Albert Facey
Encyclopedia
Albert Barnett Facey (31 August 1894 – 11 February 1982) was an Australian writer and World War I veteran, whose main work was his autobiography, A Fortunate Life
, now considered a classic in Australian literature
. :)
, the son of Joseph Facey and Mary Ann Facey (née Carr). His father died on the Goldfields of Western Australia in 1896 of typhoid fever
when Albert was only 2 years old. In 1898, Albert's mother departed for Western Australia to care for her eldest children, whom had accompanied their father to the goldfields. She left her younger children, including Albert, to the care of their grandmother. Because his grandad died in 1898. In 1899 he moved from Barkers Creek near Castlemaine, Victoria
, to Kalgoorlie, Western Australia with his grandmother Mrs. Jane Carr, (nee Barnett) and his siblings Roy (born 1890), Eric (born 1889) and Myra (born 1892). He began his working life around 1902, aged 8, and hardly ever lived with his family again.
It was at this first job as a farm boy, that his employer subjected him to virtual slavery and violent physical beatings with a horse whip. After sustaining months of child abuse, Albert luckily escaped by walking over 20 miles through the bush and luckily finding some new settlers that had camped. Although the police were informed about the abuse, his employers were never brought to justice. The scars on his back and neck sustained from this abuse were evident for all of his life.
In 1908 his mother remarried, and at her request, he travelled to Perth
to live with her and her second husband, a plumber, named Arthur 'Bill' Downie at Subiaco
, although he only stayed for a short time before accepting work back in rural Western Australia. Albert and his mother saw each other sporadically until she died suddenly in September, 1914 aged 51. His childhood in Western Australia was spent in areas such as Kalgoolie, Narrogin, Bruce Rock, Merredin, Yealering, Wickepin
, Pingelly, and at Cave Rock, near Popanyinning
, which he writes about in Chapter 2 of A Fortunate Life
.
He started working on farms at the age of eight and he was never able to attend school. However as a teenager, he taught himself to read and write. By the age of 14 he was an experienced farm labourer and bushman, and at 20 he became a professional boxer with a troupe that toured South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. His boxing career ended when he enlisted in the A.I.F. in January 1915.
(AIF). As an infantry
man with the 11th Battalion, he travelled to Egypt
aboard the troopship Itonus and fought during the Gallipoli Campaign including the famous battle of Leane's Trench. Much of his autobiography relates to the horror he endured during his service in the Australian Army in World War I, and his vivid recollections of the plight of the ANZAC Diggers during the Gallipoli Campaign. Two of his elder brothers, Roy Barker Facey (1890–1915) and Joseph Thomas Facey (1883–1915) were killed during the Gallipoli Campaign.
Albert Facey was badly wounded on more than one occasion during his tour of duty.
On 19 August 1915, his military service ended due to injuries received at Gallipoli. He was evacuated after a bomb exploded near him that crushed his leg. He also developed a heart condition and sustained other internal injuries as a result of the blast. He was invalided back to Australia in late 1915, and his doctors believed he may never fully recover. He embarked on the ship Aeneas for his voyage back to Australia.
While recuperating from his war injuries, Facey met Evelyn Mary Gibson (1897–1976), whom he married at Bunbury
on 24 August 1916. They were happily married for nearly 60 years until Evelyn died on 3 August 1976. He deeply mourned her death for the rest of his life. The couple had seven children, the first born in 1919 and the last in 1939.
Albert Facey became an active public campaigner for improved conditions for Australian 'Returned Servicemen'.
The Facey family lived at Victoria Park
before returning to Wickepin as a farmer from 1922 to 1934 with their children.
After he returned from the war, Facey obtained employment as a tram driver (1916–1922) and after his return from Wickepin, as a trolley bus driver (1934–1946) in Perth. He then spent the rest of his working life as a successful self-employed poultry and pig farmer and businessman (1947–1958) in areas such as Tuart Hill, Wanneroo
, Gosnells
and Mount Helena
near Mundaring.
Facey was active in public life from the 1920s until he retired in the late 1950s. He was President of the Perth Tramways Union for five years and later, he was also active as an elected member of Local Government and served on the Perth Roads Board for over 20 years. He was also a Justice of the Peace
. He went on to become a very well known and highly respected member of his local community.
The death of his son
His eldest son, also named Albert Barnett Facey (known as Barney) (1919–1942) joined the Second AIF during the Second World War and served with the 2/4th Battalion (Australia). During the fierce Battle of Singapore
fought against the Japanese Army, his son was killed in a bombing raid on 15 March 1942. While his family were aware that he was missing in action, his death was unable to be confirmed until May 1945. Facey stated in his memoirs that although he and his wife had expected that their eldest son had been killed, they never gave up hope. After a wait of over three years for the confirmation, his wife's health deteriorated to such an extent, that she suffered a major stroke. Two other sons, Joseph and George, also served in the Australian Army in World War 2, both seeing action in New Guinea. They both returned home safely at the end of 1945.
