William (Thomas) Lynch

[m23to53]

Can anyone  help me with this Australian author, who wrote many short stories in the 1940s before churning out pseudonymous westerns in the 1950s/1960s.
There are various articles on him in the 1940s on the Trove newspaper site, particularly on his divorces and bankruptcy case as well as the many stories which appeared in papers. But nothing to positively ID him.
The facts that are known are that he appears to be a native of NSW, married Joyce Ellen Reeves in 1936, who divorced him in 1945, then Beatrice Winifred Bateman in 1946, who divorced him in 1947! Though the articles state the age of the wives, there is nothing for Lynch.
He is on electoral rolls 1954, 1958 and 1963 living Murdoch St, Cremorne (his address in some of the articles), a journalist. In 1963 he is living with Ilma Edith Lynch (his wife? though I cannot find a marriage in NSW at least - and the only record I can find of the lady.
A William Thomas Lynch died in Sydney area in 1968 (Kathleen, his mother, is the only parent named in the BMD record). And in 1910, a Kathleen is the only parent named for a William T Lynch born Mudgee.
So it it possible that the author is the 1968 death, and born 1910?

I notice that the NSW State Archive hold the papers for both divorces, though only the Beatrice Lynch divorce is marked available.

There are various William Thomas Lynch in the records born in an approximate period for the author, but wives' names do not match those of the author's, plus some have a Queensland connection.

So can anyone help me ID the author, perhaps to confirm he is the 1968 death?

Many thanks
John

[cando]

A transcription of this marriage certificate would give you his age and place of birth, his father's name and occupation and his mother's name including her maiden name.
http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/Pages/family-history/family-history.aspx
Scroll down to Transcription Agents.

18941/1936     
LYNCH William Thomas
REEVES Joyce Ellen
North Sydney

Divorce papers
http://search.records.nsw.gov.au/items/1184642

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article169355581
The Truth 18 Nov 1945
Wife's story also short!

Cando

[cando]

Second divorce

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article163722015
Dayboro Times and Moreton Mail 14 Jun 1947

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article169367050

Cando

[m23to53]

Thanks. Have applied for transcription of 1936 marriage as cost about same as a full certificate here.

Missed that 41 age. No William T or William (with no middle initial) born NSW 1905-1908. But no indication he was born in NSW - just that he was living in the state from the 1930s. Will be interesting to see his age on the marriage registration.

regards
John

[Marcel Cee]

Hi John,

I hope its OK that I reopen this thread as such.

I have only just joined with the intention of finding out more about this man as my grandmother knew him quite well. I have been to ryersonindex.net - there are two possibles that I am seeing that match:

LYNCH   William Thomas   Death notice   20NOV1973   Death   76    at R.G.H., Concord, late of Belmore   Sydney Morning Herald   21NOV1973   
LYNCH   William Thomas   Death notice   20MAR1961   Death      late of Kensington   Sydney Morning Herald   21MAR1961   

I recall seeing on google books an Australian Authors biography book that listed all his books inclusive of his pen names but I have tried to find it again and it would seem they have disallowed views to the pages I need to see. The book provided dates of each book. From memory there were entries from the 60's but I need to confirm this.

My grandmother was a student of his at Mayne Writing School. She was from the Wairarapa in NZ. I am also from NZ as is the rest of my family.

As I am new to the site I am unsure if I am able to private message you. I assure you I will be able to provide further information which I would hope would help you.

Best regards,

Marcel

[rosball]

Hi Marcel,
   Welcome to rootschat 

There is a probate packet for the William Thomas LYNCH who died in 1973
http://investigator.records.nsw.gov.au/Entity.aspx?Path=\Item\1480599

I can photograph this for you the next time I am there (in a couple of weeks) if you wish

You need to make another couple of posts before you can use the private message system

regards
  Ros

adding: could also photo the divorces if they are of interest ...?

