Thompson / Corporaal Family History

Jens William Krøll ^{3 4}

   Cause of his death was Acute myocardial failure & coronary atherosclerosis.

   Another name for Jens was William Kroll.

  General Notes:

Coming to Australia
The story most of the Australian family knew was as follows:
Jens was given a round the world trip as a 21st birthday present. His father told him that if he did not return to Denmark he would be cut out of the will. He did not return and was cut out. Apparently he never communicated with his father again but he did write his mother & she sent him "care packages".
[from Ena Thompson (Kroll) interview June 16, 2015]
[May 12, 2017 - A question has arisen on this story. It turns out that Jens father, Jacob Bertelsen Kroll died 6 years before Jens came to Australia.]

There is another story of Jens arrival:
Jens graduated from a technical college (university?) in engineering with very good results. His father was so impressed he wanted Jens to work on the boats looking after the engines and mechanical equipment. This was not where he saw his life going so he and a friend sought passage to Australia as assisted immigrants.
[from Henry J. Kroll, interview July 17, 2015]
[May 12, 2017 - A question has arissen on this story. In the census of 1880 & 1885 Jens' father's occupation was listed as a "seller of linens" (as translated) and in the 1895 census his occupation was listed as a "smoker" as in smoked foods.]

By combining the elements of the known stories in late 2015 it morphed into the following:
"William's father, Jacob Bertilsen Kroll owned a fish processing factory near Copenhagen and a small fleet of fishing boats. The family was reasonably well-to-do.
William graduated from a technical college (or university) in engineering with very good results. His father was so impressed he wanted William to work on the boats looking after the engines and mechanical equipment.
This was not where William saw his life going so, to escape, he sought passage to Brisbane, Australia.
His father paid for the trip but told him that if he did not return to Denmark he would not receive a share of the inheritance. William met the love of his life and did not return. Thus was cut out of his father's will."

[May 23, 2017 - data that was recently found tells that Jacob B. Krøll's occupation was as a Smoker of Fine Foods. Fish, goose breast, mutton & reindeer meat among others.]

Emigration - The real story
Subsequent research found that William (as he preferred to be know) registered for emigration and sailed as a paying cabin passenger to Brisbane in 1902. The details of his voyage are below but we have never found why he decided to move to Brisbane. We do know that his father was a salesman/shop keeper dealing in smoked foods and that he died in 1896 and that his mother Christine ran the shop until 1901 when she sold the business to her then book keeper, Martin Thomsen. Christine died in 1915 and William was not able to return to Denmark due to World War 1 raging in Europe, thus he was not able to inheret his portion of his mother's estate.

Interestingly, the store/business "Jacob B Kroll" continued to trade until 1963 under a sucession of owners.

Finding Employment
Jens was working on a farm in Northern New South Wales [possibly in the Lismore area] to pay off his assisted immigration. The farmer gave Jens some time off and he visited Brisbane. While there he wandered into Bauman's Gunshop (cnr. Albert & Elizabeth Sts. Brisbane) to look around. He was a very experienced gunsmith himself. At the same time a customer brought an unusual gun into the store for repair. Bauman said he did not have experince with the weapon and thus was not able to repair it. Jens spoke up saying that he did have experience and could handle the repair. Bauman offered Jens a position which was readily accepted. Jens never went back to the farm.
[from Henry J. Kroll, interview July 17, 2015.]
[Further research has suggested the farm was in the Browns Plains area. (William's address on the Oath of Alligence)]

Meeting Maggie
William met Søren Jørgensen at the Danish Club in Brisbane and became fiends. Søren took Jens to his home where he met Søren's daughters. Initially Jens was interested in Olga but she was going out with Ferdinand Marks. He then became interested in Anna and they started keeping company.
Jens & Anna were engaged when Jens was transferred by the Army to Thursday Is. to maintain the shore batteries that had been built there. Apparently there was fear that the Russians would somehow invade.
[from Ena Thompson (Krøll) interview June 16, 2015]

  Baptism Notes:

