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Firstly, I have changed the way you can access the MP database for searching. Thanks to a new version of the website software with enhanced security, I am confident it is no longer necessary to require users log in to the database to use it and with no loss of security. However, if you have registered a username I recommend you continue to use it as more functionality is available to users who do login. If you don't have a username yet, I do recommend you register for one.

Secondly, is there anyone among you who would be interested in taking over the ownership of the Monaro Pioneers website?

The site has been in existence for 10 years now and little has changed from its original format. I really believe the site could use a revamp and a facelift but sadly I don't have the time nor the energy to undertake such a project. I am also keen to see the site continue and not be dependent on my existence to survive so if one or more of you are keen to become involved in the project and receive the baton please let me know.

This would not include the maintenance of the database in the short term as I would continue in that role while I try to find a permanent home for it. My discussions with the National Library have been fruitless so any suggestions you have would be appreciated.

The database now has over 386,000 individuals and thousands of images of people, documents, headstones, convict records and immigration passenger lists that can be searched and perused but the process of extracting the information can be quite laborious. The database expansion has more or less come to an end and only maintenance updates and new image additions continue but even those are rapidly declining as you can probably detect from the reduced Newsletter activity.

So perhaps it is time to make the entire database and all the images available to be downloaded and used on your own computer to make the extraction of information and images more efficient. The size of the download file would exceed 4gigabytes and would require the Genealogy Program "Legacy" to be installed to use it. "Legacy" standard edition can be downloaded from the following website for free … http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/. Once you have "Legacy" and the database installed, you could easily extract information to be added to family trees in other software programs via gedcom export and import. Personally, I consider "Legacy" to be the Rolls Royce of genealogy software available and now that Family Tree Maker is being discontinued more and more people will be making the switch. Apple users would need the Windows emulator until the Mac version is available.

Again I would be interested in hearing what you think about having your own personal copy of the MP database? Free of course!

My name is Brigitte Miller, my father in law is Alice Kate Balcombe Davis Moore grandson.

I've just re found your web page and see somebody has updated the records for William Balcombe and his family in 2015.

Grandmother Moore - as she was known to my father in law George, Alice Kate Davis while a housekeeper to a Edward George Kennell had a daughter ( George's mother) Gertrude May Balcombe known as Kennell. Gertrude died 1935 while pregnant with baby number 2 aged about 23. George was brought up living with different family members, until his Father remarried. I think from memory Alice ( Grandmother Moore) was one relative, he loved Alice and had a true affection for her.

before it was too late. It was a very interesting journey. I could never have done the research without George my Father in laws, verbal recollections.

I'd love to know more about Alice's family, she was one very incredible gutsy strong lady.

Our Granny Gertrude ( as I have affectionately called her ) has upset another family tree, so let's upset whoever else's tree in your family history group as well. I don't see Granny Gertrude listed as a child of Alice on your family history group tree.

It's 2am, my son is currently backpacking through Europe and is in Scotland, he has just ask me via a message - who in Pa's family is Scottish? So my mind started to think - I haven't done that research. But I found your web page.

Thank you for the information! You have enabled me to connect a few more loose ends in our database.

From: Susanne Stevenson
Sent: 4 April, 2016 5:37 PM
Subject: Re: Pioneer photos

I came across another photo in Walters Story which I found while googling on the internet. My ancestors are related through marriage.

I am sorry but I just don't know who the people are in that photo. When the photo was supplied, there was no caption to identify any of the individuals shown.

From: Susanne Stevenson
Sent: 4 April, 2016 4:31 PM
Subject: Pioneer photos

I was sorting through old family photos trying to figure out who certain people are.

You have a photo on the monaro pioneers website of the Pambula football team c. 1920's.

I have attached a photo of a relative, who is the same person in the front row, far left (as you look at the photo)

I cannot work out if it is John William Holden b. 1890's who is my great grandfather or if it is another relative in the Holden Family.

Unfortunately I don't know who the team members are in that photo so I cannot be much help to you. I would recommend to add your photo and request to our Facebook page as that could get you a response from someone far more knowledgeable than me.

From: Gwen Hubert
Sent: 4 April, 2016 1:45 PM
Subject: Johnson and Wellsmore

Thank you for the collection of documents for James Johnson. It is really wonderful to have all that done for you and to have such good copies of the Pardon etc and the enabling of copies from Monaro Pioneers. We are truly blessed to have such wonderful history there for us.

I would like to point out that the photo of Father Roche on the Wellsmore family site does not belong there but should be in the Bombala patch, I happened to have that photo from my mother’s collection and it got into the Wellsmore place and has been there ever since and it does not make any sense to be there because he was a priest at Bombala.

From: Peter Platts
Sent: 3 April, 2016 11:36 PM
Subject: re: Matthew Platts

re: Matthew Platts, son of George Platts and Emily Nicholson, George being the son of the Monaro Pioneer William Platts. I am one of Matthew and Sheilah Edmonds 6 children, 3 daughters and 3 sons.

Matthew born 29th December 1917, is certainly not dead with date unknown as indicated on the Monaro Pioneer Family site. Dad resides in the Bull Creek Air Force retirement Estate hospital in Perth, WA. The body is not great but the mind is still good as he heads towards his 99th birthday, still hoping to outlive his older brother Jack who passed away at the age of 99.

I have much material. The only other point of interest is re: Sarah Sellors who married George Platts and is the mother of William. I have a English Marriage Transcript that indicates her father's name is Thomas Sellors not Roger as the website indicates.

Thanks for your work in putting this together. I am recently retired and if you wish to contact me for any details please do so either by email or phone on 0424150017.

Thank you for letting us know, I will amend our records to reflect the correct information. If you can provide any further details or image copies of any documents or photos we would be most appreciative.

From: Kelly Preston
Sent: 3 April, 2016 1:51 PM
Subject: Monaro Pioneers Query

There has been a long term rumour in our family that we have an aboriginal descendent. It was rumoured to be Alma’s grandfather or great-grandmother. Is there any records that you are aware of that could help us confirm or deny this rumour?

I would also like to know what sort of information you need to add to the family tree? I would be happy to provide further information for the descendents of Alma and Charles.

All the information we have is available on our website. The BDM certificates may be helpful in identifying indigenous connections assuming the births etc were registered. The additional information we seek is names, dates and places for births, deaths and marriages (+ spouses). We also seek copies of certificates and photos where possible.

From: L Schuit
Sent: 1 April, 2016 11:58 AM
Subject: For I142461 John McGrath

A few more things to add to John McGrath I142461. A very hard family to research. As you are most probably aware, back in those days a lot of things got swept under the carpet.

