Bee Prior

Born in Swanage Dorset UK, 9th May 1905,Mother-The Widow Annie Eliza Priior, nee-White. Father Albert Edward Puckett. Sister Mabel Caroline Annie Puckett, half brothers; Frank Edward Prior,William Prior, Harry Elisha Prior, Bertram George Prior, Arthur Donald Prior. Always known as Victor by his English realatives and registered in the Wareham district of Dorset as Victor Leonard Puckett. Victor's (Leonard's) grandparents George Puckett and either Susan or Sarah Frampton of Puddletown near Dorchester, Dorset UK. Elisha White and Caroline Christopher of Witchampton near Wimborne Dorset U.K. Victor Leonard Puckett attended St Georges School Langton Matravers. His life began at Queens Road Swanage Dorset (his Mother's home), shortly after his birth his mother and siblings moved to Halfway Cottages Langton Matravers and they also spent time living at Quarr, the 1911 Census states that he and his family were living in Scotland (Heath) Corfe Castle, a very long story, but Victor was living with his Mother and siblings in Langton Matravers at the time. Arthur Donald Prior reminded his granddaughter to look at the census records once they became available, he wondered if his Mother Annie Prior or her occasional Partner Albert Puckett's Census form was accepted as fact. She didn't forget and discovered that the 'wrong' census form was accepted unfortunately! Victor, his mother and siblings moved to Primrose Cottage, Hill Bottom, Worth Matravers, near Swanage , Dorset, England, around 1912/13. Hill Bottom is also close to the Village of Kingston (Lord Eldon; Encombe Estate) nr Corfe Castle(Bankes Est) and the fishing cove of Chapmans Pool (Encombe est). Swanworth Quarry and St Aldhelm's Head are also nearby. Houses in the area are built with the locally quarried Purbeck Stone, also known Worldwide as Portland Stone. The Square and Compass ( Bower and Newman Family, has been with the Newman Family for over 100 years) Upon leaving school at Langton Matravers;Victor briefly tried his hand at quarrying at nearby Swanworth Quarry . Aged 17, he then went along with his father Albert Puckett to Poole Harbour and started working at the docks there. Aged 18 he met a merchant sailor in one of the Pubs along Poole Quay,who told him about Lunar Park, the loose women of St Kilda and what fun could be had. He was also told about the benefits of emigrating to Australia (other than the Ladies of the Night). Victor applied to emigrate, aided by his brother Arthur; the only one who had learned to read and write, between them they forged Victor's application, stating Arthur's D.O.B. as Victor's D.O.B;Victor had bumped his age up by 2 years, 6 months later Victor visited his brother who was at Military Camp to say goodbye, he never told his Mother that he was going and he was apparently leaving in order to get away from his violent father. Aged 19, Victor boarded Esperance Bay 31st december 1924, Bound for Melbourne Australia. He stated that he was 21. He arrived in Melbourne two months later and went straight to Lunar Park. He had no job to go to. He regularly sent photos and his 'landlady' wrote letters to his brother Arthur on his behalf once a year. In 1975 Victor stopped sending letters and postcards. He rarely spoke of what he was doing, he did make two phonecalls to his brother Arthur in 1969 and in 1971, and also to his brother Bert prior. The postcards and letters stopped coming in 1975, Victors brother tried to find out where his brother was and how he was. Arthur died in 1991, not knowing that Victor had died in 1978. Friends or relatives of Victor, visited the UK looking for information about his family and the whereabouts of Victor's Mother's grave. She is buried at Kingston's St James Church. Near Corfe Castle. Wareham Dorset. Victor's sister Mabel drowned in the stream at Hill Bottom aged 21 in Sept 1929. Their father was supected of murder, but eventually the verdict of her death was 'suicide'. Victor is buried at Templestowe Cemetary he died in 1978.