Frances Ruby Kinder (b 1885)

parents Enoch Kinder & Matilda Maud Crask


born 26 Dec 1885, St Kilda, Victoria, Australia[1]
died 19 Mar 1966, Boronia, Victoria, Australia[2]
buried 22 Mar 1966, Springvale Botanic Cemetery, Victoria, Australia[7]




Frances Ruby Kinder

Frances Ruby Kinder is your Author’s maternal grandmother.  She was universally known as Ruby.

Ruby was born on 26 December 1885 at the home of her parents, Enoch and Matilda Maud  who were living at 31 Evelyn Street, St Kilda, Victoria.

By the time of her sixth birthday, her father Enoch, had already died and times were very hard for her mother.  This resulted in Ruby having very little formal education. Her mother did teach her dressmaking, sewing and knitting – skills that later meant survival for her and her family.

After her father’s death, her mother, Matilda, was left in a rather poor state and yet she still had a number of children to raise and educate.  The family moved around regularly from one rental property to another and stayed on and off with older siblings.

According to entries found in References 3 and 4, Matilda and her children lived at 31 Evelyn Street until 1895.  From 1896 to 1902, they lived at 22 Little Alma Street, St Kilda (now King Street).  

In 1903, they lived at 12 Eliza Street, Richmond, 126 Albert Street, Windsor and 19 Nightingale Street, St Kilda.  

East St Kilda[5]
In 1905, Matilda was noted as being a Dressmaker living at 20 James Street, Prahran.  By this time Ruby would have been working with her.

From 1906 to 1909 Ruby was with her mother at 58 Marlborough Street, St Kilda, but also in 1909, Ruby lived at 332 Inkerman Street, St Kilda and is stated to be a Nurse (probably live-in)[4]. 

In 1912 at 57 Earl Street, Prahran.  In 1913-1914 at Shoobra Road, Elsternwick[4,6].

Waterloo Street is now joined at the east end with Argyle Street after the widening of High Street in the 1960s[5]


With Percy Freeman

During period 1910-11, Ruby was in love with a certain Percy Freeman – a married man but Ruby loved him dearly.  Percy promised to leave his wife and marry Ruby but he did not fulfil this promise.  Ruby’s first child, Kenneth Frances, was born of this relationship[8].  Kenneth never had any contact with Percy.

When  Frances Ruby married Frederick Laban Punch in 1915, she and her young son, Kenneth Francis, were living with her mother Matilda Maud and older brother, Harry (Henry Emery Kinder), at 22 Waterloo Street, Balaclava, Victoria.



Ruby with son, Kenneth Francis Kinder
Ruby with daughter, Lilian Florence Eleanor Punch


Marriage to Fred Punch

Ruby and Frederick Laban Punch were married on 16 October 1915 at St Martin’s Church of England, Hawksburn, Victoria.

Ruby and Fred had 2 children - Alan Frederick and Lilian Florence Eleanor.

Click her to read about Ruby's married life with Fred.



References
  1. Frances Ruby Kinder b1885 birth certificate
  2. Frances Ruby Kinder b1885 death certificate
  3. Sands and McDougall Melbourne & Suburban Directory
  4. Australian Electoral Rolls 1903-1980
  5. Sands & McDougall Directory 1874
  6. Enoch Leslie Kinder b1883 war service record
  7. Springvale Botanic Cemetery records
  8. Lilian Florence Eleanor Punch personal communication