HOME      FORUM      HELP      SEARCH      
News : The Surname Interests Table (SIT), the Database for Special Interests Groups (DBSIG) and Ancestral Anniversaries
are now "mobile friendlier" more here ...
The RootsChat Reference Library

RootsChat.Com »  RootsChat Reference Library »   Database for Special Interest Groups (DBSIG) »   British Home Children : Quick Search

Record #5495
Name :
: Frederick Noel MATTHEWS (1922 - 2003)
  aka : Noel
  aka : Jo


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: 23 Dec 1922   Notes : Source: Fairbridge Kids

Marriage (1)
:
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
: 3 Dec 2003   Notes : Source: MCB WA
Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland, Lancashire, Liverpool

Mar qtr 1923, 8b 329, mmn MATTHEWS (FreeBMD)
Abode (2) : Place of Death / BurialAustralia, Western Australia
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: May 1931
Country
: Australia

Ship
: Largs Bay

Placement Family
:
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
:

Agency
: Fairbridge Homes
NotesIn 1931, Frederick Matthews, 8, arrived at Fremantle, Australia, in a group of 13 children from the Child Emigration Society, Strand, London, England. He was placed in Nelson Cottage at Fairbridge Farm School, Pinjarra, Australia.

In 2001, Michael Zekulich reported:

"For 60 years, a pair of army boots has earned Claremont great-grandfather Fred Matthews the nickname Cowboy.

They were the first heavy-duty pair of boots he ever had and were issued to him at Northam in 1941 on his way to war.

The former Fairbridge farm school orphan had worked on a dairy farm at Narrogin and was used to waking at 4:30am to milk the cows.

He awoke at the same time on his first night at the Northam army camp and decided to go for a walk in his new boots, waking all and sundry.

'What the hell is that?' a sleepy voice asked.

'It's that bloody cowboy,' another muttered -- and the name stuck.

Mr Matthews, now 79, was born in Liverpool, England. He came to Australia in 1931 to learn about farming and discipline.

'The Fairbridge discipline, which taught you to respect and help everyone, helped me survive 3 1/2 years as a prisoner of war in Singapore, on the Thai Burma railway and in Japan,' he said.

'Without that and the mateship I would not have carried through.'

After his capture in Singapore in 1942, the army boots lasted only three months, falling to pieces under the conditions.

Mr Matthews will travel by vehicle in tomorrow's Anzac Day parade, a legacy of badly ulcerated legs from his wartime experiences. With him will be six others from the 2/4th WA Machine Gun Battalion, for it is now also too far for them to walk.

The spirited Mr Matthews still recalls the shock of the Allied surrender to the Japanese. 'We thought we were going to counter-attack,' he said. 'It never happened. Instead, we were told to put down our arms.'"

"Jo's" story was told by his friend T. K. Waldron, on December 4, 2003, at 14248 Legislative Assembly of the Parliment of Australia. Mr. Waldron declared:

I would like to acknowledge a great Western Australian, Australian and old mate who sadly passed away earlier this week. Frederick Noel Matthews, commonly known as ?Jo? or ?Cowboy? to his wartime mates, was born in England and came to Western Australia as a very young Fairbridge farm boy, spending his childhood and early teen years at Fairbridge Farm School, Pinjarra.

When World War II broke out, Jo joined the second fourth machine-gun battalion and went to Singapore. He was captured at the fall of Singapore and spent three and a half years as a prisoner of war in Changi, working on the Burma Railroad including working on the notorious Hellfire Pass, and in Japan until the end of the war. His POW mates have informed me over the years that Jo?s never-say-die attitude, his humour and resourcefulness were an inspiration to all through those dark, POW days.

Jo, a great survivor, returned, worked in the Williams district, took up farming in Kojonup and married his beloved Marion. Jo played a large role in the Kojonup and Changerup communities, particularly in sport, which he always loved. I can personally vouch for the fact that he was a colourful and loud cricket and football supporter.

Jo played a major role in the Fremantle Army Museum and in tracing lost relatives for families from the war years. He was a great man, a character, a leader and above all a terrific family man. Jo leaves behind his wife, Marion, four children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. They will miss him dearly, as will the whole community and I. I am proud and fortunate to have known and been a friend of Jo Matthews."

Frederick Noel Matthews is remembered on the Fairbridge Memorial Wall. 
ContributorsCreated : 2009-03-09 12:24:48 / From original database

Additional Contributions from : mollipops1

Last Updated : 2009-03-14 18:50:46 /

Family History ResearchersRootsChatters with family connections to Frederick Noel MATTHEWS:



 
Readers Comments

Surnames starting with:   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  16 Entries        
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
4119 MATTHEWS, Albert1887ENG,     Apr 1898 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
4523 MATTHEWS, Bessie1905ENG,     Oct 1913 : Corinthian CAN Barnardos  
23380 MATTHEWS, Charles1903ENG,     Jun 1915 : Carthaginian CAN Middlemore  
14941 MATTHEWS, Francis1876ENG,     Jun 1884 : Polynesian CAN Catholic Protection Society  
5495 MATTHEWS, Frederick Noel1922ENG, LAN, Liverpool May 1931 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
14940 MATTHEWS, James1873ENG,     Jun 1884 : Polynesian CAN Catholic Protection Society  
18864 MATTHEWS, James1883ENG,     Sep 1899 : Arawa CAN Barnardos  
9009 MATTHEWS, Lily 1898ENG,     Oct 1909 : Sicilian CAN Barnardos  
24655 MATTHEWS, Oswald1896 Jun 1906 : Dominion CAN Barnardos  
21089 MATTHEWS, Percy1888ENG,     Apr 1898 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
11808 MATTHEWS, Peter Whitely ENG,     May 1947 : Aquitania CAN Fairbridge Homes  
5103 MATTHEWS, Roy1912ENG,     Aug 1926 : Montrose CAN Barnardos  
8061 MATTHEWS, Thomas1848ENG,     Jun 1869 : Austrian CAN Maria Rye  
25763 MATTHEWS, Thomas1896ENG,     May 1909 : Corsican CAN Louisa Birt  
20093 MATTHEWS, Thomas d1874ENG,     Jun 1886 : Lake Superior CAN Barnardos  
26561 MATTHEWS, W R1896ENG,     Mar 1906 : Dominion CAN Barnardos