I was born in south London, UK in 1890, and raised by my mother (Ellen Mary Shepherd b. 1870) and my maternal grandmother (Mary Ann Shepheard (nee James) b. 1838) in Battersea, Wandsworth, London during my first decade.
In 1901, I moved into North Surrey District School and my mother to a Workhouse.
In 1903 I became a Royal Navy "Band Boy", and in 1906 a Royal Navy Marine.
In 1912, I travelled from Portsmouth, UK to Sydney, Australia on HMS Drake (Armed Cruiser Class), and in December 1912 I was honorably discharged (as I decided to stay and put down my roots in Sydney, Australia).
During my life, my various occupations were Navy Band Boy (playing the Bombardon), Royal Navy Marine (pre-WWI), Farmer, Australian Soldier (WWI) and Musician (Sydney Symphony Orchestra) (playing the Double Bass).
I married my wife Hughina Catherine McPhee (of Scottish Highland / Irish origins) in 1916, and we lived in Sydney.
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