1821info11g2 for William Henry Blackman
His children by his first marriage



William Henry BLACKMAN (Junior) William and Daisy's first child

William Henry BLACKMAN was born on 14 July 1901 (Vic BMD 20880/1901). He died, aged 23, on 11 April 1925 (Vic BMD 6119/1925)

The Age Banner 13 April 1925 - 16kB jpg
WH Blackman's death The Age 13 April 1925 - 93kB jpg   Left: Page 5 of The Age of Monday 13 April 1925 reporting the death of William Henry BLACKMAN
1821info11g2, sheet 2
WH Blackman funeral arrangements banner - 13kB jpg
WH Blackman funeral arrangements - 34kB jpg   Left: Page 10 of The Age of Monday 13 April 1925 reporting the funeral arrangements of William Henry BLACKMAN

Map of Albert Park and Finlay Street - 157kB jpg
Above: Map locating Albert Park and Finlay Street and the location of William Henry's death
1821info11g2, sheet 3
William Henry Blackman's inquest cover - 48kB jpg The official verdict records 'the said William Henry Blackman came by his death, I say that on the 11th day of April 1925 at Albert Park in the sea in the said state the said William Henry Blackman died from suffocating by drowning. There is not sufficient evidence to determine how the deceased got into the water.' The signature of the coroner can not be transcribed. Source: Inquest papers pp.2&3

Left: William Henry Blackman's inquest cover (Accessed: 26 February 2023) on the 21 April 1925
1821info11g2, sheet 4
CORONER'S INQUEST

This Deponent WILLIAM WOODS
on his oath saith, I am a SENIOR CONSTABLE
residing at ALBERT PARK
At 6 405am on the 11th inst I went to Albert Park Beach and there saw a man laying on the sand parallel with the water and about 5 feet from the waters edge It was face down and nearly covered with sand. The clothes and body were wet. I examined the body and could find no marks on it. There was nothing on the body to identify it. I removed the body to the Morgue. I later searched the room of the deceased at 6 Finlay Street Albert Park. I could find nothing to show that the deceased intended to take his own life I made inquiries along the beach and could not find anyone who had seen him in the vicinity. I have found nothing suspicious.

On page 5 of the inquest record is the disposition of William Henry BLACKMAN senior, which contain the most relevant information.

CORONER'S INQUEST

This Deponent WILLIAM HENRY BLACKMAN
on his oath saith, I am a LABURER (sic)
residing at 6 FINLAY STREET ALBERT PARK
On the 11th inst I identified the body of William Henry Blackman, the younger, as my son. He was aged 23 years At 6 30 p.m. on the 10th inst, he came home and said he was ill He appeared to be ill. He did not complain, (sic) He was employed at Carlyons Hotel. He came in the back door and went to his room. I went to his room and he was laying on his bed with his clothes on. He commenced to retch I lifted him up. He said "I'm alright Dad." I went to his room at 10 30p.m.. He was still lying on his bed. I covered him with the blankets. I did not see him again that night. He had good health and never complained. He was not financially worried and no worries that he had were known to me.
TO THE CORONER He was a single man. I did not ask what made him ill. All he said to me was "I'm alright Dad." He was a cheerful man. I never saw him with drink on him. I doubt he took his life. I think he felt bad, lay on the beach, and the waves came over. It was not a cold night.
WH Blackman's signature - 4k gif
1821info11g2, sheet 5
He was buried on 13 April 1925 at Brighton General Cemetery, Cauldfield South, Melbourne in plot Church of England ZF 507, which would be next to his father.

Right: William Henry Blackman's unmarked grave plot Brighton General Cemetery, next to his father's unmarked plot
William Henry Blackman's grave plot - 59kB jpg
6 Finlay Street, Melbourne - kB jpg   Right: The original and modified 6 Finlay Street, Melbourne, the Blackman home Author: November 2015

Left: Carlyon's Hotel, where William Henry worked, at the corner of Spencer Street and Bourke Street in 1912   Carlyon's Hotel 1912 - 42kB jpg

1821info11g2, sheet 6

John Leonard BLACKMAN - William and Daisy's second child

John Leonard BLACKMAN was born in Albert Park, Victoria, on 8 January 1910 (Vic BMD 4968/1910).

