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Messages - motormouse

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Orkney / Re: FLETT/GORIE of Stromness
« on: Saturday 26 October 13 16:58 BST (UK)  »
Hi Russell

Wow, there's lots of us out here searching the same origins, William Flett, the tinsmith, was my GGgrandfather and I have a photo of him standing outside his shop in Warrnambool, I also have a photo of him later with two of his sons in military uniform, Fred and Vivien, they were two of my grandfather Charlie's brothers. Both survived WW1 Fred and grandfather owned a cordial factory in Warrnambool, Flett's Cordials and grandfather also had a plumbing business. One of Grandfather's sisters Jean Gallagher had three offspring and all in the religious, Father Laurie, Brother Don and Sister Imelda. Father Laurie was putting together a history and I have his handwritten notes he gave to Mum, I have typed them in MS Word and can pass on a copy to you as well as other photos I have. I remember Trixie Flett from the boatsheds, she was a swarf and was great mates with a cousin of Mum's on her Mother's side Francy Kavanagh who also had dwarfism. According to family stories Trixie was a bit of a mystery, daughter of Frances but unknown father. Also, Flett's boatsheds wasn't Proudfoots, they were the competition, Fletts was where the Ski Club is now and they were Grandfather's cousins, there was also a Charlie amongst them. If you like I can put together a chronology of offspring from William, the tinsmith through to our generation and our children and grandchildren as much as I can. Jan is also from William's line, her Grandmother Jesse and my Grandfather Charlie Flett were brother and sister, I haven't heard back from her since she returned from holidays but if you wish to contact me direct via email you can find it on my art website www.pencilportraitsbymorris.webs.com my Brother terry and I are pencil portrait artists. I would love to hear more about your line.

Regards
Peter Morris

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Orkney / Re: FLETT/GORIE of Stromness
« on: Sunday 21 April 13 10:41 BST (UK)  »
To Trish1120

I agree there are quite a few inconsistencies in the dates, names, parentage, offspring etc of Gorrie/Flett. I have only just discovered this forum and am excited about it, as you can see it has already been fruitful for me. I will continue to sift through the information and links here and post results. It seems Flett was like Smith in the Orkneys, lots of them.
Thanks for your information.
Regards
Peter

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Orkney / Re: FLETT/GORIE of Stromness
« on: Sunday 21 April 13 10:27 BST (UK)  »
Hi Jan
Wow, I didn't expect to get much response let alone a second cousin. I don't have much memory of Jessie, but I do remember Uncle Harold, a lovely man with real bulldog jowls. Your grandmother and my grandfather Charlie Flett were bro and sister, I'm still trying to get my head around that. Sad to hear about your Mum Muriel, is your Dad Stan Didier? the dementia curse has struck many of our family including Mum who passed away in 2005, Jessie's sister Jean Gallagher, Father Laurie's Mum had it, Sister Imelda, Laurie's sister has it, she is in care here in Geelong. I don't know much about Aunty Kath Croft. Vince Yoeman's Wife Joan and my Mum Joan were great friends, Joan was always included in all our family occassions. I would love to catch up and swap notes, the admin here removed your email address but you could contact me via my website if admin allows me to put it here, it is www.pencilportraitsbymorris.webs.com my Brother Terry and I are pencil portrait artists. I have a couple of photos of our great grandfather William Flett, one is of him with two of his sons in uniform before heading off to Gallipoli in ww1. Fred and Vivien went, Grandfather Charlie was too young and I don't know much about the fourth Son William who married a 'non Catholic' and vanished somewhere in NSW never heard of again. There was a Billy Flett who Mum remembers as a child coming to Warrnambool for holidays with them when he was a kid. Viv brought back a war bride from England and settled in Darwin. when he died the wife and daughter went back to England. Fred came back a hero but never spoke about it, he married Emily Ryan and they had no children. Fred and Charlie had a plumbing business and took over a run down cordial factory in Warrnambool and made it successful. Father Laurie gave Mum Uncle Fred's war medals and citation and certificate of thanks from the City of Warrnambool so we know what he did, he was awarded the meritorious service medal, directly approved by King George. We have given them on loan to the RSL. I am happy to make available anything I have to give you copies for your research.
Regards
Peter

4
Orkney / Re: FLETT/GORIE of Stromness
« on: Friday 19 April 13 16:24 BST (UK)  »
I can assure you John Brown Flett did come to Australia with his mother, Jean Gorrie Flett. I am a direct descendent. Jean Gorrie married John Brown Flett in the Orkney Islands, I think at Stromness. Their only child was also named John Brown Flett. John Senior was a fisherman and when his child was an infant he went out to sea with his friend in their small boat and got lost in thick fog, they were found the following day frozen at the oars. The widow and small child had no income or support and were offered a position "in service" with a wealthy household in London. Very few well to do people took on single mothers as servants so she was certainly fortunate to receive this offer. When John Brown Flett grew up he worked as a merchant seaman and having been to Australia decided to live there. He packed up his mother and headed to a new life landing at Robe in South Australia. He set up house there, installed his Mother and travelled around in search of work, spending time in Victoria and Tasmania. In Hobart he met one Mary Brown, a young lady with a somewhat seedy past, took her back to Robe and married her. The old Mother was somewhat disapproving as she showed far too much cleavage for the straight laced old dowager. At some stage they moved to Warrnambool in south west Victoria where he took up work as a boat builder. One of their Sons William Flett had a tinshith shop in Warrnambool, I have a photo of him standing in front of it. William had three sons and three daughters. One of those sons was my Grandfather Charles Stratton Flett, married Ethel Newman. My Mother Joan was their only Daughter. One of William's daughters Jean married Dan Gallagher and all three of their children joined the religious orders. Father Laurie Gallagher was collating a history of the Fletts in Australia and some of the above descriptions are his. I have stored his writing somewhere and cannot find them at the moment so am relying on memory. I have some photos and when I find Laurie's script I will post more, as there are gaps I can certainly fill from our Australian perspective.  Regards Peter

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