Thank you to Lenka Cathersides for the following research.
Hilda Lee Steere was born about 1900 in Western Australia to civil servant Charles James Lee Steere and Laura Georgina Lee Steere nee Burt. Hilda had one known sister called Aileen born about 1903 in Western Australia.
Laura and her daughters Hilda and Aileen departed on the SS Afric from Liverpool, to Western Australia, on 20th February 1915. Laura’s occupation is stated to be housewife. Hilda was a student.
Civil servant Charles and Hilda arrived on the SS Osterley in London on 10th November 1916. The ship sailed from Fremantle, Western Australia.
The 1939 Fremantle Western Australia Electoral role reads that Hilda and her parents lived at 7 View Street, Cottesloe, Peppermint Grove, Western Australia. The household further comprised of Eva Matilda and Beatrice Maud Lee Steere living in Esplanade, Peppermint Grove. In 1942 Hilda was photographed as a member of the Australian Red Cross Society. The photograph is held in the Australian National Archive.
The 1943 and 1949 Fremantle Western Australian Electoral roles read that Hilda and her mother lived at 42 Irvine Street, Cottesloe, Peppermint Road, Western Australia.
The house at the 42 Irvine Street, Cottesloe, Peppermint Road is on the Australian Heritage List. The house was built for Laura. She lived there for a decade. The two storeys painted brick and terracotta tile pitched roof residence is built in the Inter War Functionalist style, which was the new urban architectural style which followed the Great Depression.
Hilda arrived on the SS Stratheden in London on 30th May 1954. The ship sailed from Fremantle. While in England, Hilda stayed at Park Lane Hotel, Piccadilly Circus, London, W.1. She departed back to Western Australia on 28th September 1954 from Tilbury, England.
Hilda died on the 21st of January 1958.
Lee Steere Family History
Hilda’s paternal great grandfather was Lee Steere, Esq., MP of Jayes Park, near Ockley, Surrey, England. Lee Steere was born about 1803 in Middlesex, London to Lee Steere Steere and Sarah Steere. Lee Steere was baptised in July 1803 at St Marylebone church, London. Lee Steere married Anne Watson on 30th January 1826 in Hessle by Hull, Yorkshire. At the time of the marriage, Lee Steere was living in Wootton, Hampshire and Anne in Hessle. Anne was born about 1808 in Yorkshire. Mr Lee Steere was a Deputy Lieutenant and High Sheriff in Surrey in 1848, and from 1870 to 1880 he represented West Surrey in the House of Commons (The Bunbury Herald, 2 Dec 1903).
Amongst Hilda’s paternal grand-uncles were Mr Henry Lee Steere, later lord of the manor of Ockley, and Augustus Frederick Lee Steere.
Henry Lee Steere was born about 1828 in Wotton, Surrey to Mr Lee Steere Esq. and Anne Steere. Henry was baptised on 29th December 1828 in Ockley, Surrey. At the time of the baptism, the family lived at Hale House, Wotton. At the time of the 1851 Census, the family lived at Jayes Park, Wotton. Lee Steere was a land owner and Anne was at home with their sons: Henry and John Robert (born about 1832 in Wotton). The household also comprised of nine servants.
Augustus Frederick Lee Steere was born about 1835 as the 4th son of Mr Lee Steere Esq. and Anne Steere. Augustus was baptised on 23rd January 1835 in Ockley. At the time of the baptism, the family lived at Jayes Park. He was educated at Marlborough College and emigrated to Western Australia. Soon after his arrival he married Ellen Elizabeth Roe. She was the 5th daughter of Mr G. S. Roe, Surveyor-General of the Colony. They had three sons and three daughters. Augustus died in Western Australia in 1903. According to his obituary in the 1903 Western Mail (Perth), Mr Lee Steere, in his younger days, was an ardent supporter of cricket, and a good batman, having represented his county, Surrey; and was also a good judge of horses and a fearless rider. For much of his life Mr Lee Steere suffered from an illness caused by an accident. As he grew older he became more and more invalided, and for several years had been almost completely confined to his home. He died suddenly from paralysis. The funeral was also attended by Hilda’s father Charles James Lee Steere.
