Jack Geddes Pelvin

JOHN (JACK) GEDDES PELVIN was b: 10 Sep 1893 in Waitaki North, South Canterbury. School Tawai - Admission Date: 28 Nov 1898; (Birthdate recorded as 11 Sep 1893); left for Farm Work after Std 5

He mar: LOUISA WARD in 08 Jun 1918 in Broken Hill, NSW. She was born 1898 in Adelaide, Sth Australia, and died 1967 in Broken Hill, NSW.

When his son was 6 weeks old (ie 1919) Jack and Louisa returned to New Zealand stayed three years (1922 - Electorate Waitaki; John Geddes, Glenavy, labourer) before returning to Broken Hill in 1922 where he was always known as "Big Jack".

Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW Saturday 11 April 1931: BORED INTO MISSHOLE; TWO MEN INJURED
At the South mine shortly after noon to-day Frank Dwyer and Jack Pelvin were engaged underground when an explosion occurred when one of them bored Into a misshole. Dr. Quinn attended the men, who' were taken in the ambulance to the Hospital. On being admitted Dwyer was treated for abrasions and lacerations to the body, and Pelvin for Injuries to his eyes, which were described as being moderately severe. At 5.30 o'clock the men's condition was said to be satisfactory

Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW) 13 Jul 1934: Y.M.C.A. PROSPECTORS' CLUB . Tho- speaker at last night's meeting at tho Y.M.C.A. Prospectors' Club was Mr. J. Pelvin, a member ot the club, who gave an Interesting talk on a trip from New York to San Francisco. The lecture was illustrated, and photographs. ot New York. Niagara, Chicago, the prairies, Salt Lake City, and San Francisco were shown, the speaker commenting on each picture and describing the Industries.

Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW Friday 1 March 1946 Sudden Death: Mr. John Geddes Pelvin who had appeared to be in normal health earlier yesterday evening suddenly collapsed and died about midnight last night. He was 50 years of age. Mr. Pelvin was a bus driver, employed by J. W. Cook and Sons, and had been on his annual holidays for two days..
He had gone to his room a little after 11 o'clock last night in the Crown ànd Anchor boarding house, Argent Street. His room mate, Walter Townsend, a cleaner employed by the N.S.W. Railways, entered the room at 11.45 and found him lying dead on the floor near the bed clad ih a singlet and trousers.
Dr. Funder rèported to the police at 12.10 a.m. today that he had been called to'the Crown and Anchor boarding house, where he found Mr. Pelvin lying on the floor of a room. He pronounced life extinct.
Constable J. B. Colyer, with the ambulance officer (Mr. T. Stokes), went to the Crown and Anchor and saw the man lying by the bed. He had apparently been sitting on the bed eating a hamburger when he collapsed on the floor. The body was taken to the morgue in the ambulance. Other boarders stated that they had seen Mr. Pelvin earlier in the evening and he had appeared to be quite normal.
The deceased's widow has been notified and their son, Harold Pelvin. Another son, Richard John Pelvin, of Flemington, Victoria, has been notified of the death and asked to come by plane. The Government Medical Officer (D: . W. E. George) held a post- mortem this morning. He found that death was due to natural causes and an inquest was unnecessary. Sgts. J. Flanagan and C. Dennett conducted the necessary inquiries.
Mr. Geddes Pelvin was born at Waimate, New Zealand but had been in Australia and a resident of Broken Hill for about 30 years. He was a member of the Town Employees' Union and the Silver City Workingmen's Club. The funeral will take place tomorrow, leaving his late residence, 552 Bathurst Street, North Broken Hill, for the Methodist Cemetery at 2 p.m.

FUNERAL NOTICES: PELVIN: The Relatives and Friends of Mrs. J. G. Pelvin, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Pelvin, and Mr. Harold Pelvin are respectfully informed that the remains of their late beloved Husband and Father (John Geddes) will be interred in the Methodist Cemetery Tomorrow (Saturday), the funeral leaving his late residence, 552 Bathurst Street, at 2 p.m., arriving at the Cemetery af 2.20 p.m. : Fred J. Potter & Son, Oxide St. Phone 725. Funeral Directors.

TOWN EMPLOYEES UNION MEMBERS of the above are requested to attend the funeral of their late Member .(John Geddes Pelvin), leaving his late residence 552 Bathurst Street for the Methodist Cemetery Tomorrow , (Saturday), at 2 p.m.
Car Leaves Trades Hall, 1,30.E. GILLESPIE-Sec. .

SILVER CITY WORKINGMAN'S CLUB MEMBERS of the above are requested to attend the Funeral of' their late Member (John Geddes Pelvin), leaving his late residence, 552 Bathurst "St., for the 'Methodist "Cemetery .To-morrow (Saturday), at 2 p.m.- Car leaves club at 1.30 p.m. A. RITCHIE, Secretary.

FUNERAL OF J. G. PELVIN:

The funeral of the late .Mr. John Pelvin (50), who died on Thursday night, took place on Saturday afternoon. The.cortege left 552 Bathurst Street, at 2 p.m., headed by about 70 members of various societies in which deceased was a member ie Alma Sporting. Club, Town Employoes Union, Sportsmans Arms, Bus Proprietors. Many floral tributes were received, including wreaths from Silver City Workingtmen's Club and Alma Sporting Club.

The burial service was delivered in the Methodist Cemetery was delivered by Rev R. V. Grant.

Both sons saw service WW2 They were:

i. RICHARD JOHN (JACK) PELVIN (b; 04 Apr 1919 in Broken Hill, NSW Australia, and d: 18 Mar 1980 in Melbourne, Victoria). He mar: MYRA ELAINE KEILY. Their children are:

(a) RICHARD HAROLD (RIC) PELVIN mar: to JANE FLORENCE WILSON. Curator of Official Records at the Australian War Memorial and is an independent military researcher and has published a large number of articles, papers and books on military, naval and aviation history.
They have 3 children - ALEXANDRA ELIZABETH, RICHARD WILLIAM and CATHERINE JILLIAN PELVIN
(b) JILLIAN PELVIN mar. GARY BITMEAD. (Div)

ii. HAROLD JAMES PELVIN (b. 11 Jun 1920, Waimate; d. 11 Jan 1987, Broken Hill, NSW). Harold Pelvln wrote these lines in a foxhole after his sergeant had been killed:

By a Jungle Grave

It's only the lid of an old sugar drum.
Round and reddened with rust;
But I stop and view for a moment or two
With my heart near ready to bust.
For it's backed by a cross of the roughest wood
Which stands at the head of a mound.
And beneath the sod though his soul's with God.
Lies the lad who has finally found
Peace and quiet from this horrible fight.
Relief from this living hell.
Of the things he bore In this ghastly war
Only the Jungle now can tell
There's a lump in my throat - an ache in my heart.
And misty my eyes as they focus his name
Roughly inscribed with nail holes a guide;
And the sun seems even to warm
The top of the grave of Ihe comrade so brave
Who died that others be free:
But the body below will never know
The soft spreading glow that I see.