NAME William Alfred GIRDLER
BORN Abt. 1881
DIED Possibly 1934
MILITARY SERIAL NO. 336
UNIT 1ST Field Com. Eng.
ENLISTED Sydney 19 Sep 1914
DISCHARGED Sydney 26 Mar 1917

William Girdler’s holding was on Bective Estate Farm 46, GP No. 1922.39.   He applied for his Advance on 25 January 1919 and took up residence on 1 February 1919 intending to grow wheat and graze cattle. By  5 February 1925 he had a debt of £216.6.7.  On 21 December 1925, the district surveyor reported that when he had visited in October,  that even though he believed Girdler was a good farmer, there were signs of non-residence.[1]

On 14 September 1927, the Massey-Harris Company, makers of Farm implements contacted the Under Secretary of Lands stating that Girdler owed them £163.16.8 for the hire of a reaper-thresher.[2]  The Massey-Harris Company stated that they would repossess the machine and on 9 September  instructed their solicitor to issue a Supreme Court Writ to recover the amount owed to them by William Girdler.

There is nothing in the file to indicate if the court case went ahead or what the result was.  As of 14 November 1927, Girdler had debts totalling £641.6.1.

Footnotes

[1] SRNSW: Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files; [12/6850 No. 1112], William Girdler, District Surveyor’s Report, 21 December 1925.

[2] Ibid, Massey Harris Company to District Surveyor 14 September 1927.

Sources used to compile this entry:

State Records NSW:  Lands Department;  NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files; [12/6850 No. 1112], William Alfred Girdler.

National Archives of Australia:  B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers ( William Alfred Girdler) online: http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=5099270