Wehr Albert Baden Powell
| Type of person | Individual |
|---|
Albert Baden Powell Wehr was generally called Baden and was born 8th June 1900 at Port Victoria. The family moved to “Mannanarie” Jamestown when Baden was 10 years old. Baden had 5 sisters and one brother older than him and a younger brother.
Fertilizers were unknown for crops and having close transport for goods from farm by railway. Baden’s mother died when he was 12 and his father died when Baden was aged 22. He was married to Elsie Mary Brooks in Jamestown on 28th April, 1928.
Baden worked for M.S.McLeod as its first employee. In 1923, Mr McLeod made arrangements to come to Gawler to work for Mr Gilbert at his garage on the NW corner of Murray Street and Cowan Street. In 1924, Quarton, Wehr and Starling was formed and commenced at the rear of Gilbert’s Garage and the long association with the R.A.A commenced. Baden retired in 1965. He died in 1993 at Trevu Nursing Home in Gawler and was buried in the Willaston Cemetery.
On 1st May 1988, on the occasion of Baden and Elsie’s Diamond wedding anniversary, nearly 300 people gathered to celebrate. Mr Brian Hanna M.C. welcomed relatives and friends. Rev Beames said Grace prior to afternoon tea being served. Mr Ray Goldsworthy sang “Thanks be to God” which was sung at the original wedding ceremony.
The following speech was given by Max Fatchen
My wife Jean and I are very happy to be here on this important day to celebrate the Diamond Wedding of Elsie and Baden Wehr, to celebrate their friendship and to express the gratitude of everyone here and for their service to the community.
Albert Baden Powell Wehr was born at Port Victoria, the Port that saw the last of the great square-rigged sailing ships and has also seen generations of Fatchens sitting hopefully on the end of the jetty with fishing lines that have been mostly idle. But the sea has always been in Baden’s blood with his great love for fishing. In fact if one ever analysed his blood it would probably have one part berley, one part salt water, and one part sump oil, for, if fishing has been his recreation, motor cars have been his career.
Baden went north and inland in 1910 when his family moved to Jamestown. There he made the catch of his life. Her name was Elsie May Brooks. She was a lively and accomplished girl. She took a liking to this young bloke who was M.S.McLeod’s first employee in Jamestown. The liking was mutual.
Elsie Brooks was a good musician. She played for the Jamestown Orchestra, she was church organist, she taught music and she played for the silent movies. This required skill and understanding of the film being shown, when to play the romantic music for the love scenes and the crashing chords when the cavalry charged the Indians.
Then came the important day. Albert Baden Powell Wehr married Elsie May Brooks in the Methodist Church, Jamestown, on April 28, 1928 with the Rev. Lee officiating. Then came a piece of great fortune for Gawler. The Wehrs settled here and Baden or Wehrie, as we always called him in our family, worked for Gilbert’s Garage. In 1924 he went into partnership with Messrs. Quarton and Starling and their garage became a legend for motorists and a blessed haven for ailing cars.
Elsie continued with her music, something she handed down to her daughters Allison and Vivienne.
I have always admired church organists who I think are only outranked by archbishops in importance. You can perhaps do without the minister for one Sunday and find a substitute but when you haven’t got an organist, the congregation’s knees go to water at the awful thought of singing unaccompanied and when the organists arrives the prayers of thanksgiving patter like rain.
I think a musical tradition has a wonderful effect on a family. I might add that the Wehrs were great dancers too. And of course a great family. Their children Allison and twins Donald and Vivienne gave them great joy as do their seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
They enjoyed sport and they won the championship mixed pairs at the Gawler Bowling Club in 1972. They have both been office-bearers for their club. Baden is also a past master of the Masonic Lodge. Earlier they were also active tennis players. And among the sport and work and music, there has remained the harmony of their lives, the importance of the family and the awareness of their responsibility towards the community in which they have lived.
It was in this area that Elsie Wehr served as treasurer of the Gawler Civilian Relief in which my mother Isabel, had a very active role. She always spoke warmly of Mrs. Wehr’s great contribution.
