Muriel Gataker JULIUS [856]

  General Notes:

Muriel and her sisters attended a small private school called "Leumeah" in Auchenflower for many years, at Chelmer they had a pony called Mickey a sulky and bicycles which she never learned to ride.

Muriel's father and his business were involved with the WWII Pacific war effort and the American Army in Queensland. Muriel worked at General McArthur's headquarters.

Name: Muriel Gataker Julius
Birth Date: 24 Sep 1906
Birth Place: Brisbane, Queensland
Year Range: 1939-1948
Enlistment Place: Brisbane
Service Number: 100250
Next of Kin: Reginald Julius
Series Description: A9300: RAAF, Officers

Muriel and her father, sailed 17 Aug 1948 from London to Sydney, 1st class, on board the Straithaird. Her occupation was described as domestic duties.
Ref: Findmypast.co.uk

Their neighbours the McDonalds had 6 children and lifelong friendships were formed. Muriel lived at her family home "Milden" 92 Thorne St Kangaroo Point Brisbane then sold it in 1967 when she moved to 10 Sandford Plc St Lucia Brisbane.

Muriel wrote a number of letters on the history of her family, see her father Reginald's notes.

Muriel wrote the booklet Family Jottings, Julius, Gataker, & LJ in 1985 - see under "Books" on this website

