Commander Frederick Ross James grave monument in Municipal Cemetery, Drysdale, Victoria, Australia

Commander Frederick Ross James 23/7/1903-20/7/1975 RN RAN OBE was my biological paternal grandfather married to my grandmother Claudina James nee Callaway (Dena) on the 29th of Jan 1932 at the Congregational Church Collins St Melbourne. These days she's (Granny Dena) in a copper urn in the Renowden Chapel, as is her father Henry George Callaway 1863-1946 at the Springvale Necropolis, Melbourne, Vic, Australia... in perpetuity. I ensured that (i.e.perpetuity) a few years ago. Fred didn't. Perhaps Fred should be with her??? Fred or Jimmy as he was actually known by his "real" family was my father's father i.e. Henry Sandeman James (born Sydney NSW 7/3/1936)(biological son)(rejected/disinherited/disowned/bitter/ angry/ disavowed and unavenged-pretty wrecked guy really). Frederick Ross James had a second marriage on the 17th March 1967 to spinster (that's on the 1967 Sydney Registry Office marriage cert. in her own hand and by her own admission) i.e.Irene Pearl Rayham 1922-2003 not Hunt. I have a copy of that marriage cert. She called herself Hunt to all intents and purposes (even on the electoral rolls dating back to the 1940's where she's a single mum living with her mother Greta Rayham nee Allen),but if you look up the Karrakatta Perth Western Australian Cemetery Website, you'll see a different story. The man that she claimed was her "loving""caring" husband i.e. John Hunt or more accurately John Norford Hunt died aged 54 years in 1973 in Perth WA. He was so poor and destitute and hopeless (2 Brisbane St, Perth Boarding House)that he couldn't even afford his own grave. Born in Essendon in 1918 to Ellen Carrol (died in childbirth) and Percy Norford Hunt. His death certificate makes it pretty clear that he had no association, relationship, living arrangement(loving, caring or otherwise) in any time frame with Irene Pearl Rayham/Hunt or his? son? Phillip. It's all a fantasy...and a cynical means of pathetically trying to give her son a legitimacy that he never had. Sad really. These days we wouldn't give it all a second thought, but back then, all this alley cat behaviour was frowned upon. And then plan B would be that the new spouse would hastily ditch the guys actual family to ensure that her/his future was secure...which she and her son then did. No, she wasn't a divorcee (all records in all states and countries have been checked) and no she wasn't a bigamist, nor a widow either, but yes, she was a liar... and a prolific one at best. My words of advice/wisdom...don't believe everything that you read on a headstone...because...sometimes...just sometimes...they are a work of fiction... not fact. Guess there are a lot of pork pie tellers out there...most of the time...we just don't want to believe it. I've put all the facts including photographs, documents etc pertaining to my grandfather Frederick Ross James etc up on ancestry.com.au (free to view in many public libraries...just to push home a point). One day I intend, upon the death of Irene's son Phillip to place an additional plaque on my grandfather's grave acknowledging his real/biological family and descendants. Perhaps I'll even get a court order to change the existing one. Let's see, a happy 32 year marriage to Claudina compared with a miserable 6 1/2 years of hell with Irene. Hmmm. (Gramps wanted to divorce Irene 2 years into the relationship by the way). I'm married to a lawyer with lots of legal connectons so it won't be too difficult, a task, to achieve. I'm going to have the last laugh on all this...I promise you...I'm just waiting and watching...always watching...patiently...but at a distance. You wouldn't want to get too close to those people...after all...at this point... they are the enemy...and I want one of my family's graves back (on our side). I want to one day reclaim my grandfather. I want victory...it's going to be a tough fight...but I'm going to win! Win what? The battle for the truth - because it's out there! Regards-Liz
(requested on 10 11 2012)