Ker family - papers, 1916-1958, 1975, and photographs, 1890s, ca. 1914-1976, together with Adames family papers, 1914-1936

MLMSS 6626

fonds

1890s, 1914-1976

Textual Records, Graphic Materials

395350

2 boxes - 0.26 Meters

William Innes Ker, an electric motor driver of Broken Hill enlisted in the A.I.F. aged 24, 30 Oct. 1916 and embarked on the Berrima, 16 Dec. 1916. He served in France with the 50th Battalion, returned to Australia on H.T. Argyllshire and was discharged because of defective eyesight, May 1918. After the war, during which he served with the 8th Reinforcements, 50th Battalion, he worked on various sheep stations in western New South Wales. In 1927 he married Evelyn Mary Adames; originally from Queensland she was matron of the Lake Cargelligo Hospital. As a soldier settler William was granted a ninety-nine year lease by the Western Lands Commission of NSW on an 18 000 acre block near Mossgiel, on which he would run his own sheep station. The family moved to the property, which they named 'Coorain', in 1930.
William and Evelyn had three children : Bob (1928-1949), Barry (1930- ) and Jill (1934- ). The boys were sent to boarding school in Sydney at the King's School, Parramatta. After William's death in 1944 a manager was hired to run 'Coorain', and Evelyn and Jill went also to live in Sydney where Jill was educated at Abbotsleigh girl's school. Jill Ker left Australia in 1960 to study at Harvard in the United States; in 1962 she married John Conway, and in 1975 she was inaugurated as the seventh president of Smith College (Northampton, Massachusetts).

Series 01: Ker family papers, ca. 1891-1958, 1975; together with Adames family papers, 1914-1936

Series 02: Ker family photographs, 1890s, ca. 1914-1976

This collection comprises 2 record series. You may navigate to a more detailed description of each series from this collection record