From Muriel Gataker Julius to her nephew Philip John Bucknell.
Pip dear - you asked me to tell you more about your grandfather, Reginald Hampton Julius - it is a pity you did not know him longer as he died when you are about 13 years of age. He was a man of "high degree" he came from a family with a father, an academic and schoolmaster and I would say of by no means a commercial business background, so his achievements in the business field were all by his own initiatives and endeavours, and true to the Julius motto "By Virtue and Industry I Shall Flourish".
As you know he was originally in the Customs Department in Maryborough and then was transferred to Brisbane. With ambitions and not wanting to remain a public servant, he purchased a Customs and Carrying company, Wright Heaton & Co. with (I believe) financial assistance from mother's father, grandfather Charles Gataker (Maryborough) in 1906. A partner in this original firm was (Mr) Paul and he was the husband of one of Dad's cousins, Ettie Roehricht (see the Hampton family tree). This was not a very satisfactory partnership and I believe Dad bought Paul out, at quite a hardship financially. Eventually in 1913 a new partnership was formed with Herbert Luya, who ran a similar small business in South Brisbane, under the name of Luya Ltd, which handled the carrying work of the Sea Foam Flour Co. Sth Brisbane. A brother Harry Luya was a partner in Sea Foam. The partnership of Luya Julius was a very happy one, the two being great friends and complemented each other, Herb was the "outside" man and RHJ the "inside" man, meaning that Herb supervised the carriers and the fleet (at that time, all horses) and Dad the customs and insurance and the office. Herbert was a bachelor and lived at the Bellevue Hotel down George Street opposite Parliament House, and where the wedding reception of Roy Stanley Bucknell and Margaret Hampton Julius was held in 1935. Herb was like a fairy uncle to we three girls, always gave us super presents, and Mr Luya's Box of Chocolates" at Xmas time was always awaited with glee and anticipation! In 1915 they brought the premises at 95 Eagle Street (I don't know where they operated from prior to then) and the partnership flourished in most happy circumstances. A great blow befell in 1930 with the death of Herb. It is not recorded in the Family Jottings but this was a tragedy. At the time the firm was agents for the original Australian National Airways, and one night at the Bellevue one of the pilots was in the bar drinking (presumably rather heavily) and Herb then called the pilot outside to speak to him, and remonstrated with him. Words followed and the pilot either struck or pushed Herb and he fell to the pavement and cracked his skull on the curb. He died as a result of this. No action was taken against the pilot by his family, they did not want any publicity I believe.
Also at the Bellevue at the same time lived Dr and Mrs John Joseph Luddy who was of course known to Herb Luya. Dr Luddy cared for Dad who suffered severe shock at his partner's death. Dr Luddy became a friend, and the family doctor for many years until his death.
RHJ was a man of high principles, great business acumen and rose to the top of his field. He became President of the Master Carriers Association in Brisbane. He had insight, uncanny at times, and this was demonstrated many times. At the office the boys would say "never be surprised at what the boss may ask you". One time he suspected the then Accountant, so he set a trap, and caught him out "fiddling" the books. Another time I can remember, on a Saturday afternoon he was sitting on the verandah at home at Wilston when he jumped up and said "something is wrong at Kingaroy". It so happened that a truck taking up goods had gone over on the Blackbutt Range and the driver of the truck, Bert Abbott, was injured and the goods wrecked. Dad was on the job immediately, got another truck and had the goods "duplicated" and all delivered to consignees by Monday morning! The driver was deeply unconscious in Ipswich Hospital and about to go onto the operating table when he had this stopped. On consultation with Dr Luddy the patient was brought to Brisbane to the Mater Hospital and Dr Luddy took over. Abbott completely recovered and in time able to continue in his job in charge of the Depot at Dutton Park.
How a hunch was more than a hunch.
Another incident, when you were a little boy in Melbourne, it was the custom for us to pack up the Melbourne Xmas parcel" this was given to Ted Elcock in the office to dispatch to Melbourne. A day or so later Dad called Ted into his office and said "where is the Melbourne parcel" Ted said it is on so-and-so ship which is sailing tomorrow. Dad told him to get the parcel off that ship and send it by rail - why?. A few days afterwards Ted came and said, Boss about that Melbourne parcel, the ship went down off Newcastle last night. Why did our RHJ change his mind - another hunch?
Some "quick actions" I can remember in the early days of ANA when using the Eagle Farm aerodrome, a plane was on the way from Sydney and a phone call came from somebody at Grafton who had seen the plane fly over, and he reported that the plane "only had one wheel" so panic, in case it crashed on landing at Eagle Farm. Dad had large signs printed on the runway "do not land - one wheel missing, and also had the Fire Brigade standing by, in case. But it was all wrong, the plane had two wheels, and landed safely.
Another aeroplane incident, in flood conditions and water everywhere, Dad was dashing out to Archerfield (this was later the aerodrome) and driving near Yeerongpilly through deepwater over the road the car got swept off into a deep gutter and almost totally submerged Dad had to struggle with the door to get an open and get out and swim! There was a picture in the paper of the car on its side with just the tip of the black hood showing, that was the old Master Buick, which eventually got hauled out and cleaned and it went good as gold.
I remember in 1924 he said to Mum at the breakfast table, I had a very vivid dream last night, in fact more than a dream. My mother came to me and said "my son I want you to come", so off Dad went to England by ship (no aeroplanes overseas in those days) and during his stay there his Father died of angina. Grandfather Julius had left Granville Maryborough in 1902 and returned to England with the family (except RHJ) so he had not seen them for a long time, he found things financially in a mess, I gather there was no pension or superannuation as Grandfather had retired or resigned from the Education Department here. So from then on Dad helped support them and I can remember that "money for England" going every quarter, and this he continued all his life (and which we carried on afterwards). Grandma, Aunt Edith Hampton (her sister), aunt Muriel and Char (Charlotte) Brown who had always lived with them, came out to Brisbane about 1930 (1931) and bought a house at Bowen Hills, but they didn't stay long and went back to England.
In his family life Dad was a caring and loving father, times in the early days were a struggle, and money not exactly plentiful. I have mentioned in the Family Jottings that one wet and cold night he pawned his overcoat to get the train fare back to Sandgate to his wife and baby (me)! We originally lived at Sandgate, in Swan Street. I was born in Sandgate, and this also is where Mums friendship with Carrie Dear was formed. Carrie lived with her father, the station master in a house just behind ours and I was a constant visitor there when I was tiny, (we left Sandgate when I was about 3 I think, in later years Carrie was the contact with Bucknells, being a family cousin)
Then we moved to Auchenflower, Ridley Street, where Margaret and Barbara were born. Margaret was a poor sickly little baby, she contracted whooping cough from the nurse who attended mother, the little might nearly died, but was saved by Dr Jefferis Turner, a noted children's specialist. He also was related, having married another Roericht cousin Hilda. We all went to Lumeah Private school, formed by a Miss Elsie Brabazon. Dad and Mum helped her a lot to set up this school, held originally in her own house, and later a school block was built next door. Dad was also instrumental in arranging for Sunday School and Church Services which were held in the school building.
After Auchenflower we moved to Chelmer, across the river and "good fresh air" for the benefit of the children! We had a big house a tennis court was built, and we had a pony and trap to start with (a Buick car came some years later). Friendship started here with the McDonald family who lived across the back paddock! a family of 5 girls and 2 boys, and we had great times together playing tennis and picnics out in Mr Mac's car (we didn't have the car them). The pony we had was called Mickey, a spirited and speedy little animal. Here poor Dad nearly got killed, kicked by Mickey. There was a shed at the back of the tennis court where Mickey was housed. Dad was trying to take her rug off her one morning and something upset the pony, who kicked and there was a terrific noise and I looked out to see dad staggering out of the shed with his hands over his head. Fortunately, though badly bruised, there was no serious damage to his head.
The next house we had was at Vardon Street Wilston where the Zoellers live. Mrs Zoellers, Buster's mother was a sister of Herb Luya, Dad was very involved in the C. of E. Wilston, and was Rector's Warden for many years, and was instrumental in getting a committee formed to organise the building of St Albans Church. He on occasions "took the services" there during absences of a Rector, and was organist for a short time. Margaret and Roy were married in this church in 1935.
After Vardon Street, we had a home in Mars Street still in Wilston where we remained until about 1944, when we went to Thorn Street, Kangaroo Point. You know that house, and we remained there until the death of RHJ in 1952 and MGDJ in 1965.
Ref: Pip Bucknell 2015

