Grave Tales and True

Cemeteries, tombstones and memories

In the course of examining the lives of the past, tombstone information found in cemeteries or graveyards can add vital details about ancestors lives. More than that however, cemeteries are special places of remembrance and over the years I've had the occasion to visit many, not just for funerals but for memorial services and to ponder on life in places of great beauty and significance. Here's a small taste of those experiences.

Beauty in remembrance

1. Here are a few of the beautiful floral graves of Pietersfriedhof in Salzburg, Austria. Many will recognise this scenery from the "Sound Of Music" film. My 2014 photos do little justice to these nurtured mini gardens.

2. Overawed - War cemeteries of northern France and Belgium

For 4 years my husband worked in Paris. In that period we visited a wide range of war cemeteries and attended many memorial services on the battlefields of Northern France and Belgium. The frequency of small cemeteries along rural roads and the sheer size of the memorials often left one overawed at the scale of death. 

3. The coldest cemeteries

Sevenhill, South Australia vs Vimy Ridge, Cemetery in France.

In July 2018 we attended the funeral of a dear brother-in-law Christopher Stephen Maloney. The Mass was held in the stately Sevenhill Church, never famed for its comfort. The funeral proceeded to the top of the hill for the internment. It was a bitterly cold day with the temperature hovering well below 8C with an accompanying breeze. 

The day that challenged the chill factor was at the ceremony held in May 2000 when the Commonwealth War Graves Commission handed over a casket containing an unknown Canadian soldier to be repatriated to Camada. My husband was one of the ABCA (American, British, Canadian and Australian) attaches designated to slow march accompanying the coffin up the hill to the Vimy Ridge Memorial. The wait for those of us standing at the top was agonisingly cold but nothing compared to agony of the slow march in Australian service dress not designed for frigid temperatures with a chill wind.

4. Monumental 

 The size of the monument at Thiepval in northern France only becomes obvious as one comes close. It can be seen from a distance but as one draws near it dominates the surrounding landscape. More than 72300 names are commemorated here. 

Equally impressive of course is the Arc de Triomphe in central Paris where each day at 6 pm a wreath is laid at the tomb of the unknown soldier. 

The ceremony at the Menin Gate, in Belgium each evening is another monument of import we attended in remembering the war dead.

It is difficult to capture the size and extent of the ossuary at Douaumont and the surrounding gravesites on the battlefields of Verdun.

5. Smallest 

In the corner of a field at Pinkerton Plains in South Australia lies a small cemetery containing the graves of the Catholics of the Hamley Bridge, Pinkerton Plains and Alma areas from 1862 until the last burial there in 2013. My Smyth great grandparents along with their some of their close relatives are buried there. The O'Dea side of the family also list internments at Pinkerton Plains but no monuments for those families are visible.

6. Dearest to me - Navan near Riverton, South Australia

Off a countryside gravel road, a small mortuary chapel marks the entrance to Navan Cemetery. Built on land donated by John O'Brien to the local Catholic parish, this cemetery has the graves of my parents, paternal grandparents, aunt and uncle along with many Smyth and McInerney relatives. The most recent funeral attended there was for my beloved sister in law Louise who died in 2018.

7. Oldest known Australian ancestor burials - St Johns near Kapunda

Great-gt-grandmother Johanna Horgan was buried at St Johns in 1880. Her son John (gt-grandfather) died after a short illness in the winter of 1883 and also rests there along with his sons Thomas and John and daughters Catherine and Johanna.

8 Memorable

Anzac Day in 1997 occurred shortly after we arrived in France. Commemoration ceremonies were to take place at both Bullecourt and Villers-Bretonneux. On a cold wet windy day, bringing home to all something of the conditions those in the trenches must have suffered, we headed north. Our daughter was privileged to read the ode at the Australian Bullecourt ceremony that day. My husband's official duties accompanying the Ambassador as wreaths were laid, was just the first of many of these occasions which followed in the next four years.

French memorial - Bullecourt

Lunch at VB

The repast provided by the village of Villers-Bretonneux at the conclusion of the ceremonies was outstanding with platters of food in the shape of kangaroos, maps of Australia and more.