Retirement
Albert Facey suffered many health issues throughout his life, all due to war related injuries received at Gallipoli. These included old bullet wounds, heart problems and a ruptured spleen. After suffering a major heart attack when he was 64 in 1958, he retired from business life although he was never one to relax.
His Memoirs and fame
In later years, Facey began making notes on his life and, at the urging of his wife and children, eventually had the notes printed into a book. He completed his memoirs on his 83rd birthday in 1977.
In 1979, aged 85, Facey learned that his autobiography, A Fortunate Life
was approved for publication. It was published in 1981, just nine months before his death.
Although Facey was delighted that his life story was appreciated on such a grand scale, his health was quickly declining and he was losing his eyesight. Also, he used a wheelchair due to a broken hip. His book became a best-seller and won the prestigious NSW Premier's Literary Award for non-fiction and the National Book Council Prize. During the final six months of his life, Albert Facey became a national celebrity and was nominated for the Australian Of The Year Award in 1981.
on 11 February 1982 in his 88th year. He was buried at the local cemetery in Midland. He was survived by six of his seven children and 28 grandchildren.
went on to sell over 250,000 copies and it has also been reprinted although it is estimated that that book has been read by more than double that amount. The book was made into a 4 part television movie in 1985 based on Albert Facey's life between 1897 to 1916. It starred a notable cast including Bill Hunter, Val Lehman and Ray Meagher.
His old homestead in Wickepin is a tourist attraction today, while a government building named Albert Facey House on Forrest Place
in the state capital, Perth
, is named in his honour and is home to Perth's main travel bureau and visitor centre. The Albert Facey Memorial Library in Mundaring
, Facey Road in Gnangara, Albert Facey Street in Maidstone
, Barney Street in Glendalough, Western Australia
(named after his late son), and a motel in Narrogin
also bear his name. The manuscripts of A Fortunate Life are housed in the Scholars' Centre in the University of Western Australia Library
.
A Fortunate Life
A Fortunate Life is an autobiographical novel written by Albert Facey and was published in 1981 and tells the complete story of his life. It chronicles his early life in Western Australia, his experiences as a private during the Gallipoli campaign of World War I and his return to civilian life...
, now considered a classic in Australian literature
Australian literature
Australian literature is the written or literary work produced in the area or by the people of the Commonwealth of Australia and its preceding colonies. During its early western history, Australia was a collection of British colonies, therefore, its literary tradition begins with and is linked to...
. :)
Early life
He was born in Maidstone, VictoriaMaidstone, Victoria
Maidstone is a suburb 8 km west of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Maribyrnong. At the 2006 Census, Maidstone had a population of 6050....
, the son of Joseph Facey and Mary Ann Facey (née Carr). His father died on the Goldfields of Western Australia in 1896 of typhoid fever
Typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as Typhoid, is a common worldwide bacterial disease, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhi...
when Albert was only 2 years old. In 1898, Albert's mother departed for Western Australia to care for her eldest children, whom had accompanied their father to the goldfields. She left her younger children, including Albert, to the care of their grandmother. Because his grandad died in 1898. In 1899 he moved from Barkers Creek near Castlemaine, Victoria
Castlemaine, Victoria
Castlemaine is a city in Victoria, Australia, in the Goldfields region of Victoria about 120 kilometres northwest by road from Melbourne, and about 40 kilometres from the major provincial centre of Bendigo. It is the administrative and economic centre of the Shire of Mount Alexander. The...
, to Kalgoorlie, Western Australia with his grandmother Mrs. Jane Carr, (nee Barnett) and his siblings Roy (born 1890), Eric (born 1889) and Myra (born 1892). He began his working life around 1902, aged 8, and hardly ever lived with his family again.
It was at this first job as a farm boy, that his employer subjected him to virtual slavery and violent physical beatings with a horse whip. After sustaining months of child abuse, Albert luckily escaped by walking over 20 miles through the bush and luckily finding some new settlers that had camped. Although the police were informed about the abuse, his employers were never brought to justice. The scars on his back and neck sustained from this abuse were evident for all of his life.
In 1908 his mother remarried, and at her request, he travelled to Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
to live with her and her second husband, a plumber, named Arthur 'Bill' Downie at Subiaco
Subiaco, Western Australia
Subiaco is an inner western suburb of Perth, Western Australia, situated to the north west of Kings Park. Its Local Government Area is the City of Subiaco.-History:Prior to European settlement the area was home to the Noongar Indigenous people....