Muriel sold the family home "Milden" in 1967 and moved to 10 Sandford Place St Lucia Brisbane QLD.

Muriel Gataker Julius
Gender: Female
Birth Date: 24 Sep 1906
Death Date: 8 Dec 1998
Cemetery: Mount Thompson Memorial Gardens and Crematorium
Burial or Cremation Place: Holland Park West, Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia

  Research Notes:

Image Courtesy Pip Bucknell 2016

  Other Records

1. Muriel G Julius: Letter by Muriel to Archibald Julius enclosing family records, 28 Apr 1954, Brisbane AU.
92 Thorn St
Kangaroo Point
Brisbane.
28-4-54.
Dear Cousin Arch,
Madge rang this morning and asked me to let you have the enclosed family "Records" and I am very pleased to do so and expect you may find many bits of interest. They were compiled by Daddy's mother and seem to cover several branches of the family - many of course I've never heard of. We've found them amongst some of Dad's papers etc when going thro his things last year, and I took them to show Madge as I know she'd be interested as she'd told us about the Family Tree Sir George had compiled. Are you doing something of the same sort? I'd be interested in seeing what you compile later if you would care to let us have a look. There is unfortunately a lot we don't know about members of the family, but it seems Grandma made a study of it and Laura had a lot of information from here and there.
I hope all your folk are well - we called in to see Jack last week at Kallangua. Mum and I had been up to . . . . . for a couple of weeks so as a road runs by we called in on Jack on the way. He is looking fit again and busy doing things about this little place. Mum was also talking to Manga yesterday so we have been an touch with them all recently. Mum I'm glad to say is much better at present - she's suffered quite a reaction after dad's death, and is really only now getting back to normal after all the shock.
Regards to all, and with kindest remembrances - I think the last time we met was at Auntie's 100th celebration.
Yours sincerely,
Muriel.

2. Muriel G Julius: Images from her life.