Memories ... February 7

Anniversary of a Birthday /  In Remembrance

(For my 'Family Anniversaries' page)

Today is the anniversary of my paternal Grandaunt Lillian Ruth Brown's birthday .....  

.....  and the passing of my maternal Great Grand Uncle Thomas Farrell.

Here's some of Lillian's story:

*Our common ancestors are: Richard Joseph Brown and Ellen Cusack.

• Lillian was born in 1887 in Lismore, New South Wales.

• She was the second of four daughters born to Richard Joseph Brown and Ellen Cusack.

• At the time of her birth, her father Richard was 25 years old and her mother Ellen was 24.

• Lillian's older sister Grace (my paternal grandmother) had been born two years before Lillian.  Then when Lillian was 3 years old her sister Elsie came along.  When Lillian was 5, her sister Marcella (Marcy) was born.

• The sisters grew up in Lismore, New South Wales.  They were the descendants of well-known pioneering stock on both their paternal and maternal sides (the Browns and Brownings on her father's side, the Cusacks and the Extons on their mother's side).  As such the girls inherited a well-respected family name.

• After leaving school, Lillian worked as a dressmaker for a number of years.  

• In 1906, when she was 20 years old, Lillian married James Alfred Connors.

• James was in fact the younger brother of George Connors (my grandfather), who had married Lillian's sister Grace (my grandmother) that very same year.

• Lillian and her husband James welcomed their only child into the world in April of 1907, a daughter named Lorna Mary Grace.

• Sadly, Lillian became a widow just six months later, when her husband died as a result of burns inflicted during a tragic accident at his workplace.  (I have told James Alfred Connors' story before.  For anyone interested in knowing more, follow this link:  Fire and its Tragic Consequences!)

• Lillian re-married just over a year later to an Irish immigrant named Jeremiah (Gerry/Jerry) O'Donnell, who hailed from County Cork.  Lillian was 21 years old at the time and Jeremiah was 23.  

• Sadly, Lillian and Jeremiah lost their first born, a son named Roger, on the day he was born in 1909.

• Their daughter Lillian Margaret was born 1911.

• Unfortunately though, Lillian would never see her two daughters grow up.

• Standard practice for women giving birth in hospitals in the early 1900s included the women remaining 'in confinement' at the hospital for a couple of weeks after giving birth.  Tragically, Lillian contracted pneumonia while in confinement, became weaker and weaker until her heart gave out and she passed away.

• Lillian was only 24 years old when she passed away on the evening of August 31st, 1911.  She died at the maternity hospital which was known as Nurse Atkins' Private Hospital, in Lismore.

• She was buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Lismore Cemetery.  I have yet to locate her exact resting place.

• Lillian was survived by her second husband, a daughter aged 4 and a newborn aged just 14 days.  She was also survived by her father Richard, her mother Ellen, and her three sisters, Grace (my grandmother), Elsie and Marcella (known as Marcy). 

• Interestingly, Lillian's second husband did not provide details of Lillian's first husband on the death certificate, nor indeed the name of Lillian's first child.  I think there's a story there that I have yet to uncover!

Here's some of Thomas's story:

*Our common ancestors are:  Michael Farrell and Susan Muldowney/Downey.

• Thomas's birth record shows that he was born on the 15th of January 1868 in Holmside, County Durham, England.   His mother registered his birth on the 26th of February and interestingly, this date appears to have become the date that his birthday was celebrated for the remainder of his life!  Weird, right???  Did his mother forget his actual birth date?  Surely not!

• At the time of his birth, his father Michael Farrell was 34 years old and his mother, Susan Downey / Muldowney was 26.

• Thomas was the second of nine children born to Michael and Susan, and he was the oldest boy. 

• Thomas was born at a place named 'East Field House' which was part of a row of small, rather humble, colliery houses, built by the owners of the coal mines and coke works in the Durham Coalfield area of north-eastern England to provide housing for the their workers and families.  It was substandard housing and families often lived in tiny one-room cottages, quite inadequate for housing large families.  The harsh living conditions became a breeding ground for disease and ill-health.   

• Sadly, Thomas's younger brother Michael died as an infant when Thomas was 5 years old.

• The 1881 England Census shows that Thomas was working as a 'screener' at a colliery when he was only 13 years old.  While Thomas was working above ground (a whole lot better than being down the mine), the work was laborious and the days were long.  

Definition of 'screener':  watches that coal passes over screens and dust or small coal is properly sifted through; may also pick dirt from conveying belt as coal passes to screens.

• It was not uncommon at the time for children to start work when they were 7 or 8, sometimes younger!!  I suspect that Thomas had started work a few years before the census date.

Australia Passenger List - Queensland
Ship - Chyebassa

• Thomas emigrated to Australia at the age of 19, along with his father, mother and six of his siblings.  Two of his sisters (my great grandmother Margaret and her sister Helen Ann) had already emigrated and were living in Charters Towers.

• After arriving in Townsville in September of 1887, Thomas and the other members of his family travelled to Charters Towers to meet up with his sisters.

Australian Electoral Roll 1903

• The 1903 Census shows Thomas living on Bridge Street in Charters Towers, with his father, mother and Thomas's occupation was listed as 'miner'.  He was 35 years old at this time.

• Thomas remained living on Bridge Street until he became ill later in life.

• Thomas worked as a miner in Charters Towers until he became quite ill in his late 50s.

• Thomas never married, but was very close to his family throughout his lifetime.

• Thomas's three youngest brothers, Patrick, James and Matthew, all went off to serve in WW1.  Tragically, his brother Patrick was killed in action in 1917.  Brothers James and Matthew did return home.

• Sadly, Thomas also experienced the loss of both parents and another brother before the end of 1919.

• His father Michael died in 1917, the same year as his brother Patrick was killed in action.  Thomas's brother Michael died in 1918.  Thomas's mother Susan died in 1919.

• When the war finally ceased, things had changed quite dramatically for Thomas.  His three sisters and his brother James had all married and moved away from home.  His brother Matthew was the only sibling left in Charters Towers, and was living with Thomas at the family home on Bridge Street.

• Then, quite unexpectedly in mid-1922, Thomas's brother Matthew also passed away.  Thomas was now living on his own in Charters Towers.

• The 1925 Electoral Roll lists Thomas as still living on Bridge Street and his occupation was still 'miner'.  Thomas was 57 years old.

• Thomas became very ill with pulmonary tuberculosis in 1926.  He left Charters Towers to live with his older sister Margaret (my great grandmother) at her home on the family farm at Molongle Creek near Gumlu.

• On the 7th of February 1927 Thomas passed away at the age of 59.  He would have only just celebrated his 59th birthday a month before.  (Note:  his age is recorded incorrectly on his death notice and on his headstone.)

• Death notices for Thomas appeared in the Northern Miner (a Charters Towers newspaper) and the Townsville Daily Bulletin.

• He was returned home to be buried at the Monumental & Lawn Cemetery in Charters Towers, alongside his brother Matthew.  Unfortunately, both burial sites are now quite severely damaged and need repair.

• Thomas was survived by his three sisters and his brother James.

An interesting note:

• The brother still living when Thomas passed away - James - also suffered with pulmonary tuberculosis for a couple of years before he died, and this was listed as one of the causes of his death as well!