Ruby Phillips (Williams)
Image: Roylyn Phillips
FatherGeorge Williams1
MotherLynette Dick1 d. 1914
Pedigree

Birth, Death, Marriage

Ruby Irene Williams was born on 7 November 1904 in Shepparton, Victoria.2,1 
She married John Marion Phillips, son of John Phillips and Ellen O'Loughlin, on 9 April 1932 in East Melbourne, Victoria.3,4,5 
She died on 22 July 1966 in Strathmore, Victoria, at age 61.2,6 

Family

John Marion Phillips b. 2 Feb 1900, d. 21 Sep 1979
Children
ChartsO'Loughlin, Michael, descendant chart
Phillips, James, descendant chart

Story

Ruby Irene was born in Shepparton on 7 November 1904. She was the oldest child of George and Lynette and the only one to reach adulthood. A sister, Jean Margaret, was born two years later in Cashel, near Dookie, but died at age two.2,1,7,8
 
In 1914, when Ruby was ten years old, her mother died.9
 
Marriage and Family
Ruby Irene Williams and John Marion Phillips were married in East Melbourne on 9 April 1932. They had two children.10,3,11
Jack & Ruby Phillips (Williams), Apr 1932
Image: Roylyn Phillips
Tom Phillips, Dot Williams (cousin of Ruby), Jack (John Marion) & Ruby (Williams) Phillips, unknown, Apr 1932
Image: Beth Phillips
When Jack and Ruby married they lived in Lerderderg St where they raised their two girls, Roylyn and Joy. The house was owned by Jack's mother Ellen, though she wasn't living there.10,11,4
Jack Phillips, Joy Prouse (Phillips), Ruby Phillips (Williams) 1965
Image: Eileen Redden
The Great Bacchus Marsh House Swap
In January 1931, Ellen bought a house at 43 Lerderderg St. This house was close to St Bernard's church.

After Bill Vallence died in Caulfield, Mary moved back to Bacchus Marsh and in April 1934 bought the house at 16 Millbank St. Ellen then moved in with Mary. Ellen's son Jack and his family (Ruby, Joy and Roylyn) were renting Ellen's Lerderderg St house.

Ellen got less mobile, and in May 1946, Jack bought the Millbank St house from Mary and moved in, with Mary and Ellen moving back to the Lerderderg St house. This made it easier for Ellen to get to church.10,11,12,13,14
Phillips Lerderderg St former home, Bacchus Marsh, Nov 2013
Roylyn & Ruby Phillips (Williams), Lerderderg St, Bacchus Marsh
Image: Roylyn Phillips
Phillips Millbank St former home, Bacchus Marsh, Nov 2013
Mary Vallence (Phillips), Tom Redden, Eileen Redden (Phillips), Bub Phillips, Ellen Phillips (O'Loughlin), John Redden, Danny Phillips (seated), 16 Millbank St, Bacchus Marsh c. 1937
Image: Eileen Redden
During the war, Darley Military Camp, 8 km from Bacchus Marsh, hosted Australian and US servicemen. Jack and Ruby got quite friendly with US serviceman, Ralph Crozier. Ruby likely corresponded with his fiancee in the US.4
 
Americans Told About Us
From an American pen-friend, Mrs Jack Phillips, of Bacchus Marsh, has received a copy of the 'Maiden Evening News,' a Massachusetts journal, which publishes a personal letter from Mrs Phillips under the heading: 'Australia Greets Yankees With Open Arms.' In addition to the letter the paper quotes extracts from 'The Express,' to illustrate Bacchus Marsh hospitality. [Jul 1942]15
 
Sightseeing in 1940
Around 1940, Jack and Ruby were on a sightseeing trip with Tom, Sis and youngest son Brian. This was around the time Sis had her lung operation. Photos show they went in Tom's Studebaker and visited a koala park, but details of the trip are unknown.
Ruby Irene Phillips with koala, c. 1940
Image: Rene Barnes
Sis (Irene), Brian & Jack (John Marion) Phillips, c. 1940
Image: Rene Barnes
Sis Phillips (McDonald), c. 1940
Image: Rene Barnes
Brian and Sis (Irene) Phillips
Image: Roylyn Phillips
Tom Phillips and his 1938 Studebaker 'President' convertible, c. 1940
Image: Roylyn Phillips
Mrs E Phillips, accompanied by her daughter in law, Mrs Jack Phillips, has been spending a few days with her son, Mr TJ Phillips, of Orr street. They returned to Bacchus Marsh this morning. [Mar 1945]16
 
