Wilfrid Henry Partridge (31 December 1881 - 13 December 1865)

1903 - Newly weds Lilla and Wilfrid Partridge with Wilfrid's mother Mary

Brownlow Beach on Kangaroo Island

9 January 1926 - Man with Hat - Wilfrid Partridge. Ione with glasses, Edith Partridge front back, Fred on left, Nita standing at front, Haydn next to Lilla who is seated and baby Lois Partridge.  Mary Partridge nee Strawbridge on far right.

Around 1926.  Wilfrid on right.

6 Collins Avenue

6 Collins Avenue (and previously Lindsay Avenue) became the home to any of the extended family who needed a home whilst studying in Adelaide.  Grandson Charles from Kangaroo Island (Edith's first born) and Lilla's brother Fred Debney's boy's were some, but there were often other relations and Lilla and Wilf's own children who brought family from the country to stay.  Nita's family, living next door at number 4, always had the benefit of seeing the visitors as well.

Wilfrid had poor hearing for many years; Lois can hardly ever remember having a proper conversation with him at all.  He wore a hearing aid forever, it seemed.

He tended the gardens for the family, but also a large plot of land near Finnis Street, Marion, which belonged to a widow.  This was a humble task that he believed should be done according to the Scriptures.  The family plot at number 6 went right back to Wingate Avenue and bore all kinds of fruit and vegetables, and always many pumpkins which, in later years, Doreen discovered were often stolen by the kids of a particular family in Wolseley Terrace.  The culprit was to become a cleaner at Doreen's classroom at Christies Beach School in 1999.  When they shared childhood stories, the truth emerged.  It happened that she also "mooned over" one Howie Debney who boarded at number 6!

Wilfrid would go to Kangaroo Island sometimes to help a widow there on her land.  Remembering that he had lived and worked there for years, it was natural for him to consider this.  He tilled the land for her, digging by hand a 5 acre plot for potatoes.  He would stay with daughter Edith and Charlie and family in Wheelton Street, Kingscote.  Kangaroo Island is where he broke his hip.  He used to rid his bike 10 miles to the widow's area and he was hit by a car and laid there for hours.  Harry Hendrie went on a small plane to Kangaroo Island to brig him back on a stretcher.  It was the last trip Wilf did to help at Kangaroo Island because he became still in the hip so he went to help a widow in Finnis Street, Marion.  A walking stick was needed from then on.  Nita's older son, Keith formed a very close bond with Grandfather Wilfrid, and was interested in what he did.  In Keith's memory, Wilfrid was a strong man, gentle, bold and adventuresome.  Keith would often go and help dig for him at Ascot Park School in his horse and buggy.  When he gave up the buggy, he would walk to do the gardening and on hot and bad weather days, Nita would send Harry off to bring Wilfrid home.  Wilfrid also rented land next to Biber's at the end of Collins Avenue.

Keith recalls that Wilfrid was always going to make money from some new scheme.  He had goats at one time - was going to become rich, then he tried to make ties, he made dolls and Lilla, through it all, never stopped, always spirited in her manner, always with lots of "get up and go". Grandfather Wilfrid, who must have loved Lilla dearly, told Keith that Lilla always wanted to sail to Pacific on a papyrus raft and he wanted Keith to make one.  He asked Keith to read "Contiki Raft" and said he wanted to go with Lilla and Keith on such a journey that would be further than the first one,  presumably the one quoted in the book.

As previously written, Wilfrid wore a hearing aid which, if in the mood, he would turn off when not observed.  He had been deaf for many years.  He lost himself in books and as a much older man, would be seen sitting on the front verandah engross in many pages at a time.

Wilfrid worked part of the time in a match factory.  Lilla helped pick fruit and bottled many hundred of bottles ready for preserving.

Wilfrid and Lilla Partridge on the porch of Monkira, Ascot Park

Lilla, Wilfrid's wife died on 27 October 1965 of a heart attack.

Wilfrid, his walking stick ever in tow since the accident on Kangaroo Island, would hobble to the "top" of the street and, with hearing aid turned on, would cry to Mrs Payne for the love of his life that he had lost.  This fretfulness was lost on most of the family as they grieved for the Mother and Granny who had gone.

Wilfrid died less than seven weeks later.