John Humphrey Burcher

John Humphrey Burcher

Male 1915 - 1950  (35 years)

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  • Name John Humphrey Burcher 
    Birth 21 Feb 1915  137 Cleveland St, Redfern, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Military Service 21 Apr 1941  Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    John Humphrey Burcher N251183, Enlisted in 18 Fld Regt 2 Div, Australian Army 21 April 1941 and served until dischared 3 Mar 1942 as Medically unfit. 


    Military Service Record - John Humphrey Burcher
    Military Service Record - John Humphrey Burcher
    John Humphrey Burcher enlisted in the Australian Army on 21 April 1941 and served until discharged Medically unfit on 03 Mar 1942
    World War 2 Military Service Certificate - John Humphrey Burcher
    World War 2 Military Service Certificate - John Humphrey Burcher
    John Humphrey Burcher N251183 enlisted in the Australian Army 21 April 1941 and served until discharged medically unfit on 3 March 1942
    Death 18 Nov 1950  65 Constitution Rd, Dulwich Hill, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I2508  Tucker Family Tree | Bottcher family tree
    Last Modified 8 Feb 2014 

    Father Hans Fredrick Carl Bottcher,   b. 27 Jan 1884, Angermunde,Prussia, Germany Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 27 May 1955, 88 Baptist St Redfern, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 71 years) 
    Mother Rachel Young,   b. 16 May 1882, New Ross, Wexford, Ireland Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 2 Jul 1964, West Ryde, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 82 years) 
    Marriage 30 May 1908  St Pauls Church of England Redfern, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3

    Marriage Registration of John f Burcher and Rachel Young
    Marriage Registration of John f Burcher and Rachel Young
    John Frederick Carl Burcher married Rachel Young 1908 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Marriage Registration 3912/1908
    Family ID F0716  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family L. Barnes 
    Children 
     1. H.R. Burcher
    +2. Robert Neil Burcher,   b. 9 Jun 1946, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 4 Oct 2019 (Age 73 years)
    +3. D.F. Burcher
    Family ID F0725  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 8 Jul 2022 

  • Photos
    John Humphrey Burcher
    John Humphrey Burcher
    John Humphrey Burcher
    Family of Hans (John) Bottcher and Rachel Young
    Family of Hans (John) Bottcher and Rachel Young
    John Humphrey Burcher Hans (John) Fredrick Bottcher
    Rachel Burcher (nee Young) and Rita Burcher

    Histories
    John Humprey Burcher
    John Humprey Burcher
    John Humprey Burcher - History

  • Notes 
    • John Humphrey Burcher is the second child of John Frederick and Rachel Burcher (n. Young). He was born on 21st February 1915 at 137 Cleveland St Redfern, New South Wales, the home of his grand parents John and Sarah Young.
      1919 was the year electric lighting was first installed in Redfern and in 1920 John went to Cleveland Street Boys School.
      Johns first job, at the age of 14, was at Marchants Soft Drink factory in Bourke St Redfern. Then for a short time he worked at the glass works, but had to leave as the straw in the packing cases gave him hay fever.
      For recreation he played Rugby League and Cricket at Moore Park and at other times was part of the youth group at St Saviours Anglican Church.
      The Young's and the Burcher's being of Irish and German descent, were generally poor, but socially connected well with each other. There were the usual weddings and dances to attend and during the summer months swimming at Bronte Beach.
      As John grew older he would cycle to Cronulla to be with his cousins Jim and Jack Hughes. Their family owned a boat, so there was fishing and prawning as well as swimming and bush walking. These trips away from the inner city must have done him a lot of good. Away from the treeless brick streets and factories of Redfern and Waterloo. Away from the smoke grime and smells from their chimneys. Cronulla in the 1930's was still a bit like the country with scattered bush and paddocks and along the coast beaches, sand dunes and rocky outcrops. These were still the depression years, so because of the market gardens, chooks and dairy cows and the good fishing spots, it was easier for him to enjoy fresh vegetables, black berries, milk, eggs and fish - thank God he had these opportunities.
      Towards the end of the 1930's he joined the New South Wales Fire Brigade Reserve.
      On the 21st April 1941, John aged 26 Joined the Australian Army. He did basic training, but was discharged in March 1942 a medically unfit for service.
      John met and Married Lola Barnes in December 1941 at St Andrews Church of England, Summer Hill, New South Wales.
      John and Lola had three sons Harvey, Robert and David.
      In 1950 John worked for G J Coles and Co. as head storeman at their Liverpool Street City Store in Sydney.
      Earlier that year Coles had bought out Selfridges, a small department store, in Liverpool St, which backed onto Anthony Hordens.
      On the night of Friday 17th November 1950, there was a fire in the basement of Selfridges. John, being the head store man was asked to assess the damage to the stock, which was in the fire/water damaged basement. A section of the ceiling collapsed and John along with Sam Turner the Manager of Selfridges were killed. 10 other people were also injured.
      John loved his wife lola and their three boys and he was loved by all who knew him. His ashes are at Waverley cemetery with his Mother and Father, His grand parents John and Sarah Young.

  • Sources 
    1. [S34] National Archives of Australia, 21 Apr 1941 (Reliability: 3).
      Se attached Military Service Record

    2. [S4] New South Wales Government, NSW BDM, 1908, Reg. No. 3912/1908 (Reliability: 3).
      See attached New South Wales Marriages Transcription for John Frederick Carl Burcher (Bottcher) and Rachel Young.

    3. [S419] Harvey and Gabriella Burcher (Reliability: 3).


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