Gwenyth Margaret (Whitehead) Scannell (1926 - 2020)

Born 13 Jan 1926 in Highgate, Western Australia, Australia

Ancestors

Wife of Leslie Desmond Scannell — married 13 Dec 1947 in Maylands, Western Australia, Australia

Descendants

Died 12 Aug 2020 at age 94 in Leederville, Western Australia, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Greg Scannell [send private message]

Biography

She was born in Bulwer St Highgate.

She lived in Highgate until the end of 1929 when her father was transferred to Kalgoorlie with the Railways.

In 1930 age 5 she started school in Kalgoorlie.

From the age of 5 until 8 she lived in Kalgoorlie when in 1932 her father was transferred back to Perth.

From the age of 8 until 11 she lived at 69 Central Ave Maylands and then her father was transferred to Geraldton in August 1936.

From the age of 10 to 14 she lived in Geraldton and attended Stella Maris College.

In December 1937 she was a student of Miss Edna Mercy in Geraldton and participated in a Musical Recital in a pianoforte duet with Dick Brown. She performed again in December 1938 and again in December 1939 this time with Doreen Hall. In December 1940 with Olive Farrington.

In December 1939 together with her best friend Gwen Maher she was awarded her First Aid Certificate at Stella Maris College in Geraldton. That year she also sat Trinity College of Music exams and got Honours for Intermediate Grade Elocution.

In December 1940 she was awarded honours in the Senior Grade for Elocution in the Trinity College Music exams. She was also awarded one of two State Medals for Elocution.

She left school at the end of 1940 age 15 and the family moved from Geraldton to North Fremantle around March 1941.

In April 1941 she attended Stotts Secretarial College.

In August 1941 she won a scholarship at Stotts.

After completing her studies her first job was with Wesfarmers where she worked for 12 months.

In 1942 age 16 she then went to work for WAGR at Midland workshops.

In Sept 1943 she worked for three months in the WAGR Accounts branch in Midland.

In 1944 age 18 she went to work for the Tramways in the city and was there for three years until she married in 1947.

She was married at the Queen of Martyrs Church in Maylands.

From 1947 to 1968 she lived at 175 Railway Parade Maylands.

From 1968 to 2009 she lived at 125 Shaftesbury Ave Bedford.

From November 2009 to July 2020 she lived at Villa 22, 30 Rinaldi Crescent Karrinyup in Moline Retirement Village.

She died in her sleep age 94 at Rosewood Nursing Home in Leederville.

She is memorialised at Karrakatta Cemetery.

Sources

• Greg Scannell. First hand knowledge via family records and conversations with my mother.
• West Australia BDM records. Birth reg 132/1926.
• Articles. Geraldton Guardian 21/12/1939. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/67307322?

researchTerm=whitehead

• Article. Geraldton Guardian 20/5/1941. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/67309642?searchTerm=whitehead
• Metropolitan Cemetery Board records.

See also:

• Add sources here.