Biography

Alias Pattie. The child is buried in the Roman Catholic portion of the cemetery, plot number 15. Known as Pattie, her paternal grandmother, Margaret Moffit, died at Port Pirie, South Australia, just five days later. The child's parents were married at the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Perth on 15 August 1905 (Marriage Reg. No.1572/1905, Perth). Her siblings were: Constance Pauline born 29 June 1906 at Oroya-Brown Hill mine (Birth Reg.No.476/1906 Mt Margaret); William born 29 August 1907 at Oroya-Brown Hill mine (Birth Reg.No.593/1907, died 1933 at Mt Margaret); Sheila (or Sheelah) H born 1909 at Boulder (Birth Reg.No. 38/1909, Boulder); Kitchie (believed to have been Winefrid Margaret) born 1913 at Black Range, Birth Reg.No.27/1913 Black Range. Gilbert Moffit was the Chief Accountant at the Sons of Gwalia Mine and spoke very highly of the prospects of that mine and the gold mining industry in general. A popular banjoist throughout the goldfields, Gilbert spent 44 years on the WA goldfields, with over 40 of those employed by Messrs Bewick, Moreing & Co., as accountant on different mines under their control at Kalgoorlie, Lawlers, Sandstone, Day Dawn and finally Gwalia. Little Pattie's mother, known as Sadie, came from Westbury, Tasmania. She died at Mt Margaret 14 September 1938 (Death Reg.No.26/1938, Mt Margaret). In 1939, Sheelah (aged 27 years) became engaged to Baronet Cross, a 61 year old confirmed bachelor from Ross-shire, Scotland, who had property in Ross-shire and Dumfries-shire. The wedding was held up for a few weeks due to Miss Moffit nursing her ailing mother and the illness of Mr Cross' brother. The wedding took place in Scotland. In 1943, Gilbert retired and left to make Sydney his home. He died at his more recent home in Kew, Victoria, in December 1950.