Sapper Samuel Emmett

Sapper Samuel Emmett

P.010

'Emmett, Samuel'. (1884). England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915. FreeBMD. Retrieved: https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?r=72557008:5166&d=bmd_1634648714

'Samuel Emmett'. (1913) Marriage Record (1913/C/3280). Queensland Births Deaths and Marriages, QLD, Australia.

'Samuel Emmett'. (1977) Death Record (1977/B/82905). Queensland Births Deaths and Marriages, QLD, Australia.

Queensland Museum Inwards Correspondence #2155(1972)

Hirose, S. (2010). Two Classes of British Engineers: An Analysis of Their Education and Training, 1880S-1930S. Technology and Culture, 51(2), 388-402. Retrieved May 13, 2020, from www.jstor.org/stable/40647104

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 19 August 1911, Page 4. Retrieved: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NEM19110819.2.14

West Coast Times, 28 May 1912, Page 2. Retrieved: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WCT19120528.2.13

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Greymouth Evening Star, 19 September 1911, Page 4. Retrieved: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GEST19110919.2.14

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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 22 August 1911, Page 4. Retrieved: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NEM19110822.2.25

'Josepha Agnes Emmett'. (1971) Death Record (1971/B/25228). Queensland Births Deaths and Marriages, QLD, Australia.

'Harold Eric Emmett'. (1969) Death Record (1969/B/8625). Queensland Births Deaths and Marriages, QLD, Australia.

'Doris Joan Robertson'. (1989) Death Record (1989//3458). Queensland Births Deaths and Marriages, QLD, Australia.

National Archives of Australia: Australian Imperial Force, Base Records Office; B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920; EMMETT S, Emmett Samuel : SERN 3068, 1914 – 1920.

Australian War Memorial: Australian Imperial Force unit war diaries, 1914-18; AWM4 15/8, Australian Railway Operating Division Depot.

NO GOSSIP. (1923, June 2). Daily Standard (Brisbane, Qld. : 1912 - 1936), p. 7. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article184694593

£5 FOR SPEEDING (1936, February 24). The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947), p. 2 (CITY FINAL LAST MINUTE NEWS). Retrieved November 10, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article184018997

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MOTORISTS WARNED (1927, March 27). Sunday Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1926 - 1954), p. 27. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article98219865

COLLAPSIBLE CARAVAN (1935, March 3). Sunday Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1926 - 1954), p. 8. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article97849252

The MOTOR SECTION (1935, March 3). Sunday Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1926 - 1954), p. 8. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article97849234

EPOCH IN PROGRESS (1929, August 11). Sunday Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1926 - 1954), p. 19. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article97697145

GREATER DEVELOPMENT OF DISTRICT NATURAL BEAUTIES (1952, August 8). Nambour Chronicle and North Coast Advertiser (Qld. : 1922 - 1954), p. 1. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article78733982

CHILDREN'S DAY. (1929, September 27). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), p. 21. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21484858

SPIRITUAL CHURCH. (1929, October 31). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), p. 3. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21459281

AUSTIN CLUB EVENING. (1929, August 3). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), p. 24. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21433801

SOCIAL. (1929, January 22). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), p. 18. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21368695

PLAIN AND FANCY DRESS SOCIAL. (1928, October 4). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), p. 22. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21354997

CLUB EVENING. (1928, October 1). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), p. 20. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21338310

No title (1925, August 7). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), p. 10. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20949993

BRISBANE OF THE FUTURE (1924, February 22). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), p. 7. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20693737

S Emmett (1918). Queenslander Pictorial Supplement, 19 October, 1918. State Library of Queensland, Brisbane. Retrieved: http://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/permalink/f/1oppkg1/slq_digitool1221370

Australian Imperial Force. (1914). 'Rules for Field Punishment.' In Manual of Military Law. His Majesty's Stationery Office, London. Retrieved: https://www.awm.gov.au/sites/default/files/355_1330941_g253m_1914.pdf

New Zealand Defence Force, Base Records; 7291, Army General Staff filing system; Territorial Force - Samuel Emmett - Lieutenant, Unattached List (B), R22203824.

