1891 – 1979
Parents
Richard Liston 1864 to 1954
Alice Smith 1869 to 1955
Richard Henry Leslie was born at 89 Dover Street Richmond on 1 April 1891
Siblings
Leslie was an only child.
Marriage
Veronica Margaret Sullivan 1895 to 1964
Les and Vera were married at St. Joseph’s Church Malvern on 3 February 1917.
Children of Leslie and Veronica
Richard Vincent 1918 to 1979
Kevin William 1921 to 1982
Paul Anthony 1924 to 1964
Carmel Margaret 1929 to 2004
Margaret 1936
Biography
Leslie, who later in life was known as Les, was born at 89 Dover Street Richmond. In May 1904 he received a certificate from St Ignatius Boys School confirming that he had achieved the Sixth Standard. Leslie’s educational or employment experience after that date is unknown until July 1910 when he became a permanent employee of the Victorian Railways in the Audit Branch. He was to remain an employee of Victorian Railways until his retirement. His life as a youth is unknown but a family photograph indicates that in 1912 he was, with his father, a member of the 6th Battery of the Australian Field Artillery, a citizen militia in Victoria.
In 1917 Leslie married Veronica Sulivan. Leslie and Veronica lived around the corner from each other in Malvern, Leslie in Tooronga Road and Veronica in Carroll Crescent. It is likely that they met through social activities associated with St Joseph’s Parish Malvern.
In March 1917 Leslie concluded the purchase of a property in Carroll Crescent. The single-storey Edwardian dwelling at 49 formerley 31 Carroll Crescent became the family home and remained in Leslie’s ownership until his death. Leslie and Veronica had five children. The children went to primary school nearby at St Roch’s parish school in Burke Road Glen Iris, the boys then went on to De La Salle College in High Street Malvern and the girls to Kildara College next door.
Carmel, Leslie & Veronica’s eldest daughter became a Brigidine Sister, their remaining children all married producing 19 much loved grandchildren.
1964 was a tragic year for the family, in particular for Leslie, both his wife Veronica and his younger son Paul died within a few weeks of each other in July of that year. Leslie lived for another 15 years, and the last few years of his life he was cared for at Nazareth House in Camberwell.
Anecdotes and other stories
Margaret,Les’s youngest daughter remembers being told by her mother that Les used to play cricket with the CYMS as a young man.
Documents
Birth Record
Marriage Record
Photographs
To be added later
Click here to return to the Liston page