SYDNEY JAMES MARTIN1913 – 1967Late of 94 Cardigan Rd Greenacre NSW

TIMELINE 1913 - 1967Sydney James Martin

A LIFE’S PROFILESydney James (Sid) Martin was born on 5th December 1913 at Banksia in Sydney.

His father was William Thomas Martin, an engineer/blacksmith, and his mother was Elizabeth Hannah (born Eaglestone). He was the third of six children (another died as a baby).

He married Olive Jane Coates at age 21. They had two children, James and Patricia. But Olive died after the birth of Patricia. The children went to live with Olive’s sister.

Sid married Alma Helen (Nell) Archer in 1947. They had three children – Helen, Glenn and Brian. The family went to live at Greenacre in 1954.

Sid worked as a painter and was employed at the Australian Gas Light Company at Mortlake. When he was 53 he had a sudden heart attack and died. His ashes rest at Rookwood Cemetery. Passed away 4th March 1967.

EARLY LIFEDate Event5/12/1913 Birth at Banksia NSW. Parents: William Thomas Martin (born 1883 in Bethanga

Vic.) and Elizabeth Hannah (born Eaglestone at Balmain, 1882). Two older brothers, Norm and William Thomas.

1915 Birth of younger brother George Edwin (died 1961)5/9/1918 Birth of younger sister Thelma Ellen (married Nell’s brother; she died in 2009)

9/9/1920 Birth of younger sister Frances Phillipa (died 2006)23/2/1921 Mother (Elizabeth Hannah) admitted to Callan Park Mental Hospital following

suicide attempt and delusional behaviour

1921 Sid went to live with his Uncle Paul and his wife Maud at Rockdale NSW.

FIRST MARRIAGEDate Event11/5/1935 Married Olive Jane Coates at St Fiacre’s Roman Catholic Church, Leichhardt

NSW (aged 21). His occupation is storeman; employer is Pilkington Glass.

1939 Birth of son James Martin

20/9/1943 Birth of daughter, Patricia Joan Martin

5/10/1943 Death of wife, Olive, of acute heart failure (aged 32). Buried at Rookwood.

1943 Children James and Patricia go to live with Olive’s sister Dorry at Lidcombe.

GRAVESTONE FOR OLIVE J. MARTIN

Gravestone at Rookwood Cemetery

for Olive J. Martin

“A dear wife and a loving mother

Died 5th October 1943 aged 32 years”

SECOND MARRIAGE (TO NELL)Date Event4/7/1947 Married Alma Helen (Nell) Archer at St John’s C of E Church, Campsie NSW

(aged 33). 1947 Lived with Mrs Marsh at Drummoyne NSW. His occupation is painter.12/5/1948 Birth of daughter Helen Martin at RPA Hospital, Camperdown NSW23/5/1950 Birth of son Glenn Martin at Belmore NSW1950 Family moves to live with Norm, Sid’s brother, at 96 Renown Avenue,

Punchbowl. His wife had left, and he has a daughter, Dianne, who lives with him, so the arrangement is mutually helpful.

1951 In the recession of 1951, he is made redundant from Pilkington Glass after nearly 20 years. His next employer is Australian Gas Light Company, Mortlake. He worked there until his death in 1967.

29/1/1952 Birth of son Brian Martin at Campsie NSW

SID AND NELL

LATER FAMILY EVENTSDate EventAugust 1954 Sid and Nell move to Greenacre, into a “temporary dwelling” at 94 Cardigan Rd.

Sid works as a painter at the gas works at Mortlake.

16/12/1955 Death of Sid’s father at Annandale NSW (aged 72). Buried at Woronora.

1/8/1957 Sid’s mother died at Bloomfield Hospital, Orange (aged 75). His brother Norm attended her funeral. Cremated at Orange.

1958 Marriage of son James Martin at Auburn NSWMay 1959 Family move into new house on their block of land at Greenacre.1962 Marriage of daughter Patricia Martin at Ryde NSW4/3/1967 Death of heart attack at Greenacre NSW; funeral held at St David’s CofE Church,

Greenacre; cremated at Rookwood NSW (aged 53)Nell lives on after Sid died. Ten years later she married George Crowe. He died in 1998 and she lives on at Ballina NSW (as at 2016).

FAMILY PHOTO

Sid and children at Taronga Park Zoo in about 1956. From left: Glenn, Brian, Helen, Valerie and Sid. (Valerie was the daughter of Nell’s sister Pearl.)

IN LOVING MEMORY OFMemorial plaque for Sydney James

Martin at Rookwood Cemetery

IN LOVING MEMORY OF

SYDNEY JAMES MARTIN

PASSED AWAY 4TH MARCH 1967

AGED 53 YEARS

IN GOD’S CARE

FAMILY TREE

Slides created by Glenn MartinDecember 2016