John Joseph Punch (b 1850)

parents John Joseph Punch & Maria Wright


born 1850, Limehouse, London, England[1]
died 2 December 1906, Bendigo, Victoria Australia[3,11]
buried 4 December 1906, Bendigo Cemetery, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia[4]

John Joseph is noted as being 10 months old in the 1851 UK Census which was taken on 30 March, so he was certainly born in 1850 probably in the Jun-Sep quarter and his birth was registered in Stepney[1,12].


1851 UK Census

He came to Australia as an infant with his parents arriving in the Port Phillip District (now Melbourne) on 18 October 1852, onboard the "Maria"[2].  He grew up in the Bendigo area.

In 1874 John married Julia Hannah Gundry[3].  It seems that they lived their whole married lives in the Bendigo area.

Julia died on 25 May 1899 and was buried on 28 May at the Bendigo Cemetery, Monument Section L6, Grave 15446[3,4,11].

John died on 2 December 1906 and was buried in the same grave as Julia on 4 December[3,4,11].



Children of John Joseph Punch and Julia Hannah Gundry:-

1.  Julia Hannah Punch was born in 1872 in Bendigo.  In 1896 she married Henry Thompson[3].  Julia and Henry had (at least) two children[3]:-

1a.  Eva Irene Thompson was born in Bendigo in 1898

1b.  George Ernest Thompson was born in Bendigo in 1901

2.  John Joseph Punch was born in 1874 in Bendigo and died in Melbourne East in 1914[3].   He may have been a Miner in the Bendigo area[4].

3.  Laura Ann Punch was born in 1876 but lived only 5 months and died in the same year[3].  She was buried on 8 July in Grave 1328 at the Kangaroo Flat Cemetery[4].

4.  Charles Alexander Punch was born in 1877 in Bendigo.  In 1898, he married Sarah Anne Josephine Sullivan[3].  No children have been found.

5.  Thomas George Gundry Punch was born in 1880 in Bendigo.  In 1911, he married Helen Margaret Leahy, prbably, in Yarrawonga, Victoria.  Helen's parents were John Daniel Leahy and Mary Elizabeth Frost.  Thomas died in 1954 at Golden Square[3].  He was buried on 26 May 1954 at the Bendigo Cemetery in the same grave as his parents.  Helen died in 1962 in Bendigo and was buried on 18 January in the same grave as Thomas and his parents[4].

Thomas and Helen lived in the Bendigo district of Golden Square.  From 1904 through 1934, they lived at 119 Thistle Street - the suburb called Golden Square and later Bendigo except in 1919 they are noted living at 114 Thistle Street.  In 1909, Thomas is noted as a Miner but in other years his occupation is stated to be Battery Man.  Helen is there and is performing Home Duties[5].

Their three children were all born in Golden Square:-

5a. Jean May Gundry Punch was born in 1912.  In 1936, Jean was living with her parents and worked as a Mill Employee[5].  She married Malcolm Stephens in 1937[3].  She died in Carlton, Victoria in 1968[3].

5b. Eva Eileen Punch was born in 1914.  In 1936, Eva was living with her parents and her occupation was Clerk[5].  She married Oswald Farmer in 1941[3].

5c. Thomas George Punch was born in 1917.  He married Mary Kathleen Elizabeth Leahy in 1938.  Mary's parents were John and Florence Leahy[3].  Mary died in 1977 and was buried on 11 October at the Bendigo Cemetery, Lawn Section 3M, Grave 44335[4].

6.  Elijah George Punch was born in 1882 in Bendigo but died young in 1885 in Bendigo[3].  He was buried on 18 January 1885 at the Bendigo Cemetery, Monument Section L7, Grave 9042[4].

7.  William Ernest Punch was born in 1885 in Bendigo.  He married Ruby Jane Palamountain in 1908.  Ruby's parents were Thomas Palamountain and Harriet Melinda Harper and she was born in 1888 in Inglewood, Victoria.  Interestingly, William and Ruby's marriage has her name recorded as Rutherford.  This mistake may have come about because she was given away by her grandfather Mr Rutherford[3,13].  

In 1914 they were living at 106 Thistle Street, Golden Square.  William worked as a Miner and Ruby attended to Home Duties[5].  In 1919 and in 1924, William and Ruby were living at 114 Thistle Street.  William was still working as a Miner[5].   William died rather young at 40 years of age in Dandenong, Victoria in 1926[3].  Ruby died in nearby Nobel Park in 1976[3].  They may have been living with, or nearby, their daughter, Lorraine Melinda.

William and Ruby had three daughters all born in Golden Square:-

7a. Julie Irene Punch was born in 1909.  Julie married Thomas Martin Meehan in 1930[3].  Thomas was born in Beaufort, Victoria (near Ballarat) and his parents were Thomas Michael Meehan and Ellen O'Callaghan[3].  Thomas died in Parkdale, Victoria in 1957[3].  Julie died in Dandenong, Victoria in 1977[3].

7b. Phyllis Grace Punch was born in 1911.  Phyllis married William Roy Jones in 1939[3].  Phyllis died in Box Hill in 1980[3].

7c. Lorraine Melinda Punch was born in 1913.  In 1934, Lorraine lived at 4 Hammond Road, Dandenong[5].  She married Allen Frank Reedy in 1938[3].  Lorraine died in Brighton, Victoria in 1982[3].

8.   Eva May Punch was born in 1888 in Bendigo[3].   

In 1909 she was living at 119 Thistle Street, Golden Square and was performing Home Duties.  From 1914 to 1936 she was living at the Windsor Hotel in Spring Street, Melbourne (then called the Grand Hotel) and her occupation is stated as Home Duties[5].  The Windsor was and still is, one of Melbourne's most prestigious hotels.  How did she become to live there?  Was she the companion of someone or was she a live-in maid?

