Rosalind Davies' Family History
© Rosalind Davies 2001
Permission granted to reprint research for non-profit use only

Their children:
Emma Johanna Wilhelmina (twin) (1881-1951) v
Anna Marie Louise (twin) (1881-1963) v My grandmother
William Frederick (1885-) iv
Minna Emilie (1886-1968) vi
Edward Erdman (1890-1965) vii
Mary (Died as Infant) (?1892-1892) iv
Charlotte A (1895-1931) iv
Victoria Auguste (1899-1994) ii

click here for more information on the children

Frederick was born in 2 May & bpt. 11 May 1855 to Edward Laue (b. 1829) and Fredericke Schroder (b. 1820) . Edward was a miller. i
His daughter Victoria's birth certificate states that Frederick was born in FriedrichSchway, Germany and his son Edward, on his father's death certificate, listed the birthplace as Friedrich Schweig, Germany. We found FreideichSchway in Brachwitz u. Motzlich near Halle in Saxony, Germany. I believe Friedrich Schway to be a farm name. He had several older siblings but his mother died soon after his birth and his father married Friederike Kunze (born 1830 in Salzfurth, just 27km NE of Halle, Saxony and had several more children . Edward died 18 Nov 1899 in Salzfurth bri Radegast, Saxony.
. The photograph of him (above) as a young man shows him in a military uniform. Military service was compulsory in those days and there was a military base in Wismar which is a large town just west of Kalsow.

Frederick arrived in England in 18th April 1883 on board the "Kuhlewein' which had departed from Hamburg and was enroute to New York. viii A researcher in Germany could not find any papers in Germany giving him permission to leave the country and therefore assumed that he left illegally. This researcher also cannot access Frederick's military record until I can establish a place of birth.
He was living in New Ferry, Chester UK (which is just across the Mersey River from Liverpool) when he married Wilhelmine Moll on 26th August 1883. He was 27 years old and listed his occupation as hairdresser. iii

Wilhelmine was born in Kalsow, Germany, the last child of Maria and Christoph Moll. Her oldest sister was 21 years older than she was and she had been given a similar name to a sister who had died in infancy. This was a common practice. Her father was mayor of this small town, as had been his father before him. They were a farming family and had been there for generations. ii

Twins were born to Wilhelmine when she was 20 years old. They were christened eleven days later at the family's place of worship, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Neuburg (about 5 km north east of Kalsow on the road to Rostock). They were named Emma Johanna Wilhelmine Moll and Anna Marie Louise Moll. Standing as god-parents for Emma were Maria Biemann, a hunter's wife and Johann Moll, farmer. (This could be her only surviving brother who would have inherited the farm on the death of his father in 1865.) Standing as godparents for Anna were Maria Moll, farmer's wife (this could be her mother) and Anna Moll, a dressmaker, (most likely her spinster sister.) It is interesting to note that on the page where the twin's births were recorded, four out of the five births were listed as illegitimate. xii

A decision must have been made for Wilhelmine and the twins to travel to England to live with friends in Liverpool. She was living at 148 Park Lane, Liverpool when she married Frederick Laue on 26th August 1883 at the German Church in Renshaw Street. Witnesses to the marriage were August Dumkow and Eduard Heinrich. Wilhelmine didn't list any occupation. Iii

By 1891, the house at 148 Park Road was uninhabited. In the house on one side was Henry Brown aged 52, who was a clothing outfitter and his wife and niece. They were all from Germany. On the other side was Frederick Eimer, aged 56 who owned a tobacconist and stationery business. He, his wife and female servant were also all from Germany. xiii Some trades & occupations listed in the Post Office Directory of 1880 seem to have a large proportion of Germans in them; e.g. hairdressing The German church in Liverpool Lutheran opened in 1846 catering to an increasing German population in the area.

The indirect passenger lists from Hamburg show that Christian Moll sailed to England in March 1883, possibly for a visit. I believe this to be her father using another of his Christian names

Emma is on the left & Anna on the right

After the marriage, the family lived in Chester & , Liverpool where two more children were born, William and Minna.

The family arrived on the 15th May 1887 ix and first settled in Pickup Street, Alexandria, a Sydney suburb, amongst the German community and then a year later moved to the far out suburb of Rockdale. The first appearance of F.W. Laue in the Sands Directories was in 1890 where he had listed his business as a tobacconist at Rocky Point Road, Rockdale. x He also operated a hairdressers in Rocky Point Road, Rockdale (now called Princes Highway) but later bought a double fronted shop which was also on Rocky Point Road.

The family lived above the shop for 24 years.Four more children were born at Rockdale, Edward, Marie, Charlotte and Victoria. Marie died as a baby, and there was an 18-year gap between the twins and Victoria. Interestingly, Victoria's birth certificate was falsified to cover up the family ' problem'. Her parents are listed as having been married on 19th March 1881 in Wismar, Germany and the twins listed as having been born in 1882. iii He also purchased a tobacconist shop in the Tramway Arcade (near where the buses terminate today). The children were all expected to help in both shops. The photo on the right shows Victoria with her father outside the shop.

