Charles walter Crompton

  b.07apr1850, Cox's Creek, Adelaide?
  d.25jun1929, Melb(ourne) S(outh), Victoria.
    Age at death given as 79.

Charles married Elizabeth Cox (1854-1925) in 1872. They had no children. Part of the insight in to life of Charles' is inferred in the life of William henry Cox jnr.

	This article confirms Charles walter's occupation, but causes confusion by introducing 'a daughter' when his death certificate confirms 'no issue'. 'Wahroonga 'is 344 St Kilda Road. Source: The Argus of 02 January 1923, page 7

Mr. Crompton's 'daughter' was Jessie maria cox Crompton who, according to her marriage certificate, was married from 'Wahroonga', St Kilda Road, Melbourne. However, her marriage certificate records her parents as John Cox, cab proprietor and Minnie Bird. Jessie's birth certificate records her full name as Jessie maria Cox, the daughter of John thomas Cox, born circa 1859, of Clunes, Victoria.

Charles walter's brother-in-law was John Cox, also a cab proprietor, who had a 'sister' called Jessie maria Cox. He married Sarah Robinson in 1882 and Mary caroline Grocott in 1880. Sarah didn't die until 1897, so there is an unknown divorce or a bigamous marriage. John thomas Cox also married Minnie may Bird in 1889, which could be a second bigamous marriage.

It is possible that Jessie, being born out of wedlock, was 'adopted' by her childless aunt Elizabeth and uncle Charles walter.

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	Left: A report from page 4 of The Argus of 21 March 1938 recording Charles walter and his wife's 'committee member' status of the Kew Golf Club on their Guest Day. This position suggests a degree of success and affluence.

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'Wahroonga', 344 St Kilda Road today

	344 St Kilda Road, August 2009, now Defence Health Limited

Above: An aerial view of Charles walter's home at 344 St Kilda Road. What a view and piece of real estate! Note the position of Dorcas Street (under the address 344) and the Shrine of Remembrance featured on the Blackman page.

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Their deaths

The information given on the death certificate has to be treated with some scientism. It is thought that the 'hearsay' information given, by an 'Agent', results from Charles Walter outliving his wife Elizabeth and there being 'no issue' to report the facts. It can be imagined that Charles Walter died alone in his home in St Kilda Road, South Melbourne of bronchitis and mitral regurgitation - a leaky heart valve.

Having been born in Adelaide on 07 April 1850 the death certificate infers that Caleb moved his family to New South Wales, for a period of five years, before migrating to Dowling Forest in about 1856. However, by this date Caleb had been dead for two years. It is also possible that a 'random number of years' has been recorded for the length of his marriage to Elizabeth. Family records would suggest that the marriage was of 47 years.

DEATHS CROMPTON - On the 22nd July 1925, at her residence, Wahroonga, 344 St. Kilda Road, South Melbourne, Elizabeth, the dearly beloved wife of CW Crompton, and the loved daughter of the late Frank and Jane Cox of Clunes, Victoria.		The death of Elizabeth Cox/Crompton

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Boroondara General Cemetery

The final resting place of Charles walter and his wife Elizabeth in the Methodist section of Boroondara General Cemetery, Kew, Melbourne, 3101. Grave number METH D 0245A Source: Dr James Crompton

Dominating the cemetery landscape near the Rotunda is a stand of three Canary Island Pines (Pinus canariensis), a Bunya Bunya Pine (Araucaria bidwillii) and a Weeping Elm (Ulmus glabra 'Camperdownii') Amongst the planting are the following notable conifers: a towering Bunya Bunya Pine (Araucaria bidwillii), a Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), a rare Golden Funeral Cypress (Chamaecyparis funebris 'Aurea'), two large Funeral Cypress (Chamaecyparis funebris), and the only known Queensland Kauri (Agathis robusta) in a cemetery in Victoria.

One of these trees is shadowing Charles walter's grave. Boroondara General Cemetery, often referred to as Kew cemetery, is one of the oldest cemeteries in Victoria. The cemetery has had 75,000 burials since 1859. Among these are some very prominent Melburnians. When the 12.5 hectares of land was originally set aside for a cemetery it was densely covered with large red gums and wattles. At the time it was intended only for the residents of Boroondara (Kew, Hawthorn, Camberwell) however it was not long before burial lots were made available to residents from all over Melbourne.

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Boroondara Cemetery, established in 1858, is within an unusual triangular reserve bounded by High Street, Park Hill Road and Victoria Park, Kew. The caretaker's lodge and administrative office (1860 designed by Charles Vickers, additions, 1866-1899 by Albert Purchas) form a picturesque two-storey brick structure with a slate roof and clock tower. A rotunda or shelter (1890, Albert Purchas) is located in the centre of the cemetery: this has an octagonal hipped roof with fish scale slates and a decorative brick base with a tessellated floor and timber seating. The cemetery is surrounded by a 2.7 metre high ornamental red brick wall (1895-96, Albert Purchas) with some sections of vertical iron palisades between brick pillars.

Above: An aerial view of Boroondara General Cemetery showing the approximate location of the grave

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Above: A map locating Boroondara General Cemetery within Kew

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This page was created by Richard Crompton and maintained by Chris Glass	Version A.5 Updated 06 December 2009