"Bill" William Adolphus HEINZ
Born 19 May 1907 in London, England [16]
Son of Francis Adolphus HEINZ and Sarah Elizabeth LEVERMORE [21] [55]
Departed London, England on the steamship Ballarat and arrived in Adelaide, South Australia on 13 August 1922 [70]
He travelled to from England to Australia under the "South Australian Lads Apprenticeship Scheme" [P148]
Served out a farm apprenticeship on properties in and around Marrabel, Merilden and Mintaro in South Australia [P148]
After his apprenticeship he worked in South Australia as a railway employee, conducting a mail run and repairing tractors [P148]
Married (1) Vera Gwendoline HURRELL on 2 July 1934 in Port Lincoln, South Australia [55]
Worked in a garage in Wudinna for six years and at a number of other garages on the Eyre Peninsular in South Australia [P154]
While living in Wudinna he began a course through the International Correspondence Course [P154]
Along with his wife and children shifted to Kalgoorlie, Western Australia where they resided for about a year [P154]
Finished the correspondence course and received a certificate from the American Technical Society of Chicago on 24/09/1936 [P154]
Head Mechanic at the Blue Light Garage & Service Station in Kalgoorlie [5: 8-Apr-1938]
Through a chance meeting in Kalgoorlie with Robert MACKIE he arranged to lease a garage belonging to him in Carnamah [P154]
Along with his wife and two sons left Kalgoorlie on about 16 August 1937 and arrived in Carnamah on 19 August 1937 [P154]
Upon his arrival he took over Ivan JOHNSON's Farm Service Station at 17 Macpherson Street, Carnamah [5: 27-Aug-1937]
Initially ran the garage under the name of the "Farm Service Station" but later changed it to the "Quick Service Garage" [11]
Conducted his garage from premises towards the back of 17 Macpherson Street, which were leased from Robert MACKIE [3]
He and Robert MACKIE motored to Perth on Monday 13 September 1937 and returned to Carnamah two days later [5: 17-Sep-1937]
Returned from Perth with a new plant including complete equipment for the servicing of all motors [5: 17-Sep-1937]
He was a qualified mechanical and electrical engineer and did repairs to all makes of cars, trucks, tractors and engines [5: 3-Sep-1937]
He also stocked and sold petrols, oils, greases, tyres, tubes and motor accessories [0: image 02871] [13]
His garage was telephone number Carnamah-38 [60]
For the majority of the time he didn't employ anyone and ran the garage solely on his own [P7]
One of his clients once asked him when something would be ready and his reply was "I don't bind myself to times" [P7]
Initially resided at 45 Macpherson Street, Carnamah - in a rented house belonging to Charles ROBERTSON [P154]
They later shifted to a house at 13 Robertson Street in Carnamah - which was rented from Robert NIVEN [P154]
Advertised in September 1937 that he had a Willys Knight Tourer car for sale for £125 on easy terms [5: 3-Sep-1937]
In October 1937 became a Genuine Ford Service station and was affiliated with Seleeba's Service Station of Moora [0: image 03692]
In addition to his garage and selling motor supplies in 1938 he was also an agent for Lanz Crude Oil Tractors [0: image 03715]
During January 1939, when he was unwell, he employed Ivan JOHNSON to supervise the running of his garage [11]
In October 1940 became a sub-agent for Pederick Gas Producers which he fitted to motor vehicles [0: image 03916]
Later manufactured in Carnamah a "Heinz Gas Producer" but stopped after only a few as he was accepted into the Army [P154]
Enlisted in the Australian Army in 1942 [16]
Sergeant WX36105 in the Australian Army's 5 Australian Infantry TPS Workshop during the Second World War [16]
Returned to Carnamah to check on his business in July 1942 and found his accounts were not being paid [0: image 04109 / 10]
Placed a notice in the local newspaper stating that unpaid accounts would be handed over to his solicitor [0: image 04110]
Discharged from the Australian Army on 22 November 1943 (following the death of his wife Vera on 19 October 1943) [16] [24]
Married (2) Mrs Eva DEARLOVE nee HARRIS in July 1945 [P148]
Advertised his business in the schedule of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society's Victory Show in 1945 [13]
"The North Midlands Leading Garage - Quick Service Garage, Carnamah; W. A. ("Bill") Heinz, Prop." [13]
"Oxy and Electric Welding, Castrol Oils and Greases, Lucas Batteries, All new Equipment" [13]
"No job too large - none too small. Moderate Prices" [13]
Later added to his list of agencies those for Bedford, Vauxhall and Fowler tractors [P148]