Don and Brian were once both boarding at St Patrick's College in Ballarat. It was near enough to Bacchus Marsh to visit their Uncle Jack and Auntie Ruby. [c. 1948]
Don, Ruby (Williams) & Brian Phillips
Image: Roylyn Phillips
In 1948 Laurie, Sis and Ruby Phillips went on holiday to Lakes Entrance. It is more likely that Jack rather than brother Tom took the photo.
Laurie & Irene 'Sis' Phillips (McDonald) and Ruby Phillips (Williams), 'On beach at Lakes Entrance, February 1948'
Image: Laurie & Lorraine Phillips
Mary Vallence (Phillips) & Ruby Phillips (Williams)
Image: Roylyn Phillips
Ruby Irene Phillips died at Hood St in Strathmore on 22 July 1966, aged 61. She was buried at Maddingley cemetery in Bacchus Marsh.6,2,17,18,19
 
Mrs Jack Phillips
The sudden death last weekend of Mrs Jack Phillips of Bacchus Marsh while visiting her daughter and new grandson at Strathmore was a severe shock to all. Deceased had courageously coped with a health setback for several years. She had a very wide circle of friends, prominent among them being members of Bacchus Marsh Ladies Bowling Club and the Hospital Ladies' Auxilliary, having served as president of both. She was also a member of the CWA. She was a qualified chiropractor. She leaves a husband and two daughters to mourn her passing.19
 
Maddingley cemetery
Image: BillionGraves

Citations

  1. [S270] Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, registry and index, Ruby Irene Williams entry, birth registration no. 28760, 1904.
  2. [S45] Joy Prouse, personal communication, 12 July 1996.
  3. [S270] Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, registry and index, 'Jno Marion Phillips' and 'Ruby Irene Williams' entry, marriage registration no. 4068, 1932.
  4. [S44] Roylyn Phillips, personal communication, 28 September 2020.
  5. [S581] John Marion Phillips and Ruby Irene Williams, marriage registration no. 4068, 9 April 1932.
  6. [S322] 'Deaths: Phillips', Bacchus Marsh Express, 28 July 1966.
  7. [S270] Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, registry and index, 'Jean Margt' Williams entry, birth registration no. 25452, 1906.
  8. [S270] Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, registry and index, 'Jean Margt' Williams entry, death registration no. 1075, 1908.
  9. [S270] Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, registry and index, 'Lynnette' Williams entry, death registration no. 3430, 1914.
  10. [S37] Margaret Deveney, personal communication, 11 March 1996.
  11. [S44] Roylyn Phillips, personal communication, 12 July 1996.
  12. [S15] Irene Barnes, personal communication, 5 October 1996.
  13. [S561] LANDATA, online property information, certificate of title, vol. 4153, folio 477, Bacchus Marsh, 1918-2017.
  14. [S561] LANDATA, online property information, certificate of title, vol. 4740, folio 847, Bacchus Marsh, 1923-1980.
  15. [S572] 'Americans told about us', Melton Express, 1905-1943, newspaper, Christopher Crisp, 25 July 1942, p. 1, viewed 12 September 2020, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/254755258
  16. [S201] 'Patricia's diary', Shepparton Advertiser, 1914-1953, newspaper, Thomas Pettit and William Callender, 9 Mar 1945, p. 9, viewed 4 May 2019, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/170425812
  17. [S422] BillionGraves, online cemetery data, Ruby Irene Phillips entry, Maddingley cemetery, 1966.
  18. [S45] Joy Prouse, personal communication, 28 March 1998.
  19. [S321] 'Mrs Jack Phillips', Bacchus Marsh Express, obituary, 28 July 1966.