Thank you Lea for the certificate images. Have you been able to find a record of John McGrath's birth? His parent's Patrick McGrath and Annie Maria ? don't seem to have any other offspring. Was Annie Maria from the local indigenous people perhaps?

From: Christine Maher
Sent: 31 March, 2016 10:22 AM
Subject: Book Launch - Captain Richard Brooks: from convict ship captain to pillar of early colonial Australia
Dear Ian

Grateful you circulate this to your networks. As you know Richard Brooks Jnr is generally considered to be the pioneer settler of the Monaro.

See attached invitation to the launch by Professor Peter Stanley of Richard Brooks: from convict ship captain to pillar of early colonial Australia by Christine Maher on 11 May at the National Library of Australia.

Bookings are available online via:

-Pauline Esme White born c 1916 Gunning and died 17 Nov 2009 Wellington She is interred in Wellington Cemetery

Bill was born 7 Sep 1908 Wellington and died 28 Jul 1982 Taree. He is also interred in Wellington Cemetery Pauline & Bill had 3 children One has passed away Robyn Margaret Baun born Jun 1943 Wellington and died 11 May 1991 Wellington

- LILLIAN MARY WHITE who was born 1906 Gunning died 30 Oct 1971 Goulburn married RAYMOND DENNIS MORGAN 15 June 1927 at Gundaroo

Raymond was born 1900 at Holbrook and died 29 Oct 1971 at Goulburn (Very sad..they died just 1 day apart) I have found only one female child and she may still be living.

St Josephs Church, Gundaroo was tastefully decorated with a arum lilies, carnations and ferns on June 15 , when the Rev. Father O'Connor, Yass, officiated at the marriage of Miss Lilian White (third daughter of Mr James White, of Manilla and formerly of Byalla) to Mr Ray D. Morgan (youngest son of Mrs Francis Morgan) of "Nelanglo." Gunning.

The bride was frocked in bois de rose,with hat to match and carried a posy of carnations and white hyacinths. She entered the church on the arm of her brother- in-law, Mr. Harold Clancy,who gave her away. Miss. C White, sister of the bride, was bridesmaid, who wore brick-repp with a hat ensuite and carried a posy of roses, carnations and fern.

Mr John Morgan was the best man and the Wedding March was played by Mrs J L. Sands. (Gunning). After the ceremony a reception was held at "Nelango, where the guest were received by Mrs Morgan, mother of the bride groom, and Mrs H Clancy, sister of the bride.

The happy couple left by car for the South Coast where the honeymoon was spent, the brides travelling dress being of wine repp with beige tagel hat. The presents received were numerous.

Mr Leslie James White, 65, who retired from his job as a security officer at the National Library this week, has been on guard duty for most of his life. Before he joined the library staff, helping to guard Cook's Journal and the library's other treasures, he was a prison officer, guarding prisoners at Goulburn and Cooma jails.

Description: Hi Ian..death notice for Francis, one of a few of George & Jessie's children below

DUCK, Francis. - May 31, 1947, at Canterbury Hospital and late of 22 Grafton Street, Goulburn, dearly loved husband of Kathleen Duck and loved father of Jan, aged 38 years.

DUCK, Francis. - May 31, 1947, at Canterbury Hospital and late of 22 Grafton Street, Goulburn, dearly beloved son of George and Jessie Duck and loved brother of Ernest, Winifred, Jessie, Evelyn and Alice, aged 38 years.

Kathleen/ Robin next married LESLIE JAMES WHITE (son of Ellen Drew & James White) in 1951 at Goulburn.

Kathleen/Robin passed away in Canberra 19 Feb 1978 As we know from MP site already, Leslie James White was born in 1910 and he passed away, also in Canberra, 10 Sep 1994. Both Robin & Leslie are interred in Woden Cemetery

Her first marriage (in 1900 at Goulburn ) to Walter Thomas Middlehurst ended in divorce in 1926. There was at least 3 children from that marriage.

1.Percival Walter Francis Middlehurst 1901-1975 2.Katherine /Kathleen aka Kit Middlehurst 1902- 1982 3.Renee Mildred Middlehurst 1904 -?

Ellen Margaret Drew ,first wife of James White, died in 1920, James married Margaret Matilda (nee Withers) Middlehurst in 1926 reg. Randwick

Margaret Matilda (Withers / Middlehurst) White passed away 28 May 1969 in Sydney.

From: ros hopwood
Sent: 22 March, 2016 6:49 PM
Subject: John HOCTOR and Bridget GORMAN

Hello, I have a print out from the Monaro Pioneers Project – Pioneers an Settlers Database for my grandfather’s brother John Hoctor.

I was grateful to see the information. However, I believe John Hoctor’s birth date from Durragh, Tipperary, Ireland is 28/1/1838. I think it is showing 1818. He, John and his brother Michael arrived ink Sydney on the vessel NORTHERN LIGHTS in 1856. John married Bridget Gorman at St. Marys Cathederal in 1860. Both their names were written as HECTOR on the passenger list, but my Great Grandfather Michael, continued to use HECTOR, whereas John reverted his surname back to correct HOCTOR.

We have a family gathering in Bathurst on 2nd April for the 9 living first cousins .

I will update our database. Do you happen to know which ship Bridget Gorman arrived on?

From: Helen Mckee
Sent: 22 March, 2016 1:59 PM
Subject: Information.

I am looking for the burial place of Duncan McDonald and his wife Margaret McPherson.

Duncan McDonald (aged 94) died on 16 Feb 1857 at “Mohawk Station” Nimmitabel. and his wife Margaret (McPherson) McDonald ( aged 90 yrs) died on 4th April 1865 at “Mohawk Station” Nimmitabel.

Duncan McDonald is buried in the Old Pioneer Cemetery in Nimmitabel. Until now we had not received any information regarding the death of his wife Margaret. Do you have a copy of the death certificate for Margaret? If she died at Mohawk Station then I would guess she was buried with her husband in Nimmitabel but I can find no record of her death or burial.

Name of run: Mohawk. Estimated area: four thousand acres. Estimated grazing capabilities: four hundred cattle, two thousand sheep. Bounded on the westerly side by the Native Dog Creek, which separates it from Dr. Robertson's run ; northerly by the Poor Man's Corner Creek, separating the run from McDonald and Thornton's runs ; easterly by Mickey Heroun's Creek, separating it from Bell's run ; south by McDonald’s Creek, separating it from McDonald’s run— all said four creeks empty themselves into the McLaughlin River, (which crosses this run from east to west) dividing it into two parts.

My husbands Aunt was married to Edwin Norman McDonald, son of Hertley James McDonald, son of Patrick McDonald, son of Archibald McDonald, son of Duncan McDonald who died at Mohawk Station.

