Lieutenant Edward Llewellyn Russell Bray
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Summary
Edward Llewellyn Russell Bray was born in 1871 in the Tweed River District, son of Joshua Bray & Rosalie Gertrude (Nixon) Bray. He was one of 14 children, 13 of whom reached adult life. Three of his brothers, Clive, Percy & Frank, also enlisted.
The Brays moved to Kynnumboon in 1866, after their marriage. Joshua established the first postal service between the Tweed and the mouth of the Richmond and was officially appointed postmaster in November 1866. Once a month he despatched two Aborigines with outward mail sealed in a pouch, to Ballina. There they handed the pouch to the postmaster and received in return, a sealed pouch containing inward mail. It was this post office that, some ten years later became the Murwillumbah Post Office. As well as being a farmer and postmaster Joshua performed many other public duties, some of which were, Justice of the Peace, Clerk of Petty Sessions, the first Police Magistrate presiding at Murwillumbah and Cudgen, Coroner, Registrar of B.D.M. and Protector of Aborigines. Both his parent are on the Banner St Memorial, Murwillumbah which lists the 2348 pioneer settlers of the Tweed district
By the late 1860s substantial crops of sugar cane were being planted by Joshua Bray on his property at Kynnumboon, Gray on his property on the North Arm and Michael Guilfoyle at Cudgen. This period is considered to mark the beginning of the cane industry in the Tweed Valley. The Parish of Kynnumboon was named after their house by Surveyor Barling who came to the Tweed to measure land in 1868
LIFE IN ENGLAND
Edward married Anna Winifred Woodcock 23rd August, 1904 in Kingston-on-Thames, England and their son, Douglas, was born in 1906 and their daughter, Anna, in 1908. Edward died 31st July 1922, aged 51, in Paddington, London.
ARMY LIFE
Lieut. Edward Llewellyn Russell Bray returned to England after serving for one year in the Gold Coast Regiment, East Africa, and joined the Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers. After being in France for some months he was invalided to England, and was at Chatham on home service.
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