Chaplain Walter Emra Kingscote Burkitt (biography)
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Will of Walter Emra Kingscote Burkitt late of Gordon - Clerk in Holy Orders, written 30 Mar 1944, probate 25 Sep 1947.
THIS IS THE LAST WILL OF me Walter Emra Kingscote Burkitt No. NX146119 Unit/Aust. Army Chaplains Dept, Aust. Hospital Ship of The Rectory Morpeth N.S.W. I HEREBY REVOKE all former will and other testamentary dispositions heretofore made by me. I APPOINT
Margaret Emra Burkitt c/- 8 Cecil St. Gordon
John Stanton Burkitt c/- 8 Cecil St. Gordon
Ruth Millicent Burkitt c/- 8 Cecil St. Gordon
executors of this my will since there is a difference of ten years in the ages of Ruth & Barbara and Margaret, John and Ruth have begun to earn their own livelihood they will agree that whatever goods I possess should be used to Barbara's advantage. There is lodged with the Commonwealth Savings Bank West Maitland Treasury Bond for £100 2½% due 15/9/48; a savings acct. in my name No. 35148 (FINANCIAL) and also a small amount to my credit with the Commercial Bankg Co. of Sydney (W. Maitland). The Newcastle Diocesan Provident Fund will have some benefit on her account. Apart from these I have no financial assets nor insurance policy. I have taken out Insurance Policies with AMP for Barbara, John and Ruth - Margaret held her own. John and Ruth may redeem theirs and alter them to be paid up at any age they desire. Barbara may be altered at the discretion of her guardian. (FURNITURE) All Moveables at the Rectory Morpeth including electric stove, refrigerator & cleaner are my property. Household furniture and effects shall be held jointly by the three girls for their use until and while maintaining a home for Barbara; If they agree to sell all or any of the proceeds shall be paid to Barbara's acct. If either Margaret or Ruth shall marry before the other the unmarried one shall become Barbara's guardian and shall retain such furniture including the piano, as she desires to maintain a home for herself & Barbara. If the executors agree that it is not desirable or not possible to maintain a home shall be Margarets, de Leaner's Water Colour "De Why Beach" Ruths, & John shall have the choice of any other piece of furniture. (Continuation (2) Millicent left her aqua Marine bar brooch, my wedding gift to her for Barbara. It is broken and previous enquiries have not been successful in having it repaired. A single stone diamond ring which Millicent's mother gave her has been remodelled by Aunt Tessa to whom I gave it at her request and on condition that she gives it to Margaret at some future date. John may have any of my personal effects together with the car. Books may be distributed by choice and the remainder given to the warden of St. Johns Cell Morpeth for distribution among students or to be sold. My small sick communion set is in the nature of an heirloom having belonged to a succession of priests in the family. It came to me from my father's brother Rev. C. E. Burkitt, Exeter, England, who received it in turn from his father Rev. W. E. Burkitt of Buttermere. It was his father's before that & I believe saw service with the Universities Mission to Calcutta. I carried it in Active Service 1915-1918. It shall go to John to pass (Continuation 3) to the next priest in the Burkitt family of our own or some other branch. My vestments may be given to any who would desire them. The little white poplin stole was mother's Millicents ordination gift to me worked by herself. If I should die at home put it in with my body - my ashes place alongside hers and Judith's in Branxton cemetery. There is nothing left to say except I leave you all the legacy of the love of our darling little mother which you have already shared with me but unhappily not long enough. You must all do what you can to make up Barbara's loss in that respect. I thank God for the affection & help Tessa has so generously given to you & Myself. It is my earnest prayer while I make this war time will at see that I may be with you still for some years to see you further in your respective ways. If that is not to be so then I commend you all in simple faith and trust to the care of one another in the all embracing love of God. As Witness my hand this 30th day of March 1944.
W.E.K. BURKITT.
SIGNED by the above Testator as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us both ... who ... have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses. R. C. Wheeler, Lt. NX 56629 - Member - A.I.F. (Civil Address - 115 Pitt St. Sydney), D. Griffiths NX 26959 - Member A.I.F. 16 Carlingford St. Sefton N.S.W.