His Aunt is 90 years old and I have been trying to do her husband Edwins tree. I have gotten a lot of them as they were early settlers of Nagambie in Victoria, but his 2nd great grandfather sort of stumped me with the Mohawk Station.

I have probably just broken all the rules of geneology by not getting a source as I have just checked all the trees that have Margaret dying on 4th April 1865 at Mohawk Station as the death index they all have is for a Margaret McPherson, not McDonald.

They also have 2 of Duncan’s children Peter McDonald – d- 10 Jan 1883 at Mohawk (reg at Bomala. Number 9367) and Ann Fraser McDonald – d – 16 July 1877 at Mohawk (reg Bombala – Number – 4109)

Thank you for the info, sorry if I have gotten hopes up for finding Margaret McDonald.

From: Wayne Venables
Sent: 2016-03-20 10:15 PM
Subject: Monaro Pioneers Newsletter

Good Evening,

Thank you for doing such a great job with the website, I really enjoy searching through it to find information about my ancestors.

Following discussion at the recent Adaminaby Friendship Day, I was able to ascertain the identity of John Sidney Venables (1929) who is buried in Old Adaminaby Cemetery, son of Albert “Raymond" Venables and Daisey Lavinia (Viney) Venables nee Crowe.

The Headstone for John Sidney Venables was erected by his father Ray Venables. John Sidney was born and died in Aug 1929 in Adaminaby. He is buried between his paternal great-grandfather Thomas Venables (1818-1911) and his paternal grandfather John Venables (1851-1937) who is he named after. His middle name comes from his maternal grandmother Agnes Annie Sidney Crowe nee Lovelock.

I hope this clarifies who John Sidney is and why he is buried in Old Adaminaby.

Kind Regards, Wayne Venables
Thank you Wayne,

Description: I have the marriage certificate for Henry Kelly and Eliza Jackson reg # 1753/1872 which shows the date of marriage as 24th April 1872 at Craigie, Bombala District.

Thank you for letting us know, would it be possible to obtain a copy of the Marriage Certificate to add to the marriage record for Henry and Eliza?

1920 in the Roman Catholic Church at Coolah NSW reg # 1920/009128, they had four children.

Description: Pls remove the initial "A." His nickname was "App" as he was always happy.

Mr Alfred Rayner (56), of Doon Doon, died in Tweed District Hospital early yesterday morning. He leaves a wife and eight children. Daughters are Sister Mary Pascal, of Lismore Convent, Mrs Gordon Stewart (Francis Josephine), of Townsville, and Mrs R. Nardi (Patricia Joan), of Nimbin. Sons are Messrs William James, of Murwillumbah, Pte Vincent Alfred, AIF, John Leonard, RAAF, and Cecil Joseph and Matthew Keith, of Doon Doon.

Mrs W. Lowe, of Townsville, and Mrs A. Miners, of Dalgety, are sisters, and Messrs William Charles and George Sidney Rayner, of Granville, are brothers.

Mr Rayner was born at Candelo, on the South Coast. He married Miss Mary Gilsenan at Murwillumbah and had resided on the Tweed for the past

32 years, where he followed the occupation of dairying. The funeral will leave the Church of the Sacred Heart, Murwillumbah, today at 11 a.m.

No on both counts, the individuals you have listed below are not connected. Honora's parents were Michael Hayes and Mary Hartneady, also Honora never married.

Description: Vera Grace Burton Born 15 Nov 1913 Parents Mother Ivy Priscilla Burton. Died Aug 1975 Interned 23 Aug 1975 at Altona Cemetery Altona Victoria Location A Rose Garden RG 22 RP 169A

Hi hoping you can help was wanting to purchase copy of book nimittybelle seventy years of memories thank you so much leanne

I think you should try contacting local bookshops and History societies who are located in the area.

From: Phil.Goodwin
Sent: 11 March, 2016 11:41 AM
Subject: Ward Goodwin Entry Last Newsletter

Jan Quinn wrote in last issue about Hazel Hope Goodwin still being alive and being a daughter of George Goodwin (son of Emma Ward and William Goodwin).

George Goodwin died in 1902 – Hazel Hope Goodwin born 1923. I think Jan missed a generation so your data base is probably correct.

Hazel Hope Goodwin was indeed the daughter of a George Goodwin -George Robert Goodwin, b1870 in Cooma, died 1941 Portland who married Ethel May Lawler 1908 in Bathurst. George Robert's parents were William Goodwin and Emma Ward.

Hazel Hope married Douglas James Mercer in Queensland …. she is listed in the 1980 Electoral Roll with two of her eight children.

From: Elizabeth Cameron
Sent: 11 March, 2016 12:37 PM
Subject: Re: Your genealogy user account has been activated.

I am a descendant of James Roberts - William Edward Roberts being my great grandfather and his daughter Evaline Jessie Roberts being my grandmother. Some of the information re the Roberts Family is not correct as printed through Monaro Pioneers and some I think is not correct. How do we go about discussing this. I am also interested in trying to establish the Cameron Family (closely alined with the James Robert Family) and long time people of the Monaro - how do I go about this? I should be most grateful of any assistance and suggestions you can give me.

Please send any correctional and/or additional information to me and I will gladly update the MP database.

From: Donald & Carolyn McCarthy
Sent: 10 March, 2016 4:26 PM
Subject: Children of Michael McCarthy and Mary Anne Ryan

Hi Ian- I note that no mention is made of my grandfather Reginald Reeves McCarthy born at Faithfulls Creek, 1879 , died 1959 at Goulburn. However he is mentioned in the Richard Moore information as marrying Elizabeth Margaret Moore with children Courtney and Horace (twins) and Robert. Horace. my father, whose wife Rose Emily Potts, my mother, was born 24/12/1915 and died 18 /01/2011. I note several of my grandfathers sibling were born at Faithfulls Creek. I have endeavoured to locate the place on Google without any joy. Is it near Cooma? Hoping i am not a pain with my enquiry.

I would assume that Faithful's Creek is near Cooma as the births were registered at Cooma. I don't where it is exactly nor whether it was a place name or a property name unfortunately.

From: Nicole Anderson
Sent: 10 March, 2016 9:19 AM
Subject: Monaro Pioneers - David & Annie Bell

I am a direct descendant of David & Annie Bell, their daughter Agnes Bell is my great grandmother's mother. and after researching the Monaro Pioneers I tried to contact George Davies. Do you have a recent email address for him or Bev Moore.

I am visiting Bombala on 29 March and would like to visit their headstones I believe are situated on the family grazing station of 'Spring Flat'' near Nimmitabel.The property I know belongs to another family now.