Jens Villiam Kroll birth registration from the Church Book for Holmen's Parish, Copenhagen. (Translation by Egil Fredheim's with comments)
"Fødte Madkiøn" is "Born of the male sex".
His birth is record no. 19 for the year 1880. "Year and Date" shows birth date as February 8, 1880. "The Child's full name" is Jens Villiam Krøll. Krøll was written Kröll in those days, but pronounced the same as now. Note, the W in William is Jens adapting to the English-speaking world.
"Date of baptism, either in church or at home", is May 6, 1880, by Fr. Lutken". "Parents' names, position, and address": Jacob Bertelsen Krøll, trader in linens, Christine, born Nielsen 22 years, Holbergsgade 15 (Holberg's street 15).
Here we get some new information, i.e. their address in May 1880.
Then for a favourite of mine, the list of godparents. "Name, position and address of godparents": "The parents, Miss Laura Krøll, Bookkeeper Christian Thomsen. Cooper Jens Jørgen Krøll from Horsens."
To understand these relationships, we need to go back to Jacob and Mette Marie Krøll who got married in 1812. Their second son was Bertel, born 1818. The fifth and last son was Mads, born 1831.
Mads died of tuberculosis of the lungs at the age of 36, but had a daughter who was born in 1862. Her name was Laura Mariane. She will have been about 18 years old at Jens' baptism. We shall later meet her as a photographer with her own studio in Copenhagen.
Jens Villiam was obviously named after his paternal grandfater, Jens Jørgen Krøll, who was third generation of coopers in the family, and Jacob B. Krøll's only surviving sibling at this time (Jacob and Jens were oldest, five younger siblings died early).

- The original resource is at
Jens Villiam Kroll birth registration - p 96, Church Book - Holmen's Parish, Copenhagen.
Church of Holmen, Parish register, Male baptism 1877-1886, Book No. 142, Page 95.
Danish National Archive - Rigsaekivet (<https://www.sa.dk/en/>)
<https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=17116057>

  Death Notes:

Wm. Kroll suffered a massive heart attack while at his home address of Daisy St., Grange in the early hours of October 31, 1954. His son Leslie Kroll was there at the time and took his father to the Royal Brisbane Hospital in a taxi. Unfortunately William died in transit.

Because of the circumstances of his death a post-mortem and Police report were required.

The ruling was "There are no suspicious circumstances." regarding the death.

Extracted from the "Police Report Concerning Death" dated Nov 1, 1954 and signed by Constable No. 5129 D.W. Harrocks. Fortitude Valley Station. Original held at Queensland State Archives.

  Some of his life's milestones were:

He was residing at 5, Stuen, Hos Forældrene [Room with Parents] in Copenhagen, København, Denmark on Feb 8, 1894 ⁶

He was working as Smedelærling [Blacksmith apprentice] in Copenhagen, København, Denmark on Aug 20, 1900 ⁶

He immigrated departing Copenhagen, Denmark to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia in Dec 1901 ^{3 7 8}

He emigrated on Feb 6, 1902 from Copenhagen, København, Denmark. ⁹
He was listed on the Denmark, Emigration Index 1868-1908 as follows:-
Jens WIlliam Kroll b. 1881, in Copenhagen, aged 21 years old, registered for Emigration on Feb 6, 1902 in Copenhagen, Denmark. His destination is listed as Brisbane, Queensland, Australien. His occupation is recorded as "Smed" [Smith] and the ship is "Indirekte". - When Indirekte is listed as "Name of ship:" on a Danish (or other Scandinavian) emigration record, it means they travelled indirect as transmigrants, rather than by direct passage. [William sailed from Copenhagen to London, England. To date the records of this passage have not been found.]
He sailed on the RMSS Orizaba from London on Feb 14, 1902 and arrived in Sydney, Australia on March 31. He then sailed aboard the SS Aramac leaving Sydney on April 2 and arrived in Brisbane on April 4, 1902.

He was naturalised on Jan 29, 1903 in Browns Plains, Queensland., Australia. ¹⁰ William was recorded as a qualified Engineer. This appeared on his "Oath Of Allegience" certificate.