You know, we need treasurers. I suppose we even need Paul Keating. The treasurer is the one who ultimately with a cool appraisal and a facility for adding up, keeps things shipshape or, in the current jargon, economically viable. In this capacity Elsie Wehr was a marvellous member of that lively and unselfish band of women volunteers who, in Gawler Civilian relief helped so many families throughout this area.
And of course, Wehrie and his cars. My father was no mean mechanic himself, always spoke with great affection of Baden and of Frank Starling. He also respected Baden’s fishing ability and their conversation would swiftly shift from carburettors to catches. “Send for Wehrie” was the cry of many a standard motorist with smoking engines. When Jean and I were getting our lives together as young parents, we regarded Wehrie as something of a miracle worker. We had an old Rugby Tourer, of uncertain temperament and Baden was always doctoring it for us.
Once I broke its axle in the middle of the half-flooded Smithfield Creek. There was only one thought in mind, “Send for Wehrie”. Send I did and he duly arrived with the breakdown truck, his usual tall and reassuring self and greeted my sodden and dispirited person with his usually hearty, “Now young Max, what’s the trouble?”
In later life he has driven (and still does), a vast, roomy, and splendid Chevrolet. I find modern cars fussy and complicated with a dashboard like a Jumbo Jet; with new-fangled gauges and flashing lights. One has almost to go down on one’s hands and knees to creep into them.
They may have the greatest innovations seen by mankind but they lack one thing that Wehrie’s Chevrolet has---and that is majesty.
I think that in this jubilee of Elsie and Baden Wehr we celebrate the best of human experience; that in a world where life is often cheap, where standards are often forgotten. Where friendships are often hurtful, here we have a truly happy example of a wonderful partnership; here in these two friendly caring and humble people we truly have something to celebrate.
So before I ask you to rise for the toast, as I am a poet of sorts and that great occasions must be properly observed, I have penned the following:
Elsie and Baden Wehr – a salute on the Diamond Jubilee of their marriage.
Now comes the moment when I’m proud
That we’ve assembled here
A joyful and respectful crowd
To praise the family Wehr.
Young Baden first saw light, we learn,
While causing such euphoria
And gave distinction to that town
His birthplace, Port Victoria.
To Jamestown, later he progressed,
A youngster, keen on life
And there he met (No doubt you’ve guessed).
Elsie, his future wife.
Now she, a pianist highly skilled,
The arts had much improved
She played for silent movies there,
With Baden deeply moved.
They both loved bowls, or so they tell,
On emerald lawns like clover
And when they saw each other, well,
They were I guess, bowled over.
And then a partnership began
Upon life’s bumpy green
Their children came, we’ve heard, in pairs,
Upon this family scene.
Tall Baden healed the ailing car
That was each drive’s darling
He brought the wrecks from near and far
To Quarton, Wehr and Starling.
Port Vincent knew his fishing skill,
While fish fled in dismay
So many would his basket fill,
So few had got away.
While Elsie was an organist,
With talent and with style
She played the hymns with supple wrist
And brides along the aisle.
We’re glad their friendship came our way,
For friends each person strives
We thank them on this splendid day
For such unselfish lives.
We hail their Diamond wedding now
Throughout this grateful town,
Two shining gems of humankind,
To wear in Gawler’s crown.
So fill your glasses, rise with me,
Good fortune be their host…
For Elsie….Baden’s jubilee,
We drink their honoured toast.
Max Fatchen proposed the toast to the Bride and Groom.
Mr Baden Wehr ably responded and proposed the toast to Bridesmaid (Mrs Melva Hambleeton) and Best Man Mr. Lewis Wehr.
Mr. Lewis Wehr responded.
Telegrams were received from H.M. Queen Elizabeth, Governor General, Prime Minister, Premier of S.A., Opp. Leader, Member for Wakefield, and Dr Bruce Eastick, and read by Mr. Donald Wehr.
Cutting of the cake.
Mr. Ray Goldsworthy and Mr. Brian Hanna, sang two duets; “When we grow too old to dream” and “There’s a long long trail a winding” and all joined in the chorus.
Please click here to see multiple photos of Quarton, Wehr and Starling.
Related Articles
References
Photo "8674806194" not found (invalid ID)
Memories of Wehr Albert Baden Powell
Do you remember Wehr Albert Baden Powell ? Then Join up and add your memory here.
Support our sponsors!