From: Bernard Wall
Sent: 7 March, 2016 1:48 PM
Subject: Alfred Wall

Albert James Wall is a relative and I would very much like to make contact with his family. Are you able to supply contact details for the contributor, Susan, in your newsletter. Keep up the good work.

Description: Albert died 23-7-1952 @ Kiama from a heart attack (South Coast Times 28-7-1952, page 5), funeral/ death notices(SMH 24-7-1952, page 16)

He married Olive Georgina KEON 28-12-1930 (Kiama Independent 3-1-1931, page 2)BDM (2583/1931)

Alberts obituary states 4 children, 2 girls, Marie & Joan, and 2 sons, Bruce & Brian.

From: joan.stanley
Sent: 6 March, 2016 5:13 PM
Subject: Main Family

I have spent some time on the website for Scotland’s People and have copies of some records that may be of use to you.

Also note that the census records for Isabella Hay lead me to alternate information that I feel is more correct than what is on your site. If you review for yourself the census records you will see that it references Tinwald as the place of birth for Isabella Hay.

1. I have now established that Isabella Hay was born in the village of Tinwald, Dumfries, south-west Scotland. This makes sense given that she was married in Dumfries. Your information states Liberton, Midlothian. This is incorrect. Midlothian is a reference to Edinburgh. I picked this information up from the census records for Isabella.

2. The parents of Isabella Hay Main were William Hay and Margaret Corrie. I wasn’t able to confirm the details of the marriage. I picked this information up from the death record of Isabella

3. William Hay born 24 Apr 1785 Troqueer, Kirkcudbright, Scotland son of John Hay and Hannah Turner. I found this on Scotland People and am basing this information on the place, as it connects into the Mein family who are also from that county village.

4. Robert Mein was born 1807 in Kirkcudbright baptism 02 Aug 1807 New Abbey, Kirkcudbright, Scotland. I picked this up from Ancestry. Your information says St. Cuthbert's Church, Edinburgh, Midlothian. This is incorrect.

5. Roberts parents were John Mein and Jean Black. . I picked this up from Ancestry from the birth details of Robert.

The Address on the 1841 Census is Crassnyloff, which was a small village, outside of Cathcart, which was in the county of Renfrew. The village today is an outer suburb of Glasgow.

I also found on Ancestry a certificate for David Main as Second Mate issued in 1855 at Port: Greenock and a first mate certificate issued in 1856 at Port: Greenock

From: joan.stanley
Sent: 6 March, 2016 4:10 PM
Subject: Understanding Cooma

Are you able to help me understand a location. My great grandfather George Beverley Stanley is in the Grevilles 1872 Post Office Directory at Lilly Vale, Nimitybelle.

Was that location a small village or hamlet? Or was it the name of a working property. Occupation was splitter, so I am guessing either forestry or mining. Appreciate your advice.

My guess, ( I don't know for certain) is "Lilly Vale" was a property name.

This email will be included in our next newsletter so perhaps one of our readers will be able to give you a clearer answer.

You might also consider adding your question to our facebook page to see what response you get.

From: Bea Yelds
Sent: 6 March, 2016 4:08 PM
Subject: Rootsey and my email

Dad told me that the Rootsey's changed their name, as I was young - because one of them was in trouble (police or prison).

I think that they changed it to Moody. Aunt Patience died in the hospital near Camperdown where I think that Uncle Les did?

I presume the email change is needed for the Newsletter distribution list?

From: Tony Ablong
Sent: 6 March, 2016 10:34 AM
Subject: The Ablong Genealogy

As one of the many that enjoy the information provided by Monaro Pioneers, I send you the following information about the Ablong family. The material has been gathered over past years and adds to the write-up some time ago about the Ah Kin family which I para-phrase and add more as shown below

My grand father John AB Long a storekeeper at the time in Nimmitabel married my grand mother Emma Ah Kin from Nimmitabel in 1878 when she was aged 13. Some years later they moved to Sydney to live where they had six children. ‘In 1902 John took Emma and the family to Hong Kong to live. Not long after John deserted the family and Emma was left to bring up the six children in a country which was virtually foreign to her. Emma died before 1915.’ (Monaro Pioneers (undated)

My research is submitted for consideration as some readers may find the material of some interest.

‘Only sparse information was found on John Ab Long’s early years was at the Beijing University Historical Research Unit and Library because most, if not all, official records were destroyed during China’s tumultuous years of revolution, counter-revolution, the first Sino-Japanese War and World War II. The information that was found at the Beijing University Historical Records Section showed that he and his siblings were born to the House of the Red Dragon[1] clan in Canton, Guangdong province, China in 1836. While there are no official records of his family’s earlier years, there were written transcripts held by the Beijing University Historical Research Team that describe the House of the Red Dragon clan as of the Nuzhen clan that roamed and feuded in Northeast China since the beginning of time.

There is no information about siblings and relatives but some information was eventually found that states that John’s father was a mandarin appointed by the Qing government in the Guangdon province where, it is assumed, that he met and married his mother, who was from one of the leading Han clan in the province. It is also assumed that this regal appointment could be attributed to his father’s family serving the Qing regime as consorts, officials and military ‘bannermen’^[2] in northern China since 1640.

Additional information provided by a researcher at the Beijing University Historical Research Team and a researcher from the Hong Kong University library suggest that following the uprisings in China against the Qing government from 1911 until the abdication of the last Qing Emperor in 1912, John’s father and many of the Qing supporters found themselves in an invidious position.

Around the 1840s, it can only be assumed that his family fled to the British colony of Hong Kong for protection against possible malice from those who bore grudges against the family. Many members of the clan had served as Qing military officers particularly in the final battles of the last imperial dynasty of China against Dr Sun Yat Sen’s followers and Mao Tse Tung’s Communist sympathisers.

The Ab Long family resided in the colony for some years before the family ‘imploded’ with the father taking his wife and daughters back to mainland China. No further information could be found of their destination and their future lives. However, the sons, who by now had families of their own, did not remain in the colony for long after the parent’s departure. Hong Kong Public Records Office show that members of the family departed for Canada, United States, the Philippines, Hawaii and Australia to seek new lives and possible fortune as gold had been discovered in these countries.

Australian Immigration Archives show that John Ab Long arrived in Adelaide, now the capital city of the state of South Australia, around the late 1840s when the population of the British colony of Australia, per se New South Wales, was about 150,000 men, women and children. While no public or official information was recorded about him after his arrival, it can only be assumed that he, like many of the pioneers at the time, travelled throughout the new land seeking work and a fortune.