9. Tribute memorial- Smyth chapel

The next time I visit Adelaide I intend to visit the West Terrace Cemetery and see the Smyth Chapel built to commemorate the memory of my gt-grandfather's brother, the Rev John Smyth. He arrived in Adelaide in 1853 and proved to be a gifted administrator and orator in the early years of the Catholic Church in South Australia. He was appointed Vicar General but died in 1870 aged in his mid forties. The newspapers of the day published many tributes and funds were raised for the memorial chapel.

10. Simple marker 

A simple marker on this grave of a 1st cousin once removed in Katanning, Western Australia 

A humorous incident

To finish with an anecdote. More than 50 years ago teenagers in their final year of schooling were attending a social dance for a girls and a boys school in Adelaide. A certain young woman wanted to escape the nuns' supervisory vigilance and planned to meet her boyfriend outside the hall, specifically in an unlit location - in the nuns' cemetery. I accompanied her as she assured me her friend had a friend. Need I say more, that was the night I met my husband-to-be, of all places - in a cemetery.

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

Forty four years later

It was late spring, October 1898 when Catherine Mary Fitzgerald aged 32 celebrated her marriage to Francis John Smyth in the Marrabel Catholic Church.  This was just before the harvest season so Francis' parents Edward and Margaret along with his sister Elizabeth may have travelled the 25 miles (c. 38 km)from their home near Alma via Tarlee by  horse and buggy or perhaps they ventured further north towards Riverton where the eldest sister Catherine was now married to John Callery. We do not know if Francis' youngest sister Margaret attended the wedding as she had married James Byrne in January of 1898 and was living in distant Lameroo.

St Agnes Catholic Church, Marrabel

Catherine and Francis welcomed their first child Margaret Mary in 1899 followed by son Edward John in 1905. Catherine led an active life with farm and household chores, as well as church and local community events. As Francis was active in the Tarlee Hibernian group, Catherine was no doubt engaged in providing supper for the annual social evenings and Hibernian Balls.  She and Francis are listed as attending several such events both in Tarlee and Hamley Bridge.

After many long years at Alma and having rejoiced in seeing her son ordained as a priest, Catherine's life came to an end just before she and Francis would have celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary.  This obituary for Catherine was published in the Southern Cross newspaper in 1942.

DEATH OF MRS. F. J. SMYTH, 

ALMA.

Father Smyth, R.A.A.F., Bereaved.

ON the 5th inst. occurred the death of Mrs. F. J. Smyth, of Hillside, Alma, at the age of 76 years. The deceased lady, venerable and beloved throughout the countryside in which she lived, was wife and mother of rare excellence. The home which, with her husband (Mr. Francis J. Smyth), she established was a model Catholic home blessed in its generosity to God and to neighbor by the ordination to the priesthood of her only son—the Rev. Fr. E. J. Smyth, Chaplain to the R.A.A.F. in South Australia.

To the bereaved husband, to Miss Mary Smyth (daughter) and to the Rev. Fr. Smyth, respectful condolence is here extended.

His Grace the Archbishop attended the Requiem Mass (celebrated by Rev. Fr. E. J. Smyth) at Riverton, and the obsequies and funeral which took place to the Navan Cemetery. Present also were the V. Rev. Dean T. P. Davis, P.P., Kingswood; the Rev. Fr. D.' Sparkes, P.P., Manoora; the Rev. Fr. R. Farrelly, P.P., Hamley Bridge; the Rev. Fr. J. Whelan, P.P., Riverton; the Rev. Fr. T. J. Maloney, P.P., Kapunda; the Rev. Fr. P. J. Walsh, St. Peters; the Rev. Fr. V. Barry, Adm., Glenelg; the Rev. Fr. M. Dempsey, Thebarton; the Rev. Dr. M. F. Toal, D.D., P.P., Burra; Chaplain the Rev. Fr. W. Bustelli. 

May her soul rest in peace.

My father Edward John Horgan would have attended this funeral as he had lived close to this uncle and aunt for many years and was a close friend with their son his first cousin, Fr Eddie Smyth. 

The Smyth tombstone in Navan Cemetery

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

Farewell to the Smyths

It must have been a difficult decision. 

Francis John Smyth had lived and farmed the land "Hillside" near Alma in South Australia for more than 50 years. He had been born at Humphreys Springs in 1867 and now in 1946 at the age of 78, accompanied by his daughter Mary, he was leaving the farm and moving to Gawler.  