25th September, 1947. On this date Probate of the last will of the above-named deceased was granted to John Stanton Burkitt and Ruth Millicent Burkitt two of the executors named in the said will with leave reserved to Margaret Emra Martinean (formerly and in the will called Margaret Emra Burkitt) the other executor therein named to come in and prove the said will. TESTATOR died on the 20th June, 1947. ESTATE SWORN at the sum of £1,600;2;4 nett. 4
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"Death of Rev. Burkitt.
The Rev. W. E. K. Burkitt died in Sydney on Friday night last. Whilst crossing a street at Gordon he was hit by a utility truck and succumbed to his injuries that night. For the past five years he has been a Chaplain in the 2nd A.I.F. When war broke out he Was Rector of Morpeth and resigned his position to go as chaplain. He had previously been Rector of Wickham, Branxton and Denman. He served for over 3 years in the first World War as stretcher-bearer and later as chapplain. It will be recalled by some of our readers that last year the Bishop of Newcastle tried to arrange for the late Mr. Burkitt to come to Gloucester as a colleague for Mr. May, but owing to housing shortage the scheme had to be abandoned. His wife died four years ago. 56 years of age, he is survived by one son, John (in Tasmania) and three daughters." 5
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"LATE REV. W. E. K. BURKITT.
Latest advices to hand show that the Rev. W. E. K. Burkitt, a former rector of Denman, died from injuries received when he was knocked down by a truck at Gordon.
After serving first as a private and then as chaplain in the A.I.F. in World War I, he went to St. Paul's, West Maitland, as curate. He was in turn rector at Wickham for six years, Branxton for eight years, and Denman for four years. He then became rector of Morpeth, resigning in 1944. Mr. Burkitt saw sevice [sic] in France in World War I, first with the 9th Field Ambulance and then as chaplain to the 33rd Battalion. In World War II he was chaplain on the hospital ship Manunda, also for some time at the 113th A.G.H., Concord.
On demobilisation he spent about six months at Concord, and at the time of his death was relieving chaplain at the repatriation hospital there.
Mr. Burkitt's son, John, of Hobart, Tasmania, was married in Hobart on Friday night. News of the accident to his father reached him two hours be- fore the ceremony was scheduled to begin. It was too late to postpone the wedding, which was quietly celebrated. He left Hobart by air on Saturday morning, reaching Sydney the same afternon.
Mr. Burkitt's wife died in 1942. Three daughter, Margaret, Ruth and Barbara also survive. He leaves two brothers, Mr. Herbert Burkitt and Mr. Marcus Burkitt (the blind pianist), of Stathfield.
Mr. Burkitt, who was 56, was a son of the late Mr. W. M. H. Burkitt, who was also widely known in the Newcastle diocese, where he was a lay preacher.
A service was held at St. James's Church of England, Turramurra, after which the funeral proceeded to the Northern Suburbs Crematorium." 6
Marriage Information:
Walter married Millicent Ivy Stanton-Cook, daughter of Arthur Stanton-Cook and Fanny, on 25 Sep 1919 in St. James' Church, Turramurra, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia 2. (Millicent Ivy Stanton-Cook died on 17 Jul 1941 in Cecil St., Gordon, New South Wales, Australia 7 8.)
Marriage Notes:
"A wedding was celebrated on Thursday afternoon, September 25, at St. James' Church, Turramurra, when Millicent Ivy, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. Stanton Cook, of Chasecote, Turramurra, was married to Captain Walter Emra Kingscote Burkitt, Chaplain, 33rd Batt., A.I.F., son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Burkitt, of Mosman. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. Ronald Cameron, assisted by the Rev. Raymond King. The bride was given away by her father, and wore a simple costume of white Georgette over satin, embroidered in pearls, and a veil of Limerick lace lent by Mrs. G. Stanton Cook. The bridesmaids were the Misses Tessa and Joan Stanton Cook and Miss Jessie Burkitt, sisters respectively of the bride and bridegroom. They wore frocks of daintily, coloured Georgette, with black tulle hats. The groomsmen were Lieut. C. O. Hamblin, 34th Batt, Lieut R. King, M.C., 33rd Batt., and Mr. W. Pearson, 3th A.F.A. all recently re turned from active service. After the ceremony the guests were received by the bride's parents at Chasecote, when musical items by Mr. Marcus and Miss Marjory Burkitt were contributed. Later Captain and Mrs. Burkitt left for Kosciusko. "