He joined the Army and was working as a Soldier at Victoria Barracks in Petrie Terrace, Queensland, Australia on Nov 23, 1903¹ ¹¹

He was working as Soldier in Lytton, Queensland, Australia in 1906 ¹² William was stationed at Fort Lytton, a heavy gun emplacement at the mouth of the Brisbane River.

He was working as Artificer on Apr 13, 1909. ¹³ An artificer is a member of an armed-forces service who is skilled at working on artillery devices in the field.

He was living at Jessie Street, Petrie Tce., Brisbane, Queensland, Australia between 1911 and 1914¹ ¹⁴

He was serving in the No. 8 Company R.A.G.A. (Royal Australian Garrison Artillery) on Nov 1, 1916 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. He requested a transfer to the AIF, Victoria Barracks so he could serve overseas in World War 1. His request was denied, his technical skills were considered too important.

Jens was living at 42 Daisy St, Grange Brisbane, Queensland, Australia in 1922 William built the house in late 1921. They named the house "Magwill", after Maggie & William. It was finally sold in about 1975 when Maggie was no longer able to manage the place.

He was recorded as working as a Locksmith on Jan 7, 1926 on his daughter Ena's birth certificate. ¹⁵

He was promoted to Warrant Officer Class II, on Aug 16, 1927. ¹⁶

He was cremated on Nov 2, 1954 at Mt Thompson, Queensland, Australia. And ashes placed in single niche No. 301, Section 3 of No. 5 Columbarium at Mt Thompson.
The plaque reads
"In loving Memory
Jens William Kroll
W.O.2 L.S.G.C. M.S.M.
[Warrant Officer 2; Long service Good conduct Medal; Meritorious Service Medal]
Passed Away
31st Oct. 1954
74 Years
Remembered by his wife,
Children and friends."

Queensland Defence: 1905, Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia

A short-lived threat to the Turkish city of Constantinople [Istanbul] by Russian forces during the Russo-Turkish War in 1878 prompted the establishment of volunteer defense units in Queensland and protection of principal coastal towns became an issue of public debate. Subsequently a series of coastal gun emplacements were built, Lytton, Cowan Cowan, Maryborough, Townsville & Thursday Is.

Citation - Publication "WWII - NQ" p42 - © The State of Queensland (Environmental Protection Agency) 2009. Accessed 16/62015 (http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Documents/TableOffice/TabledPapers /2009/5309T121.pdf)

Fort Victoria (now Green Hill Fort) on Thursday Island was built between 1891-1893 as part of Australia's defense against a possible Russian invasion. It was eventually decommissioned some time in 1927 and the buildings were demolished and the guns were spiked. Green Hill is a small grassy hill about 58 meters above sea level at the western end of Thursday Island.

There are five rooms with 600mm thick concrete walls used for ammunition storage. The initial buildings on site were the general storeroom, shell store, cordite room, lamp room and artillery store. A timber and corrugated iron guardhouse (25' x 15') was also built over a 20,000 gallon underground well. A cooling plant machine room and a powder room were added in 1912. "Air conditioning ducts were installed from the cooling plant machine room to the cordite store.

The guns that were part of the pre federation fort were as follows:-

4 rifle muzzle-loading (RML) 7" guns
4 sixteen-pounders (King 1983:98)
2 Mark VI 6" breech loading guns
2 Mark IV 6" breech loading gun

[Citation - http://www.ozatwar.com/bunkers/greenhillfort.htm accessed 16/6/2015]

RMS Orizaba - The story: Jun 2018

RMS Orizaba - The Story

By 1890 over 90% of all overseas vessels entering and clearing Albany and Fremantle were steam powered. Among other attributes they helped halve the travel time between Europe and Fremantle. A slight reduction in the percentage to 82%, in 1901 was the result of the growing timber industry which preferred sail transport due to lower freight rates and more cargo space. As a result of increased speed, steamships had preference for priority goods and passengers rather than bulk cargo. This era was followed by that of the great passenger-carrying liners and their presence on Western Australia ' s coast is represented by two of the state's greatest wrecks. RMS (Royal Mail Steamer) Orizaba and TSS (Twin Screw Steamer) Pericles.

