Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Theodor Butefisch was born in Rendsburg on May 15 1825, one of four children, a son of a merchant.

Theodor at the age of 23 years, with a fellow merchant (extracts from a ships log resourced from the Mortlock library archives) came to South Australia 13 Nov 1848 as merchants, on the sailing ship ‘Victoria’, the ships log suggests that this may have been their second trip.

Theodor made several passages as a merchant to Australia in the following years, providing medical supplies to a new colony as indicated by passenger and cargo listings in newspapers of the times, found on microfiche at the Mortlock library.

Theodor married Wilhelmine Wilberth from Kiel on the 8 August 1860 in Rendsburg, she was 33 years old and Theodor 35 years old. 

Theodor and his wife Wilhelmine migrated to Australia, South Australia, Adelaide some time between 1860 and 1862.

Possibly due to pending political unrest and or religious persecution, as Schleswig – Holstein belonged to the Danish crown but under complicated political conditions, was seized by Bismarck’s Prussia from the Danes in 1864.

Theodor and Wilhelmine had two children:

William Theodor Butefisch born August 1862 – Hindley St Adelaide.
Theodor August Butefisch born 24 November 1863 – 40 Rundle St Adelaide.

William Butefisch at the age of 22 years married Anna Pauline Leske of Blumberg (Birdwood) SA on the 26 January 1884.

William with his bride went to Western Australia in 1885 where somehow he became involved in sailing and was a foundation member of the Fremantle Yacht Club. This information was passed on to me by the club’s historic writer who contacted me in 2000 for some history on William. I have several extracts from local papers in WA regarding the matter.

William’s life is a bit sketchy but we believe he returned to SA in the 1890’s and raised a family possibly living in Adelaide and then later in Pt Pirie.

William and Anna had 10 children that we know of, two drowned tragically at sea in a sailing boat incident, only one recovered, 5 died at birth or in early infancy and three survived one of which was my Grandfather who died in 1948 in Pt Pirie.

William enrolled in the South Australian First Mounted Rifles in 1899 to be sent to the Boer War. Preference was given to men who were good shots and were physically fit.

William embarked at Pt Adelaide on the transport Medic, 2 November 1899 and returned to Adelaide 30 November 1900. Received the Queens medal and five clasps and granted a bonus of 30 days pay by the S.A. Govt.

William possibly returned to Pt Pirie, settled down, raised a family and worked in local stores and the BHP smelters until he passed away in 1917 at the age of 54yrs.

Anna his wife 78, of Ellendale, Port Pirie, who died on December 13 1940 had been a resident of the town for 58 years. Born at Birdwood,where her parents settled on coming to Australia from Denmark.