http://olneyfamilyarchives.blogspot.com.au
Keith Montague Olney was born 19 October 1915 at St Omer's Hospital Camberwell, Melbourne, Victoria. His parents were Arthur Edgar and Doris Gwendolyne Olney. Keith's Grandmother was Hannah Jane Montague, married to David Benjamin Olney.
Keith was the eldest child. Edgar Roy (known as Roy) was born 12 April 1917, Allan David was born 22 March 1919, Doris Gwendolyne (known as Gwenda) was born 4 February 1926.
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| Keith Montague Olney 19 October 1915 - 24 August 1987 |
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| Doris Olney with her family - Keith, Roy, Allan & Gwenda in 1928. |
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| Keith Olney rode his bike from Glen Waverley to Caulfield Tech School - 8 miles (13kms) each way. |
Olney family and Wallis family joined in marriage.
Keith's father Arthur Olney had a Fruiterer's shop in 224 Toorak Road, Camberwell 1933 - 1936. Opposite, Frederick Wallis' had a Butcher's shop in 209 Toorak Road, Camberwell 1930 - 1934. Marjorie Wallis and Keith Olney were childhood sweethearts. They blew kisses to each other from their upper storey windows on opposite sides of the road.
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| Olney's Fruiterer's shop (blue) 224 Toorak Rd, Camberwell. Taken 2007. Olney's shop and the neighbouring shops were demolished in 2017 for redevelopment. |
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| Wallis' Butcher's shop 209 Toorak Rd, Camberwell (LHS). Taken 2007. |
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The Wallis family were Butchers for many generations.
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| W.J.Wallis Butcher's Shop in Farnborough, England mid 1800s. |
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| A generation later W.J.Wallis' son, Henry John Wallis was a Butcher in Farnborough, England |
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| Henry John Wallis (born 1858) and wife Delilah Duddy (born 1863). They had 3 sons who became Butchers - Henry (Harry) John (born 1884), William James (born 1885) and Frederick George (born 1890). |
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| Frederick George Wallis (born 1890) was a Butcher. |
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| Jessie Riches (born 1889) and Frederick Wallis (born 1890) |
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| Frederick Wallis & Jessie Riches married 1912. Frederick came to Australia 1914 and Jessie followed him 6 months later. Frederick worked in his brother William James Wallis' Butchers shop for a number of years. |
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| Marjorie Hannant Wallis born 19 November 1918 and Joan Freda Wallis born 12 November 1927 |
On 19 October 1936 Keith celebrated his 21st birthday in a room at Camberwell Railway Station. When he was given "the key" attached to a ribbon, Keith put the ribbon around Marj's neck also - thus announcing their engagement.
On 20 May 1939 Keith Olney and Marjorie Wallis were married at the Church of England in Edithvale.
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| Marjorie Wallis on her wedding day 20 May 1939 with parents Jessie & Frederick Wallis |
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| Marjorie attended by bridesmaids Gwenda Olney and sister Joan Wallis. |
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| Marjorie Wallis married Keith Olney, with Roy & Gwenda Olney, Joan Wallis as attendants. |
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| Marjorie & Keith Olney regularly supported the Melbourne Football Club at the MCG. |
1939 - 1940 Keith & Marj lived at Kerr Cres, Camberwell where Graham Keith Olney was born on 20 August 1940.
1940 Keith & Marj built at 131 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley (house built by Arthur & Roy). They lived there until 1969.
1942 - 1945 Keith served in the Australian Army at Katherine, Northern Territory, during WW11. Before and after the War Keith worked at K.L.Ballantyne in stores, warehousing food products.
Keith was a builder with his father Arthur & brother Roy for many years. They built many houses in Glen Waverley. Keith later became a land developer, subdividing land in Dandenong North, Boronia, Scoresby, Knoxfield and Glen Waverley before retiring.
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| 1942. The Olney family home 131 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley, built by Arthur & Roy Olney. |
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| Marjorie Olney with sons Graham (born 1940) and Peter (born 1941) at 131 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley. |
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| Peter (left) and Graham Olney at 131 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley |
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| Peter born 29 December 1941, Graham born 20 August 1940 and Helen Olney born 19 March 1945 |
Kenneth James Olney was born 29 November 1948 and Wendy Joy Olney was born 12 May 1951.