The Vessel
The SS Orizaba was built by the Barrow Ship Building Company, England for the Pacific Steam Naviga-tion Company and was used for the Royal Mail service. Designed for the fast trade, the vessel was considered to be a great improvement on existing designs and received considerable attention in the engineering journals of the time . Its iron hull had three decks and was fitted with a tri-ple-expansion engine of 7,000 hp and was capable of a speed of 14 knots , Orizaba measured 460 feet (140m) long, with a breadth of 49 feet (c.15m) and a draught of 19 feet (c.6m) . The vessel could carry 126 first-class, 154 second-class and 400 steerage-class passengers. It was one of a number of vessels that established the tradition of Orient Line ships on the Australia run and had names that began with '0'. Detailed plans of the vessel are available and reprinted in Engineering, October 8, 1886.

On 15 February 1905 SS Orizaba was 529 kilometers (286 nautical miles) south of Rottnest Island, under the command of Captain Archer. The following day thick haze was hanging over a calm sea and the vessel was on a course toward Freman-tle of south 70` east, at a speed of 14 knots. Aboard the vessel were 160 passengers and 2 500 tons of general cargo. By 9 a.m. on the 16th Rottnest Island had still not been sighted. When land was sighted through the haze it was taken to be Buckland Hill, lying to the north of Fremantle. At 11.20 a.m. breakers were seen off the starboard side and when the haze lifted land could be seen on both sides of the vessel, although Fremantle was no-where in sight. The ship was stopped and soundings taken all around which indicated a depth of between 6 and 8 fathoms. A new course was steered as the vessel sought the open sea (Wolfe, 1986:2).

The wreck event
Just as the passengers were preparing for lunch SS Orizaba came to a sudden halt, grounding on Five Fathom Bank. The engines were immediately put full astern but the vessel stuck fast with its midship section resting on a sand and limestone outcrop. Message of the wreck reached the harbour-master and the tug Gannett arrived and took the passen-gers off, together with the luggage and mail. The remaining crew and Captain Archer were all off the vessel by 21 February.

Salvage
Salvage operations were begun immediately. The engine room had been flooded but the holds had remained dry. By Friday, 18 February 875 tons of dry cargo had been removed from the wreck. On the following Monday, however, the watertight bulkheads gave way and further salvage had to be undertaken by divers
On 28 February an auction of the cargo was held. Items included 60 cases of drapery, one case of electrical goods. 9 cases of merchandise and one case of bicycles. Machinery, varnish, chemicals, glassware, hooks and tea were also sold. The goods fetched £1 600.
Examination of the hull revealed that it would be a difficult process to get the vessel off and the representative for the underwriters thought there were insufficient resources within Western Aus-tralia to attempt such a full salvage operation. In 1907 the remains of the hull were still visible on the reef lop.
The remains of the vessel were sold at auction for £3 750 and the remainin^g cargo for £500. The present owner of the site is R. S. Barnett, who pur-chased the wreck in 1970. He recovered the ship's bell in the same year.

[Extracted from documents and displays at the Western Australia Shipwreck Museum, Fremantle, WA, Australia. October 2017]

Jens married Anna Margrethe Jørgensen, daughter of Søren Jørgensen and Kathrine Benediktine Marie Høyer, on Apr 13, 1909 in Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia.^{1 2} (Anna Margrethe Jørgensen was born on Oct 18, 1887 in East Brisbane, Queensland, Australia ^{17 18}, baptised on Nov 6, 1887 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia,¹⁹ died on Jun 19, 1980 in Auchenflower, Queensland, Australia ²⁰ and was cremated on Jun 20, 1980 at Mt Thompson, Queensland, Australia ²¹.). The cause of her death was recorded as a bowel obstruction. She also had chronic rheumatoid arthritis.