, although he only stayed for a short time before accepting work back in rural Western Australia. Albert and his mother saw each other sporadically until she died suddenly in September, 1914 aged 51. His childhood in Western Australia was spent in areas such as Kalgoolie, Narrogin, Bruce Rock, Merredin, Yealering, Wickepin
Wickepin, Western Australia
Wickepin is a town in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, south-east of Perth and east of Narrogin. At the 2006 census, Wickepin had a population of 244.-History:...
, Pingelly, and at Cave Rock, near Popanyinning
Popanyinning, Western Australia
Popanyinning is a small town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, along Great Southern Highway between Pingelly and Narrogin. At the 2006 census, Popanyinning had a population of 87.-History:...
, which he writes about in Chapter 2 of A Fortunate Life
A Fortunate Life
A Fortunate Life is an autobiographical novel written by Albert Facey and was published in 1981 and tells the complete story of his life. It chronicles his early life in Western Australia, his experiences as a private during the Gallipoli campaign of World War I and his return to civilian life...
.
He started working on farms at the age of eight and he was never able to attend school. However as a teenager, he taught himself to read and write. By the age of 14 he was an experienced farm labourer and bushman, and at 20 he became a professional boxer with a troupe that toured South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. His boxing career ended when he enlisted in the A.I.F. in January 1915.
War service
On 4 January 1915, not long after the outbreak of the First World War, Facey joined the Australian Imperial ForceAustralian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
(AIF). As an infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
man with the 11th Battalion, he travelled to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
aboard the troopship Itonus and fought during the Gallipoli Campaign including the famous battle of Leane's Trench. Much of his autobiography relates to the horror he endured during his service in the Australian Army in World War I, and his vivid recollections of the plight of the ANZAC Diggers during the Gallipoli Campaign. Two of his elder brothers, Roy Barker Facey (1890–1915) and Joseph Thomas Facey (1883–1915) were killed during the Gallipoli Campaign.
Albert Facey was badly wounded on more than one occasion during his tour of duty.
On 19 August 1915, his military service ended due to injuries received at Gallipoli. He was evacuated after a bomb exploded near him that crushed his leg. He also developed a heart condition and sustained other internal injuries as a result of the blast. He was invalided back to Australia in late 1915, and his doctors believed he may never fully recover. He embarked on the ship Aeneas for his voyage back to Australia.
Family life and career
MarriageWhile recuperating from his war injuries, Facey met Evelyn Mary Gibson (1897–1976), whom he married at Bunbury
Bunbury, Western Australia
The port city of Bunbury is the third largest city in Western Australia after the State Capital Perth and Mandurah. It is situated south of Perth's central business district...
on 24 August 1916. They were happily married for nearly 60 years until Evelyn died on 3 August 1976. He deeply mourned her death for the rest of his life. The couple had seven children, the first born in 1919 and the last in 1939.
Albert Facey became an active public campaigner for improved conditions for Australian 'Returned Servicemen'.
The Facey family lived at Victoria Park
Victoria Park, Western Australia
The Town of Victoria Park is a Local Government Area of Western Australia. It covers an area of 17.62 km² in metropolitan Perth, the capital of Western Australia. The Town of Victoria Park maintains 154.55 km of roads, a little over 1 km² of parks and gardens and has a...
before returning to Wickepin as a farmer from 1922 to 1934 with their children.
After he returned from the war, Facey obtained employment as a tram driver (1916–1922) and after his return from Wickepin, as a trolley bus driver (1934–1946) in Perth. He then spent the rest of his working life as a successful self-employed poultry and pig farmer and businessman (1947–1958) in areas such as Tuart Hill, Wanneroo
Wanneroo
Wanneroo may refer to:* City of Wanneroo - a local government area in the north of Perth, Western Australia* Wanneroo - a suburb in that local government area* Wanneroo Road - an arterial road north of Perth...
, Gosnells
Gosnells
-Places:* Gosnells, Western Australia, a suburb located south-southeast of Perth, Western Australia* City of Gosnells, a local government area in Western Australia-Other:* Gosnells railway station, Perth, located on the Armadale railway line...
and Mount Helena
Mount Helena, Western Australia
Mount Helena is a rural suburb on the outskirts of Perth in Western Australia, some 35 km from the city, in the Shire of Mundaring. Its population in 2005 was approximately 2,400 people.-History:...
near Mundaring.
Facey was active in public life from the 1920s until he retired in the late 1950s. He was President of the Perth Tramways Union for five years and later, he was also active as an elected member of Local Government and served on the Perth Roads Board for over 20 years. He was also a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
. He went on to become a very well known and highly respected member of his local community.