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| Ken Olney - a Boy Scout |
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| Ken and Wendy Olney with Father Christmas. |
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| Olney family home 131 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley in 1962. |
The Olney family attended Glen Waverley Methodist Church.
Keith Olney was a local Councillor for 12 years with Shire of Mulgrave/City of Waverley.
He was the Mayor of Waverley in 1963/1964.
After retiring from building Keith became a Land Developer, subdividing land in Dandenong North, Boronia, Wantirna, Scoresby and Glen Waverley. Graham bought a block in Yanigin Drive, Glen Waverley and Peter bought one at 5 Stanfield Court, Glen Waverley. Stanfield Court was named after "Stanfield Hall" in Norwich, England. His business name was O&A Projects Pty.Ltd.
Keith supplemented his income by cleaning at Glen Waverley High School for a number of years. In the late 1970s Keith and son Peter formed O&A Developments Pty.Ltd. and subdivided 14 acres of land into residential lots in Knoxfield. There was a street named OLNEY Crt. after the family.
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| Keith Olney was a Councillor for 12 years and Mayor of Waverley 1963/64. |
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| Mayor & Mayoress Olney in 1963/64. |
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| Marj Olney 1967 |
In 1969 Keith & Marj Olney built a house on the tennis court block at the rear of their house at 131 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley. They lived at 20 The Boulevard, Glen Waverley until Keith finally retired to Balnarring in 1982.
In 1972 Keith & Marj Olney sailed on "Australis" to England and Europe, returning on "Britanis" 5 months later. They travelled with Allan & Wyn Petfield who were the Tour Leaders, also friends Ron & Ruth Woodgate.
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| Allan & Wyn Petfield, Marj & Keith Olney on board "Australis" 1972 |
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| Keith & Marj Olney on board "Australis" 1972. |
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| Keith & Marj Olney, Wyn & Allan Petfield met Noel Reid and his wife in London 1972 |
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| Keith & Marj Olney at Land's End 18 August 1972. |
In 1963 Olneys built a holiday house at 10 Cliff Road, Balnarring. Many family holidays were enjoyed there. They finally retired to "Pindari", 10 Cliff Road, Balnarring in 1982.
In 1982 Keith had a large melanoma removed from his back and seemed to recover well after prayer.
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| Keith Olney celebrated his 70th birthday on 19 October 1985 at Balnarring. |
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| Olney siblings - Marj & Keith, Gwenda & Bert, Olive & Roy 19 October 1985. |
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| Keith loved his garden at Balnarring |
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| Marj Olney and Wyn Petfield at Balnarring |
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| "Pindari" a few years after Olney's sold. |
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| "Pindari" had a charge of colour again! |
Keith and Marj Olney moved to a unit at "Warawee" Balnarring Road, Balnarring in 1986. Keith died at home on 24 Augusat 1987. Marj moved to Unit 219 Baxter Village in 1989 and died in the Nursing Home there on 12 July 2017.
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| "Warawee" Balnarring Road, Balnarring |
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August 1987 Keith died at home at Balnarring from Bowel cancer. He went
into hospital only 5 weeks earlier but to be told he was riddled with cancer and they could do nothing. He was a blessing to all who
visited as he shared his Christian faith to the end.
27 August 1987 A
Cremation service took place at Springvale Crematorium and a
thanksgiving service followed at Balnarring Uniting Church. Helen was in
Kenya at the time. John Allason Monkhouse at Mornington were the
Funeral Directors.
The plaque reads "In loving memory of Keith Montague Olney 1915-1987 Beloved husband of Marjorie. With the Lord".
On 13 September 2009 the Peter Olney family visited Springvale Crematorium and viewed the niche of Keith M.Olney, A.C.Downard Lawn, Wall B, Niche 123.
