Tag: Noel

“Rags” to Riches

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This article appeared in the October 19, 1951 edition of The (Melbourne, Australia) Argus.[1]

Casben Wilfred Rags to Riches
(Click on image to enlarge)

“Mr. W. A. Casben” is Wilfred Arthur Ackerman Casben, eldest son of Arthur Casben (1886–1961). We were briefly introduced to Wilfred in “Australia bound,” an earlier post describing Arthur’s origins in England and his emigration to Australia. I’ve had little to say about this branch of the family, as there is relatively little information available online (and I don’t have any plans to make the trek “down under” anytime soon!), but I will continue to post as information becomes available to me. Wilfred is my fourth cousin, twice removed, based on our common ancestor, Thomas Casbon (1743–1799).

Here’s what I know about Wilfred Arthur.

He was born in England March 2, 1911 and baptized at Christ Church, Mitcham, Surrey on June 4th of that year.[2]

Wilfred baptism 1911
Detail from Christ Church, Mitcham, Surrey baptismal register. (Click on image to enlarge)

He was only 3 years old when he boarded the steam ship Themistocles in London, April, 1914, with his mother Leonora and 1-year old brother Noel, bound for Australia.[3] Wilfred’s father Arthur had preceded them six months earlier, working as a crew member aboard the ship Miltiades.[4]

In 1935, Wilfred was listed on electoral rolls, living in Bankstown North (a suburb of Sydney), and employed as a shop assistant.[5]  In 1939, about the time he decided to start his own sportswear company, he became engaged to Florence Still.[6] They were married a year later.[7]

Casben WA Florence Still engagement announcement 1939
The engagement announcement of Miss Florence (“Phipp”) Still.
(Click on image to enlarge)

Florence and Wilfred went by the nicknames “Phipp” and “Cas.” They had at least four children that I know of (names withheld out of respect for privacy), and have living grandchildren today. I have not located records of Wilfred’s or Florence’s deaths; however, they would be well over 100 years old if still living.

I don’t have much more information about Wilfred or the company that he founded. It’s clear that he had a vision, and was able to turn it into a highly successful venture. It must have taken a good deal of courage and a lot of hard work to make it happen.

Based on what’s available on Google, the clothing company’s heyday was from the late 1940s through at least the 1960s (see “Friday Fun: 1968 Casben Shorts Ad”). Here is another colorful advertisement, from 1954.[8]

Casben ad 19Nov1954 AusWomWkly
(Click on image to enlarge)

I have not made contact with any of the Australia Casbens. However, this blog gets occasional visits from Australia, so I suspect someone in the family is reading it. I welcome comments, either through the comments section below this post, or through the Contacts link.

[1] “’Rags’ to Riches,” The (Melbourne, Australia) Argus, 19 Oct 1951, p. 3, col. 1; image copy, Trove (http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23086750 : accessed 5 October 2016).
[2] “Surrey, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1912,” Christ Church Mitcham, Southwark diocese, Wilfred Arthur Ackerman Casben, b. 2 Mar 1911, baptized 4 Jun 1911; database with images, Ancestry Library Edition (accessed through participating libraries : accessed 17 February 2017); citing parish registers, Surrey History Centre, Woking.
[3] “Passenger Lists leaving UK 1890-1960,” images and transcriptions, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=tna%2fbt27%2f0846000031%2f00370 : accessed 6 October 2016), entry for Mrs Lenora Casben (age 26,) departing London, 2 Apr 1914 for Brisbane aboard Themistocles.
[4] “New South Wales unassisted passenger lists”, images and transcriptions, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=anz%2fnsw%2fpass%2funasst%2f06568718 : accessed 11 December 2016), entry for Arthur Casben, arrived at Sydney, New South Wales, 23 Oct 1913 aboard T S S Miltiades.
[5] “Australia Electoral Rolls,” images and transcriptions, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=au%2felectoralroll%2f323%2f001807930 : accessed 8 June 2017), Wilfred Arthur Ackerman Casben, 84 Waterloo Road, Bankstown North, New South Wales.
[6] “Engagement Announced,” The Sydney (Australia) Morning Herald, 15 Feb 1939, p. 8, col. 4; image copy, Trove (http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17543390 : accessed 5 October 2016).
[7] “New South Wales Marriages 1788-1945,” Sydney, reg. no. 376, Wilfred Arthur Ackerman & Florence Amelia Still, 1940; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=anz%2fbmd%2fnsw%2fm%2f0002643832 : accessed 6 October 2016).
[8] Casben “Swim N’ Play” advertisement, Australian Women’s Weekly, 10 Nov 1954, p. 62; image copy, Trove (http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page5791063 : accessed 9 June 2017).

Australia-bound

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As near as I can tell, Arthur Casben is the forefather of all the Australia Casbens.