The death of his son
His eldest son, also named Albert Barnett Facey (known as Barney) (1919–1942) joined the Second AIF during the Second World War and served with the 2/4th Battalion (Australia). During the fierce Battle of Singapore
Battle of Singapore
The Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of the Second World War when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold of Singapore. Singapore was the major British military base in Southeast Asia and nicknamed the "Gibraltar of the East"...
fought against the Japanese Army, his son was killed in a bombing raid on 15 March 1942. While his family were aware that he was missing in action, his death was unable to be confirmed until May 1945. Facey stated in his memoirs that although he and his wife had expected that their eldest son had been killed, they never gave up hope. After a wait of over three years for the confirmation, his wife's health deteriorated to such an extent, that she suffered a major stroke. Two other sons, Joseph and George, also served in the Australian Army in World War 2, both seeing action in New Guinea. They both returned home safely at the end of 1945.
Retirement
Albert Facey suffered many health issues throughout his life, all due to war related injuries received at Gallipoli. These included old bullet wounds, heart problems and a ruptured spleen. After suffering a major heart attack when he was 64 in 1958, he retired from business life although he was never one to relax.
His Memoirs and fame
In later years, Facey began making notes on his life and, at the urging of his wife and children, eventually had the notes printed into a book. He completed his memoirs on his 83rd birthday in 1977.
In 1979, aged 85, Facey learned that his autobiography, A Fortunate Life
A Fortunate Life
A Fortunate Life is an autobiographical novel written by Albert Facey and was published in 1981 and tells the complete story of his life. It chronicles his early life in Western Australia, his experiences as a private during the Gallipoli campaign of World War I and his return to civilian life...
was approved for publication. It was published in 1981, just nine months before his death.
Although Facey was delighted that his life story was appreciated on such a grand scale, his health was quickly declining and he was losing his eyesight. Also, he used a wheelchair due to a broken hip. His book became a best-seller and won the prestigious NSW Premier's Literary Award for non-fiction and the National Book Council Prize. During the final six months of his life, Albert Facey became a national celebrity and was nominated for the Australian Of The Year Award in 1981.
Death
While being in the care of an Aged Care Facility due to a broken hip, Albert Barnett Facey died of natural causes at Midland, Western AustraliaMidland, Western Australia
Midland is a suburb in the Perth, Western Australia metropolitan area, as well as the regional centre for the City of Swan local government area that covers the Swan Valley and parts of the Darling Scarp to the east. It is situated at the intersection of Great Eastern Highway and Great Northern...
on 11 February 1982 in his 88th year. He was buried at the local cemetery in Midland. He was survived by six of his seven children and 28 grandchildren.
Legacy
His book, A Fortunate LifeA Fortunate Life
A Fortunate Life is an autobiographical novel written by Albert Facey and was published in 1981 and tells the complete story of his life. It chronicles his early life in Western Australia, his experiences as a private during the Gallipoli campaign of World War I and his return to civilian life...
went on to sell over 250,000 copies and it has also been reprinted although it is estimated that that book has been read by more than double that amount. The book was made into a 4 part television movie in 1985 based on Albert Facey's life between 1897 to 1916. It starred a notable cast including Bill Hunter, Val Lehman and Ray Meagher.
His old homestead in Wickepin is a tourist attraction today, while a government building named Albert Facey House on Forrest Place
Forrest Place
Forrest Place is a pedestrianised square located within the CBD of Perth, Western Australia. The street was created in 1923, and has a history of being a focal point for significant political meetings and demonstrations.-History:...
in the state capital, Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, is named in his honour and is home to Perth's main travel bureau and visitor centre. The Albert Facey Memorial Library in Mundaring
Mundaring, Western Australia
Mundaring is a suburb located 34 km east of Perth on the Great Eastern Highway. The suburb is located within the Shire of Mundaring.The Aboriginal name of the area 'Mindah-lung', said to mean 'a high place on a high place', was anglicised to become 'Mundaring'.The Mundaring area is also considered...
, Facey Road in Gnangara, Albert Facey Street in Maidstone
Maidstone, Victoria
Maidstone is a suburb 8 km west of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Maribyrnong. At the 2006 Census, Maidstone had a population of 6050....
, Barney Street in Glendalough, Western Australia
Glendalough, Western Australia
Glendalough is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stirling, and is located about 6 kilometres from Perth's central business district along the Mitchell Freeway....
(named after his late son), and a motel in Narrogin
Narrogin, Western Australia
Narrogin is a large town in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, southeast of Perth on the Great Southern Highway between Pingelly and Wagin...
also bear his name. The manuscripts of A Fortunate Life are housed in the Scholars' Centre in the University of Western Australia Library
University of Western Australia Library
The University of Western Australia Library is the oldest and largest university library in Western Australia, with a budget of more than A$16 million and a collection of about 1.5 million volumes and 55,000 current serial titles. Its public services include seven different subject libraries and...
.