegraph, Thu 20 Jan 1938, P21, showed a creditable result in six subjects. He was a Bank Clerk, age 20yrs. working for the Queensland National bank at Oakey when he enlisted in the Australian Military Forces on December 3rd 1941. 

He was given the Army No. QX25353 and gave his father William John BETTS residing at 37 Rifle Range Road as his next of kin. Perhaps his occupation as a bank clerk served in his favour as all of his transfers in the following years were within Australia until February 1946 when he was transferred to H.Q. 2/169 A.G.T.Coy. as part of British Commonwealth Occupation Forces, embarking from Sydney per “Duntroon” and disembarking at Kure, Japan on April 9th 1946.

In December he returned to Australia per “Kanimbla” arriving in Sydney on December 16th 1946. He was transferred to 1 M.D. After serving for a total of 1,861days, including 280 days outside Australia, Sergeant Herbert Edward BETTS was discharged in Brisbane on January 6th 1947. He returned to his pre-war occupation as bank clerk with Queensland National Bank with postings to various towns throughout the Southern Downs and Central West of the state and in 1951 his marriage to Marjorie M. EASTWELL of Warwick was announced in the Courier Mail. In 1958 they were living at Goondiwindi where he was a Bank manager. He continued working with the National bank until his retirement. Herbert Edward BETTS died November 26th 2001 at Sandgate age 80yrs. His wife Marjorie had pre deceased him dying in 1989. (NB: The Queensland National Bank merged with The National Bank of Australasia Ltd. In 1948 and came under its banner)

Sylvia Evelyn BETTS was born in Gympie in 1925. She was a gifted pianist and won prizes at local Eisteddfods while page 26 of the Courier-Mail, Wednesday 9th February 1938 carried the following news. “Miss Sylvia Betts of Gympie, has won the scholarship to the University, given by the Returned Soldiers’ League to commemorate the Coronation year”. The scholarship £30per year for four years was open to sons and daughters of returned soldiers and sailors eligible for membership of the R.S.S.I.L.A. The selection had been made by the Department of Public Instruction. The Secretary of the Gympie sub-branch and Hon. Secretary of Wide Bay and Burnett District of the R.S.S.I.L.A. said the Miss Betts was a very bright girl. She attended Gympie High School and in the recent Junior Public Examination obtained three A’s two B’s and one C. She was a good linguist and hoped to become a school teacher. “ The statewide results for the Junior University Certificate published in the Courier Mail Thu 23 Jan 1936 for Gympie High School were as follows: “ Betts- Sylvia E. – 1B, 2B, 5A, 7B, 9A, 10A, 11A, 12B, 21A. (E.C.1)” Continuing her education, she was a Faculty of Arts day student when she sat for University Degree Examinations in December 1938.
The Electoral Roll for 1944 showed Sylvia Betts had achieved her ambition and was working as a school teacher at Innisfail. In April 1952 she announced her engagement to Keith Richard HINKLEY of Clayfield and married in July of that year. Keith Richard Hinkley was working in the Forest Office at Imbil in 1949. In 1954 the Hinkley family were living at 8 Garrick St. Gympie. Electoral Rolls show Keith Richard and Sylvia Evelyn Hinkleys’ movements to various areas in the Forest Service from Gympie in 1954, finishing at Ashgrove Brisbane in 1977. Sylvia Evelyn (BETTS) HINKLEY was living at Govan St. Ashgrove when died on April 7th 1977 age 52yrs. Keith Richard Hinkley died March 22nd 1988 age 70yrs.

Jessie Florence (BROWN) BETTS, the English nurse William John Betts gave his heart to when he wrote in her Autograph book on October 18th 1918 at Bermondsey Military Hospital Lewisham– “My heart is like a cabbage, nearly broak in two. The leaves I give to others, the heart I give to you. Dinkum.” died in 1955 in Gympie. William John BETTS remarried in 1957 to Mabel GIBSON and was living at Rifle Range Road Gympie when he died. His death in 1966 brings to a conclusion this family story that started when William met Jessie in London when the world was at war in 1918, survived the great depression of the 1930’s and watched the world plunged into war again in 1939 He was laid to rest at Mt.Thompson Memorial Gardens Crematorium Brisbane on Thursday, June 16th 1966.

 

This story was written by Val Buchanan.  The original story appeared in our Newsletter of April 2019 and you can read that here. 

Sources: Royal Australian Navy, AWM – Australian War Memorial; W.W.2 Nominal roll; Australian War memorial; Record Search- National Archives; Billion Graves; Ancestry; Mt Thompson Crematorium; Gympie Times (Gympie City Library films); NLA. Trove newspapers.