Birth, Death, Marriage | |
| Robert Kenneth Bazley was born in 1894 in Leongatha, Victoria.1 | |
| He married Mary Ellen O'Connell, daughter of William Patrick O'Connell and Mary Elizabeth Milovitch, on 26 November 1925 in Shepparton, Victoria.2,3 | |
| He died in 1964.4 | |
Family | Mary Ellen O'Connell b. 4 Dec 1903, d. 27 Feb 1987 |
| Child |
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| Charts | Milovitch, Thomas, descendant chart O'Connell, Michael, descendant chart |
Story | |
| Engagement Nellie O'Connell and Robery Bazley announced their engagement late in the month of Nellie's 21st birthday celebration, December 1924. The newspaper article is hard to read, but says: The engagement is announced of Miss Nellie O'Connell, daughter of Mr W O'Connell, of Maroopna [sic] to Lieut. RK Bazley, MC and Bar, of Ardmona. Lieut. Bazley, who is a son of Mr and Mrs R Baziey, of Tooiamba, joined the 21st Battalion as a private in the early stages of the war and was on board the Southland when that troopship was torpedoed.5 | |
| Wedding Robert Bazley and Nellie O'Connell married in Shepparton in November 1925. The Shepparton Advertiser has this account of the wedding: A quiet wedding was celebrated at the Roman Catholic Presbytery, Shepparton, on Thursday, the Rev. Father Murphy officiating, when Miss Nellie O'Connell, daughter of Mr W O’Connell, was married to Mr RK Bazley, second son of Mr RA Bazley, of the Toolamba Hotel. The bride, who was given away by her father, looked very pretty in a frock of figured crepe de chene, her veil being lent for the occasion by Mrs Ross Smith. Miss Annie O’Connell (sister) was bridesmaid, Mr Mick O'Connell being best man. After the ceremony an adjournment was made to the Rivoli Cafe, where the wedding breakfast was laid out, when the usual toasts were duly honored. Mr and Mrs Bazley left by the evening train for Melbourne, en route to Healesville, where the honeymoon will be spent. Their future home will be at Ardmona.6 | |
 Bob & Nell Bazley (O'Connell), 1925 Image: Laurie & Lorraine Phillips | |
| Sisters Nell Bazley and Annie Williams raised families about 170 km apart, but visits were common. When Roy, Annie, Lorraine, Val or Leon stayed in Melbourne it was at Bob and Nell's place in Strathmore. And when Bob, Nell or Ailsa visited Mooroopna, they stayed with Roy and Annie.7,8,9 | |
| O'Connell Family Even though most had moved away, the O'Connells maintained close contact over the years. | |
 Mag O'Connell (Noonan), Nell Bazley (O'Connell), Mick, Myra (Tatlow) & Will/Billy O'Connell, Annie Williams (O'Connell, seated), Mooroopna, Nov 1969 Image: Val Williams  Mick & Myra (Tatlow) O'Connell, Annie Williams (O'Connell), Nell Bazley (O'Connell, seated), Mag (Noonan) & Will/Billy O'Connell, Mooroopna, Nov 1969 Image: Val Williams  Annie Williams (O'Connell), Will/Billy O'Connell, Nell (Mary Ellen) Bazley (O'Connell), Mick O'Connell, c. 1963 Image: Val Williams | |
| Back to Mooroopna The 'Back to Mooroopna' celebrations were a great opportunity for ex-Mooroopna people to catch up with those who stayed, and the Easter 1963 'Back to' was very popular with the O'Connell, Williams and related families.  'Back to Mooroopna' celebrations, Apr 1963 Image: Laurie & Lorraine Phillips  'Back to Mooroopna' celebrations, Apr 1963 Image: Laurie & Lorraine Phillips  Bob Bazley, Annie Williams (O'Connell), Thelma Johnson (Williams), Myra O'Connell (Tatlow), Mag O'Connell (Noonan), Nell Bazley (O'Connell), Bill Hehir, Mick O'Connell, Rita Johnson (Williams), 'Back to Mooroopna', 97 Main St, Apr 1963 Image: Val Williams  Nell Bazley (O'Connell), Karen & Peter Phillips, 'Back To Mooroopna', Main St, Mooroopna, Apr 1963 Image: Val Williams  Bill Hehir, Annie Williams (O'Connell), Rita Johnson (Williams, front), Mag O'Connell (Noonan, standing), Thelma Jamieson (Williams, seated), Mick O'Connell (standing), Myra O'Connell (Tatlow, seated), Nell (O'Connell) & Bob Bazley (front), 'Back To Mooroopna', 97 Main St, Apr 1963 Image: Val Williams  Standing: Bill Hehir, Annie Williams (O'Connell), Mag O'Connell, Mick O'Connell; Seated: Karen & Peter Phillips, Rita Johnson (Williams), Thelma Jamieson (Williams, on chair), Nell Bazley (O'Connell, front), Myra O'Connell (Tatlow), Bob Bazley (front); 'Back to Mooroopna', Main St, Mooroopna, Apr 1963 Image: Val Williams | |
| It was an occasion for young and old. Always up for a bit of fun, Annie dressed up for the occasion, donning the most 'youthful' clothing she could find and borrowing her grandson's school bag. The O'Connells also caught up with the Foleys, family friends from over fifty years earlier.  Annie Williams (O'Connell),'Back to Mooroopna', Mooroopna State School, Apr 1963 Image: Laurie & Lorraine Phillips  Annie Williams (O'Connell), Back to Mooroopna, 1963 Image: Margaret O'Connell  Karen Phillips, Mary Williams (Budd), Anne Phillips, 'Back to Mooroopna', Apr 1963 Image: Laurie & Lorraine Phillips  Anne Phillips, 'Back to Mooroopna', Apr 1963 Image: Laurie & Lorraine Phillips  Helen Phillips, 'Back to Mooroopna', Apr 1963 Image: Laurie & Lorraine Phillips  Tom Foley, Peter Phillips, Bob Bazley, Lillian Foley & Mick O'Connell, 'Back to Mooroopna', Apr 1963 Image: Lost Mooroopna, Facebook | |
| Bob Bazley died in 1964.4 | |
Citations
- [S270] Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, registry and index, "Robt Kenneth Bazley' entry, birth registration no. 22143, 1894.
- [S56] Margaret O'Leary, personal communication, 9 July 1996.
- [S270] Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, registry and index, 'Mary Ellen OConnell' and Robert Kenneth Bazley entry, marriage registration no. 10966, 1925.
- [S422] BillionGraves, online cemetery data, Robert Kenneth Bazley entry, viewed 12 November 2018, https://billiongraves.com/grave/Robert-Kenneth-Bazley/…
- [S467] 'Engaged', Herald, 1855-1990, newspaper, FB Franklyn & Co, 30 December 1924, p. 6, viewed 23 May 2018, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/243868276
- [S201] 'Wedding', Shepparton Advertiser, 1914-1953, newspaper, Thomas Pettit and William Callender, 30 November 1925, p. 4, viewed 20 May 2018, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/173264651
- [S201] 'From Patricia's diary', Shepparton Advertiser, 1914-1953, newspaper, Thomas Pettit and William Callender, 12 January 1943, p. 5, viewed 19 September 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article175182497
- [S126] Peter Phillips, personal knowledge or recollection.
- [S201] 'From Patricia's diary', Shepparton Advertiser, 1914-1953, newspaper, Thomas Pettit and William Callender, 8 September 1950, p. 2, viewed 19 September 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article189071039