A British Aristocrat, always a nice razor, so I was interested already. It was also engraved, presented to a Mr A British Aristocrat engraved and presented to a Mr Ladiges …
‘To C Ladiges
From Mignon Hosiery Pty Ltd
On enlistment in A.I.F.
24.4.41.‘
Engraving on Case
Of course, I couldn’t just leave it there …
A bit of research turns up the service records of a ‘hosiery operator’ who enlisted on 28 April 1941 –
LADIGES, CLIFFORD GEORGE
Service Number – VX54292
Date of birth – 27 June 1919
Place of birth – DAYLESFORD VIC
Place of enlistment – ROYAL PARK VIC
Next of Kin – LADIGES F
His full service history records are available online here.
From what I can read, it is a little hard to decipher the writing, he was sent to the Middle East and injured, wounded in action, which required partial amputation of his foot.
Some further research indicates the details of his parents:
Father: Frederick Christopher Ladiges
Mother: Mary Elizabeth (Mary) Howard
Clifford George Ladiges was born 27 June 1919 in Daylesford, Victoria (Certificate Number 18538), Source: Victoria, Australia Birth Index, 1836-1920.
He married Blanche May Esdaile in 1943, the same year he was discharged from the army. They had three children.
There seems to be some discrepancy regarding his death. The Victoria Australia Death Index, 1836 – 1985 indicates that he died 1963 Heidelberg Victoria (Certificate Number 00930). The National Archives record Year of Death – 1962; Crematorium – Fawkner VIC. His actual death certificate shows he died on 30 December 1962 in Heildelberg and was cremated at Fawkner Crematorium on 2 January 1963.
May he rest in peace
What became of Mignon Hosiery Pty Ltd?
This company was established on 6 August 1934, capital
£75.000 in £1 shares. Subscribers: Cyrus Herbert Glover and Isa Rose according to The Herald. Less than a fortnight later tenders were called for ‘the ERECTION and COMPLETION of BRICK FACTORY Moreland Road Coburg’ for the newly established company. The cost of the factory, reported in the article above, using the vast bulk of the company’s capital funds.
By the next year, 1935, they were advertising that they had created ‘ideal factory conditions’ and the following year claiming to be the ‘Ultimate in Hosiery’. Things seemed to be going well and in 1937 they were advertising ‘Regular employment under Ideal conditions’, although clearly not everyone agreed. A month after that advertisement there was a strike reported, albeit short-lived as it settled the following day. The whole industry was expanding at that time, largely in the Brunswick area it was reported.
There were even scams claimed, where a ‘bogus representative offers the householder a popular brand of Mignon Hosiery, which retails at 7/ 1 1 per pair, for 3/6 per pair. A shilling deposit is collected from the unsuspecting householder, pending delivery of the supposed purchase. The sham representative then disappears completely’.
In 1947 it was reported that ‘Two Brunswick hosiery mills — Hilton and Mignon — are merging their interests. A new company, Hilton Hosiery Ltd., is being registered’. IN 1959 the company changed its name to Hilton Corporation Limited and a decade later to Courtaulds Hilton Limited. In 1984 it was taken over by Bradmill Industries Limited, which itself was taken over later in the year and the name changed to Entrad Corporation Limited. This company went into liquidation in 2000.
It seems that the gift has outlasted the giver …
Further research from somebody who saw this story leads to Clifford George’s ancestors:
Hans Hinrich LADIGES was born around 1790 and married Anna LUDERS.
Child: Dittmar LADIGES (b. 05 Aug 1810, d. 03 Jun 1887
married Elizabeth WITT (b. 13 Oct 1812, d. 09 Feb 1891)
Child: Herman LADIGES [1] (b. 1840, Holm Hostein d. 02 Feb 1918)
married Eliza Emma HINES [2] (b. 19 Sep 1852, d. 08 Oct 1931)
Children:
Ernest Dittmer LADIGES (b. 1870, d. 05 Dec 1925)
Conrad Henry LADIGES (b. 27 Apr 1873, d. 08 Nov 1904)
Herman William LADIGES (b. 13 Mar 1876, d. 22 Sep 1953)
Frederick Christopher LADIGES [3] (b. 1877) (our soldier’s father)
Dora Alice LADIGES (b. circa 1880)
Alfred Joseph LADIGES (b. 02 May 1882, d. 25 Dec 1891)
Emma LADIGES (b. 18 Dec 1884)
Eliza Matilda LADIGES (b. 21 Oct 1888)
Lizzie Ellen LADIGES (b. 21 Oct 1888, d. 17 Nov 1888)
Lucy Ellen LADIGES (b. 17 Oct 1891, d. 29 Dec 1964)
[1] In 1861, Herman LADIGES arrived in Australia aboard “Dorothea”. Buried Daylesford Cemetery. “Holstein” is the German State of “Schleswig Holstein”
[2] Daughter of James HINES and Eliza MATHEWS
[3] Excerpt from “The Daylesford Advocate”, 21 Mar 1914 edition: “… At a meeting held at Leonard’s Hill, for the purpose of forming a State School Committee, to hold office for three years, the following gentlemen were elected: Chairman, Cr. J. Wilkie; Correspondent, Mr J. C. Gamble, 5 Messrs; W Ross, A Easton, J McAndrew, F. Ladiges, D. Holmes. …”
Frederick Christopher LADIGES
(b. 14 or 17 Nov 1877, Leonard’s Hill, Daylesford)
d. 10 Jan 1947, Daylesford)
and
Mary Elizabeth (m.s. HOWARD) LADIGES
(b. 25 April 1878, Telegraph Sawmills, Eganstown, Victoria d. unknown)
had 10 children;
Irene
Faustina
Mavis Louise
Sylvia Eliza
Fredrick William
Olive Mary
Leslie Francis
John Edward Henry (b. 1917 d. 1918)
Clifford George
Stanley John
Thanks to those who contributed to this story – it is much appreciated.