It would appear that he, like many of the early settlers, eventually ended-up in south-east New South Wales, now known as the Eden-Monaro area. John would have then worked his way through to the Guardian Diggings where he is publicly recorded in the early census archives as being the owner of a store at Nimmitabel, New South Wales: a town close to Bombala where he married Emma Ah Kin (in 1878).

The First Generation

Not long after their marriage, John sold his business and took his family to Waterloo, a suburb of Sydney. While residing at Waterloo, not only was the family’s surname changed to Ablong but they had six children, namely:

• Alice Maud born on 22 January 1882 married a Mr Barnfather and later James Gibson, both Englishmen. Little is known of Barnfather but her marriage with James Gibson had four children Alice, Albert (died at birth), Nora and Leonard. The family were interned in the Stanley Civilian Prisoner of War camp during World War II. After the War she returned to Australia without her children who went to the United Kingdom to find a new life. The date and place of her death is not known;

• Arthur John born in 1884 and died in 1945. He married Mary Wong and had five children: John, Nora, Luch, Mary and Frank. No information could be found about the whereabouts of his wife and their future. It is rumoured that at War’s end, Nora and Lucy went to Canada and John, Mary and Frank went to Hawaii and the Philippines where they married and had families;

• Alfred Ernest, my father, was born on 7 September 1886. He married Mabel Agnes Elizabeth Cotton, my mother, in1915. He was killed in action on 19 December 1941 in Hong Kong during World War II. He left behind a wife with five boys and four girls.

For reasons unknown, it was not until 3 March 2016 that Mr David Royale of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission carefully considered the evidence and documentation of his act of bravery that was submitted and stated

“… I am pleased to confirm that The Commonwealth War Graves Commission will now be adding the details of your father, Alfred Ernest Ablong, to our Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour 1939-1945.

I will now pass his details onto our records department who will make the necessary arrangements for his name to be included on our online Casualty Database in due course. I will also request that a note be made to recognise his connection to the A.R.P. so that his important work is not forgotten; this would appear in the ‘additional information’ section on his casualty entry on our website.

His name will also be added, in due course, to the seven volume, bound Roll of Honour that is held within Westminster Abbey, London. This Roll of Honour is the permanent commemoration for Second World War civilian casualties…”

• Louisa Grace was born in 1890 and returned to Australia in the early 1950s. She, along with her brothers and sisters, was interned in the Stanley Civilian Prisoner of War camp. She never married and died in Lewisham Hospital on 21 March 1976 and is buried at Rookwood Cemetery, a suburb of Sydney;

• Percy Frederick born in 1892. He served with the British Army during World War I where he suffered severe injuries and gas inhalation. He was repatriated back to the colony and died on 19 April 1916. He never married; and

• Beatrice Rose born on 13 April 1894 married Arthur James Kew in Hong Kong on 21 January 1826. They had no children and were interned in the Stanley Civilian Prisoner of War Camp in Hong Kong. After suffering prolonged illness caused by her internment, Rose died on 28 September 1963 and Arthur died on 21 July 1965 in Hong Kong where both are buried at the Happy Valley Cemetery.

In 1902 John decided to take Emma and his family to Hong Kong where they lived, married, and prospered until the Japanese invasion and occupation. In late 1912, John was approached by a mandarin from Guandong province claiming close and loyal association to the Red Dragon clan and the Qing regime. The mandarin also claimed that he and his family were being pursued by the Chinese Nationalist because of their loyalty to the Qing government and that the lives of his family were in peril. It would appear that John acting out of honour and loyalty provided assistance because in 1913, two men claiming to be Alfred and Percy Ablong arrived in Sydney by ship from Hong Kong.

When accosted by Australian Immigration officials on their arrival, they were requested to show their place of birth. The two men accompanied by John presented NSW birth certificates, and claimed that they were returning to Australia as they had been taken to China as children where they had grown up and been educated. The two men were subjected to the Dictation Test which was applied to people entering the country as part of the Australian Immigration Act 1901. The two failed the test and were arrested as prohibited immigrants and sent back to Hong Kong.

John’s misguided act of friendship was soon known to the family and friends in Hong Kong causing him to become extremely morose and isolated. Emma and the children were extremely disappointed by his act of folly, and the family resentment could have contributed to his departure from the family and the colony. A search of British War Ministry records show that a John Ablong served in the British Army 61^st Division in World War I. He was killed along with 20,000 Allied soldiers in a wasteful battle that ended with a casualty toll of 57,470 men at the Battle of the Somme during July 1916. Time has made it impossible to determine whether this person was the same John Ablong, my grandfather.

An interesting commentary about this incident was discovered in a paper presented to the The 5th WCILCOS International Conference of Institutes and Libraries for Chinese Overseas Studies by Kate Bagnall (2012) that a year earlier (before the incident) my father, Alfred Ernest Ablong, then working as a clerk in the Royal Engineers in Hong Kong, wrote to the NSW Collector of Customs informing him that he believed that John, his father and my grandfather, had sold his and his brothers’ birth certificates. His letter also states that

‘It is of course, rather a harsh view to take of a parent, but I have heard rumours of parents selling the birth certificates of their children born in Australia of mixed parentage, that I can only think that this has been done with my own certificate.’

My father’s suspicions were obviously correct. Unbeknown to my mother and the other family members, my father had become aware of the arrangement between my grand father and the mandarin. While there could be future conjecture of the reasons for him deserting his wife and family, it is fact that he failed to return to his six children.

While my grandmother must have been badly affected by his shameful behaviour, she managed to ensure that the children were cared for, educated and had professional careers. Some did marry and had families of their own, one of which was mine.

She died from illness some time on 24 August 1913 at Ashley Road, Kowloon and was buried at the Happy Valley Cemetery in Hong Kong. It is now surmised that when John left the colony in 1913, he joined the British army soon after and fought with some distinction in France until killed.

In the mid-1960s, the last descendant of the Ablong clan in Hong Kong, Audrey Rodriguez, left with her husband, Vasco, and their family to reside in Australia.

The Second Generation

In 1915 Alfred Ernest Ablong, my father, married his second wife Mabel Agnes Elizabeth Cotton, my mother. His first wife Lilian Ellen died from a severe illness on 10 May 1914. It is rumoured that they had two young boys returned to Australia shortly after her death to be cared for by Lilian’s family identified in the shipping manifest as Mr and Mrs Ravenstock. The record also shows that the boys had the initials A.B. and A.E. Ablong. However, no information could be found to confirm the information, their Christian names, their whereabouts and their future.

