Who was Emily Margaret Rose Stocker?

Emily Margaret “Rose” Stocker was born to Jane Kezia Stocker (nee Elliot) in Glanville, Adelaide, South Australia, on 5 Mar 1897. The details of her father however are not so clear. Her birth certificate lists her father as Isaac Alfred “Ike” Stocker but she is also cross referenced to a James O’Brien (or perhaps Tucker).However it seems as though she lived by the name Stocker, regardless of who her father was.

The following is what I know of Rose at the time of writing this post. If you are able to add to it, I would be most interested as there are fellow researchers in several states who are interested in this topic.

“Rose” was baptized in St Paul Church, Port Adelaide, South Australia, on 8 Dec 1897 and was residing in Langham Place, Portland, Adelaide, South Australia, on 22 Nov 1915 when she was was 18.

Emily Margaret “Rose” married William George Dawson, son of Henry Frank Dawson & Eliza Annie Connor who was born in Portland Estate, Adelaide, South Australia, on 9 Jun 1890.

On the 22nd November 1915 William George Dawson enlisted at Adelaide in the Australian Imperial Force. At the time he was living in Portland (now Port Adelaide) and was married with two children. he was 24 years and 4 months of age, stood 5’ 5½” tall, weighed 136 lbs and had dark hair, grey eyes and a dark complexion.

March 16, 1916 saw Gunner Dawson embark for England with the Field Artillary Detail for service in the European theatre. He is recorded as “taken on strength” at Telellkebir” on 15 April 1916 and then a month embarks at Alexandria for England. Over the months of October and November that year he was admitted to the miliotary hospital at Bulford on about four occasions, although the excat reasons are not known, his records do indicate a number of “V.D. periods” of treatment. It also unlikely that the internment was for battle wounds as he did not procede to France until March 1917. Although after going to France, he did continue to spend time in hospital.

So much time was spent in hospital that it began to worry his wife Emily Margaret Rose Stocker and she write in Dec 1916:

The letter enquiring after her husband's health.

“To Headquarters Melbourne,
I am the wife of No. 2169 Priv. W.G. Dawson, 2nd battery, AAT Depot, Parkhouse Camp, Salisbury, AIF England, late 15th of 3rd Light Horse.
My husband wrote and told me he has been admitted into a London hospital suffering 7 weeks and is still there I beleive I feel a bit worried over him could you oblige me by finding our what he is suffering with and what Hospital he is in trusting you will Kindly let me know at your earliet
Yours Mrs WG Dawson,
Langham Place,
Portland,
Port Adelaide,
South Australia.

I am sending a card he sent last month thinking it may a little use to use Kindly forward it back.”

In August 1918 he was “invalided to the United Kingdom” and returned to Australia on the “City of York” in January 1919. He was discharged from service at the cessation of hostilities on Feb 24, 1919 after serving a total of 3 years and 154 days with 2 years and 246 days overseas.

They had the three children and Emily Margaret “Rose” was 29 when she died in Adelaide, South Australia, on 17 Jul 1926. Her husband William was 75 when he died in Henley Beach, South Australia, on 5 Nov 1965.