John “Skip” Bailey

3.5
Oswald Gordon Bailey

Oswald, the father of John (Skip) Pretty Bailey, married Kathleen Agnes Braidwood on 7th September 1911 in Boulder W.A. Kathleen is recorded working as a barmaid at the Australia Hotel, Kalgoorlie in 1910.

Kalgoorlie Electoral Roll 1910

Oswald and Kathleen on their Wedding Day

They had three children, John Pretty (1912 – 1943), Gordon Herbert (1913 – 1988) and Kathleen May (1924 – 1968). They were all born in Boulder, W.A. Gordon was a chemist and lived in Perth all his life. Kathleen moved, in 1945, to the United States, as a “war bride” of a U.S. Navy Officer Walter Edward Muller.

Oswald was a public servant, and on 4th August 1904, was a Junior Clerk with the Post Office Savings Bank and his salary was £80 per annum.

Gordon Oswald as Junior Clerk 1904

He came to prominence as the Clerk of Courts in Boulder, W.A. in 1922 and then in 1924 as Branch Manager for the State Savings Bank at Claremont. He was back in Kalgoorlie in 1924 to relieve the incumbent managers of Kalgoorlie and Boulder branches for a year. In November 1927, he again returned to Kalgoorlie for 12 months.

Oswald Gordon Bailey at a gathering of the State Saving Bank

Once finished with relieving in the Kalgoorlie area, Oswald and Kathleen settled back into Perth at 18 Claremont Ave., Claremont, W.A. in 1925. Later they moved to 30 Marion St., Leederville, W.A.