Frank was the last remaining sibling in his family. His sisters Mary Christina, Catherine Teresa, Elizabeth Agnes and Margaret had all predeceased him. His wife Catherine had died in 1942.  His son Eddie was a priest and daughter Mary was now approaching 50, so there was no immediate relative to carry on farming.

This report of a farewell function held in the Tarlee Institute appeared in the Kapunda Herald newspaper.

A very large crowd gathered in the institute on Thursday evening to bid farewell to Mr. Frank Smyth and Miss Mary Smyth, who have been residents in the district for a number of years. 

An excellent programme of items was arranged by Mr. Parker Hogan. Those contributing items were:—Miss Joan Arthur, piano solo and accompanist for the evening; Mrs. Jack Burrows (Riverton), violin selection; Miss Enid Dodd and Mr. P. Dodd, a banjo and piano selection; recitations were given by Miss G. Molineux, Mr. C. H. Branson (Kapunda), and Mr. Parker Hogan; solos were rendered by Mrs. Vandeleur and Mr. Brown (Alma). 

Speeches were made by Mr. Bert Kelly, Mr. John McInerney (Riverton), and Rev. Father Honor. [ed. Honner] On behalf of the residents of the district, Father Honor presented the guests with a blackwood arm chair each. 

Father Smyth responded on behalf of his father and sister. A sumptuous supper was served by the ladies. Dancing to the music provided by Mrs. D. Wilson brought a very happy social evening to a close. (1)

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Frank Smyth, brother to my grandmother Elizabeth, had married Catherine Fitzgerald in October of 1898 in the Marrabel Catholic Church. They were in their early thirties and had their first child Margaret Mary in 1899. I do not know if there were further children in the intervening years as there are very few early Catholic records in this area, but Catherine was 39 when their son Edward John was born in 1905.

Margaret Mary, known as Mary was named after Frank's mother, Margaret Byrne, and Edward John was named after his father Edward Smyth.  His father had died in 1901 but his mother Margaret was still living with them until her death in 1907.

Frank's sister Elizabeth had married Andrew Horgan in 1906. The Horgan children grew up with first cousins Mary and Eddie nearby. Elizabeth also named her first son Edward John in 1910. (my father)

District activities

Frank was an active member of his community and is mentioned in many newspaper articles.  He was a founding member of the Hibernian group attached to the Catholic congregation at Tarlee and also served as the group's president from 1892. As vice president of the annual Tarlee Catholic Picnic and Sports which was held each New Year's Day, not only was he busy with its organisation and administration but he also participated in novelty races, quoits and horse races.  He was active in seeking mains water for local farms and took on the role of clerk on the Alma District Council in 1906. 

In 1926 he entered 2 paddocks of 50 acres in a Midlands Region wheat crop competition which was judged between November 17 and December 4. His crops were ranked at 49 and 54 just above the Horgan Brothers at Linwood who were ranked 60th in the 65 crops judged. (2) 

Occasionally his name appears in trotting competitions at local picnic races. It appears he may also have had or been interested in greyhounds as he is mentioned in a meeting of the Tarlee Coursing Club in 1935.

Leaving the district behind after many years involvement would have been difficult. His sojourn in Gawler was short as he died only 2 years after leaving the farm. The Hibernians published this obituary in the Southern Cross in 1948. (3)

Obituary - another of our pioneer members has been called to his eternal reward by the death of Bro. Francis John Smyth at Gawler on May 28, aged 80 years. Bro. Smyth was initiated a member of Ss. John and Paul's Branch, Tarlee, on December 3, 1889. Well known in the Lower North area on the "Hillside" property at Alma, Bro. Smyth was a trustee of the branch until his removal to Gawler some little time ago. To his son, Rev. Fr. E. J. Smyth (Willunga) and daughter Mary (Gawler), the sincere condolence of all members is tendered.

Francis John Smyth is buried in Navan cemetery near Riverton with his wife Catherine. (4)

1. 1946 'TARLEE', Kapunda Herald (SA : 1878 - 1951), 4 April, p. 3. , viewed 04 Oct 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110298541

2. 1926 'WHEAT CROP COMPETITION.', Kapunda Herald (SA : 1878 - 1951), 8 January, p. 3. , viewed 04 Oct 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article108303265

3. 1948 'H.A.CB.S. News', Southern Cross (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1954), 4 June, p. 15. , viewed 04 Oct 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167720161

4. 1948 'Family Notices', News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954), 28 May, p. 10. , viewed 04 Oct 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129900284

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