Henry Howard Wheeler (1886 – 1953)
Mary Lisle Johnson (1887-1979)
Henry Howard Wheeler was the middle of the five children of William Wheeler and Grace Jane Dunsman Fearon. He was born on 24 Jun 1886 in Mackay, Queensland; we’re not sure why his parents had gone to Queensland at that time.
Mary Lisle Johnson was the youngest of the eight children of Frederick Henry Johnson & Agnes Jane West. She was born in Petersham, Sydney, in 1887. Henry and Mary married on 11 Sep 1915 at Mosman, Sydney.
There is not much information available in newspapers on Henry or Mary. Henry appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald on Tue 29 Jul 1902 in a list of matriculants with a C in English and English history, B in French, Latin and geometry and an A in arithmetic and algebra. On Sat 10 Mar 1906 there was an item in which he and his brother Harold were allocated a handicap for Waverly Club’s 66 yard swimming race. And we know from obituaries that he worked as a general merchant for Ronald Westgarth who was a stock and station supplier and possibly a cousin by marriage. They operated from 7 Spring St, Sydney, until about 1925, then from35 Blight St.
Henry and Mary had three children:
01. Anne (b. 09 Aug 1920, d. 30 May 2007)
02. Robert Henry (b. 26 Nov 1922, d. 22 Oct 1995), known as Bob
03. Peter du Moulin (b. 22 Jul 1924, d. 27 Feb 1995)
The 1913 electoral rolls show Henry living in Clifton, Campbell St, Artarmon; he was already listed as a merchant. During the 20s when the three children were born they lived in Roseville Avenue, Roseville. This is a photo of Mary outside that house:
By 1930 the family had moved to Rosemoran, 1576 Pacific Highway, Warrawee. Rosemoran is a two storey Federation period house that is now within a local council heritage conservation area. Henry’s sister Maud Grace Wheeler and Mary’s sister Ella May Johnson (known as Buddy), neither of whom ever married, also lived with the family. Mary’s father, Frederick Henry Johnson, also moved into Rosemoran until his death in 1931, aged 85. The property is now an over-55s collection of 34 two and three bedroom luxury apartments called The Rose by Moran.
Picnic at Rosemoran. Seated: Mary, Mr Kingsbury (a family friend), Ella, Henry and Maud. On rugs are other friends of the family.
Frederick Henry Johnson with Anne and Bob; and Henry on their tennis court
Mary, and with children Bob, Peter and Anne
Those identified are Henry, Maud, Mary, Mrs Kingsbury; Peter (second lad from left), Bob and Joan Kingsbury (who married Brian Brennan and so became Anne’s sister-in-law)
Henry, with Peter on his left and Bob on his right; and an older Bob, strikingly like his dad Henry
Henry seated left; standing Hugh Brennan (Anne’s husband), Bob, ?; Bob’s wife Cynthia North standing; Maud, holding Anne and Hugh’s daughter Mary alongside their oldest daughter Elizabeth; Ella, Anne and Mary
Mr Kingsbury, Mary, Alla, ??, Henry, ?; lads are Peter, a Kingsbury, Bob; Joan Kingsbury, Anne, ??,Mrs Kingsbury, Maud
Henry died of a heart attack at home on 01 Jan 1953. He had made a will back in 1921 but had appointed no executor; The Sydney Morning Herald carried this notice on Mon 23 Feb 1953:
IN the Estate of HENRY HOWARD WHEELER late of Wahroonga in the State of New South Wales Retired General Merchant deceased – Application will be made after 14 days from the publication hereof that Administration of the Estate of the above named deceased with the Will dated 17th February 1921 annexed no Executor having been appointed therein may be granted to the Public Trustee and all persons having claims against the said Estate must render the same in detail to the undersigned.
Following Henry’s death Rosemoran was sold. Mary, Maud and Ella moved together to Stanthorpe St, Killara. Ella died in 1962 and Maud in 1967. Mary then moved in with her daughter Anne’s family house in Lynwood Ave Killara; she passed away in 1979.
wheeler family 