The Story of Maurice Patrick O'Donnell / Memories ... September 10

This post tells the story of my maternal Grand Uncle, Maurice Patrick O'Donnell  (1892 - 1965).

Our common ancestors are:  Edmond O'Donnell and Bridget Burke.

I'm publishing this post on the anniversary of his birth.

 Anniversary  of  a  Birthday:

(also for my 'Family Anniversaries' page)

This is the only photo I have of Maurice - 
cropped from my grandfather & grandmother's wedding photo.

• Maurice Patrick O'Donnell was born on the 10th of September 1892.

• He was born at home on James Street, in Toowoomba, Queensland to Irish-born immigrants, Edmond O'Donnell and Bridget Burke.

• Maurice would have grown up listening to the Irish accent in his home.

• He was the youngest of five children born to Edmond and Bridget, although there were only three older siblings still living when Maurice was born.

• Sadly his older brother, John Patrick, had died four years before Maurice was bought into the world.

• Maurice's father Edmond died in January of 1893, just four months after Maurice was born, so Maurice never got to know his biological father.

• His mother, Bridget O'Donnell nee Burke, was left widowed with a 4-month old baby, a 2-year old daughter Mary Margaret, a 5-year old son James (my grandfather) and an 8-year old daughter Kate.

• Maurice's mother Bridget became the licensed victualler of the Free Settlers Hotel in Toowoomba after the death of her husband Edmond, and worked very hard to support her young family.

• Maurice gained a step-father when he was 2 years old, as his mother re-married a man named Morgan Joseph O'Brien.

• At the age of 3, Morgan became an older brother as Bridget and Morgan welcomed their son, also named Morgan Joseph, to the world.

• Tragically, when Maurice was only 5 years old, his older sister Catherine, known as Kate, died after suffering Bright's Disease (kidney disease) and falling into a coma.

• Maurice's childhood, teenage years and early adult years were spent supporting his mother with the busy day-to-day running of the Free Settlers Hotel.

1917 Australian Electoral Roll

• By 1917, when Maurice was aged 25, he was living and working on farmland at Armstrong Creek, near Kyburra in the Gumlu area, with his older brother James (my grandfather).  The brothers had left their home and family in Toowoomba and travelled 800 miles to the north where opportunities to own and farm you own land had opened up.

• Maurice worked alongside his brother James on the farm for at least six years, until shortly after James was married.

Maurice's brothers' wedding day 1921
(photo contributed by Terry & Carmel O'Donnell)

• Maurice was the best man at his brother's wedding in June of 1921 when he was 28 years old.  The photo above shows the wedding party: - back row:  Maurice Patrick O'Donnell (groom's brother), Susan Mary Bidgood nee McCane (the bride's sister)

         - front row:  James O'Donnell (groom) and Sarah Mary Josephine McCane (bride).

• Once his brother had married and had bought his new wife to the farm, Maurice moved out and moved on. 

Australian City Directories for 1936

• For a period of around twenty years, he worked primarily as a labourer in the area around Brandon, near Ayr in northern Queensland.  My guess would be that he worked as a labourer on the many cane farms in the area, as that was the primary industry there at the time.

• Maurice's mother Bridget died in early 1937, when Maurice was 44 years old.  

• By this time, Maurice's brother James and his wife Sarah were still working their farm and raising a family of eight children.  I have no doubt Maurice and his brother James remained close throughout this whole time, and I'm sure I'd be right in supposing that Maurice helped out around the farm as often as possible, and spent lots of time at his brother's home enjoying every moment of being a favourite uncle.

Australian Electoral Roll for 1943

• By 1943, when aged 51, Maurice had returned to Toowoomba.  He was assisting his sister and half-brother with the running of the Southern Hotel, but he spent most of his time running the family farm situated on property not far from the hotel.

• Maurice married in Catherine O'Brien nee Murphy, in February of 1946 when he was 53 years old and Catherine was 46.  He became the step-father of Catherine's daughter Joan.

• Maurice lived the remainder of his life in Toowoomba and died in 1970, aged 77.  His wife Catherine has passed away just two years before, in 1968.

• Sadly, whilst I know that Maurice was buried beside his wife Catherine, there is no mention of him on the small headstone located at the Toowoomba Garden of Remembrance.

• Maurice was survived by his brother James (my grandfather), although he passed away just four years later, and was survived his sister Mary Margaret, who sadly died just a year after Maurice.  Their step-brother Morgan Joseph O'Brien had passed away in 1965.