Leslie Baynham (Les) Aston

  General Notes:

More photographs and document images held - available on request.

Electoral Roll images held for:
1914 South Elsternwick
1919 South Elsternwick
1924 Caulfield East
1931 Ballaarat West


Ian Russell Watkins recalls :

As a young boy 4-5 years old I remember travelling by (steam) train to Swan Hill, Vic to visit my grandparents. Les (as he was known) was the store mamager of Permewans in Swan Hill. Permewans was a very large general store catering to a diverse country community. As well as carrying grocery items the store also stocked timber and grain. The store front was on Swah Hill's main street, Campbell Street and the store property extended through to Beveridge Street

Les and Margaret (called 'Peg' by Les) lived in a company house at the back of the store (37 Beveridge Street). The house backed on to the grain store and was a wonderf ul place for a young boy. The street was lined with peppercorn trees and the house had a wrap-around verandah. I remember a number of cats patrolling the store. I also remember Les drowing a litter of kitten in the laundry tub.

Les was a very tall man and Ehis youngest grandson is very much like him. Peg was a diabetic having contracted the disease in her 20's.

After Les's retirement they moved to a small cottage in Ringwood, Vic. He was a keen gardener and had a wonderful rose garden growing in very poor soil. The main electricity power lines crossed over part of the property.

Les and Peg often came to visit Ray, Thelma, my brother and me when my parents owned a small mixed business (with a sub-newsagency) at Range view - halfway between Mitcham and Vermont. The shop had a two bedroom house attached at the back. I vividly recall one evening meal (it must have been in summer because the meal was a salad) when I first noticed how frail Les was. At he table his hands were shaking so badly that he could not manage his cutlery. It upset him very much. (Parkinsons disease).

I last saw Les when he was admitted to hospital (St.Vincents?) in Melbourne. In those days children were not encouraged to visit hospital wards. Les was very sick and he knew he was dying. I remember him crying when we left. Very upsetting.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Grocery store Manager.

• Registered Birth, 12 Nov 1888, Argyle Street, St.Kilda, Vic., Australia. ¹¹¹

• Registered Marriage, 18 Jun 1913, Methodist Church, St.Kilda, Vic., Australia. ¹¹²

• Electoral Roll, 1914, Elsternwick, Vic., Australia. ¹¹³

• Electoral Roll, 1914, Prahran, Vic., Australia. ¹¹⁴

• Electoral Roll, 1919, South Elsternwick, Vic., Australia. ¹¹⁵

• Electoral Roll, 1924, Caulfield East, Vic., Australia. ¹¹⁶

• Electoral Roll, 1931, Ballaarat West, Vic., Australia. ¹¹⁷

• Electoral Roll, 1937, Sunshine, Vic. Australia. ¹¹⁸

• Electoral Roll, 1942, Sunshine, Vic. Australia. ¹¹⁹

• Electoral Roll, 1949, Sunshine, Vic. Australia. ¹²⁰

• Electoral Roll, 1949, Swan Hill, Vic., Australia. ¹²¹

• Electoral Roll: 37 Beveridge Street, 1954, Swan Hill, Vic., Australia. ¹²²

• Registered Death, 26 Apr 1967, St. Vincents Hospital, Melbourne, Vic., Australia. ¹²³

Leslie married Margaret Adams Robertson (Peg) McNeil, daughter of John McNeill and Euphemia Galbraith Robertson, on 18 Jun 1913 in Methodist Church, St.Kilda, Vic., Australia. (Margaret Adams Robertson (Peg) McNeil was born on 12 Jan 1885 in 6 Dumbarton Rd., Glasgow, Scotland and died on 1 Aug 1975 in Cheltenham, Vic., Australia.). The cause of her death was Myocardial degeneration & diabeties.

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Reg. Marriage.