Eva May never married and died in Abbotsford, Victoria in 1950[3].  She was buried on 4 July 1950 at the Springvale Botanic Cemetery, Tristiana Section, Individual Rose, Gareden G3, Bed 9, Rose 18[6].

9.  James Stanley Punch was born in 1890 in Bendigo.  Until he joined the Army, he worked as a Miner[10].

James enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (Army) on 13 September 1915.  He was initially assigned to the 16th Depot Battalion, Bendigo but after arriving in Marseilles, France, on 4 April 1916, he was reassigned to the 6th Battalion.  He was wounded in action on 12 September 1916 (gunshot wound to the elbow) and admitted to hospital In Leeds, England but by the middle of the year, he was back in France.  In January 1971, he was found to be absent from his work, and served 3 days punishment.  In April 1917 he was found guilty of drunkeness and served 28 days in prison.  James was discharged on 31 March 1919[10].

James married Ivy Millicent Osborne in 1919[3].  Ivy was born in 1882 in Bendigo, Victoria[3].  Ivy's parents were Thomas Edgar Osborne and Mary Elizabeth Loveland[3].

From 1924 through to 1936 he worked as a Labourer in the Melbourne area.  In 1924 he lived at 183 Stokes Street, Port Melbourne, in 1931 he was at 29 Lyle Street, Brunswick and in 1936 he was at 22 Charles Street, Abbotsford, Victoria.  Ivy was also found with him and she stated her occupation as Home Duties[5].

Ivy Millicent died in 1938 in Melbourne aged only 45 years[3].  She was buried on 4 July 1938 at Fawkner Memorial Park, Victoria, Methodist Section, Compartment C, Grave 1569.  James died in 1957 in Abbotford.  He was buried on 31 July 1957 and is lying in the same grave as Ivy[7].

John Stanley and Ivy had (at least) two children:-

9a. John Arthur Stanley Punch was born in 1920 in South Melbourne, Victoria.  He married Beryl Louisa Dorcas Neilson in 1942[3].

9b. Beryl Punch.  Beryl died in 1920 in South Melbourne[3].


10.  Reuben Frank Punch (aka Frank Rubin) was born in 1892 in Bendigo.  He married Elizabeth Ann Tyack in 1912.  Elizabeth was born in Echuca, Victoria in 1894 and her parents were James Tyack and Mary Alizabeth West Pygall[3].

In 1914, Rueben was living at 82 Nettle Street, Bendigo and worked as a Miner[5].  .

Reuben and Elizabeth had (at least) 2 children:-

10a. John Gundry Punch was born in 1913 in Bendigo and died the same year[3].  He was buried on 24 December 1913 at the Bendigo Cemetery, Monument Section O3, Grave 22221[4].

10b. Frank Albert Punch was born in 1915 in Bendigo[3].  Frank married Eileen May Sperling in 1938[3].  Eileen was born in 1917 in Swan Hill, Victoria and her parents were John Patrick Sperling and Ada Mary Osbourne[3].

On 16 August 1915, Reuben Frank enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (Army).  He stated his address as 3 Havelock Street, Bendigo.  He stated his name to be Frank Rubin.  He did his basic training at Broadmeadows Army Camp, Victoria and was then assigned to the 5th Pioneer Battalion as a Private. Before leaving Australia, his rank changed to Driver.  He left Australia in April 1916 and arrived in Marseilles, France on 25 June 1916.  He was killed in action on 7 October 1917 in Belgium and was buried at White House Cemetery, St Jean (just north of Ypres), Belgium.  He lies in Plot 4, Row A, Grave 29[8].

In early 1918, Elizabeth Ann moved from 3 Havelock Street to 183 Lennox Street, Richmond, Victoria

In 1918, Elizabeth Ann remarried with John Harper Rutherford[1,8].  Jan 1920 she moved from 86 King Street, Bendigo back to Richmond.
In 1922 Elizabeth Ann was living at 27 Abbot Street, Bendigo and was still there in 1928[8].

11.  Clarence Gundry Punch was born in 1895 in Bendigo[3].  Clarence worked for years with the Victorian Railways as a Driver

On 9 August 1917, Clarence enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (Army).  He did his basic training at Broadmeadows Army Camp, Victoria and was then assigned to the 2nd Depot Battalion as a Private.  Clarence left Australia on the 23 November 1917 and arrived in England on 16 February 1918.  He was in and out of hospital and finally joined his battalion in France on 25 May 1918.  He suffered bronchial pneumonia, admitted to hospital and was discharged on 19 February 1919[9].

In 1924 he lived in Redcliff, Victoria[5].  Maybe that is where he met Olive?  He married Olive Christina Droscher in 1925[3].  In 1931 he and Olive were in Minyip and in 1934 to 1936 they were in Rupanyup, Victoria[5].  Clarence died in 1971 in Ballarat, Victoria[3].  




References
  1. 1851 UK Census, HO/107/1551
  2. Public Records Office of Victoria, VPRS 7666, Inwards Overseas Passenger Lists
  3. Victorian Birth, Marriage and Death registers
  4. Bendigo Cemetery Trust records
  5. Victorian Electoral Rolls
  6. Springvale Botanic Cemetery records
  7. Fawkner Memorial Park records
  8. Reuben Frank Punch b1892 AIF Service Record
  9. Clarence Gundry Punch b1895 AIF Service Record
  10. James Stanley Punch b1890 AIF Service Record
  11. Bendigo Advertiser Personal Notices, 2 Dec 1907
  12. FreeBMD.org.uk - District: Stepney, Vol 2, Page 542
  13. The Bendigo Advertiser, 23 Sep 1908, page 5