C.010.001

C.010.002

C.010.003

Mr James Donaldson

Samuel Emmett was born on 20 April 1884 in Hounslow, England to Martha Keeble and Charles Emmett, a builder. He was one of eight children: Ronald (b. 1871), Charlotte (b. 1872), Benjamin (b. 1877 d. 1885), Wilfred (b. 1879), James (b. 1883), Gordon (b. 1886 d. 1887), and Esther (b. 1889).

The 1891 census records the family living at 6 Shanklin Villas on Bristow Road in Hounslow. By this stage Samuel's eldest brother, Ronald, had already left home, and two of his brothers, Benjamin and Gordon, had died. In 1901 the family were living at 41 Montague Road, Hounslow. Samuel's brothers were carpenters, like their father, but Samuel completed a 5 year apprenticeship with WA Davies of London and became a Civil Engineer. At the time it was still common for engineers to train via apprenticeship as there was no formal qualification.

In 1910 Samuel emigrated from London to New Zealand aboard the Waiwera, and listed his occupation as surveyor. By 1911 Samuel was working with the Lands and Survey Office in Nelson, on the northern end of New Zealand's South Island. Here he was also a well-liked scoutmaster, according to local newspaper articles. In late 1911 Samuel was transferred to the town of Hokitika where he became scoutmaster in the local troop, and in April 1912 Samuel resigned this role with the scouts to concentrate on a new position as Captain of the 65th Hokitika Senior Cadets. Newspaper records also show that Samuel was active in the local church's Sunday School.

By 1913 Samuel had risen to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant in the New Zealand Territorial Forces, but in the first part of that year he suddenly left New Zealand. A letter included in his service record indicates that rumours were circulating the district about inappropriate conduct with members of his cadet company, and that he owed various locals considerable amounts of money. Samuel's subsequent dismissal from the New Zealand Defence Forces, for Absence Without Leave, is dated 24 June 1913.

Samuel next appears in Queensland where he married Josepha Agnes Snowdon on 1 October 1913. In June 1916 he tried to regain his commission in the New Zealand military forces, based on his earlier service, but was rejected and it was not until 1918 that he eventually enlisted. Josepha and Samuel had two children, Harold Eric (b. 31 January 1916) and Doris Joan (birthdate unknown). Samuel's service record suggests that he had one child on enlistment in 1918, possibly Harold, but Doris' death record in 1989 lists her parents as Samuel and Josepha, but her birth year as 1911, when Samuel was still in New Zealand.

At the time of his enlistment on 31 May 1918 Samuel and his family were living on Carew St in Nundah at “Heston”, named for the area he grew up in outside London. Samuel was working as a Civil Engineer driving steam trains at the time, and as a result he was placed in a Railway Technical Unit as a Sapper. His Service Number was 3068. The unit embarked in Sydney on 17 July 1918 aboard the HMAT Borda, bound for England. On-board Samuel was promoted to Vice Corporal in August, but reverted to Sapper when he arrived at camp in late September. He spent a few days in the ship's hospital in late August with abdominal symptoms, but otherwise had an uneventful voyage, arriving in London on 27 September 1918.

Samuel was stationed at the Australian Railway Operating Depot at Longmoor Camp in Hampshire. Australian railway units were first founded in 1916 based on volunteer specialists from Commonwealth and State railways, and those already serving in France. Railway Operating Companies supported the movement of both troops and stores on the Western Front, and were trained at the Longmoor Operating Depot. Due to the late date that Samuel arrived at Longmoor, he was never sent to an operating company in France and spent his entire war in England.

In camp, new reinforcements undertook initial anti-gas and musketry training, alongside the regular schedule of squad drills, kit inspections, route marches, and lectures. In October 1918 Samuel contracted influenza and was sent to the Military Hospital at Frensham Hill for treatment. An epidemic of influenza was sweeping the camp, mainly among new arrivals from Australia, and several severe cases were sent to hospital for treatment. Samuel returned to Longmoor at the end of October, but a month later is listed as Absent Without Leave before being arrested in early December. On 2 January 1919 Samuel was sentenced to 7 days of “Field Punishment No. 2”, hard labour, and the forfeiture of 11 days pay. He had been absent for four days.