The Australian Electoral Roll 1903-1977, available on Ancestry, records their homes and occupations as:

There is no real evidence that this is our John Leonard.

The casualty extract from The Argus gives an insight into John Leonard's pre-war life.

The Argus, Saturday 8 February 1941, page 5
PERSONAL NOTES;
Following are brief personal notes about A.I.F. members who have been reported on casualty lists or reported to next of kin as casualties: -
SERGEANT JOHN LEONARD BLACKMAN, (wounded) who enlisted in Ascotvale as a private and sailed with an infantry battalion in the first contingent, is aged 32 years.
His father lives at Albert Park. Sergeant Blackman attended school in Albert Park and was later at South Melbourne Technical School. He was employed by SKF Ball-bearing Co. Ltd. He was a clever armature boxer. Later he turned professional, and had many wrestling contests in the country. Before going abroad he was a sports master at Puckapunyal.

John Leonard died in Bentleigh on 29 April 1967 aged 57 (Vic BMD 8920/1967). His death record gives his place of birth as Ballarat. Probate was granted 20 December 1968.

Grave of John Leonard Blackman - 39kB jpg   Left: The grave of John Leonard BLACKMAN, buried Brighton General Cemetery, Caulfield South, Glen Eira Lawn G 194
1821info11g2, sheet 7

He served in World War 2 number 34568, in the 2/8th Battalion, maintaining a family tradition. There is not service record at the NAA. He continued in the army after the war as a Warrant Officer 1.

Left: Military grave marker of John Leonard Blackman assumed to be Brighton General Cemetery, Caulfield South

Military grave marker of John Leonard Blackman - 39kB jpg

1821info11g2, sheet 8

Thomas Keith BLACKMAN - William and Daisy's third child

Keith BLACKMAN was born 18 August 1912 (Vic BMD 22497/1912) in South Melbourne and died on 14 April 1977. In 1939 he married Meryl Alice TITFORD (Vic BMD 1221/1939. Meryl who was born on 02 February 1916 in St Kilda (Vic BMD 7429/1916) and died on 09 September 2002.

Right: thomas Keith BLACKMAN in 1940 at a friend's wedding Courtesy: Pamela Pollock - her father
thomas Keith Blackman 1940 - 16kB jpg

BIRTHS BLACKMAN (Titford). — On March 31, to Meryl and Keith, at Woman's Hospital, gift of a daughter (Pamela Margaret). Sister for Grant. Special thanks to Doctors and nursing staff.

Source: Trove - The Age Melbourne Monday 3 April 1950, page 2

The Australian Electoral Roll 1903-1977, available on Ancestry, records their homes and occupations as:

1821info11g2, sheet 9
The site of Thomas Keith's home for the whole of their married life until his death in 1977 and Meryl moving closer to her daughter in 1986. The site has been redeveloped in to two modern two floor homes and divided into 11 and 11a.

Right: A typical Californian bungalow as was 11 Smith Street before development
  11 Smith Street - 44kB jpg

Leslie Crompton BLACKMAN - William and Daisy's fourth child

In 1937 Leslie Crompton BLACKMAN was registered with his parents:

The Herald, Saturday Evening, 21 May 1938, page 23
Engagements Announced
Florence, only daughter of Mr and Mrs. J, Mayoh, Whitehall Street, Footscray, to Leslie, fourth son of Mr and Mrs H. Blackman, Dundas Place, Albert Park.
Source: Trove

In 1940 Leslie married Florence (Vic BMD 2057/1940). The MAYOH had arrived in Australia in 1922 when Florence was aged 3. The family departed England on 9 May 1922, on the S.S. Largs Bay of the Commonwealth Government Line,arriving Brisbane on the 16 June 1922 with a final destination of Melbourne. The family comprised of:

1821info11g2, sheet 10
It is thought that Leslie BLACKMAN was a foreman working for Myttons, a cutlery manufacturer. The factory area has now been redeveloped. The headquarters, also redeveloped, is 10 minutes/5.2km away around Albert Park. A Mr Blackman gave evidence, in Melbourne, about a BREAK-IN AT MYTTONS MELBOURNE in early 1939.

