http://olneyfamilyarchives.blogspot.com.au
The Victorian Federation Index 1889-1901 records Arthur Edgar Olney as born in Dimboola, but according to the Family Bible he was born 19 kms south in nearby Wail, Victoria to parents David Benjamin & Hannah (Annie) Jane Olney on 8 November 1893. Registration No.30981.
Arthur Olney married Doris Gwendolyne Moss (born 9 June 1896 in Nelson, New Zealand) on 16 March 1915 at Brighton, Melbourne. More information about Doris Moss at the end of this blog.
Arthur and Doris had four children:
Keith Montague Olney born 19 October 1915 in Camberwell, Melbourne.
Edgar Roy (known as Roy) Olney, born 12 April 1917 in Camberwell, Melbourne.
Allan David Olney, born 22 March 1919 in Malvern, Melbourne.
Doris Gwendolyne (known as Gwenda) Olney, born 4 February 1926 in Albert Park, Melbourne.
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| Arthur Edgar Olney 8 November 1893 - 13 July 1978 |
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| Doris Gwendolyne Moss 9 June 1896 - 27 July 1961 |
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| Keith Montague Olney 19 October 1915 - 24 August 1987 |
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| Roy (1917-2000), Allan (1919-1980) & Keith Olney (1915-1987). |
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| Keith, cousin Rick Foreman, Allan & Roy Olney at "Wenden" Wenden Grove, St.Kilda East 1922-1923. |
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| Roy, Keith with baby Gwenda and Allan Olney |
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| Roy, Keith with Gwenda & Allan Olney 1926. |
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| Doris Olney with Keith, Roy, Allan & Gwenda 1928 |
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| Doris Olney with daughter Gwenda. |
Arthur Olney built & lived in many houses from 1916.
1916 44 St.John's Ave, Camberwell.
1917 "Lister House", 37 Avenue Rd, Camberwell.
1918 & 1919 2 Walnut St, Malvern.
1920 & 1922 Wagner St, Malvern.
1922 & 1923 "Wenden" Wenden Gve, St.Kilda East.
1924 & 1925 Hume Rd, Caulfield.
1926 & 1927 Kurrajong Ave, St Kilda East.
1928,1929,1930,1931 "Wenden" 1 Winton Rd, East Malvern.
1932 Cnr.Mackintosh & View Mount Rd, Glen Waverley.
1933, 1934, 1935 & 1936 a Fruiterer, at 224 Toorak Road, Hartwell/Camberwell.
1937,1938,1939,1940 lived at "Wenden" 18 Wills St, Glen Iris (did not build it).
1941- 1962 lived at 143 Springvale Rd, Glen Waverley.
1950 Poultry Farmer, Springvale Road, Tally Ho.
1962-1970 lived at 145 Springvale Rd, Glen Waverley.
Electoral Rolls record:
1919 Arthur & Doris Olney living at 2 Walnut St, Malvern. Occupation Carpenter.
1924 Arthur & Doris Olney living at Wenden Gve, St. Kilda East. Occupation Carpenter.
1936 & 1937 Arthur & Doris living at 18 Wills St, Gardiner. Occupation Builder.
1954 Arthur & Doris living at 143 Springvale Rd, Glen Waverley,
1963 Arthur Olney living at 145 Springvale Rd, Glen Waverley.
1968 Arthur & Eva Margaret Olney living at 145 Springvale Rd, Glen Waverley.
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| Arthur built 44 St.Johns Ave, Camberwell (1916). Photo taken 2007. |
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| Arthur built "Lister House" 37 Avenue Road, Camberwell (1917). Photo taken 2007. |
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| Keith & Roy Olney at home 2 Walnut St, Malvern (1918-1919 | ) |
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| Arthur & Doris Olney, Wenden Grove, East St Kilda 1922 - 1924. |
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| Olney family at home at "Wenden" Wenden Grove, St.Kilda East. (1922-1923) |
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| Olney family lived at 18 Wills St, Glen Iris (1936-1937). Photo taken 2007. |
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| Arthur built "Wenden" 1 Winton Road, East Malvern (1928-1931). |
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| "Wenden" 1 Winton Road, East Malvern. Photo taken 2007. In 2013 there was a second storey added. |
Olney Family Holidays enjoyed together in 1926/1927
William & Alma Olney with children Ken and Joyce.
Elsie Foreman with son Rick.
