Ellen Ann Baltch

GEDCOM Note

Ellen Ann Baltch Born 11 May 1865 Died 13 July 1949
Ellen was ≤a href="11051865.JPG">born at Peel≤/a>, near Bathurst. She was in service and worked for Suttors, a wealthy pioneer settler family. She injured her knee cap while roller skating on the verandah of the Suttor's home. She should have had an operation, but she didn't, and it caused issues for her in later life.
Ellen was one of 1 of 10 children, 5 girls and 5 boys. William (Bill), Fanny, Ellen, Kate, Thomas, Edward, Hannah, Arthur, Ada and Frank.
Bill was born in Victoria, Australia and when he was a baby the family rode horseback from the diggings at Ballarat to the diggings at Bathurst and then moved to Peel. Ellen's father got a job with the Suttors and later had a farm at Blayney.
Ellen married Herbert Thomas Smith, 30 March 1886. As she was under 21 her father George had to give approval for her marriage. The witnesses were George Baltch & Alice McDonald.
Ellen's husband was killed on railway lines, between Rocklea and Bathurst. He was walking home from work (carpenter). His death left Ellen with 4 young children, Mervyn (Merv) (baby), Albert (5yo), Herbert (Herb) (8yo) and Edward (Syd) (11yo). Albert went to live with Ellen's parents, on a farm at Peel, NSW, Australia, for about 2 years. He had a wonderful time and when he returned home, aged about 6 years old, he did not want to start school.
Luckily Herbert had an Insurance Policy, but the Insurance Company tried to deny the claim and said he committed suicide. Ellen won and with a loan from her parents opened a Grocery Shop, in their front room, at 279 Russell St Bathurst. Later, her parents also had a grocery shop on the corner of Stewart Street, Bathurst. Ellen bought land in Jannali (9 Alberta St.), Gymea & Mt Druitt from a travelling real estate salesman in 1900, paid them off and gave Jannali to Albert & Gymea to Mervyn.
Ellen's father, George Baltch, travelled to England to claim an inheritance from a wealthy aunt. She had sent money for his travel. When he got there, she had passed away, and he found that she had left all her money to the Catholic Church. He had a job getting the money to return home and was so upset he changed his name from Baltch to Seymour (a protestant name), but not legally.
In about 1912 Ellen, with her boys, her father and her youngest sister Ada moved to Sydney. Ada ran a Boarding House, for country boys, on the corner of Elizabeth and Cleveland Streets, Redfern (2022 the building is still there).
All of Ellen's boys got a Trade.
≤a href="ELLEN4A.JPG">Photo of Ellen & her 4 sons≤/a>, from left Edward Sydney Smith, Mervyn Ivor Smith, Albert George Smith, Ellen Ann Baltch (Seymour) & Herbert William Smith.
≤a href="ELLEN4B.JPG">Photo of Ellen & her 4 sons≤/a>, from left Edward Sydney Smith, Mervyn Ivor Smith, Albert George Smith, Ellen Ann Baltch (Seymour) & Herbert William Smith.
≤a href="ELLEN4C.JPG">Photo of Ellen, her 4 sons & Lesa Meade≤/a>, from left Albert George Smith, Edward Sydney Smith, Lesa Meade (back), Ellen Ann Baltch (Seymour), Mervyn Ivor Smith (front) & Herbert William Smith.