[cupoflife]

LYNCH, William Thomas: Sydney Morning Herald   21NOV1973   

Death notice may help to confirm or eliminate (see left hand page in this link)
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01gs8/

[m23to53]

Hi Marcel.

My interest in Lynch is to identify him for his entry in a bibliography I am researching. I must admit I have not looked at him much more as I have many other writers to chase down.
Forgive my ignorace, but where was the Mayne writing school - and when was your grandmother his student?

I now have a copy of the transcription of his 1936 marriage registration. It states he is a 26 year old journalist, born Co. Galway, Ireland, son of Arthur, also a journalist (no mother's name is given).

Assuming this is accurate, it does not seem to help. Trouble is, no sign of him on 1911 Irish census, or his father. There are three Arthur Lynch on the census of an age to have a child (the only one in Galway is a child) and one does have a son of the right age though different name , and none are journalists or any allied trade. Only birth c1910 in Galway I can find is a William Joseph Lynch, father James a labourer. Of course he could have been born 1911 after the census, I suppose.

There are a few William Lynch on passenger lists, but parent's names, UK residence etc. do not match, and no suitable Arthur Lynch.

He is not the 1973 death and obviously not the 1961 one either (unless he has not been removed from the 1963 electoral roll and his later books are posthumous!). And the 1968 death in NSW would seem possible if not for the mother's name matching that 1910 Australian birth. Coincidence?

I suppose the question is how accurate the details on the marriage registration are. Especially when one considers his character from the various divorce reports.

Regards
John

[Marcel Cee]

Thank you for the posts Ros and John. I really do appreciate all the help I can get on this one.

I hope this does not tread on anyones toes in the Lynch family should they be reading this. The reason I wanted to private message was because he is my grandfather and I understand from spoken word from many many years ago that William was married when my father was conceived - and not to my grandmother. However my understanding was that he was still legally married but him and his wife lived very separate lives and lived in the same house (41 Murdoch St Cremorne) or his wife lived in another flat that was owned by William.

Mayne School of Authorship was the school that William Thomas Lynch owned and ran in Sydney. I may be able to find an address for the school however going by the articles I read on Trove the school was sold to service debts from what I can gather. He did however retain royalties from the writing courses he wrote.

My father was hoping to contact any children that William fathered so he can connect the missing pieces in his life. He tried to go meet his father when he was 17 but he was stopped by his mother and stepfather for unknown reasons. After a long 90 minute phone conversation with my parents, I have found out that William had two daughters, one Margaret and one Lynette. My grandmother was seeing William in 1948 between Wellington NZ and Sydney. Margaret was 9 years old in 1948.

The understanding is that William was born around 1911 but we have no evidence of this, so it may well have been 1910. From what I recall William may have been born in Mudgee.

William was involved in boxing competitions and was a pig hunter in Queensland for some time. It has been said that William had contact with Bertha Louise Lawson, Henry Lawsons (famous bush poet) daughter. The story goes that Williams father was Henry Lawson but being able to prove that may prove impossible. We think that William may have been telling tall stories. His mothers name was Katie. William lived in a catholic orphanage and from what we understand did know his mother and had contact with her. The strange thing is that William was not adopted, which for the times was a strange thing to happen. William won a scholarship to go to University where we assume he would have studied English and writing.

The 1968 death is the most likely as his mothers name was known as Katie which we are also assuming was Kathleen.

Looking at the 1973 death notice I do not believe that is him as the names definitely do not match and given the life he led we think he passed away at a relatively young age.

Most of the information from my parents has been sourced from my grandmothers diary which was thankfully quite detailed. She speaks of Alma, however we think she means Ilma. There is an article on trove talking of his adulterous relationship with Ilma Green while he was married to Beatrice.

I am hoping this post has not become disjointed or hard to read as this is basically a dump of all the information that I know from what has been recorded. Please let me know if there are any points that you wish me clarify further.

Me and my family do appreciate anything that could lead to finding family links as this has been weighing on our families minds for some years now. We all appreciate your time.

Best regards,

Marcel