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| L-R Keith, Roy, Allan, Joyce, Alma, Ken, Gwenda, Doris, Rick 1926/1927 at San Remo, Victoria. |
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| Olney family holidaying at San Remo,Victoria 1926/1927. |
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| Olney families holidaying at San Remo 1926/1927. |
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| Elsie, Rick, Roy, Keith, Doris, Allan at San Remo 1926/1927. |
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| Doris, Gwenda, Arthur, Alma, Joyce, Ken, Rick, Elsie at San Remo 1926/1927 |
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| Gwenda Olney 1926/1927 |
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| Olneys camping at San Remo 1926/1927 |
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| Cousins Roy, Keith, Rick, Allan making toast. |
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| Doris, Elsie, Will, Alma, Joyce cooking at San Remo camp 1927 |
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| Alma & Will with Ken & Joyce, Rick & Elsie, Keith, Roy & Allan with Arthur enjoying lunch at San Remo 1927. |
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| Olney family camping at San Remo 1926-1927 |
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| Olney family camping at San Remo 1926/1927 |
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| Annie, Joyce, Alma, William, Roy, Allan, Doris, Keith picnicing near Bacchus Marsh 1927. |
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| Olney family at Gorge near Bacchus Marsh 1927 |
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| Olney family at the Gorge near Bacchus Marsh 1927. |
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| Picnic on Ballarat Road 1927. |
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| Roy, Ken, Rick, Gwenda, Elsie, Joyce, Alma, Doris, Keith coming home from Bacchus Marsh 1927. |
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| Allan, Keith, Elsie, Gwenda, Doris, Roy, Rick, Arthur, Ken Joyce on way home from Bacchus Marsh 1927. |
In November 1927 William Olney was transferred to Greymouth, New Zealand to open a Branch of the Commercial Bank. William joined the staff of the Commercial Bank of Australia in Prahran, Melbourne in 1905. William was subsequently appointed as Manager in Palmerston North, Timaru, Hamilton, Napier. He retired in 1954 after 49 years in the Bank.
They sailed on the "Manuka" which sank in 1928. William and Alma had another child Margaret born 1934 in New Zealand. The family never returned to Melbourne.
It was Margaret who had a contact with her cousin Rick Foreman in Sydney. After he died in 1997 Margaret inherited his many family photos, many of which have been added to this blog and the David and Annie Olney blog.
It was Margaret who had a contact with her cousin Rick Foreman in Sydney. After he died in 1997 Margaret inherited his many family photos, many of which have been added to this blog and the David and Annie Olney blog.
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| L-R Back row: Henrietta Rogan, Patrick&Constance Kelly, Roy with Beryl, Irene Olney, Elsie, Arthur with Gwenda, Florence, Annie, Alma, Doris, William Montague. Front row: Keith, Allan, Roy, Ken. Rick, Joyce. |
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| Farewell to William & Alma Olney from Station Pier November 1927. Annie, Elsie, Henrietta, Florence, Gwenda&Arthur, William, Beryl&Irene, Arthur. Rick&Roy in front. |
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| William Olney with his Mother Annie Olney on board the "Manuka". |
Point Leo was a favorite holiday destination for the Olneys.
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| Doris & Arthur Olney at Point Leo, Victoria. |
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| Arthur & Doris Olney at Point Leo, Victoria. |
In 1932 Arthur and Doris Olney lived in a small cottage on corner of Mackintosh & View Mount Road, Glen Waverley (near where the Police Academy is now situated).
Keith Olney rode his bicycle each day to Caulfield Technical School, 8 miles (13 kms).
Arthur became a Fruiterer 1933 - 1936, with his shop situated at 224 Toorak Road, Camberwell (now Hartwell). The family lived in the residence above the shop.
Opposite Olney's Fruiterer's shop was Frederick Wallis' Butcher's shop at 209 Toorak Road, Camberwell (1930 - 1934 Sands & McDougall).
Keith Olney and Marjorie Wallis later married on 20 May 1939 in Edithvale.
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| Arthur Olney's Fruiterer shop at 224 Toorak Rd, Camberwell (1933-36). The family lived in the residence above the shop. The shop painted blue in 2009. |
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| Opposite Olney's Fruit shop was Wallis' Butcher's shop at 209 Toorak Road, Camberwell 1930-1934. Photo taken 2007. |
In 1939 Arthur Olney bought 7 blocks of land (131 - 145) Springvale Road, Glen Waverley, between The Boulevard to Aurish Avenue, also land in View Road and The Ridge. He built on the Springvale Road land first with Roy's house at 135 Springvale Road in 1940, Keith's house at 131 Springvale Road in 1941 and his own at 143 Springvale Road. Arthur built another house for himself at 145 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley in 1962.
