Bairnsdale Conservative: Joan Watson Tribute

My Aunt turns 90 this year. She is the matriarch, now both her brothers have passed. I will post my tribute video here, and the research and images.

This video is about Family The song, Shout to the Lord is from Hillsong, sung by me === I was raised as an Atheist. I learned, after reading the Bible, that God loves me, and you. This is his song for you too. He loves you, and wants to be with you. All the elements are me and mine. ARIA ISRC number AUAWN1906126
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Joan's story begins with her mother and father, Sarine Ball (nee Jacobs) and Joseph Ball. They had waited for a quarter of a century, being busy elsewhere, before meeting in Edinburgh, marrying and setting off to Australia. Joseph had been promised work in Melbourne by an old officer colleague, but on arriving there wasn't any, and so he went to Sydney, and found temporary work, which he stayed at for some four decades, as caretaker of Winchcombe House. Sarine had been an office typist. Her first 'job' had been to walk streets and assure anyone who was complaining about anything that a politician would fix it. She had graduated from school age 13, as were the general requirements of UK education at that stage. She had had an independent spirit and left London sometime over the next thirteen years. She had also worked as a telephone exchange operator. On one occasion a posh english lady had asked her to connect a line. Sarine had asked "Who are you?" and the posh accent returned "Who?" "Who are you?" "I cannot understand your accent." "Who are you?" "Oh, who ARE you?" It was all in the enunciation.

Sarine's dad and her brother were musicians and proudly Jewish. When she married a catholic man from Manchester neither were happy. Her brother had asked her to leave the musical arrangements to him at her wedding, and as she walked down the aisle with her father, Henry played the funeral march air of Chopin. In years to come, Sarine would lose touch with her brother, and her father. although I've come to believe things were a little more complicated than that.

Joseph Ball, Anzac Day?

An early home for Joan

Winchcombe House afforded a view of Sydney Harbour Bridge, which Joan's brother recalled seeing built from a window. Joseph was one of the lucky ones who had a job during the depression. However, since he had served at the Somme in artillery, taking care of horses, Joseph had been bitten by horse gambling. And he was not very good at it.
Different people have said different things regarding what had happened. Sarine told me her father had died at the piano in Johannesburg in 1934. He had left behind a lover and their love child. Her mother had lived with her for a time in Sydney. Her mother, Elizabeth, died in Holland just before WW2, in 1939. Sarine got inheritance money 'from her father' it had taken 'several years to get to her' she 'had not known he had died until then.' She would not let Joseph gamble the money so he booted the family from their home. Jack got work age 14 years 9 months. Joseph was serving in the Australian Armed Forces in the middle east, narrowly missing out on being a desert rat, but achieving the technical grade of bombardier and diarising the unit in conflict to Jacob's Well, before returning home and 'demobbing.' I've been told that Joseph owed money 'to the mob' and had to flee them by joining the army. 'They weren't going to hurt his wife or children.'
I now believe that Sarine's dad was alive and in contact with her and Jack. I believe Jacques made her separate from Joseph before giving her access to the money. I believe Jacques had become a senior freemason with international connections while growing his music business. Jacques was also a bigamist, with a family thought to have been conceived in South Africa, and another in USA. I've traced at least one other marriage to an Ada in 1907 in London, and he is listed at census under two roofs in 1911, 16km apart. Percy Grainger described Jacques in 1949 as philandering while his wife, Ada, was sick. This is after meeting him on a cruise, having known and worked with him for five decades. Grainger was surprised to meet Jacques, and so Jacques had kept a low musical profile, although his business interests expanded around the world. After migrating to USA in 1930, Jacques marketed sheet music of popular numbers, under his name and mentioning the Trocadero band he had founded in 1896. The movie Trocadero probably was silently backed by Jacques as a business vehicle, and several restaurants opened in the USA, near where Jacques lived in Philadelphia and also San Francisco. The London Trocadero only closed after Jacques died.

Jack Ball, business man

Samuel Ball academic '72

I believe Jacques got Jack to quiet his resentment at not being allowed to continue his education, but having to work, by giving him access to the free masons. Jack was capable and ambitious anyway, and on his own became an industrial chemist, and lead the world conference of Free Masons as well as being foundation CEO of Palmolive in Australia. Jack also helped found the Australian Institute of Sports after creating the model for NSW. I also believe Jacques was a silent partner in NYC in the creation of Sesame Street which gave Samuel an extraordinary opportunity. Samuel was ambitious and capable too. After Sarina died and Jack and Ellie cleaned up her unit, without cleaning it, my dad was stunned to think Jacques had been alive all those years, Jack had known, but Samuel had not.
Sarine remarried in 1962 for love. On her marriage certificate, Jacques alone of the couple's parents is not listed as deceased. Jacques died in 1963. I like to believe he approved of her choice, but she didn't get long with Pop Young, who also died in '63.

Sarine with friends at Joan's place at Jannali

Meanwhile Joan was also capable and smart, and a little resentful she had not been given Samuel's education. Joan raised two boys, and began work at ANSTO. And getting a school credential and then a science degree. Later, Joan would even work as a legal secretary for a judge. And, now, nearly ninety years old and she still enjoys weekly golf! Joan is proud of her cooking ability. Lunch with her is fine dining.

1930 immigration to USA

Jacques 1930 Migration application, listing Ada as wife

Sarine had told me that Jacques died penniless in South Africa after losing all his money after investing heavily in airships. There is probably great truth in that. The depression would have cleaned up a lot of investments.
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Genealogy

My research still has holes. Sara Bakker was born a bit late for her mum. Frances Bain's birth seems to have been a scandal. I've made mistakes. Frederick Ball, uncle of Joseph I mistook for a brave soldier who died in 1918. I'd accepted his mother's nick name as 'Fanny' but Fanny Smith is not the same as Frances Bain.
I'm beginning work on elements of my family who endured the holocaust.
A much loved 'cousin by marriage' Izaac Vet was killed in the holocaust. One of his daughters survived. Childless, Jeanette Vet migrated to USA with her husband, Max Pool. She was 38 years old when she migrated to USA

In Census 1911, Jacques was listed in two residences, each with a wife. In a third residence was his mother Judik and Uncle, Ezechiel. Ezechiel would be placed in a debtor's prison some time in 1915. He was a musician. I've not found the fate of Judik, but she was 70 in 1911 and might have passed by 1915. 38 Lena Gardens Hammersmith. I believe the Hammersmith address is the same Jacques had had in 1901. He had had number 35 in the 1901 census.

30 Cleveland Avenue, Chiswick Housed Sarine that night.

112 Biddulph Mansions, Elgin Avenue, Maida Vale, Paddington, London housed Jacques, Ada and their cook in a 6 room accommodation.

I've discovered Ada Jacobs, was born a Jacobs in UK. Jacques married her and lived with her in Paddington where she grew up.

Ada Mary Jacobs lived until 1973. She was living in Sussex when she passed.

Finally, Jacques Jacobs was born in 1872, His father died the same year. His mother, Judik Hamburger, was from a family listed as musicians on her marriage certificate. It is apparent she raised the prodigy. But also, his elder brother Ezechiel, whose stage name was Eduard. Jacques played violin, Eduard played piano, standing up. Eduard became the first noted Dutch cabaret artist. He played for a long time at Moulin Rouge.