Right: Mytton's cutlery 1939 Source: National Library of Australia obj-160352476
  Mytton's cutlery 1939 - 40kB jpg
Myttons postal address 1940 - 19kB jpg
Sands & McDougall's Directory of Victoria for 1940 p.1788 State Library of Victoria (Accessed: 12 March 2023)

By 10 June 1940 Leslie was one of a six man team who had left Mytton's Melbourne factory in the Wanganella for Dunedin in South Island New Zealand. Negotiations were finalised by 01 June 1939.

1821info11g2, sheet 11
Evening Star 12 June1939 banner - 19kB jpg
Right: A composite image of the Dunedin Evening Star 12 June 1939, page 8   Evening Star 12 June1939 - 106kB jpg

Leslie BLACKMAN appears in the World War 2 New Zealand Gazette Ballot List of 20 January 1942 as:
        500290; Leslie Blackman Metal Polisher, 56 Tennyson St., Dunedin.

The New Zealand Army's World War II Fifteenth Nominal Roll records him as being called-up in January 1945: 5181290 Pte BLACKMAN Leslie as an Infantry Reinforcement. He is recorded as a married factory foreman from 56 Tennyson Street, Dunedin. Mrs F BLACKMAN of Whitehall Street, Footscray, Melbourne was listed as his next of kin. This is the Mayoh family home in the 1937 and 1949 Electoral Roll.

1821info11g2, sheet 12
THE BIG CALL-UP
27,104 Men ALL FOR TERRITORIAL FORCE
Childless Married Men and Balance of Single Men A bulky Gazette Extraordinary gives the names of the 27,104 men now called for service with the Territorial Force. These comprise the remaining balance of single men of military age on the register of the First Division, and classes D-O, E-O, F-O, and G-0 of the Second Division-that is all childless married men between the ages of 18 and 46 years. The district quotas are: - Total .... .... 27,104
  The appended lists contain the names of all called up in the Dunedin military area and those of such men in the Invercargill area as are resident in Otago. They include the names of a considerable number of men who have volunteered for overseas service; also the names of some men who are already serving in home defence units; and, also, with the inclusion of men to 46 years, the names of some who served in the Great War.
Source: Evening Star 21 January 1942, page 4

Leslie BLACKMAN then appears in the New Zealand Electoral Rolls with Florence, who has joined him at:

On or just before 12 September 1944 Florence began her journey back to Australia by flying to Auckland.

Otago Daily banner 12 September 1944 - 23kB jpg
Otago Daily 12 September 1944 - 55kB jpg   This may have happened before Leslie went to war as he appealed his call up in February 1945. This suggests that he would have fought to Japanese and may have been part of the occupation force.

Left: A composite image of the Otago Daily Times 12 September 1944 page 4 Source: Paper Past

Despite the call-up Leslie avoid conscription perhaps because of his occupation. As late as February 1945 his employers were still appealing against his call-up.

1821info11g2, sheet 13
Evenng Star 13 February 1945 banner - kB jpg
Evenng Star 13 February 1945 banner - kB jpg   At the time Leslie was employed by Mytton's, who appealed his conscription on Leslie's behalf.

Left: Composite image of the Dunedin Evening Star 13 February 1945, page 8

That our Leslie BLACKMAN was resident in New Zealand is confirmed by the New Zealand Army World War II Fifteenth Nominal Roll (Ancestry) which records:

500290 Pte BLACKMAN Leslie as a private in the Infantry Reinforcement. He was a married factory foreman from 56 Tennyson Street, Dunedin. Mrs F BLACKMAN of Whitehall Street, Footscray, Melbourne was his next of kin.