My mother, Mabel Agnes Elizabeth 18 May 1898, was the youngest daughter of John Thomas Cotton and Ignicia Maria Pereira. While the dates of the birth and death of Ignicia are not known, the public records show that John and Ignicia had six children Sarah, Mabel, John (Junior), Joseph and Charlie.

John (Senior) was born on 21 April 1864 at Tipton in the county of Stafford, Yorkshire. British archives indicate that he was ‘related by marriage’ to the renowned author Edward Cotton who served as a cavalry Sergeant-Major in the 7^th British Hussars in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Cotton is recognised for writing the first-hand blow-by-blow forensic account of the Battle of Waterloo. It was declared by the British and French media of the day as ‘… refreshing for its candour, admitting enemy success and Allied error and command failure where each was due…’ At the time, this account was acclaimed by the public and the military itself as an antidote to the traditionally hagiographic official battle histories.

Prior to the time of the marriage of their daughter Mabel to Alfred Ernest Ablong on 27 November 1915, John was an Inspector Imperial Maritime Customs at Canton and later Inspector of Nuisance, Hong Kong Police Force until his death in the early 1930s when he was buried at the Happy Valley Cemetery in Hong Kong. During his early years, John Thomas served with the East India Company in Ceylon and then Malaya, a Regimental Sergeant in the Hong Kong Artillery and later the 14^th Regiment of Foot, Yorkshire Regiment that was part of the Hong Kong garrison.

The picture below is of the family of Alfred Ernest Ablong (Senior) and Mabel Agnes Elizabeth Ablong. While my parents were alive, they had the following children^[3]. A brief biography of each child is also provided.

• Alfred Ernest (Junior), also known as Bimbi, was born on 15 December 1916. He died around 1992 and was buried in Glendale Cemetery California. He married Millicent and moved to California, United States of America. They had two boys, Alfred Ernest and Anthony, who now have their own families and reside in California.

• Reginald Sydney, also known as George, was born on 7 February 1919. He was trained as a marine engineer prior to the War but had difficulties finding suitable work in the years following his repatriation. In the early 1950s he was offered a berth as Third Officer Engineering with the Matson Lines on the MV Pioneer Star which sailed from Hong Kong to San Francisco. He enjoyed his life at sea but had difficulties resettling into ‘normal life’.

In 1962, he relapsed and submitted himself to the Castle Peak Military Hospital where he was treated for severe war trauma now known as post-traumatic stress disorder. He spent the next few years trying to find suitable work but would relapse into severed depression that required him to spend time at the Hospital. On his last confinement, he suffered severe heart failure and did not recover. He was pronounced dead on 7 February 1969 and buried in the Veterans’ section of the Happy Valley Cemetery in Hong Kong.

• Patricia Daphne was born on 19 July 1920. She died on 24 February 2009 and her ashes scattered around a London Park. She married Cliff Allen who was a Major with the British Royal Army Service Corps that liberated the colony in 1945. A couple of years later, he returned to London to be demobilised and to return to his previous occupation at the London Metropolitan Police Force. Patricia started a career in education and taught at the London School of Economics. Before Cliff’s death on 6 January 1970, they had three children, Christine, Kathleen and Geoffrey who have families of their own. She served in the ARP in Hong Kong during WW2 and on surrender of the colony, she escaped to join the Chinese guerilla forces fighting against the Japenese until liberation. She sat at the War Crimes Tribunal.

• Constance Doreen was born on 11 July 1921. She died on 3 February 1992 and is buried at Rookwood Cemetery alongside mother. She married Marc Edmund Petit, a Frenchman born sometime in 1904 at Amiens, France. While serving in Indo-China with the Free French forces fighting against the Japanese, she developed a close friendship with him in his role as a shipping agent based in Saigon. When she returned to Hong Kong after that period they met again and renewed their relationship which continued when he was promoted to the position of General-Manager of the French shipping firm Messageries Maritimes, Asia Pacific. Constance also served in the ARP during WW2, escaped to mainland China when the colony surrendered and joined th Chinese guerrillas and later the Free French forces to fight the Japanese. She also sat at the War Crimes Tribunal as well.

Constance and Marc married sometime in the late 1950s where, after acquiring a number of properties, they finally established a home at Palm Beach, a suburb of Sydney, and had two children, Dominic Xavier^[4] and Michael Anthony.

Following her untimely death, her son Michael faced the challenges of life alone. To his credit he completed his secondary education at Ignatius (Riverview) College Sydney. He later acquired a Doctor of Philosophy from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. He now resides in Melbourne, Victoria with his wife Ursula and their two children, Dominic Xavier and Remi Marc.

• Mabel Audrey was born on 17 July 1925. While the family were taking refuge in Macau, she married Antonio Mario de Mello Leitao, heir to the gambling casinos in the Portuguese colony, on 9 December 1945. Before his death from illness, they had three children, Carolina Maria Teresa, Patricia Joy and Mario Anthony. He is buried in the Portuguese Cemetery in Macau.

On 23 June 1954 she married Vasco Fernandes Rodrigues who was born on 6 September 1930. They have four children, Ernest Fernando, Olga Adriana, Ida Teneia and Virgil Vasco. At the time of this narrative, the four children have children of their own.

• Dennis Basil was born on 15 July 1927. He had an adventurous life travelling to many countries before finally settling in Australia. He first married Patricia Cato who had two children whose Christian names are not known. No information could be found on the whereabouts and future of Patricia and her children. The marriage failed and he later married Angela Braga. No children were born in the two marriages.

Some years before his death, Dennis developed an aneurysm in his brain. He underwent three major operations to remove and clear the aneurysms but they proved unsuccessful. He died in his home from a ruptured heart on 16 October 2007 and is buried in a cemetery at Woronora near Rockdale, a suburb of Sydney.

• John Kenneth also known as Jack was born on 29 September 1931. After some years working in industry as a welder and fitter, he joined the Royal Australian Air Force to carve out a rewarding career. It was during this period that he married Delmar Ritson and had two children, Maxine and Monique. The family now reside in Brisbane and the children are now married and have children of their own.

• Marie Therese was born on 18 September 1933. She married John Norman Flint on 13 November 1966 and had 2 children Nicole and Lissette. The children are now married and have children of their own.

In the mid-1970s, John left for New Zealand seeking work and failed to return. No information is known of his whereabouts and future. On her divorce, she married Thomas Colin Brennan sometime in the 1980s. Thomas died on 27 August 1987 and is buried at Rookwood Cemetery, a suburb of Sydney.