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| The Peter Olney family paid their respects at Keith Olney's plaque in 2009. |
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| Marj Olney 1987 - recently widowed - 69 years. |
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| Marj Olney 92 years. |
Inevitably the 5 Olney children married.
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| Graham Olney married Julie Adams 3 November 1964. |
Julie Adams came to live in Glen Waverley in the late 1950s. She studied at MacRobertson's Girls High School and attended Glen Waverley Methodist Church. Julie became a Mother Craft Nurse.
Graham Olney did his apprenticeship in carpentry with his father and uncle. He loved cars, doing hill climbs and sprint racing and later came to operate a garage business. He owned a milk bar business in Bayswater and then at Yarra Junction.
Julie and Graham now have 2 children and 4 grandchildren.
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| Keith & Marj Olney, Graham & Julie Olney, Bill & Marmora Adams. |
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| Peter Olney married Joy Petfield 6 February 1964 |
Joy Petfield came to live in Glen Waverley in 1957. On the first Sunday Joy was placed in a Bible Class with 6 to 8 boys. The next Sunday she was a Sunday School teacher! Peter says that the Lord spoke to his heart on that first meeting, that one day Joy would be his bride. He had to be very patient.
Joy went to Methodist Ladies College and later worked in the local State Savings Bank.
Peter Olney qualified with a Diploma in Building Construction, Building Surveyor and Management.
He later established his own business Building Management Consulting Pty.Ltd.
On 13 September 1963 Joy and Peter announced their engagement. They were expecting to have a 16 month engagement but things happened very quickly.
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| Peter Olney married Joy Petfield 6 February 1964. (Peter died 9 May 2016). |
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| Keith & Marj Olney, Peter & Joy Olney, Wyn & Allan Petfield |
Peter Olney got a 2 year contract with a Building Construction Company in New Zealand - Cubitt Wells. His appointment was confirmed just before Christmas, with a start date of 4 January 1964.
Peter went to New Zealand leaving Joy behind to make arrangements for their wedding on 6 February 1964. They had a 10 day honeymoon in New Zealand.
Joy worked for 2 years before giving birth to their first born in May 1966.
The 2 year contract extended to 3 years before returning to Glen Waverley.
Peter and Joy now have 3 children and 9 grandchildren.
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| Helen Olney is given away by her father, Keith Olney |
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| Helen Olney married Howard Andrews 6 December 1969 |
Helen Olney trained as a Nurse at Box Hill Hospital.
Howard Andrews was doing missionary work in Papua New Guinea when Helen started writing to this young man as a friend. Soon they knew God had given them a heart for each other. Helen and Howard attended Syndal Baptist Church together before making a commitment to study at Melbourne Bible College 1969 - 1970. They spent 7 years on the mission field in Kenya from 1984 - 1991. Helen and Howard now have 4 children and 14 grandchildren.
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Kenneth Olney married Pamela Kerr 6 December 1969
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Ken Olney and
Pam Kerr were school sweethearts, meeting each other at Glen Waverley High. Ken was called up to serve in Vietnam. They married hurriedly before Ken left for Vietnam. Pam trained as a Nurse. Ken and Pam now have a daughter and 2 grandchildren.
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Wendy Olney married Robert Cannon 20 December 1973
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Wendy Olney and
Robert Cannon trained as Primary school teachers. They have 2 adult daughters.
And so the generations multiplied! Keith and Marj Olney soon became grandparents to 12
grandchildren. Today Marj is the Great Grandma to 29 great grandchildren. (Marj passed away 12 July 2017)
Please note: Ross Olney was the official keeper of the Olney Family Tree, but in 2020 he handed it over to myself. If you have information that needs to be corrected or added to, please contact Joy Olney on joyolney@gmail.com
You can order your own hard copy of "The Family of Charles and Martha Olney" by clicking on -
http://olneygenealogy.weebly.com
If you wish to contact the author of these Olney Family Archives blogs with corrections or further information, please contact Joy Olney via email - joyolney@gmail.com
These blogs have been written as another way of sharing the Olney family history with those interested. Obviously they do not cover all branches. My interest primarily is with the "David" Olney branch with parents Charles and Martha Olney.
