Wednesday 31 August 2016

August 31

August 31, 1905

My Great Uncle Adam Gow was buried. He was born on August 28, 1905 in Sydney to my Great Grandparents William Gow and Elizabeth Croal. Adam passed away on August 29, 1905. He lived for 24 hours. He is buried at Rookwood Cemetery, Sydney. 

Death Certificate of Adam Gow
[Source: Personal Collection]

August 31, 1909

My Great Great Grandmother Christian Croal (nee Alves) passed away. She was Adam's Grandmother. Christian was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1842. In 1869 she married David Croal. They had 4 children - Alexander, Margaret, Elizabeth and David. The family arrived in Sydney in 1883 on the ship Iberia. Christian was buried on September 1st, 1909 and is buried in Rookwood Cemetery with Adam. 

Death Certificate of Christian Croal (Alves)
[Source: Personal Collection]

Grave of Christian Croal & Adam Gow, Rookwood
Cemetery, Sydney. There is no headstone. Taken July 2013.
August 31, 2003.

My Poppa, William David Drummond Gow passed away at the age of 93. He was Adam's brother. Poppa was born on February 2, 1910 in Sydney. He never got to know his grandmother Christian, nor his brother. My Poppa passed away when I was 12 - well before I was interested in genealogy. At the time, we did not know that he passed away on the same day as his Grandmother, and the day his only sibling was buried. It was only when I started researching the family history in 2009, that we discovered the significance of this date.   

My Poppa during World War 2.
[Source: Personal Collection]
Every year, every August 31, I think about the wonderful memories I have with Poppa. I think about Christian and her life that involved moving to a new country and losing a husband to suicide. I think about baby Adam, the brother and sibling my Poppa never got to have. 

They are forever loved.

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