Laslett family history

Arthur and Edna Lasslett of Hurlstone Park

Arthur or as he was always known, Mick, was born Saturday 29 August 1908 in the front bedroom of his parents house, Warrawoona, at 20 Duntroon Street, Hurlstone Park. He was the son of Frederick Lasslett a builder of Hurlstone Park and his wife Amy Lasslett née Hickey (page 136).

He told me he was educated locally at a Technical High School in Dulwich Hill. After school he was apprenticed and qualified as an electrician.

One of his friends was Bill Haase who qualified as a pilot in 1927 and I gather took Mick out to the airport with him. Bill got a job with Adastra Airways, the Klemm agent, and Mick in turn started picking up electrical contracting jobs around Mascot airport. This combined with work for a number of factories and a little private work allowed him to live quite comfortably.

He married Edna Edith Anne Murray at North Strathfield on Sunday 25 June 1939. Edna is the daughter of Albert Ernest Murray, a French Polisher of Strathfield N.S.W., and Edith Amy Murray née Eskrigge.

At the time of her marriage Edna had her own dressmaking business at 48 Railway Parade, Burwood, where she worked herself and employed a small number of dressmakers. She gave this business up to look after her family.

Edna and Mick moved into 20 Duntroon Street, Hurlstone Park, which they shared with Mick's parents. About 1954, after the parent's death, the house was sold to settle their estate and Edna and Mick bought another property at 67 Acton Street, Hurlstone Park, where Edna still lives.

His work at the airport meant Mick was in a reserved occupation during the war.

In fact these jobs lasted well into the 1950s but Mick never liked having employees, preferring to work alone, so as the airport went into its period of rapid expansion at the end of the 1950s he was not able to win the contracts against the larger electrical firms. Unfortunately this threw him back on relying on his work for a number of factories and when these experienced hard times in the credit squeeze of 1960 Mick tossed in the towel and obtained a job as an electrician with the Maritime Services Board of Sydney Harbour. He later confided in me that it was the smartest move that he had ever made.

He died on Sunday 24 November 1974 at Taree and his ashes are at the Northern Suburbs Crematorium, Ryde.

Family of Arthur and Edna Lasslett

Son

GORDON ARTHUR - born Thursday 26 September 1946 at Hurlstone Park. Married Susan Elizabeth Krauss on Saturday 27 September 1969.

See chapter Gordon and Susan Lasslett of Lindfield East on page 191.

Daughters

JANICE EDITH - born Friday 12 July 1940 at Hurlstone Park. In April 1966 married Lawrence Ashton Palmer at St. Anne's Church of England Strathfield. Jan died of nephritis on Saturday 21 January 1967 at Killara.
FAYE NARELLE - born Wednesday 9 February 1944 at Hurlstone Park. Married Charles Anthony Musson (Tony) on Saturday 13 December 1969.
Children:
Anthony Rohan Musson - born Saturday 9 January 1971 at Dundas.
Karen Janice Musson - born Saturday 5 September 1973 at Dundas.