10. Joseph Armstrong Angus 1860

PARENT 09. JOSEPH ARMSTRONG ANGUS

JOSEPH ARMSTRONG ANGUS was born at Duneed on the 7 October 1860.He married RUTH EMMA THORPE at the Wesleyan Church, Mincha West on the 27th of May 1891.

Ruth was the youngest daughter of Daniel Thorpe and Sophia Rankin. She was born at Freshwater Creek, Mt Duneed on the 28th of March 1873. Her parents had moved to Mincha when Ruth was only four years old. She had attended the Mincha West school from October 1877 to August 1886.

Before and immediately after his marriage, Joe was involved with his brother Henry (Harry) and Joseph Tweddle in developemnt work in the Shires of Kerang, Cohuna and Gordon. A very large metal wheel that he made is now housed in the Historical Museum at Pyramid Hill.

They built irrigation channels, roads and bridges and a particularly large contract in the 1880's worth 4000 poundswas the banking of Kow Sawmp. This contract probably provided the base from which the partners could provide their respective futures.

After working the land and then with J.T. Tweddle as an irrigation channel contractor, Joe decided to leave Macorna in 1895.ded contractor's plant and household furniture. By 1896, Joe and Emma were living in Melbourne.

Joe started his ink and adhesive making company which was to become Angus & Co. Pty Ltd. The business began operation at 112 King Street, Melbourne in 1896.

He and Emma now had two daughters, both of whom were born in Macorna, Ruth in 1893 and Lilian Blanche in 1894. A son Wilfred was born in June 1896 at 9 Queens Avenue, Hawthorn where the family were now living.

After making a succesful start to his business, he persuaded James Thorpe to enter into a partnership so that he could be free to concentrate on the manufaturing of his products.

James and his family arrived in Melbourne in June 1899 and James took over the running of the office.

Joe and Emma became parents of twin boys in February 1902 with the births of Joseph Thornton and Douglas Armstrong being born at North Fitzroy., Thorn being named after J. Thornton Tweddle. Unfortunately Douglas only survived seven months.

The ink and adhesive business was re-located to 216 Nicholson Street, North Fitzroy in September 1902 where Joe had acquired a factory.

Joe and Emma were now living at 23 Barkly Street and the Thorpes were at Fergie Street and later Holden Street. Ruth and Lil Angus went to school at Alfred Crescent and now had the company of their Thorpe cousins.

Another son, Colin Keith was born to Joe and Emma in 1904 and their youngest and third survinving son, Malcolm Bruce arrived in 1910. The family had outgrown their Fitzroy cottage a shifted residence from Fitzroy in 1915 and moved to 73 James Street, Northcote and then in 1919 to 32 Park Street.

During World War 1 Emma's mother Sophia lived with family and died at Northcote in September 1919, aged 85. In 1914, Joe was busy establishing a new bottle works in Arthurton Road, Northcote and he spent many nights at the factory endeavouring to get the glass furnace operating correctly. The ink works which had been transferred from Nicholson Street in 1918 was burnt to the ground in 1921, but after rebuilding, the Company regained lost ground and prospered.

.By 1924,Thorn and Keith were both working with Angus & Co., Thorn as a clerk and Keith in manufacturing.

In 1925, Joe and Emma shifted house yet again, moving from Northcote to 7 Pearson Grove, North Caulfield. Joe was now sixty-five and probably thinking about retirement.

Joe and his partner James Thorpe received an offer from the Australian Glass Company to close down the bottle works in 1928. The offer was accepted and it was decided to open a Clag manufacturing plant in Sydney. This factory was operational by 1931 and Joe finally decided to retire.

Joseph died at Caulfield on the 23rd of May 1936 (death cert no. 4345). Aged 75. He was buried at the Booroondara Cemetery, Kew on the 25th of May 1936 - BAP-C-157.

Emma remained living at Pearson Grove for another twenty three years. She had the company of her housekeeper Miss Mclean and her daughter Lil lived next door.

Ruth died at Caulfield on the 12th of November 1960 (death cert no. 32998). Aged 87. She was buried at the Booroondara Cemetery, Kew on the 14th of November 1960 - BAP-C-157.

Children of JOSEPH & EMMA ANGUS

i RUTH ANGUS b 1892

ii LILIAN BLANCHE ANGUS b 1894

iii WILFRED ROBSON ANGUS was born at Hawthorn on the 27 June 1896 and died at Hawthorn on the 5 February 1897, aged 7 months.

iv JOSEPH THORNTON ANGUS (twin of Douglas) b 1902

v. DOUGLAS ARMSTRONG ANGUS (twin of Joseph) b. 15 February 1902 and died 16 September 1902, aged 7 months.

vi. COLIN KEITH ANGUS b 1904

vii. MALCOLM BRUCE ANGUS b 1910