There were stories about Ernest Daniel taking off and leaving the family,but the records reveal that he was in the Waterfall Sanatorium, where hedied at the age of 47. His wife evidently didn't want to admit the factto the rest of the family.
The fact that his wife, Sarah Ann, had had a nervous breakdown was thereason why her Husband, Ernest Daniel Litchfield, stayed away from homeso much as a Commercial Traveller.
The mother of Mabel Rachel Litchfield (B. Port Macquarie 1879 to GeorgeLitchfield, ref 1879/21811) is shown in NSW BMD as "Eliza Jane".George's wife Martha Harriott died 2.1.1880. There is no record of amarriage between a George Litchfield and an Eliza Jane.
It appears as though the birth of Nellie Litchfield was never registered,though her death a few months later was.
Charles came to WA as a Licensed Surveyor in 1894, and settled in Cue.There he met and married Ada Johnson in St. John's Church of England in1897, and his baby daughter Amy was born in 1898.
At the beginning of 1899, his wife and daughter, only 6 months old,sailed back to the eastern States to attend a family wedding. Whilethey were away, on 23 May, 1899, aged 28, Charles died in Residence AreaNo. 271, north west of Cue.
Verdict of the Jury at the Inquest held at the Court House Cue on 24thand 26th days of May, 1899, before Edmund Power Dowley JP, acting asCoroner: "That the said Charles Albert Litchfield came to his death on23rd day of May, 1899 through misadventure by being burned whilstendeavoring to save his property in his burning camp. There is noevidence to show how the fire originated. The body taken from the fireand shown to us at this Inquest was that of Charles Albert Litchfield."
(Extract from his Death Certificate).
Mabel Litchfield (nee Harris) died at 34 Tintern Road, Ashfield
The first child of Edward Osborne Litchfield and Mabel Harris wasregistered as "Ellenor" but at her marriage she was registered as"Eleanor".
George came to WA from the Hawkesbury District in NSW, at the same timeas the Osborn family. Jess Osborn was to become his future wife. Theysettled in the south west town of Greenbushes, a tin mining town ofrepute at the time. George was a mining engineer, and found employmentthere in the mines.
George married Jess, and their first baby, Roy Edward, was born inGreenbushes in 1906. Later Linda, Charlie and Sydney were born, andthey all went to school there. When Roy was only 14, his father wastragically killed in a mining accident: he had been cutting down atree, and with a change in the wind, the tree fell on him and killed him.
Roy wrote in 1978: "Mum never quite got over this but we left the southwest and came to the Metropolitan area. I and my sister Linda livedwith Mum in Subiaco for a few years, and my other 2 brothers were farmedout to Uncles and Aunties."
Nevertheless, they grew up and managed pretty well until the Depressionyears. During this time, tragedy struck again: Charlie died throughsome lung malfunction caused by gas while in the Navy as a cadet. Syd,who was also a mine engineer, was killed in a road accident neat Mt.Magnet.