The Story of Edward Joseph McCane / Memories ... July 12

 This is the story of my maternal Grand Uncle, Edward Joseph McCane  (1907 - 1983).

Our common ancestors are:  Owen McCane and Margaret Farrell

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

Anniversary of a Birthday

(For my 'Family Anniversaries' page) 

• Edward Joseph McCane was born on the 12th of July 1907 at the family home of his parents Owen McCane (Muckian) and Margaret Farrell.  The family lived in a cottage at the Pumping Station, outside Charters Towers in Queensland.

• Edward was the youngest of seven children born to Owen (an immigrant from Northern Ireland) and Margaret (an immigrant from England).  Throughout his lifetime he was affectionately known as 'Eddie' rather than Edward.

• At the time of Edward's birth his siblings included:

          - Susan Mary, aged 14.

          - Sarah Mary Josephine, aged 12.

          - Thomas Owen (known as Tom), aged 8.

          - John Michael (known as Jack), aged 6.

          - James Patrick (known as Jim), aged 3.

• Tragically, the first-born son of Owen and Margaret, Edward William, had died in a swimming accident just two years before the birth of Edward Joseph.

• The loss of their first-born son, Edward William, would have had a devastating impact on Owen and Margaret.  It appears that they then named Edward Joseph in honour of their lost son.

Photo of Margaret McCane nee Farrell with her 4 surviving sons
Back row:  Thomas Owen and John Michael McCane
Front row:  James Patrick and Edward Joseph McCane

• The photo above was taken sometime after the death of Edward William, likely around 1911-1912, and shows Margaret McCane nee Farrell with her surviving sons.  Edward Joseph is the youngest boy, sitting beside his mother, and would probably be around the age of 4. 

The list of enrolments at the Molongle Creek Provisional School in 1914.
Source:  The publication "Gumlu State School:  100 Years"

• At the start of 1914, aged 7, Edward Joseph and his older brothers were all enrolled at the Molongle Creek Provisional School (named Gumlu State School a year later), near Gumlu, Queensland.  The teacher would have been their older sister Susan McCane as she had become the school teacher in January of 1914.  Edward continued his education under Susan's guidance until he finished compulsory education at the age of 14, in 1921.

• Edward's family had moved from Charters Towers the year before.   His father had bought land and established a farm on the south side of Molongle Creek, near Gumlu, moving over 200 kilometres to the east (around 130 miles), closer to the coastline.

• Edward Joseph was to spend the remaining years of his childhood and his very early twenties, living and working on the family farm.

• The photo above, taken c1921, shows Edward Joseph, the young boy in the middle of the photo, standing in amongst the cane field on his family farm.  Edward would be around 14 years old.  He is with his oldest brother John Michael (far left), his brother-in-law Frank Bidgood (in the middle of the photo), and his father Owen (far left), who is holding Edward's cousin, the son of Frank Bidgood. 

McCane Family June 1921
Back row L-R: James Patrick (Jim), Thomas Owen (Tom), John Michael (Jack), Edward Joseph (Eddie) McCane. Front row L-R: Sarah Mary Josephine, father Owen McCane, mother Margaret McCane nee Farrell and Susan McCane.

• This photo, also taken in 1921, shows Edward's family posing for a family photo on the day of his sister Sarah's wedding.  Edward Joseph, standing at the back far right, would turn 14 the following month.

• In 1930, when Edward was aged 22, his father Owen McCane (Muckian) passed away.  Edward's mother Margaret took over the running of the family farm, ably assisted by Edward's brothers John Michael (Jack) and James Patrick (Jim). 

• By this time, both of Edward's sisters had married and moved out of the family home and his eldest brother Thomas Owen (Tom) was the teacher at Gumlu State School.  Edward's eldest sister Susan had married Frank Bidgood and his second-eldest sister Sarah had married James O'Donnell.  Both sisters were still living in the Gumlu area at the time of their father's death, but were living on the farms of their husbands.

• In 1933 Edward Joseph married a descendant of prominent Bowen pioneers.  Alice Maud Wilson was the daughter of Richard Hugh Wilson and Maud Sophia Nash Emmerson, the granddaughter of Joseph Emmerson and Amelia Hollis Sinclair, and the great granddaughter of Captain Henry Daniel Thomas Sinclair (referred to as 'The Father of Bowen') and Sophia Jane Paton.  Her family had deep roots in the region.

Alice Maud Wilson  c. 1930

Captain Henry Daniel Thomas Sinclair (Alice's great grandfather) was known as the founder of Bowen, having discovered Port Denison.  Captain Henry's wife, Sophia (Alice's great grandmother) was the first white woman to step onto the shores of Port Denison.  Their eldest daughter Amelia was present with her parents when the settlement at Port Denison was named Bowen.  

Amelia (Alice's grandmother) had married Joseph Emmerson, the eldest son of Daniel R. Emerson who had taken up the first leases of land in the Bowen area with his sons. Joseph Emmerson (Alice's grandfather) worked the cattle property 'Pretty Bend' at Bowen before moving with his wife Amelia to establish one of the first cattle properties in the Proserpine area, 'Amelia Vale Station'.

I've written about my family's connection to the 'Father of Bowen' previously and anyone interested in finding out more can follow this link:  Spotlight on ... My Family Connection To The "Father of Bowen".

