Jocelyn Griffey is no stranger to family history research and after perusing the pages of Gallipoli landing centenary insert in Friday's Times, believes she may be able to shed some light on Private Henry Westaway’s cultural heritage.
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Jocelyn said her research is far from conclusive, but believes Pvt Henry Westaway may have been the sister of Blanch Westaway—a New Zealand migrant who married Alfred Ellis, believed to be from around the Elsmore and Stannifer area.
Jocelyn visited the Times office on Monday with a photo of a young Blanch Ellis, her son Ron Ellis and in-laws Maria and William Ellis.
“As far as I can work out, she would be Henry Westerway’s sister,” she said.
“I think, I could be a little bit wrong, I’m trying to work out their age, but Alf, her husband, was my mother’s first cousin and if Mum was alive now, she would be 115, bless her, and Alf was older than her and that would make Blanch probably older than my mother.”
“There was only one family of Westerway at Tingha.”
Jocelyn said the photo was far from proving Henry Westaway was of New Zealand descent, but she said it has been a long held opinion in her family.
“This doesn’t prove anything, but I know in my heart that I’m right,” she said.
“They were from New Zealand, they were Maori and I know that, I have heard that all my life.”
Jocelyn said Blanch’s mother in law, Maria Ellis, was her mother’s aunt, making Alfred Ellis Jocelyn’s second cousin.
“She (Blanch) was a lovely person, I knew her, but I knew Ron a little bit better and he was absolutely the best, top bloke,” she said.
Jocelyn is still searching through the branches of her extended family tree for sure answers and said she is keen to share her story with members of the Westaway family who may be searching for answers as well.
Researchers keen to collaborate with Jocelyn can contact the Inverell Times for details.
