Walter Schwabe was born in 1843 at Openshaw, Manchester, Lancashire, the son of Stephan and Eliza (Sykes) Schwabe. He married (1) Jane Lay Arthy on 22 Sep 1874 in Brisbane, Australia, and (2) Ellen Payn on 1 Jul 1879 in Brisbane. Walter died on 1 October 1890 in Brisbane, Australia.

Jane was born in 1855, the daughter of William and Jane (Lay) Arthy. She died in April 1878 in Australia.

Ellen Payn was was born on 11 Apr 1862 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, and died 1934 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. (After Walter died Ellen then married Walter's brother Herbert).

The children of Walter and Jane are:

1. WALTER STEPHAN SCHWABE, b. 22 Jun 1875; d. 21 Jun 1931.
2. ADELAIDE JANE SCHWABE, b. 22 Feb 1877, Brisbane, Australia; d. 28 Jul 1877.

The children of Walter and ELLEN PAIN are:

1. ERNEST AUGUSTUS SCHWABE, b. 27 Feb 1880, Brisbane, Australia; d. 04 Aug 1967, 4 Queen Street, Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia.
2. ARTHUR LEOPOLD ROBERT SCHWABE, b. 18 Jun 1881; d. 13 May 1921. [See picture below.]
3. HAROLD VICTOR SCHWABE, b. 1883; d. 18 Sep 1898.
4. MABEL SCHWABE, b. 26 Apr 1885, Brisbane, Australia.
5. GILBERT SCHWABE, b. 20 May 1887; d. 09 Sep 1971, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada.
6. FREDERICA SCHWABE, b. 19 Feb 1889; d. Bef. 1958.