Hilda’s grandfather The Honourable, Sir James George Lee Steere, Kt., K.C.M.G., The Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, was born in 1830 at Hale House, Ockley, Surrey, England as the 3rd son of Mr Lee Steere Esq. and Anne Steere. James was baptised on 30th April 1831 in Ockley. At the time of the baptism, the family lived in Wotton.
James was educated at a private school at Thames Ditton, and later at Clapham Grammar School. He was apprenticed as a midshipman on a merchant vessel named the Sea Park. James received the Certificate of Competency as the 1st Mate in the Merchant Service in London on 6th June 1851. His address on the certificate is stated to be: Jayes, Dorking, Surrey.
The 1853 Morning Post reads that the 23 year old chief officer of the merchant vessel SS Bombay was presented with a testimonial of esteem and gratitude, by the passengers of the SS Bombay. On 29th April 1853, it was discovered that the SS Bombay was leaking and was in imminent danger. The chief officer, James Lee Steere was at the time in charge of the ship. The ship’s captain had been confined to his bed for some days, after a severe accident, owning to the mutinous conduct of one of his men. Thanks to Lee Steere’s resolution, calmness and good judgement, predicting that the time necessary for its repair being likely to be long, all the passengers boarded the royal mail steamer Teviot, which was departing to England, and took them home. James received the Certificate as a Master in the Merchant Service in London on 12th May 1854. His address on the certificate is stated to be: Jayes, Dorking, Surrey.
James married Catherine Anne Leake on 16th June 1859 at St John’s church, Hampstead,London. At the time of the marriage, James lived in Wotton and Catherine in Hampstead. Catherine was the only daughter of the late Luke Leake, Esq., of Perth, Western Australia. The couple had 15 children: 6 sons and 9 daughters. James and his wife left England in the beginning of 1860 and landed in Perth in April. He was amongst the early settlers in Western Australia. James obtained a lease of 100,000 acres of land by the Blackwood River, in the southern part of the colony. He gave it the name of Jayes Station, after his father’s estate in Ockley.
The year after he took up his residence in Western Australia, James was made a Justice of the Peace, and from then on he was the recipient of honours for his good work and public interest.
In 1886 he was appointed the Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative Council and on 21st June 1888, a Knight Bachelor of the United Kingdom. The award was conferred upon him by Queen Victoria. In 1890 he became the Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly. On 1st January 1900, Hon., Sir James George Lee Steere, Kt., the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia was awarded the Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George.
James died on 1st December 1903 in Perth, Western Australia. He was 73 years old. According to the 1903 Bunbury Herald, he was suffering from diabetes, the cause of his political retirement. During the 24 hours prior to his death he was unconscious and died quietly in that state. He was given a state funeral held at St George’s Cathedral, Perth. Amongst the mourners who accompanied the body to the cemetery were his four sons including Hilda’s father Charles. Charles and his wife Laura Georgina also sent a wreath.
Hilda’s father Charles James Lee Steere was born about 1868 in Jayes, Bridgetown, Western Australia as the 2nd son of James and Catherine. Charles married Laura at 3.00pm, on 27th April 1898 at St George’s Cathedral, Perth, Western Australia. Laura was the 2nd daughter of Mr Septimus Burt, Q. C., M.L.A. The wedding attracted a large crowd of onlookers and the service was conducted by the Bishop of Perth. After the ceremony 140 guests proceeded to the residence of the bride’s parents, in Adelaide Terrace, where Mr and Mrs Burt’s held a reception, which lasted until 5.00pm. The bride wore a satin dress with a long trail. The bodice yoke was made of gathered chiffon which was combined with seed pearls and orange blossoms. The bridal veil was of fine net and was held in its place by a wreath of orange blossom on the crown of her head. The young couple were to live at Peppermint Grove, Western Australia (The West Australian, 28 Apr 1898).
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