Laslett family history

Frederick and Amy Lasslett of Hurlstone Park

Frederick Alfred William Lasslett was born on 4 February 1871 at Malmsbury, Victoria. He was the only child of Frederick Rook Lasslett, a carpenter, and Julia Mary Lasslett née Abbott (page 120).

He trained as a Carpenter/Builder and around 1890 moved to Sydney with his parents. He married Amy Sarah Hickey on 31 December 1896 in Newtown. Amy had been born at Edward Street, Pyrmont on 27 November 1873 the daughter of James Hickey a blacksmith and dredge master and Esther Hickey (née Thomson). Esther's mother had been born Hannah Myers, the daughter of Samuel Myers and Esther Bond a brassfounder of Liverpool, Lancs and his wife. Family legend has it that the Myers and Bonds were Jewish converts to Christianity.

Immediately after marriage Frederick and Amy lived at 84 Regent Street Newtown, they then moved to Summer Hill while they built Warrawoona at 20 Duntroon Street, Hurlstone Park.

Frederick was a fairly successful builder and was responsible for building many of the houses in Hurlstone Park. He prospered and was quite comfortably off. Apart from the houses at Hurlstone Park he also had two holiday homes on the lake at Long Jetty about 100K from Sydney.

His main hobby was gardening and the family home had well set out and productive vegetable and flower garden.

Unfortunately Frederick died when the writer was only a year old so I have no recollection of him but Amy lived until 1954 and I can remember her quite well. The house was divided in two and Amy and lived in one part and my parents in the other. Amy had a 'bad heart' and I seem to remember her being in bed a lot or sitting by the fire in her parlour.

In answer to my plea for help Shirley Barnes, my cousin and grandaughter of Frederick and Amy, wrote to me on 30 July 1989:

‘Our grandfather, Frederick Alfred William, died at the residence of his daughter Dorothy at lOA Auburn Street, Goulburn, . . . and his wife Amy Sarah died at the same address. Grandfather only lived for about 7/8 months at our Goulburn home, and Amy died after living with us for about 8 years. I cannot tell you much about Grandpa who talked very little about his past family connections, and devoted much of his time to his flower garden, and to holidaying at Long Jetty where he kept his launch. A couple of snapshots showing him in the launch are enclosed for your files, if you would like to keep them. He always enjoyed taking family and also friends on cruises around his beloved Tuggerah Lakes. You probably know that he (with son Freddy) built 3 fibro/weatherboard homes on the main road at Long Jetty and a smaller home at the rear of one. In fact one home was still standing and occupied when I was at Long Jetty early this year. Grandfather did speak proudly of his own father (Frederick) but only occasionally. A snapshot of his father is enclosed, with 2 ditto of a family grave in the C of E Section at Rookwood. This is the grave of Esther Hickey our great grandmotner, and also our Uncle Gordon after whom you were named. He died when aged about 2.

‘The very old photograph of St. Saviours (it is misspelt on the card) [at Fernhill, later Hurlstone Park] may be of interest for your files as our Grandpa built and presented the altar which, I believe, is still in the old church which I last knew to be the hall near the newer church [St. Stephens] . ‘

Frederick died on Tuesday 30 September 1947 while Amy died on Saturday 5 June 1954. They are both buried in the Church of England Section of Rookwood Cemetery.

Family of Frederick and Amy Lasslett

Sons

FREDERICK JAMES VEVERS - born 30 October 1897. Fred married Bertha Simmons on Saturday 13 December 1924. He died in Melbourne on Christmas Day Sunday 25 December 1955. Bertha died at Hurlstone Park on Thursday 30 October 1958.

See chapter Frederick and Bertha Lasslett of Hurlstone Park on page 160.

GORDON ABBOTT LASSLETT - born Thursday 1 June 1905 at Hurlstone Park. Died Wednesday 31 July 1907.
ARTHUR CLIFFORD ROOK (Mick) - born Saturday 29 August 1908 at Hurlstone Park. Married Edna Edith Anne Murray at North Strathfield on Sunday 25 June 1939. He died on Sunday 24 November 1974 at Taree and his ashes are at the Northern Suburbs Crematorium, Ryde.

See chapter Arthur and Edna Lasslett of Hurlstone Park on page 164.

Daughters

DOROTHY AMY (Dolly) - born Tuesday 4 September 1900 at Hurlstone Park. Dorothy married Reginald Vernon Barnes at Marrickville on Saturday 22 September 1923. Reg died on Wednesday 6 March 1963 in Melbourne while Dorothy died at Taree on Wednesday 9 May 1979. Children:
Vernon Frederick Barnes - born Wednesday 18 August 1926 at Marrickville. Vernon died from diptheria on Saturday 22 February 1936 at Marrickville.
Shirley Amy Barnes - born Monday 17 March 1930 at Marrickville. Shirley became an Executive Secretary with the NMLA but took early retirement and bought a motel business in Taree NSW with her old boss, Bill York, and his wife, Freda. In recent years they sold up the motel and have retired in Taree.