In 1950s, on subdivided land west of Springvale Road, Tally Ho, many houses were built in View Road and The Ridge, Glen Waverley with the assistance of Roy and Keith.
Arthur built two bowling greens in View Road, behind the 145 lot in 1953/55.
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| Arthur built 2 bowling Greens in View Road behind 145 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley. |
Roy and Keith built a house for Allan Olney (brother) in The Ridge in the mid 1950's.
Roy Olney built a tennis court on the lot behind 135 (facing View Road), and another one behind 131 (facing The Boulevard) early 1950s. Keith acquired the tennis court behind 131 in mid 1950s. Keith built a new home on the tennis court in 1969.
Arthur also built homes in O'Sullivan Road, Glen Waverley before the war. A shortage of building materials due to the war stopped building until 1948.
In the years between 1941 and 1948 Arthur developed a poultry farm across several lots on the west side of View Road to the rear of 143/145 Springvale Road. It operated into the 1950's. It was in that time that Arthur built "Tantivy" in Madeline Street, Glen Waverley and Mrs.
Morris' house, south corner Clifford Street and Springvale Road.
Arthur bought blocks of land from Springvale Road, Glen Waverley up Coleman Parade to the then McRobinson's Chocolate block (now I.O.O.F. Nursing Home), along Myrtle Street, Montclair Avenue, Florence Street, and Bogong Avenue. Finances became tight so the Bank re-possessed the land along Coleman Parade, up to Myrtle Street, Glen Waverley.
Roy worked with A.V.Jennings after the war, Keith worked with K.L Ballantyne after the war as a sales/store man. Arthur and his two sons, Keith and Roy started building in View Road in 1948 - the boys took over the business in the mid 1950's, as Arthur had an ulcer and retired.
Graham Olney, grandson of Arthur, son of Keith, started working with Keith and Roy on houses in 1955 in Coleman Parade, Glen Waverley. They drove a 1943 Morris Commercial Blitz until 1963 as a trusty work vehicle. Both Graham and Peter learned to drive this truck when 12 years old.
Arthur Olney and Irene Marriott bought land along Springvale Road from Madeline Street (then named Tantivy Lane) half way to High Street Road. This was subdivided by Keith during the 1960's, known as Yanagin Drive, Stanfield Court, Tamara Court and Pindari Street.
Graham bought a block in Yanagin Drive and Peter bought his block at 5 Stanfield Court in 1964. Peter built the family home in 1970 and lived there the wife Joy and 3 children until late 1999.
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| Arthur and Doris Olney |
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| Doris Olney enjoyed being "Narnie" to 14 Grandchildren. |
Doris Olney died from a cancer (in the duct between the Pancreas and the Gall Bladder) at home (145 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley) on 27 July 1961. January 1962 Arthur married Eva Dew who had 3 teenage children. Eva lived in The Ridge, Glen Waverley and kept house for Arthur and Doris. Eva was a widow to Rod Dew whose sister, Val, married Ted Montague. Another sister, Nancy, married Allan Olney. Eva had been known to and befriended by the Olney family for many years. Arthur & Eva Olney visited Joy & Peter Olney in New Zealand in November 1964. Arthur's 2nd marriage only lasted about 6 years. Arthur gave Eva a house at 16 Madeline Street, Glen Waverley as settlement (about 1969).
Arthur took his caravan and went to Hervey Bay area in Queensland, and purchased a home there. He regularly drove to Victoria for the warmer Victorian months to stay in his beach house at Balnarring Beach. He did that from 1969 until 1978.
Victorian Deaths 1921 - 1985 No.28694. records Arthur as having died on 18 July 1978 at his son Keith Olney's home at 20 The Boulevard, Glen Waverley.
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| Doris G.Olney 27th July 1961 Age 65 |
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Arthur E.Olney 13th July 1978 Age 84 Together again. |
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| Olney family "remember" Arthur & Doris Olney at Springvale Crematorium 2009.
