Edward Joseph CUNNINGHAM: Gardiner/Hillbrick & Downing/White Family Tree

Name	Edward Joseph CUNNINGHAM
Nickname	Ted
Gender	Male
Origins
Person ID	I371	Gardiner
Last Modified	1 Apr 2023

Family Esther Louisa GARDINER, b. 31 Jan 1882, Cargo, New South Wales, Australia d. 1935, Koorda, Western Australia, Australia (Age 52 years)

Marriage 1902 Perth, Western Australia, Australia [1]

Age at Marriage Edward was ?? - Esther was ~ 19 years and 11 months. (Were Married ~ 25 years and 10 months).

Divorce 11 Oct 1927 Perth, Western Australia, Australia [2]

Children

	01. Irene Rose Dorothy CUNNINGHAM, b. 1904, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia ▻ William WILSON m. 1922
+	02. Edward Ernest Leslie CUNNINGHAM, b. 1907, West Perth, Western Australia, Australia d. 19 Oct 1939, Newlands, Western Australia, Australia (Age 32 years) ▻ Enid Elizabeth MARTYN m. 1932

Family ID F129 Group Sheet | Family Chart

Last Modified 27 Feb 2023

Event Map Click to display

	Marriage - 1902 - Perth, Western Australia, Australia
	Divorce - 11 Oct 1927 - Perth, Western Australia, Australia

= Link to Google Earth

Pin Legend : Address : Location : City/Town : County/Shire : State/Province : Country : Not Set

Newspapers » Slide Show		1927 - Esther Louisa (Gardiner) Cunningham Divorce A Wife's Desertion. ? In the Divorce Court yesterday the Chief Justice (Sir Robert McMillan), granted an application for a decree nisi, returnable in six months for dissolution of marriage. The petitioner, Edward Joseph Cunningham, said he was married to the respondent, Esther Louisa Cunningham in 1902 In 1905 he joined the Commonwealth light house service and was stationed at Point Moore and at Breaksea Island until 1916 when he enlisted. Up to that time his wife lived with him, but when he was repatriated, she declined to return to him, and, despite repeated requests, she had not changed her mind. She asked him, however, to take charge of the children, which, he had done. He knew of no reason why she should have taken the course she did. Corroborative evidence was given, by the petitioner's brother. Mr. H. Parker represented the petitioner and the case was undefended. NEWS AND NOTES. (1927, March 9). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), p. 8. Retrieved June 14, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32017054
		1927 - Esther Louisa (Gardiner) Cunningham -Divorce Court Listing THE LAW COURTS - TODAY'S LIST Nisi Prius. At 10.30 a.m. in No. 1 Court, before the Chief Justice, Applications in respect of cases in the March civil list. In Divorce: Edward Joseph Cunningham (petitioner) and Esther Louisa Cunningham (respondent). THE LAW COURTS. (1927, March 8). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), p. 8. Retrieved June 14, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32016791
		Esther Louisa (Gardiner) Cunningham Divorce in Detail WIFE'S ULTIMATUM "GO FOR YOUR LIFE" PREFERRED SINGLE LIFE AGAIN Tell Ted he can go for his life and get a divorce if he wants to, but, so far as I am concerned, I'm finished with him, declared Esther Louisa Cunningham when representations were made to her to return to her husband, Edward Joseph Cunningham, whom she deserted some three years ago. Cunningham, a tall, middle-aged man, employed in the Commonwealth Lighthouse Department, told the Chief Justice, Sir Robert McMillan, this morning, when petitioning for a divorce, that he had never been able to understand his wife's attitude. He had his suspicions, of course, but could offer no reason why she left him. He said they were married at Perth in 1902, and lived very happily together at the various lighthouses where he was stationed, notably at Point Moore, Geraldton, and Breaksea Island. They lived at the last-mentioned lighthouse for 11 years, and had two children, a girl born in 1903 and since married, and a boy born in 1907. When war broke out Cunningham said he enlisted, and his wife and children resided with her parents at Leederville. She was well provided for, and they corresponded regularly with one another. When he returned to Perth in 1919, however, he discovered that his wife had left her parents home, and was working as a cook at a timber mill, somewhere in the country. Her people refused to tell him where she was, and a letter which she left behind said that he could take the children, as having lived on her own for three years she found that Single Life Suited Her. Cunningham said he placed the boy in a boarding school and took his daughter with him to Point1 Charles Lighthouse, in the Northern Territory. They returned on holiday leave in 1922. His daughter married, and he managed to secure an interview with his wife, but she still refused to return to him, and so he went North again, this time to Cape Don Lighthouse. He returned to Perth again on holiday in December last, and endeavored to get his wife to change her mind. His brother saw her, and she gave him a letter, in which she wrote that she was perfectly content to "Paddle her Own Canoe," and had not the slightest intention of ever returning to him. In reply to his Honor, Cunningham saw that he had experienced no trouble whatever with his wife, and prior to him going away to the war they always lived on the most happy terms. He knew of no reason why she should have decided to cut adrift, but, of course, had his suspicions. Frederick Cunningham, a Government employee and brother of petitioner, gave evidence that when he interviewed Mrs. Cunningham on February 12 last, in an endeavor to bring the couple together again, she replied: "Tell Ted he can go for his life and get a divorce if he wants to, but, so far as I am concerned, I'm Finished with Him." In granting a decree nisi, returnable in six months, his Honor remarked that he could not understand why respondent had left her husband. As a matter of fact, he, said, he was not called upon to ascertain the reason, and it was enough for him to say that she had no just cause or excuse for her conduct. Mr. Hubert Parker appeared for Cunningham. WIFE'S ULTIMATUM. (1927, March 8). The Daily News (Perth, WA : 1882 - 1950), p. 5 Edition: HOME (FINAL) EDITION. Retrieved June 14, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article83046467

Sources

[S5] Online Source (URL), http://www.bdm.dotag.wa.gov.au/ (Reliability: 3).
Marriage:
Registration number: 1622/1902
[S5] Online Source (URL), http://trove.nla.gov.au/.
THE LAW COURTS. (1927, October 11). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), p. 10. Retrieved June 14, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32057496

Edward Joseph CUNNINGHAM

Esther Louisa GARDINER

Irene Rose Dorothy CUNNINGHAM

William WILSON

Edward Ernest Leslie CUNNINGHAM

Enid Elizabeth MARTYN