It is assumed that, as a 30 year old, Leslie joined the army after the date of his lost appeal and was on active service in the Pacific area until VJ/VP Day on 15 August 1945. He may have been part of the New Zealand's 12,000 British Commonwealth Occupation Force's Jayforce that sailed from Italy as an occupation force of Honshu in Japan until September 1948.

In 1949 there was another change of address

and in 1957 a promotion to factory manager, still at the same address. The last New Zealand Roll is for 1963.

There is no evidence of when Leslie returned to Australia. However, Leslie Crompton BLACKMAN died 12 December 1966 at Sunshine but was registered in 1967 (Vic BMD 1407/1967).

1821info11g2, sheet 14
He was buried on 14 December 1966 in Robinson Lawn (B), Row TT, Grave 14 in Altona Memorial Park, Melbourne.

Probate was granted to his widow Florence on 11 August 1967. Florence BLACKMAN in Sunshine, died on 19 March 1967 and was buried in the same grave on 22 March 1967.

Right: Leslie and Florence BLACKMAN's grave marker
Leslie Crompton Blackman's grave marker - 59kB jpg

Kaye BLACKMAN - Leslie Crompton BLACKMAN's only known child

Given that she was born in Australia and 19 when married, it is likely she was born in 1945. Kaye's mother returned pregnant to Australia on or just before 12 September 1944. About this time, Leslie's call-up appeal failed.

On 1 March 2023 Kaye told her son Bradley: 'I was born in Australia because the married men were called up [in New Zealand - see above] and even though my Mom had just become pregnant my Dad had to go to war. She moved back to be with my grandparents for the duration. We travelled back to New Zealand on a ship after the war when he came back. I was just trying to walk when he got back and in order to get me used to the strange man newly in my life he would walk around the decks with me teaching me how to walk so he could spend time with me. That’s why I walk like a drunken sailor. Probably also why I have never been seasick.'

Kaye Blackman arrived in America in 1964. On 27 February 1965, at the age of 19 Kaye married Gerald (Jerry) SUMERACKI, a sailor in the US Navy. Their joint address of Virginia Beach, given on the marriage certificate, is 25 minutes from the naval base of Norfolk, Va, the proposed place of marriage. 

Gerald S SUMERACKI, born 04 September 1938 in Detroit Michigan, has written a brief biography for the web (Accessed: 02 March 2023), which mainly describes his growth from a Catholic to an 'evangelical born again Catholic' [my italics]. In this paper he describes the reason for his divorce as Kaye being unable to accept the strength of his conviction. He and Kaye had a daughter Deborah (Debbie) and two sons Jeffery and Bradley. His second wife brought her daughter Jeannine to the new marriage. There is no evidence to suggest what happened to Kaye; whether she stayed in the US or returned to Australia. However, Jerry and his new wife retired to Henderson, Nevada, where he died on 25 January 2022, to be near to one of their unnamed daughters.

Jerry was a decorated officer in the U.S. Navy, where he served in the Pacific Theatre and was deployed on Operation Deep Freeze in Antarctica. When he returned to Michigan, to be with his family, he began a second career in law enforcement, ultimately retiring as a Wayne County Sheriff’s Department sergeant at Detroit Metro Airport. After relocating to Nevada with his wife, Jeanne SUMERACKI, Jerry continued his work in community service and served as a security officer in Las Vegas casinos until he was 80 years old.

1821info11g2 sheet 15
Kaye Blackman's marriage certificate - 110kB jpg
Above: Kaye Blackman's marriage certificate

A Kay TUMERACKI was one of the seventeen beneficiaries of Walter John Thomas BLACKMAN's will of 28 November 1967 to the sum of A$2,807.41. Kaye was last named on the inventories of Tom's nephews and nieces and from the incorrect spellings, I would suggest she is a faded memory.

With thanks to Heather Schoffelen and Chris Glass for this research.


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Updated 12 March 2023