Oliver Wellsley Mathews (1916 – 1971)


A genealogical presentation of the life and times of the ancestors and descendants of William Henry Mathews (1880 – 1964) and his wife Sarah Louisa Florence Mitchell (1889 – 1972).

THE MATHEWS FAMILY LINEAGE

Oliver Wellsley Mathews (1916 – 1971)

Named after his Aunt Olivia Mary MITCHELL (1879 – 1956) and Uncle Wellsley Russell HARRIS (1878 – 1968), Oliver was the youngest of William and Florence’s boys.

Born at 7 Docker Street Elwood, Oliver commenced his education at the highly regarded Elwood Central Primary School.

In 1928 his secondary education continued at South Melbourne Technical College where at the age of 14, he won a scholarship of £5 per annum facilitating his enrolment at Swinburn Technical College from 1931 – 1934.

In 1935 Oliver entered Melbourne University to study engineering. Three years later he graduated with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree [1] obtaining three honours.

When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour on the 7th of December 1941, Oliver along with many of his young fellow Australians were roused by the general recruitment call, so with the Army urgently requiring engineers, he enlisted on the 30th of December in Paddington, Sydney.
Captain O.W. Mathews (NX102523) [2] served with the 27th Field Company for the duration until discharged on the 5th of December 1945.

Whilst on army leave in 1944, Oliver met and married a Mosman hairdresser named Olive Berenice “Betty” PEARSE (1921 – ????).
Olive, born in Toorak Melbourne, was the youngest of five children to car salesman George McPherson Pearse (1889 – 1966) and Elsie Florence Tounce (1889 – 1941).

On leaving the army Oliver and “Betty” lived at 22 Spencer Road, Mosman [3] where they raised three children (twin daughters and a son).

In 1964, following the death of his father, Oliver sold their Mosman residence and purchased a larger brick property at 64 Curban Street, Balgowlah Heights [4].

Oliver and “Betty” Mathews at Curban Street, Balgowlah Heights in 1965.

Oliver Mathews' death notice.
The Age, 17 July 1971.

Two years after Oliver’s death, the Curban Street property was sold and “Betty” moved to a unit at 53 West Street, Balgowlah where she was living at the last available census of 1980 [5].

References
  1. University degrees conferred. The Argus, Thursday December 22, 1938.
  2. Australia's World War II Military Service Records for 1939-1945and The Virtual War Memorial of Australia records that Oliver Wellsley Mathews (NX102523, N278439) served in the Second Australian Imperial Force (Army) as a Captain.
  3. The Australian Electoral Roll of 1949 records that Oliver Wellsley Mathews, an engineer, was residing with wife Olive Berenice at 22 Spencer Road, Mosman, New South Wales.
  4. The Australian Electoral Roll of 1968 records that Oliver Wellsley Mathews, an engineer, was residing with wife Olive Berenice at 64 Curban Street, Balgowlah Heights, New South Wales.
  5. The Australian Electoral Roll of 1980 records that Olive Berenice Mathews, a widow, was residing alone at 1/53 West Street, Balgowlah Heights, New South Wales.