Frederick was a member of the St George Bowling Club, which used to be alongside the railway station at Rockdale before it moved to Harrow Road, Bexley. In 1901 he won the beginner's handicap and was presented with a set of wooden bowls. This set was taken to the U.S.A. by his son Edward but was later returned to Australia and presented to the club by his daughter, Victoria, as part of the club's 75th anniversary celebrations. xi The family attended the Methodist Church in Bay Street, Rockdale.

Frederick died, aged 55, from kidney failure and stroke. In his will made out just one week before he died, he named his son Edward as his executor and he left all his property and the sum of £397.14.1 to his wife, Wilhelmine. The witnesses were his friends Adolph Heinrich from Alexandria and James Whitton. The solicitors were MacNamara and Smith.

After her husband's death in 1911, Wilhelmina bought a house at 11 Kimpton Street, Banksia (a nearby suburb) and lived there until her death. The property was part of an original land grant to Simeon and James Pearce in 1854. She also bought a block of land at 49 Harrow Road, Bexley for £550. This property was part of an original land grant to James Chandler in 1831. She sold the land just seven months later. A cottage named 'Watford' was later built on this block and today it is a block of flats. xiv

In September 1914, with the advent of war in Europe, Wilhelmina felt the need to be a naturalised Australian, swearing the oath of Allegiance to God and King George V. She was vouched for by the local police constable, James Robertson, who stated that she was of good character; that her family also resided in the district and that they, too, were of good character; and that her deceased husband had been a local businessman. xv

Wilhelmine died in 1916 from stones blocking her kidney ducts.( i ) In her first will made out in 1913, she left £200 to her daughter Charlotte and £300 to her daughter Victoria, because they had not yet reached their majority. In the later will, written the month before she died, she revoked those bequests and left the estate to be divided up between all of her children and grandchildren living at the time of her death. Her piano was specifically left to Victoria. The executors were Adolph Heinrich of Henderson Road, Alexandria, a baker, and Caroline Heinrich of the same address. The estate consisted of the house in Kimpton Street and £1279.8 .1. (Adolph & Caroline Heinrich are buried beside Frederick & Wilhelmine in the Lutheran section of Woronora Cemetery. Adolph died 10 May 1933 aged 80 & Caroline 5 May 1930 aged 76)


The Certificate of Title for 11 Kimpton Street, Banksia shows that the property was transfered to Edward Erdman Laue of Rockdale, electrician, on 4th June 1917. On 11th June 1917 Edward took out a mortgage on the property, from Ernest Heinrich, a baker of Alexandria and it was discharged on 11 March 1919. He sold the property on 4th Sept 1926.

Will of Frederick Wilhelm LAUE
late of Rockdale, hairdresser
This is the last will and testament of me, Frederick Wilhelm Laue, Hairdresser of Rockdale near Sydney in the state of New South Wales. I give devise and bequeath all of my real and pere...... estate to my wife, Wilhelmina Laue, for her use and benefit after my demise. I direct payment of all my just debts, testamentary and funeral expenses. I revoke all former wills by me made and I appoint my son, Edward E Laue of Rockdale, executor of this my will. In witness whereof, I have herewith set my hand this twenty third day of October, one thousand nine hundred and eleven.
Frederick Wilhelm Laue- signed and acknowledged by the said Frederick Wilhelm Laue as his last will and testament in the joint presence of us who before leaving his presence or the presence of each other have hereto set our names as witnesses, Adolph Heinrich, James Whitton.
13th March 1912 On this day probate of the will of the said deceased was granted to Edward Edmund Laue of Rockdale, hairdresser the sole executor named in the said will. Testator died at Rockdale 1st November 1911.
Estate sworn at £446.5.6 crossed out then £397.14.1 (McNamara & Smith)

Will of Wilhelmina Laue
Late of Rockdale, widow
This is the last will and testament of me, Wilhelmina Laue of Rockdale in the state of New South Wales, widow . I revoke all prior testaments .... depositions made by me. 2. I appoint Adolph Heinrich of Alexandria in the said ....., baker, and Caroline Heinrich his wife, executor ,executrix and trustees of this my will. 3. I ..... and bequeath all my estate real and personal .... and to the use of my said executor, executrix and ...... ........ that they are the ....
... .... executors and administrators ( as the case may be).... ..... ..... trustees for the ... of this my will .... shall in such ... .... .... ...
....... ...... ...... ...... .... ..... ....... convert into money ( according to the ... .... of the ......) all such parts of the ....... ..... .... ....
of ready money with power to buy in ... .... .... any contract for sale....... ......... ........
being answerable for loss and with power for the purposes aforesaid