By this stage the war was officially over, but like many soldiers, did not return to Australia until late 1919. In April 1919 Samuel was again admitted to Hospital suffering from influenza, this time the 1st Australian General Hospital at Sutton Veny in Wiltshire. During his treatment he was diagnosed with neurasthenia, a generalised condition consisting of headache, fatigue, and irritability, and was transferred to the Middlesex War Hospital at Napsbury. In mid-June 1919 Samuel was discharged from hospital and granted two weeks leave. He was due to report to No. 3 Training Group in Codford at the end of the month, where Australian soldiers were concentrating while awaiting repatriation. Samuel was late in returning from this leave and marched in to No. 2 Training Camp at Sutton Veny on 2 July 1919. By the end of the month he was on-board the HMAT Ulysses returning to Australia, where he was demobilised on 7 August 1919. Samuel was eligible only for the British Victory Medal for his service, as he never served in a theatre of active operations.

At some point while in England, perhaps during his 1919 leave, Samuel visited the Roman site of Verulamium near the city of St Albans in Hertfordshire. Here he collected three fragments of Roman tile and cement which he brought back to Australia and donated to the Queensland Museum in 1972. In a letter accompanying the donation, an 89 year old Samuel notes that he collected them before he returned from the war, in 'about 1920' and that as a Civil Engineer he was drawn to these piece of ancient Roman engineering. The small souvenirs each have a label pasted on them, recording their origin. One, a piece of Roman cement, has a label reading “FM VINYARD BLOCK” suggesting that its origin is “Block Field” on the south-western side of the ancient city, or “Vineyard Field” on the southern side. Both fields border the Roman ditch and wall which would have been standing during Samuel's visit. It seems likely that the tiles and cement all come from the Roman wall of Verulamium as the first extensive excavations of the site did not occur until the 1930s. These Roman fragments are some of the only First World War souvenir antiquities from England.

After returning from the war, Samuel returned to the family home at Carew St in Nundah and took up a job as a draftsman. By 1925, the family had moved to 47 William Street, Kangaroo Point and in the same year, Samuel was appointed assistant engineer in the Greater Brisbane Council. The family remained at Kangaroo Point until 1943 when they moved again, this time to 10 Brickfield St, Windsor where they lived until the late 1960s.

In 1941 Samuel and Josepha's son Harold, an electrician, enlisted to serve in the Second World War (Service Number QX36030). He received a commission as a Lieutenant (late promoted to Captain) in the 61st Infantry Battalion and was Mentioned in Despatches for distinguished service in the South Pacific in 1946. It is unknown if Harold ever married, but Samuel and Josepha's daughter Doris married Arthur Reginald Robertson in 1939.

Outside of his work, Samuel maintained diverse interests. He rejoined the Scouting movement as a scoutmaster in the 1920s and the family attended the Spiritual Church located in Ann Street, Fortitude Valley, where Samuel acted as honorary architect when the Church added a new hall in 1929. Samuel was also a motor enthusiast, joining the RACQ, East Brisbane Auto Social Club, and Brisbane Austin Club. Unfortunately, this enthusiasm for motoring also resulted in a series of traffic offenses, including for speeding, reported in local newspapers. Several members of the Austin Club also attended the Spiritual Church with the Emmetts. In the early 1950s Samuel is mentioned as organiser of 'Caravan Parks QLD' in an article on the opening of a new caravan park at Alexandra Heads.

Samuel also tinkered with various engineering projects. Perhaps his most ambitious was a plan to widen Queen Street in Brisbane city by removing existing awnings and moving ground floor shopfronts back to provide a covered walkway. The scheme, put forward in 1924, was never adopted. In keeping with his interest in motoring and touring, Samuel's home-made collapsible caravan was also covered in a Sunday Mail Motoring column in 1935.

In 1969 Samuel and Joespha's son Harold died, and in 1971 Josepha herself passed away. In 1972 Samuel moved to the Masonic aged care home at Ward St, Sandgate and it was from here that he made his donation of souvenir antiquities to the Queensland Museum. Samuel died in 1977 and his daughter Doris lived until 1989.

Sapper

Australian Railway Operating Division Depot

20/04/1884

1977