Arthur was born in Lambeth, London, May 1886, [1] He was one of eight children born to Reuben and Elizabeth (Neyland) Casbon. Arthur was a “Meldreth Casbon,” descended from John Casbel of Meldreth. His 2nd great-grandfather Thomas Casbon was my 5th great grandfather.

Arthur C ancestors chart
(Click on image to enlarge)

Arthur’s father Reuben adopted the C-A-S-B-E-N spelling of the name. This spelling appears on birth registries for his children as well as various other documents.

By the age of 15, Arthur had a job on the railroads as a servant. [2] By the age of 22 he was a conductor. [3]

He married Leonora Gertrude Ackerman 1910 in Croydon, Surrey, England. [4] She was the daughter of Albert T and Alice (Wilks) Ackerman. [5]

I don’t know exactly when Arthur left England for Australia, but I’ve been able to put together the following bits of information.

Arthur’s wife Leonora and two sons Wilfred and Noel departed from London aboard the ship Themistocles in April 1914. [6] The ship was bound for Brisbane, Australia, and the manifest indicates that they intended to become permanent citizens of Australia.

Casben ship manifest leaving UK 1914
(Click on image to enlarge)

Leonora’s sister Helena (Ackerman) Skinner (b. 1870) was on the same ship with her six children. [7] Her husband, Alfred James Skinner, was not on the manifest, but at some point he also went to Australia.

They were preceded to Australia by Leonora’s parents, who departed London bound for Brisbane in November 1913. They also intended to make Australia their home. [8]

Leonora’s brother, Leopold Patrick Albert Ackerman (b. 1879) probably was the first to arrive in Australia. He married Mary McAdam in New South Wales in 1912. [9] I don’t know when he arrived in Australia.

The first Australian record I have for Arthur is his embarkation in December 1915 to serve with the Australian Forces in World War I. He was already a resident of Coogee, New South Wales. [10]

Arthur WWI embarkation roll 20 Dec 1915
(Click on image to enlarge)

It’s apparent that the Arthur and Leonora’s decision to move to Australia involved Leonora’s extended family. I don’t have enough information to know what led to the decision.

My father corresponded with Arthur’s son Noel (1912-2001) in the 1990s. Noel sent a brief summary of the family’s early years in Australia, part of which is transcribed here:

My father was the only one of four brothers … who migrated to this country. He & of course my Mom arrived during 1914 when I was about 2 y.o. and with brother Wilfred 2 yrs my senior and no longer with us. My first memory of life is just before Feb. 1915 when my sister was born when we live at SCOGEE a beachside suburb of Sydney. I do not remember my Dad going to war in Palestine nor coming home in 1917. Nor do I remember going with the family to a country town in N.S. Wales where my Dad did a mail run. I do remember very vividly a bonfire being lit in the main street of Coolamon on armistise day 1918 Dad was no business man so the mail run went and we returned to Sydney. [11]

Besides Wilfred and Noel, Arthur and Leonora Casben had at least five more children after arriving in Australia. Some of their descendants have reached positions of prominence.

One added note: Arthur’s sister, Margaret Casben, emigrated to Australia in 1915. [12] She married Robert C. Wright in 1920. [13]

This blog occasionally gets visits from someone in Australia and New Zealand. If any Casben descendants are reading this, please feel free to contact me or leave a comment.

[1] “England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2XP6-FL3 [accessed 11 November 2015]
[2] “1901 Census of England, Wales & Scotland.” find my past http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1901%2f0002505084 [accessed 3 November 2016]
[3] “Britain, Trade Union membership registers”, find my past http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbor%2ftradeunions%2f100121154 [accessed 3 November 2016]
[4] “England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2DX9-Y27 [accessed 6 October 2016]
[5] “England and Wales Census, 1891.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q9TZ-1N2 : 15 October 2015 [accessed 6 October 2016]
[6] “Passenger Lists leaving UK 1890-1960.” find my past http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=tna%2fbt27%2f0846000031%2f00368 [accessed 23 September 2016]
[7] “Passenger Lists leaving UK 1890-1960.” find my past http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=tna%2fbt27%2f0846000031%2f00313 [accessed 3 November 2016]
[8] “Passenger Lists leaving UK 1890-1960.” find my past http://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=tna%2fbt27%2f0815000069%2f00072 [accessed 6 October 2016]
[9] “New South Wales Marriages 1788-1945.” find my past http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=anz%2fbmd%2fnsw%2fm%2f0003817632 [accessed 3 November 2016]
[10] “First World War Embarkation Rolls”, Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1821056/[accessed 3 November 2016]
[11] Casben, N., Letter to L. Casbon, 25 March 1996. [The original printed letter is in the Jon Casbon’s possession]
[12] “Passenger Lists leaving UK 1890-1960.” find my past http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=tna%2fbt27%2f0867000007%2f00092[accessed 6 October 2016]
[13] “New South Wales Marriages 1788-1945”, find my past http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=anz%2fbmd%2fnsw%2fm%2f0002643830[accessed 6 October 2016]