William Charles DREW - "Charlie" - More information

Back in July last year, I posted about William Charles DREW and Elizabeth Ann HODGES. Well, I have been contacted by a person whose family knew a "Charlie" DREW from Penzance, up on the Atherton Tableland in North Queensland. Charlie had been a miner for many years at Irvinebank, and spent the last few years of his life (he died in 1925) helping the widow of one of his mining mates on a farm at Tolga. His death registration gives no parents, but his reported age of 76 fits well with a birth in the September quarter of 1848, which is when William Charles' birth was registered. Now, having seen photographs of "Charlie", I am even more convinced that this is our man.

My contact knows that Charlie was buried in one of the cemeteries in Atherton and will track it down - the uncle (now aged in his 90s) of my informant had the grave details, but lost them somewhere along the way. The mystery remains as to when and where Elizabeth Ann died and was buried. She does not seem to be in the QLD BMD.

In the following photos, Charlie is the old codger with the big moustache and wearing his trademark waistcoat which, it is said, he never appeared in public without.

Photos courtesy of Owen Cheetham, whose uncle knew Charlie Drew.