Stanley Edward and Joan Virginia Tolhurst

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Stanley Edward & Joan Virginia Tolhurst

Stanley Edward Tolhurst with his father Stanley (sitting on box) (b 1877 in Penrith, NSW; d 6 Jun 1951 at Bulli) and maternal grandfather Samuel Edward Prosser

Stanley Edward Tolhurst was born in Islington, Newcastle NSW on the 23rd March 1923 - he was the  eldest child of Stanley Tolhurst (b: 01 Apr 1900 in Woonona, NSW Died: 20 May 1972 in Woonona, NSW) Mar: 15 May 1922 to wife Zoe Elizabeth Prosser (b: 24 Apr 1901 in Auckland d: 01 Mar 1970 in Woronora, NSW) and the brother of Joyce.

Stan attended Camdenville School, Newtown, Sydney, NSW in his junior years then Newtown Technical

College for two years. He later left to become an apprentice pastry cook.At the age of 18, Stan was

called to service in the Army, serving there for four years.



Left: Zoe with her son Stanley Tolhurst

Centre: WW2 Service Medals

Right: : Stan’s fiancée, Joan Virginia Cole abt 1943

After leaving the army he married Joan Virginia Cole at St Stevens Church, Newtown on the 3rd November 1945. Stan and Joan moved to Stockton, Newcastle in 1946 and lived with Stan’s grandparents, Ellen and Samuel Prosser. Homes then were hard to find. During this time their first child was born, a daughter, Christine Joan, born 26th March 1947.

Samuel Edward Prosser 1950


4 Generations:
Baby Christine Tolhurst, Grandmother Zoe Prosser,
Gt-Grandmother Ellen Prosser and Father Stanley Tolhurst

Stan and Joan had the offer of a rental property in Lord St, Newtown and moved back to Sydney travelling by train as they had no transport then. A second child was born, a son, Roger Stanley, 24th July 1948.

Stan found work with his father (Bill) in a soap factory, Lever and Kitchen but found this work boring. He left to become a salesman at Paratel Menswear. He was happy working there and quickly learnt the trade, staying there for five years. A third child was born, a daughter, Julie Virginia, 14 September 1953

Joan made extra money sewing men’s ties at home and these were sold at the menswear store where Stan was employed. The ties were a big success and Stan left the menswear store to help with the making of the ties at home full time. These ties were very trendy and sold like hotcakes to many of their acquaintances from Chequers Night Club which they both frequented.

Stan and Joan made enough money from these ties to enable them to buy their own menswear business.They purchased David Macey’s Menswear for the sum of £3,000. They leased the premises and worked in this business for nine years.

1959

Stan and Joan Tolhurst

They purchased their own waterfront home at Taren Point, NSW.

Stan went in to semi retirement selling clothes from a van two days a week for about nine years. He then retired to build his own home at Bonnells Bay, c1973.

Later they moved to Caves beach, a suburb of Newcastle in another home they built together and another move closer to Newcastle saw them purchase a home unit at The Junction, Merewether, Newcastle NSW.

Stan was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma and passed away at Maroba Nursing Home, Newcastle 24th April, 2010 age 87years.

Julie created this page to record Tolhurst "Family Memories