Theo Vetter 1910 – 1925

On the 30^th August, to Mr. and Mrs. T.W. Vetter, “Tangermunde,” Brown-street, Norwood – a son (Theodore William)

The above appeared in the 2^nd of September 1910 edition of the Adelaide Advertiser.  The proud parents were Theodore Wilhelm Vetter and his wife, Albertina McQuat.  Theodore and Albertina had met and married in Freemantle Western Australia at the turn of the century, and already had two daughters, Ivy (born 1903 in Freemantle) and Millie (born 1908 in Norwood), but now the arrival of their son required an announcement.

Theodore and Albertina had arrived in Adelaide in mid 1906, and settled immediately in Norwood.  Theodore had quickly established a builder’s contracting business and had entrenched himself in the German community, even becoming the President of the South Australian Allegemeiner Deutscher Verein from 1909 to 1911.

The family business was becoming bigger and new premises were acquired.  The family home was also changing and Albertina was advertising for various staff to come and help run the home.  The children were growing and Ivy and Millie were attending school, and Theo was soon to join them.

In 1915 there were changes that affected the family and the business.  At the beginning of the year the buildings rented by Theodore burnt down, and he lost the business, as the Insurance Company would not pay out.  At the same time he made a decision to move to the Barossa valley to the small town of Greenock, and here he took on the licensee of the Greenock Arms Hotel.

It appears that Albertina did not accompany Theodore to Greenock but in early 1916 young Theo and his two sisters did.  Here they joined, the housekeeper Mary Brice, who had worked for the family since 1914, and her young baby daughter.

On March 27^th Theo was enrolled at Greenock School, along with Ivy and Millie.  They soon became a part of the school community, and although living in a hotel there was a family life, with now two babies in the hotel, the housekeeper Mary giving birth to a son in October 1916.

World War One had its affect on Greenock and there were many celebrations and fund raising events through the years to raise money and goods for the soldiers.  On the 8^th September 1917 the School held a concert at the local Hall.  The children performed numerous songs and Theo’s performance was one of those mentioned in the local paper when he and Ian Seppelt, represented celestial beings as the rest of the children sang a character song called The Chinaman.

Just after Easter the following year Theo again made the local newspaper.  The Children’s Patriotic Fund held a concert to raise money for the Red Cross.  Theo and a mate, Theodor Kernich, recited “Sunday Dinner” as the poor hen is sacrificed.

At the end of 1919 Theo left Greenock and went to live in Perth where his mother had been since 1917.  Theo’s parents divorced in the September of 1919, and his father married Mary Brice, and the two little children who he had played with at the hotel were now officially his half sister and brother.

In Perth Theo lived at Cottlesloe Beach and soon attended school there.  When he turned 13 he developed Sarcoma of  Scapula, cancer in the shoulder blades, and  this gradually took control of his life.  In late 1924 he now had secondary Sarcoma of the Cranial Bones (Now known as Osteosarcoma) and spent the next 3 and a half months in Perth’s Royal Hospital.

On February 20^th, 1925 Theo died after suffering for over 2 years, and the following day he was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery.

Like the announcement that signaled the start of his life, there was one at it’s ending.

VETTER, - On February 20, 1925, at the Perth Hospital, Theo, loved and only son of Albertina Vetter and loved brother of Ivy and Millie; aged 14 years. At Rest.

Although his life was short family always surrounded Theo, one parent may have been missing at a time but he always had family.

46 years later Theo’s mother joined him in the plot at Karrakatta, and his two sisters also were interred there when they died.

Albertina McOuat (1881 – 1971) | Theodore William Vetter (1910-1925)

Theodore Wilhelm Vetter (1866-1943)

Mary May Brice (1887 – 1937) | Alan Louis Brady (1916-1995) | Kevin Reginald Brady (1961-