About Doris Moss and her family
In December 2013, about 6 months after I published the Olney blog, I received a very pleasant surprise and it reinforced why writing family blogs are so important and beneficial to us all. A grand daughter of Doris Olney's was "googling" around and discovered this Olney blog. She was quite emotional to see for the first time a photo of her "Narnie" and a photo of her father with blonde hair when he was 2 years old. A contact was made and a number of questions asked about Doris. No-one in the family knew very much about "Narnie", except that she was born in Nelson, New Zealand, her mother died when she was about 3 years old and she grew up in an Orphanage in Sydney. Doris married Arthur Olney in Melbourne in 1915 when she was nearly 19 years old. Doris had not been in Melbourne long before she and Arthur met. That lack of knowledge has now led me to try to find out more. In just a few weeks I have learnt so much and still working on it! To all you people out there researching, never give up, you just need to know where to look to find what you need, and think out of the box. I will share with you what I have discovered so far - in 2 weeks! Doris Gwendolyne Moss was born 9 June 1896 in Nelson, New Zealand. Her parents were Clement George Moss (born 1870 in St Helena) and Matilda Louisa Glasson, nee Smith (born 1857 in Hamilton, Tasmania, Australia). Note Doris' birth Certificates shows Matilda aged 30 in 1896, not 39 if born in 1857. Matilda was firstly married in 1880 to Arthur Evelyn Glasson (born 1856 in Boreham, Hampshire, England). Arthur died 18 January 1892 in Christchurch, New Zealand, leaving Matilda with three young children - Leonard 11, Winifred 9 and Lionel 7, all born in Christchurch, New Zealand. In 1894 Matilda Glasson and Clement Moss were married. Where were they married? 9 June 1896 Doris Gwendolyne Moss was born in Nelson, New Zealand. 10 August 1898 Claude Clement Moss was born in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. 25 October 1898 Matilda Louisa Moss died in Adelaide, aged 36, not 41 if born in 1857. Matilda was buried in West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide - Road 3, Path 29, Site 14. What happened to Doris and Claude Moss after their mother died? When and why did Matilda & Clement Moss go to Adelaide? Did the 3 Glasson children come to Australia, if not, who brought them up? 1911 UK Census shows Clement Moss, a lodger at 50 Oxford Road, Islington, born St.Helena, British, a widower with 1 child. Is that child Claude? 1 September 1913 Clement George Moss, 40 years, married Emily Swift, 34 years, spinster at Holy Trinity Dalston Borough, Hackney, London. Clement was a Confectioner. Father Walter B.Moss (dec), Solicitor. Clement and Emily Moss had 2 daughters and 2 sons. March 1933 Clement Moss died in Edmonton, England, aged 60 years. Why/when did Clement George Moss go to England? Did Doris and Claude Moss ever know what happened to their father? To discover Clement Moss was born in St Helena led me to find Walter B. Moss (born 1837) and Elizabeth Moss nee Rofe (born 1833) and their 7 children on a ship travelling from St Helena to New York on 7 October 1872. St Helena is situated in the Atlantic Ocean. Citizens of Saint Helena hold British Overseas Territories Citizenship. The island is 17km x 10km with Jamestown as its Capital. The family came to New Zealand in 1876. Walter Moss died in 1891 and Elizabeth Moss died in 1895, both in Ashburton, New Zealand. Now to Matilda Smith and her family. Her parents were Henry Smith (born 1823 in Hobart, Tasmania and died 1910 in Christchurch, New Zealand) and Henrietta Letitia Smith born 1832 in Chelsea, England and died 1898 in Christchurch, New Zealand). Henrietta's maiden name and married name was Smith. They had 9 children - the first 5 children born in Tasmania before going to live in New Zealand. Doris Olney's only surviving child Gwenda Owens remembers the Glasson name as being a part of her mother's family but not sure how it all fitted together. We now have some answers. Leonard Arthur Glasson married Myrtle Jessie Waghorn in 1912 in Perth, Western Australia and they had 4 girls. Leonard died in 1963 and Myrtle in 1972, both in Melbourne. Winifred Lucy Glasson married John Addy in 1914 and they had 2 boys Alleyne and Robert, both born and died in UK. Lionel Evelyn Glasson married Elizabeth (Elsie) Mary Hume in 1909 in Spotswood, Melbourne. Elsie died 1916. Claude Clement Moss married English born Marjorie Huai (1896 - 1972). Claude and Marjorie lived in Wellington, New Zealand 1928 - 1949. Claude was in the N.Z. Army No.69403 in 1942. Marjorie died in England in 1972. Claude was still alive & living in Wellington in 1981. It seems they travelled between New Zealand and UK. Their son Barry Moss born in 1931 was a talented Pianist and won a scholarship to study in London when only 19 years of age. My research will continue! 
Birth Certificate of Doris Gwendolyne Moss 9 June 1896.
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