Laslett family history

Gordon and Susan Lasslett of Lindfield

Gordon Arthur Lasslett was born on Thursday 26 September 1946 at a private hospital in Petersham, the third and last child of Arthur Lasslett, an Electrical Contractor of Hurlstone Park, and Edna Lasslett née Murray (page 164).

I was named after my uncle Gordon Lasslett who died a year before my father was born. We lived at 20 Duntroon Street Hurlstone park. I can remember this house well - the termites in summer, the grape vine, my grandfather's nasturtiums growing by the fence

I attended Canterbury Boys High School and obtained my Leaving Certificate in 1963 went to work for the Bank of New South Wales in their Hurlstone Park Branch. I have remained in their employ ever since.

On Saturday 27 September 1969 I married Susan Elizabeth Krauss (born 20 December 1945), a nurse, the daughter of George Frederick Krauss, a Chartered Accountant of Cremorne, and Gwendoline Myee Krauss née Evans. The wedding took place at the bride's house in Cremorne and as Susan had contracted pneumonia a day or two before the wedding it made for a rather interesting time. Her doctor had ordered her to stay in bed but there was no way that Susan wished to go through all the arrangements again at a later date.

The Krauss family were originally from Weilmunster in the Duchy of Nassau and immigrated individually over the period 1855/65 finally settling on the land in the Bungawalbyn valley near Grafton where Susan's greatgrandfather Heinrich (Henry) farmed and, as well, ran a combination blacksmith and dentist business. Perhaps it is from humble beginnings such as these that Australians' extreme reluctance to visit the dentist derives.

We originally settled at Balmain, in a terrace house in Llewellyn Street, but as the children grew and needed more space bought a house in Woodlands Road, Lindfield. We demolished this house and had Neville Gruzman, a noted architect and an acquaintance on a charity committee; build us a modernist style house.

Now, in 2005, the children have left home – Xenia with an IT research degree and working as an analyst for the airline QANTAS while Kris has gone to London after completing a B Comms degree and LLB (1st Class Hons) in Sydney and is lecturing at Westminster University in London while completing his Master of Philosophy degree via a PhD in the Human Rights Law area.

Family of Gordon and Susan Lasslett

Sons

AARON FREDERICK - born 7 August 1970 at Royal Women's Hospital, Paddington and lived at Balmain for a year. He died in Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick on 10 August 1971 and is buried at Northern Suburbs Crematorium, North Ryde.
KRISTIAN ARTHUR KRAUSS - born 23 April 1980 at Royal Women's Hospital, Paddington. He is named after his grandfather and greatuncles Christian Krauss and Christian Krust. HSC Sydney High. State Champion Quad Skulls in year 10. B Comms and LLB (1st Class Hons) 2004 UTS plus UTS Law Gross prize for Human Rights summer 2004. 2005 scholarship University of Westminster London for PhD in Human Rights Law via an Mphil.

Daughter