• Anthony Patrick was born on 1 February 1937. From the day of my birth to the time of the Japanese invasion, my family and I lived a life of blissful happiness enjoying the love and support of an extended family of relatives and friends. The family enjoyed a degree of wealth and social standing in the colony’s community as the Ablong family had a respectful ancestral history of service that dated back to the earliest days of the colony’s life. I was the first to be repatriated back to Australia when I was educated at Xavier College Melbourne, graduated from the RAAF Academy Point Cook and served in the ADF for over 33 years. In so doing achieved a PhD and became a researcher and historian.

In terms of material possessions, relatives and friends considered our family ‘as Gwulos and well off’ based on the fact that we owned our 3-storey home, employed amahs, possessed one of the first Vauxhall motor cars in the colony, and a weekend bungalow at Clear Water Bay where the family spent many happy and joyous trouble-free days on the beach swimming, fishing and merry-making.

Each family member received a sound religious education at the Maryknoll Catholic Convent for girls and the Catholic Brothers La Salle College for boys. The future for the Ablong clan looked safe, promising and bright. The Japanese invasion on 8 December 1941 and the subsequent events that followed changed our safe and comfortable lives.

There are over fifty grand children and they are spread all over the globe. Four of the family with their grand children residing in Canberra, South Nowra, Brisbane, Townsville and Perth.’

[1]‘Long’ is the Chinese word for dragon. The dragon was the symbol of the Emperors of China. In the Zhou Dynasty, the 5-clawed dragon was assigned to the Son of Heaven, the 4-clawed dragon to the nobles, and the 3-clawed dragon to the ministers. In the Qin Dynasty, the 5-clawed foot dragon was assigned to represent the Emperor while the 4-clawed and 3-clawed dragons were assigned to the commoners. The dragon in the Qing Dynasty appeared on national flag until 1928. The Long professional military men were known to enter battle under a ‘red banner’.

[2] Bannermen were the professional military class that served the Qing dynasty.

[3] In addition to the children listed, two other children were born to my parents, Mabel and Alfred namely, Cecil and Joan May. Both died at birth and were buried at the Happy Valley Cemetery in Hong Kong.

[4] Dominic Xavier died at birth.

From: Paul Fergus
Sent: 6 March, 2016 10:14 AM
Subject: George Eccleston: Person ID I66793

Here are a couple of interesting reports on page 3 of the Monaro Mercury of Wednesday, 24 May 1882 relating to the death of George Eccleston that you might like to add to the information about him. Until I discovered these reports, I knew nothing of the circumstances of his death. I assumed it was only old age. The circumstances were not discussed within my family although my grandmother, Amelia Mary Eccleston (Family ID I50430), was almost 10 years old on the day her grandfather died and must have known of the incident; she may even have seen him die.

I have been unable to establish the year in which the report of the Eccleston reunion at Cooma was published or the source. An Eccleston descendant recently posted it on Facebook but has been unable to source or date it. I cannot locate it on Trove and have not been able to search for a hard copy in newspapers.

I have no recollection of such a reunion being discussed within my family although it may have been. I wonder whether other Monaro Pioneers might be able to source and date the report. If so, I should be pleased for them to contact me.

You will note that one of the family must have informed the reporter of a fraternal relationship between George Eccleston and John Eccleston (Family ID F9799) some of whose family settled near Delegate. I know you and other researchers have concluded they were not brothers. But this was a strongly held belief among at least some Ecclestons and it was passed down to me by my parents, John William Edward Fergus and Eileen Darmody who were probably told by Amelia Mary Eccleston. I know my father was close friends with descendants of John Eccleston and I always thought this was partly because they knew of a family relationship. However, it may have been simply that they grew up together on the Monaro at the beginning of the 20^th century and became friends.

From: Debbie Burgess
Sent: 6 March, 2016 8:49 AM
Subject: Grady/Carney/Morris

This family is from the Adelong area William Grady & Jane Carney are my Great Great Great Grandparents, Sarah & James Morris’s daughter Rose married Henry George Pearce they are my Great Grandparents. The poem by David Campbell HARRY PEARCE is about Henry George.

I am willing to give Carol a hand with whatever she is searching for as I have been working on putting the family together. Have a book printed on the Pearce Family. Have got the older family typed in book form but need to add the newer generation, photo’s, obits and any other interesting facts about the family.

We have very little information on James Morris and Sarah Grady, perhaps you could fill in the blanks for us?

I was delighted to read in the Monaro Pioneers newsletter the most interesting emails you’ve been receiving of late. I decided to check if there were any updates to my ancestor, John Love, and actually read slowly enough to absorb what’s been there for quite a while. The following was what I wrote to you, and am hoping that I’m not upsetting anyone with “my version of history”:

“In 1794 John was granted 30 acres of land at the Ponds, which was directly across the river from "Camden Park" owned by John MacArthur.”

I think Albert Einstein would be proud of you. He had lots of theories about ‘time’ etc, but not sure whether he managed to condense time as successfully as sentence quoted above.

John Love’s first land grant – 30 acres - was at The Ponds, now in the suburb of Sydney called Dundas Valley, and more correctly in the LGA of Parramatta. Parramatta Council erected a series of historical and botanical signposts telling the story of the original inhabitants and the original flora. On one of those signposts they also reproduced a map of the original Land Grants with an overlay of the present subdivision of streets and landmarks. John Love’s name is among those names of original land grants.

His possibly last (or last-known) land grant was at what is now Narellan on the opposite side of the river from Macarthur’s Camden Park. Per Monaro Pioneers: In 1812 John Love was granted 45 Acres at Upper Minto on the Nepean River, this adjoined the farm of his son-in-law John Hoare, an emancipated convict who had married his daughter Elizabeth in 1809.

Last time I checked that piece of land was a rubbish tip. This holding is referenced per Monaro Pioneers:

Have been reading through the excellent pioneer site re John Love and would be grateful if you could please add a link to my book Murder. Mayhem & Misdemeanours : Early settlers at the Cowpasture River 1810 -1830; as this contains biographies and stories of the Love, Hoare and Seymour families, and should be of interest to many of the descendants. As the book was first published in 2002, it is probably the source of some of the research on your site. As a descendant of Mary Higgins and Thomas Seymour from their son George, I share common ancestors with many of the Love, Hoare and Seymour families.

In between he had the Field of Mars, 90 acres which now encompasses the whole of what we can see as Eastwood shopping precinct, including St Kevin’s Catholic Church and St Kevin’s Catholic Primary School and Marist College Eastwood, and Eastwood Park. Per Monaro Pioneers: “In 1795 he was given a further 90 acres at the Field of Mars. Which he later leased to Captain William Kent, the nephew of Governor Hunter. I always believed he sold the land possibly after he leased it.