• Edward Joseph and his well-connected wife Alice Maud were married at St. Mary's Church in Bowen, according to the rites of the Roman Catholic Church, on the 8th of March 1933.

• At the time, Edward Joseph was working as a railway employee and was living at Binbee, on the railway line to Collinsville.  The married couple lived there for about three years until Edward Joseph was transferred to Bowen.

• The Australian Electoral Roll record from 1936 shows where some of the McCane clan were living, including Edward Joseph and his wife Alice.  Whilst Edward's mother Margaret was still living on the family farm at Molongle Creek, along with Edward's brothers John Michael and James Patrick, their wives Agnes and Marie, and brother Thomas; Edward Joseph and his wife Alice Maud were living on Thomas Street in Bowen.

• The occupation listed for Edward Joseph - "cleaner" - does not refer to someone who cleans houses or business premises for a living.  It refers to a position in the Queensland Railways.  A "cleaner" was the first rung on the ladder to becoming an engine driver.

• By this time, 1936, two children had been born to Edward and Alice - daughter Aileen Merle McCane, born in 1933, and son Mervyne Edward McCane, born in 1934.  The family lived on Thomas Street in Bowen until both children left home, and then Edward and Alice continued living in that same house until their latter years.

• Edward's name was to appear in the local newspaper, named The Bowen Independent, quite frequently from the late 1920s to the early 1950s, giving an insight into his interests and favourite pursuits, as well reflecting his active involvement in the community.

• An article from 1927 shows that Edward was an ocean-going soul from an early age, even though his family roots were very firmly planted in the land.  The article titled "Splashes of Spray" talks about a sailing competition and mentions a boat owner's efforts to repair his craft 'Valeta' with assistance from a Dave McKinnon and Eddie McKane (should have been spelt McCane)!

• Eddie would have been 18 years old at the time and helping his mate get his sail boat ready for  future competitions.  It seems likely Eddie would have spent time sailing with his mates as well.  

          Later newspaper articles however, clearly show that sailing was not going to be his all-

          consuming passion.  Another ocean-going past time was to become his great love.

• Newspaper articles from 1936, 1948, 1949, 1953, and 1954 tell of his prowess as a fisherman, although in the beginning his surname was spelt with a 'k' instead of a 'c' after the 'Mc' and he was often referred to as "Woop", which was apparently his nickname.

1936

1937

1940

1948

1949

1953

1954

• It also seems that Edward Joseph (known as Eddie or Woop), already a local fishing legend, became infamous for some other risky pursuits.  Newspaper reports about his crocodile hunting, black swan saving, shark catching, Portugese Man-o-War wrangling and whale chasing antics made entertaining reading for the locals and Eddie was celebrated for his adventurous exploits, as well as his fishing skills. 

1936

1937

1940

1945

1946

1949

I do feel rather sorry for those poor whales!!!!

Edward Joseph McCane 

• Edward appears to have been a rather talented swimmer as well.  He competed in various swimming events and was well-known for his achievements in the local swimming community. 

• An article in a 1940 edition of The Bowen Independent lists him as the Secretary of the Bowen Railway Swimming Club and the Captain of the swimming team.

• When the new municipal Olympic-sized swimming pool opened earlier that same year, Edward competed in the Cork Grabbing Competition which was part of the pool opening carnival.  Of course, he won the competition!

• When competing in the Impromptu Swimming Carnival held between the Mackay Swimming Club and the Bowen Swimming Club at the new swimming pool the following year,  Edward Joseph came second in the 50 metre handicap.  He would have been 34 years old.

• For the "Monster Swimming Carnival" happening in late 1943, apparently the whole town of Bowen nominated Edward for the breast-stroke event according to a report in The Bowen Independent!!!  That statement does seem a little over-the-top, but then I wasn't there!  

• Sadly, Edward's mother Margaret passed away in 1955 when Edward was 48 years old.

Mervyne Edward McCane

• Then tragedy struck in March of 1956, when Edward lost his only son Mervyne. 

   

                                                                                

• Newspaper reports at the time mentioned the shocking death of an electrician who had died while repairing fallen lines after Cyclone Agnes had hit the Queensland coast near Townsville.  The cyclone had ripped a path of destruction along a 500-mile stretch of coast from Cairns to Mackay and whilst Townsville had received the brunt of the cyclone's fury, Bowen experienced a lot of damage.

• Edward's son Mervyne was in fact aged 21, not 20 as newspapers reported at the time.

• Despite these losses, Edward Joseph continued to live a full life until his passing in December of 1983, at the age of 76.  He was buried at the Bowen General Cemetery.  

• Edward was survived by his wife Alice and daughter Aileen.

• His daughter Aileen Merle McCane (known as Merle) married Hector Burnett Joachheim (known as Darcy).  In 1963 they purchased a bakery from Hector's uncle and established the iconic Joachheim's Pies in Bowen.  It was (in Bowenite eyes anyway) the world-renowned home of the world's best meat pies and sausage rolls.  The bakery became a beloved institution in Bowen, adding to Edward Joseph's family's legacy in the community.

My childhood memories are filled with the smell and taste of freshly baked bread, picked up from Joachheim's after church on a Sunday, and the undisputed best-ever pies and sausage rolls taken home as treats on the school holidays!  It was all so much more meaningful to me because it was lovingly made by family!