W is for Warrnambool

 

Warrnambool in 1880s

Who were the Moxons from Warrnambool?

In the list of World War 1 Australian servicemen named Moxon, two brothers are listed as being born in Warrnambool, Victoria in 1892 and 1894.  They were Albert John and George William Moxon, the sons of George Clifton Moxon and Honora (Annie) Shanley.

George Clifton Moxon must have lived at Killarney (near Warrnambool) - probably farming - until early in the 20th century because five boys and three younger girls were born to them in Killarney between 1888 and 1906.

However, from 1903 George and Annie are listed as living in Melbourne's east.

The eldest was Walter Thomas Moxon who married Alice O'Neill, had a large family, including sons to carry on the name, and also lived in Melbourne's eastern suburbs.

George William was listed as a farmer in 1916 when he enlisted for World War 1 in Warrnambool, but after the war, he moved to Melbourne, as did his older brother in arms Albert John Moxon.

It seems that the farming life did not suit this family.

George Clifton Moxon was born in Cawthorne, Yorkshire in 1859, the son of Walter Moxon and Elizabeth Ann Crowther.  He was listed in the 1881 census as a 21-year-old butcher - a trade followed by many Cawthorne Moxons.  He obviously came to Australia prior to 1887 since he married Annie Shalney that year in Victoria.  However, to date, a shipping record has not been found.

It is probable that this Moxon family now extends into five or six generations in Melbourne since Walter Thomas Moxon (1888-1962) had three sons, all of whom married.  Wouldn't it be nice to find them and invite them to join the Moxon Society.

This family is another branch of The Moxon Society's tree MX01, the Moxons of Cawthorne, Yorkshire.