(Part of 90 acres or adjoining the 90 acres): That part of the land bounded by what is now Marsden Road, Terry Road and Lawson Road, which subsequently boasted a beautiful home “Brush Farm House” and which was let become derelict, was used as a training facility for train prison guards in modern times up until early 21^st Century. Heritage interests restored the house in the early part of the 21^st Century.

and in 1805 he purchased a further 50 acres of land at Seymour Redbank. I’ve never set about trying to find “Seymour Redbank”, but I might have a precursory check on Google and see what comes up. I’ll let you know if I should have any luck.

Maybe “Not for Publication” - Whilst I’m on a real estate ramble, there is now a suburb called “The Ponds” on the outskirts of wider Sydney. However it is not geographically in the vicinity of the original “The Ponds”. However it is named for a convict who was included in the original Land Grants with my John Love, one Anthony Rope, who later went out towards Windsor and did well for himself. There’s a whole website devoted to that family’s story - http://www.ropepulley.org/ - but not specifically related to The Monaro Pioneers – with the only the connection, the name, “The Ponds”. These original land grants also represents where the connection with Curtis Brand happens. His name is also on the land grants list, and there’s still a Brand Street out there. The Rope/Pulley family produced the first birth of a European conceived on Australian soil.

Many thanks for all the work and fascinating facts you and David give us each month.

The passages you reference are direct transcriptions from C. J. Smee's work and as such I cannot rewrite his prose. However, I can add your comments after that material to enhance the readers understanding.

I also made the mistake as did others of thinking that this Richard married Bridget Rudden. I sent for a transcript of his death cerificate

- 26 Jul 1934 which stated his birth at Buckley's Crossing and father Richard Barnes. He was unmarried and died in Kenmore Hospital.

I have corrected this error in my family history program and hope you will correct it in the Monaro Pioneers site.

Can't believe it! Have slogged away from New Zealand for several years, trying not to spend a fortune on researchers on Thomas Stores/Ellen Stores. Complicated by fact Ellen was illegitimate and then her mother married a year later taking child with her, but as she was not of both parents' blood, she was not included on Stores family trees.

Very clever Sue Thomson from SAG found the connection a few weeks ago and confirmed Ellen's birth mother, which opened the doors to the Gelling family of Tumut. Phyllis Downing of Tumut society has been a great help since then. Came across the Monaro site, joined a few days ago. Got newsletter today and went deeper into website and !@#$%^&* - there are all my b..........y ancestors.

Still, it has been fun, if perverse and head-banging at times. Now dealing with the avalanche of info available and checking it against what I have.

All you hard work won't be in vane if you are able to add to or correct what we already have.

Veronica May Gilmore (Gleeson 1241233)was my mother and she passed away on:19th August 2000 in Temora.

From: Janet Pritchard
Sent: 5 March, 2016 12:19 PM
Subject: Family History

Good Afternoon Ian,

I hope this finds you well and thanks for the news of the Pioneers. I am connected to the family of Daniel Tindall 1764 and wife not sure about this one is it a Amelia Jane Jane, or Jane Doyle or Jane Davis marriage 28/11/1792 Croydon St. John to Daniel ? I am on Ancestry at the moment trying to find the right one, I found a lot of the Jane ancestors in Surrey and Jane Davis marriage to Daniel Tindall but (no marriage or baptism of Jane Doyle or Amelia Jane. This is proving a headache for me with bad cataracts any advice or added records of them, would love to complete this family so many on Ancestry are wrong with their inputs from researches. I hope you have a good weekend.

Regards, Janet Pritchard :-)

The only information we have is contained within our database which can searched via our website.

I am a member of your site but can't work out how to contact someone who put a message there:

From: kotuku media
Sent: 26 February, 2016 1:49 PM
Subject: Gelling Tumut

Hi Ian: a recent discovery is my connection to Thomas Gelling, an early settler in Tumut. He and his family arrived in Victoria in 1853 off the Fortune and ended up in Tumut, where his son became my g-g-grandfather after having a child with Catherine Conley/Connelly who apparently is also Tumut-born.

I'm not clear from the Monaro website how I contact others interested in Gelling. Could you please explain.

From: Penne
Sent: 5 March, 2016 9:47 AM
Subject: Pioneers data Base.

Thks to David as always for the newsletter, if you see fit plse add this to the photo page (there are other pages, but one will be enough for reference)

James Martin twin son of convict and Ann Wilson. Oral history says Ann came ashore with a twin under each arm which indicates a newish baby as in each arm would be an older baby,assumption is they were born onboard.

James Taylor as indicated on your online tree was not his birth father, as confirmed by this snip.

Description: On the 23rd instant, at his residence, Mummel, after long and painful illness, which he bore with Christian patience James McCabe, aged 48 years, deeply regretted by all who know him. He has left a widow, nine children, and a large circle of friends to deplore their loss.

On Wednesday afternoon last at the Sacred Heart Church, Mummell, Miss Mary Ellen McAleer, second daughter of the late Mr. Jas McAleer of Pomeroy was married to Mr. Lawrence John McCabe, fifth son of the late Mr. Jas McCabe of Mummell. Rev. Father O'Sullivan officiated. The bride, who was given away by her brother-in-law, Mr. J. J. O'Brien of Goulburn, wore a white silk dress with wreath and veil and orange blossoms, She was accompanied by her three sisters, Tessy, Agnes and Nellie, who were dressed in cream voile, with hats to match. The bride and bridesmaids each received a gold brooch from the bridegroom. Mr. T. McAleer, brother of the bride, was bestman, After the ceremony the bridal party adjourned to the residence of the bride's mother, Sunnyside, Pomeroy, where the wedding breakfast was held. Father O'Sullivan presided, and in a happy speech proposed the health of the bride and bridegroom. After the breakfast Mr. and Mrs. McCabe left for their home at Mummel, The bride received a number of valuable and useful presents, amoungst which was a handsome oak biscuit barrel, presented by the children of the Pomeroy public school, of which she had been mistress for a number of years. "Goulburn Herald." It will be remembered by many of our readers that Miss McAleer was the teacher at Williamwood, Spring Creek, public school, for five years.

John of God Hospital of Mrs. Mary Ellen McCabe, one of Pomeroy's oldest residents. Daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. James McAleer. of Mummell, she was a teacher for 16 years before her marriage to the late Lawrence McCabe, of Mummell. Mrs. McCabe is survived by one daughter, Gertrude, and two sons-Thomas and James-all of Pomeroy. Mr. Thomas McAleer, of Goulburn, is a brother. Mass for the repose of her soul was celebrated in SS. Peter and Paul's Cathedral by the Rev. Fr. Butz. Interment took place in the Mummell cemetery, with the Rev. Fathers Dowel and Butz officiating at the grave side.