William Arthur (Arthur) Stephens

  General Notes:

William Arthur (Arthur) Stephens was born in 1900. He was the eldest in a family of seven boys and three girls.
He attended the Burwood primary school and then went on to the TallyHo Boys High School.
When his father decided to move to a farm, Arthur went to Mirboo and his younger brother Les went to Dumbalk to work on farms to gain experience.
It was here the Arthur was badly gored by a bull. He returned home to Burwood and stayed for a while until he recuperated, then went back to work again.
Both Arthur and Les returned home to their parents farm at Ruby which was purchased in 1919 and sought work on other farms in the area.
One morning when Arthur was heading off for work at the nearby farm for a Mr. Bright, he was caught in a shower. He stayed in his wet cloths and they eventually dried on him, but he caught a chill which became rheumatic fever. This badly affect his heart and chest.
The following winter he became so bad with a chest cold that he was gasping for breath. The ambulance couldn't come to the house because the road in was too wet and slippery. A few neighbours helped the family to carry Arthur by stretcher down the one and a half miles along the railway line to Ruby. He was taken to the Leongatha hospital by ambulance, which was a horse drawn vehicle. He passed away a few days later at age 20. He is buried at the Leongatha Cemetery.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Farm Worker.