Performed service and reconditioning to cars, trucks, tractors, stationary engines and lighting plants [13]
During the 1945-46 financial year his wife Eva purchased the old Ice Works at 9 & 10 Niven Crescent in Carnamah [3]
They turned the two blocks into a mini farm consisting of two milking cows and 400 chooks, the produce of which they sold [P154]
During the 1945-46 financial year Eva purchased the old building at 23 Macpherson Street in Carnamah [3]
Himself and Eva opened and ran a restaurant from the stone building, which had once been the Carnamah Post Office [3]
Resided with Eva and their collective eight children in a house belonging to the NIVEN family at 13 Robertson Street, Carnamah [P148]
His wife Eva collapsed and died in the bathroom of their home in Carnamah on 3 February 1947 [4: 8-Feb-1947] [24]
Financial Member of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society 1946-1952 [13]
Obtained his student pilot licence, which was number 130, through the Department of Civil Engineering on 7 May 1947 [P154]
In October 1947 he began building a helicopter in his backyard in Carnamah [225: 18-May-1948]
The Daily News ran a story on the feat, and claimed it was believed to be the first Australian designed and built helicopter [225]
Constructed to his own design he expected it would cost about £400, but believed it could be mass-produced for much less [225]
The helicopter, which weighed only 260 pounds, was powered by a modified 1925 Douglas motorcycle engine [225]
In 1954 he purchased for £8 the wreck of an Anson aircraft lying in Carnamah from Woods Airways Pty Ltd [P154]
Used many of the parts from the aircraft wreck in the building of his autogyro / helicopter [P154]
He used two of the seats from the plane on his front verandah, and the nose cone of the plane was in his yard until 1987 [P154]
During the 1948-49 financial year he purchased the adjacent block, 8 Niven Crescent, from Robert NIVEN [3]
On purchase 8 Niven Crescent was vacant, however shortly afterwards he had a large house erected on the block [P154]
The house had fireplaces in corners for evener heat distribution, and the plasterboard inside was rounded in the corners [P154]
Married (3) Agnes Lawson SHARP in December 1949 (Div) [P148]
Resided with his wife Agnes and their children in one of their houses in Niven Crescent, Carnamah [P148]
Received electricity at his home and garage from Henry Parkin & Son; electricity for the month of July 1952 cost £5.14.4 [53]
By 1956 had taken up a 9600 acre farm in Eneabba in partnership with his son Edward [3]
The 9600 acres consisted of Victoria Locations 10125 and 10126 on the south side of the Carnamah-Eneabba Road [3] [62]
On 1 February 1958 they sold 4800 acres of the farm, Victoria Location 10126, to Charles B. LAWSON of Winchester [3]
Lost the remaining half of the farm in Eneabba in July 1964 for not meeting the land usage requirements [P148]
In 1954 was an agent in Carnamah for Commonwealth Oil Refineries Ltd [60]
For a period was one of the Carnamah Boys Club's instructors [P148]
Unsuccessfully ran in the extraordinary election for Town Ward Member on the Carnamah Shire Council on 21 May 1960 [P154]
Resided for a number of years at his house at 8 Niven Crescent, Carnamah [P22]
In July 1975 sold his house at 8 Niven Crescent and his vacant block at 9 Niven Crescent to Frank C. G. and Clarice J. LUCAS [3]
Resided at 10 Niven Crescent, Carnamah until shifting to the Lady Brand Lodge in Three Springs [P148]
Resided at the Lady Brand Lodge in Three Springs from 19 January 1987 until just before his death in February 1987 [147]
Passed away at the age of 79 years at the North Midlands District Hospital in Three Springs [24]
Father of Edward, Laurence, Alfred, Dulcie, Lorna, Betty, Robyne, Rodney and Ross [P148]
Died 22 February 1987 in Three Springs; buried Three Springs General Cemetery, Three Springs (Anglican, Plot 74) [24]
From The North Midland Times newspaper, Friday 24 September 1937:
A Qualified Motor Engineer
"Mr W. A. (Bill) Heinz, who has commenced business in the premises of the Farm Service Station, Carnamah (previously occupied by Mr I. Johnson), is a qualified motor mechanic. In addition to his extensive experience of the trade, Mr Heinz has recently installed the latest equipment for motor repairs. He specialises in oxywelding, case hardening and hard surfacing. All work is guaranteed."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'William Adolphus Heinz' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 26 December 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/william-adolphus-heinz [reference list] |
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