John “Skip” Bailey

4.0
John (Jack or Skip) Pretty Bailey

John, or Skip as we will call him, was born in the Mines Hospital in Boulder on 29th March 1912. Very little is known of his childhood and early schooling. What is known was gleaned from his military service records.

Birth Certificate John Pretty Bailey – Skip

Skip, on his RAAF enlistment papers in 1939, stated he was educated at three schools.

Skip Bailey’s Education

Skip, according to the RAAF records, was educated at St. Idelphonsus College, New Norcia from 1923 to 1924. This was probably when his father was relieving the managers of the State Bank in Kalgoorlie and Boulder. Then he attended a school in Claremont in 1925 and Aquinas College from 1926 to 1930. Aquinas was actually called C.B.C. (Christian Brothers College), The Terrace, Perth when he attended but moved to Salters Point, Perth in 1938 and changed its name to Aquinas. However, the Archivist at the New Norcia Benedictine Monastery, who took over the records of St. Idelphonsus College, when it closed, cannot find any record of Skip attending the school. Also, no records of the “Claremont School” or Aquinas College are available.

Between 1931 and 1939, Skip was employed, as a temporary clerk by the State Treasury Dept. for seven years and was at the Kalgoorlie School of Mines between 1937 and 1938. During the period 1933 to 1935, Skip also served in the Voluntary Military Service 28th Battalion of the Australian Army. His address at the time was given as 68 1st Ave., Mt Lawley, W.A.

Skip and his fiancée Majorie Buzzard announced their engagement to on 26th February 1937.

Engagement Notice John Bailey and Marjorie Buzzard

Marjorie (Alice Margaret Mary) Buzzard was born on 20th August 1916. Her father Millar Buzzard Snr and mother, Margaret Mary, were originally from Moora. Marjorie had 3 siblings, John, Brian Sheridan and Millar Jnr. [Millar Buzzard and his family’s story is told on Nigel’s website under “The Life and Times of Millar Buzzard”]

Skip and Marjorie were married on 24th April 1937 in Kalgoorlie and they lived at 47 McDonald Street, Kalgoorlie. [16]

Marjorie and Skip

Their first child, Jillian Patricia Buzzard Bailey was born 16th September 1938 at her grandmother’s maternity hospital (St. Judes) at 20 Onslow St., South Perth, Western Australia.

Jillian Bailey’s ancestors visit her in hospital

Skip and Marjorie were living with Marjorie’s mother at 28 Salisbury Avenue, South Perth.

Marjorie, Jill and Skip 1943

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[16] Ancestry