19 April 2025

Queries and questions


This series of posts focuses on an A-Z theme for April in 2025. I have chosen events that occurred On This Day in April of years in the past. These events are recorded in my genealogy database.

On this day - 19th April

Two weddings, both in Adelaide, seven years apart. Both first cousins of my father, one from his maternal side and the other from his paternal side. 

Sometimes the only records to be found are a birth or death record. As new records become available online I am able to revisit any research questions I have not been previously able to answer. When I was a child we headed south on what was known as the Main North Road, now the Horrocks Highway in South Australia. As we passed a particular farm known as Shanahans, I was aware that my father was somehow related to these people. I never thought to ask questions as to how they were related..

Many years later on tracing the descendants of  my father’s maternal Smyth line, I found the woman who had married into this family was indeed my father's first cousin. With the advent of digitization of newspapers. I queried Shanahan in South Australia.

1934 - Marriage: James SHANAHAN and Catherine “Kit” CALLERY, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Here's a newspaper photo of this couple leaving the cathedral in Adelaide
The caption under the photo reads: 

SHANAHAN - CALLERY WEDDING
Mr and Mrs James Shanahan who were married in St. Francis Xavier’s Cathedral, Adelaide last week. The bride was formerly Miss Catherine Callery, of Riverton and the bridegroom’s home was at Freeling.
Photo shows happy couple leaving the church.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article92357808


James died in 1987 and Kit died in 2002.

****************************
1941 - Marriage: Dominic McINERNEY and Bertha HART, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Dom McInerney was my father's first cousin and this marriage announcement was published a week before his wedding. 
McINERNEY—HART.—The marriage of Bertha (Birdie), youngest daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. M. P. Hart, Buxton Street, North Adelaide, to Dominic, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Mclnerney, Riverton, will be celebrated at St. Laurence's Church, North Adelaide, on Saturday, April 19, at 9 a.m.
As a child we visited “Olive Farm” not far from Riverton where Birdie and Dom lived with their family. Their children were similar ages to our ages and our parents were close friends. An abiding childhood memory is the surprise of finding their backyard long drop toilet was a double wooden seater, one for small bottoms and the other next to it, adult size. Amusing for young minds yet a very practical solution of the past.

Sometimes in airports or shopping malls I hear mothers struggling with their toddlers in single toilet cubicles and I think back to the practicality of that side by side solution.

This post first appeared on earlieryears.blogspot.com by CRGalvin

18 April 2025

Preservation of stories, documents and photos


This series of posts focuses on an A-Z theme for April in 2025. I have chosen events that occurred On This Day in April of years in the past. These events are recorded in my genealogy database.

Preserving the details of those lives lived in past times is just one of the reasons we family historians pursue the details whether it be through obtaining records or photos. I have been fortunate to receive copies of photos from a wide range of people. How will you preserve the photos now on your phones so that your descendants will be able to see you smiling faces? What will happen to the documents you have accumulated?
 
On this day - 18th April

1865 - Marriage: Michael GALVIN and Bridget Mary CROTTY, Sydney, Australia - 4 x gt grandparents of my grandchildren


Michael arrived in Sydney in 1862 from Kinvara, County Galway, aboard the “Lady Milton” with his sister. There are several references to him in Sydney based records. His insolvency issues made the newspapers of the day.

At this stage I have found Bridget's baptismal record on Jan 15th, 1840 in the parish of Ogonnolloe, County Clare, Ireland. Bridget was one of at least 5 children born to Michael Crotty and Ellen MacNamara between 1834 and 1845. Mack, as stated on the marriage registration above, was a common abbreviation MacNamara. 



The marriage record lists her place of birth as County Galway and her death record lists her as having come from County Clare. The Catholic parish of Ogonnolloe with the townland Ballyhonan (Ballybroghan) is located in County Clare.

Michael and Bridget had three children, Mary born in 1866 died as an infant, then John Patrick (from whom our Galvin children descend) born in 1867, and Michael born in 1870. 


Their son Michael and his wife Margaret Murray both died in 1901. Bridget at aged 60 was left to care for their three girls, Elizabeth, Leah Daphne and Margaret. Her own husband, Michael had died in 1894.

One of my husband's Galvin cousins provided this photo of Bridget's 100th birthday celebration in Sydney. While we have no further detail about the photo we can imagine that the woman next to her with her hand on the shoulder of another, could be one of those granddaughters.


If you are a descendant of this family and have more information about this photo, I would be delighted to hear from you.


The Galvin great grandparents of our grandchildren

Bridget (Crotty) GALVIN died at the Little Sisters of the Poor home in Randwick, NSW on the 15 September 1940.
GALVIN.—September 15, 1940, at Randwick, Bridget Mary, beloved grandmother of Betty, Daphne Stansfield, and Madge Schafer. R.I.P.
GALVIN.—The Funeral of the late BRIDGET MARY GALVIN will leave Mount St. Joseph's, Market Street. Randwick. THIS MONDAY, at 2.30 p.m., for Catholic Cemetery. Waverley.

1940 'Family Notices', The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), 16 September, p. 7 and 8. ,  https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/27948132


This post first appeared on earlieryears.blogspot.com by CRGalvin

17 April 2025

Organising the records


This series of posts focuses on an A-Z theme for April in 2025. I have chosen events that occurred On This Day in April of years in the past. These events are recorded and organised in my genealogy database. 

On this day - 17th April

1912 - Birth: Hannah Olive O'DEA, Pinnaroo, South Australia, Australia
My dear mother's birthday. She was born 113 years ago today. I have written extensively about my mother on this blog, but realise that April was an important month for her in several ways. 

Born 1912, 17th April
Married 6th April 1937
Her mothers birthday 21 April, also Joe’s birthday, my father’s brother
She liked to be organised no matter the occasion. In her birthday book she recorded not only birthdays but also deaths. She also pasted newspaper clippings inside the covers. This has been a useful source of dates for the births of my cousins and my 25 nieces and nephews. 
Cover of Mum's birthday book

1942 - Burial: John HORGAN, Kapunda, South Australia, Australia - a grandfather’s brother, my grand uncle.

The need to recognise and honour the dead has never changed.

In the past funerals were organised with no delay. A standard Requiem Mass for Catholics, with participants dressed in formal, usually black attire would have been arranged by telephoning the priest, the funeral director and the newspaper. Funerals were generally simpler than they are nowadays.

Nowadays we have time to make plans for a funeral considering the wishes expressed before death, the needs of the living, the preparation of services, eulogies and catering where needed. 

This notice appeared in the evening paper on the day that John died. 
HORGAN.-Requiem Mass for the Repose of the Soul of the late Mr. JOHN HORGAN will be Celebrated in the Church of the Good Shepherd, Riverton, at 8.30 a.m. on FRIDAY, and the Funeral will Leave the Church at 1.30p.m. for the St John's Cemetery, Kapunda.
O. COLMER, Undertaker. Phone 41. Riverton.

I recently visited the cemetery to view the restored stone that lists John, his brother Thomas and sister Kate.

Tombstone _ Horgan photo taken 7 March 2025
This post first appeared on earlieryears.blogspot.com by CRGalvin

Queries and questions

This series of posts focuses on an A-Z theme for April in 2025. I have chosen events that occurred  On This Day  in April of years in the pa...