Cecil Samuel 14/10/1875 - 11/5/1955

Cecil Samuel BADGER 28/4/1880 - 11/7/1954 Sheet
  Rosalind Wilson born 1875 died 1954
1907   Finnis Mona  
    m. John Torvatt SINCLAIR  

 

The available information about Cecil is quite limited. He married Rosalind Wilson and had one daughter. Details are given in the accompanying chart. His nephew Colin has commented as follows:- 'Cecil is something of a mystery. He married in Western Australia, though what took him there is not known. He was secretary of the Prisoners Aid Society in Adelaide for many years and was highly thought of for his organising ability and his dedication to the welfare of prisoners. He was a somewhat reserved, even secretive man, with nothing at all of the good humour and high spirits of Herbert or of his younger brother Allan.' He was a Baptist but did not take an active part in any church work except local preaching. He was often called 'The Reverend Cecil Badger' although he was never ordained. His niece Leila has described how this came about: 'The title "Rev" was given to him by the prisoners at Yatala. When he was with the Prisoners' Aid Society he was also chaplain at the Yatala prison and took a service there every Sunday morning. I went with him a few times and it was quite an experience. The chapel was packed and there was quite a good pipe organ, played very well by one of the inmates. I could not understand why there was always such a crowd, until I learned that every man attending church received an extra issue of cigarettes! Cecil let them choose the hymns and, my, did they sing! The volume was terrific. He was tremendously keen on the work; it was his main interest in life. Apart from Sunday he visited the jail during the week. He also went to see the wives and families of the prisoners and was always trying to raise money to help them financially. The men used to say "Here comes the Rev" and the title stuck. 'Why he gave up this work I do not know, but afterwards he was a changed person. His chief interest in life was gone, he had no job, took no interest in sport and shunned the society of his fellow melt. Then he developed heart trouble which eventually caused his death. When the Prisoners' Aid Society moved to new premises they erected a brass tablet to his memory and spoke in glowing terms of his efforts for the Society at the unveiling ceremony, to which I was invited.'