unknown Charles Street Launceston Tasmania Australia Jessie Hambling Walter John, Jessie Florence & Peter Geoffrey

Walter Alfred Lay was born in Ararat, Victoria, about 1881, the sixth of eight children of John Lay (c.1845-1911), chemist, and Florence Bird (c.1848-1935) who married in Victoria in 1871. Walter came to Launceston, Tasmania, as a baby, but the family moved back to Victoria by the turn of the century. Walter married Jessie Hambling in Victoria in 1913. Jessie was a daughter of George Hambling and Ann Luke. Walter and Jessie had three children. The eldest, Walter John, was born in 1914 at Horsham. He became a chemist but died on active service with the Royal Australian Air Force in 1936. Their only daughter Jessie Florence was born at Horsham in 1916 and married FJ Macauley. The youngest, Peter Geoffrey, was living in Devonport, Tasmania, at the time of his father's death.

In 1914 Walter was a bank officer at 'Harlington House', Horsham, Victoria. By 1919 he was a bank manager at Ultimo and by 1924 the manager of the Commercial Bank at Beulah. He had moved to Alphington by 1936 and in the following year to Bunyip. He was still in Bunyip in 1942, but had retired to 11 Evelyn Street, Frankston, by 1949. Walter died there aged 71 on 26 Nov 1952 and his funeral service was held at the Springvale Crematorium. His wife Jessie died aged 89 at her daughter's home at Yarram.

Walter's mother and sister Florence are also pictured in the Launceston Family Album.

Marion Sargent Sep 2011