Hi Norm,
Ah-ha - The Kirk family. Although I grew up and lived in Chch until 1977 (haven't been back to NZ since), I can remember meeting some Kirk sisters at the Donaldson's once but I am afraid that is all. It was only when I started out on the family tree exercise about three years ago that I discovered the extent of Lawrence's siblings. Anyway, I'm a Laurenson, my father being Gil, (James Gilbert). So I now have a new cousin!
Anyway I now live in Yorkshire, England, and first met Roger Manning a couple of years ago - a relative that up until then I knew nothing about. Between us we have managed to piece together quite a bit, and Roger has recently got some old photos from Killimor which he is going to send on to me. The Killimor locals are amazingly friendly and helpful - lovely people. Of course you keep encountering the same family names, Keary, Lyons and Mannion, still living in the area.
My whole genealogy quest has uncovered interesting stories right through the various branches of both my mother's and father's families. I am currently trying to trace records of a ggg'father, one Duncan McFarlane who emigrated to Adelaide in 1840, and who, so the story goes, drowned either at the goldfields, or going to them about 1854.
Initially my interest has been to trace where various ancestors came from and maybe understand the pressures/reasons that they emigrated - probably very easy for those of Scottish & Irish origins.
I was interested in the male Mannions, father John, and son, we originally thought to be Gerald, though perhaps is Jeremiah. They emigrated to Oz on the Colonial Empire in 1872. It was only about last June that I started to uncover details of Jeremiah/Gerald.
I have no details of what happened to John. Mary Mannion's death certificate indicated that Gerald/Jeremiah was still alive at the time of her death, so I guess there may well have been some correspondence.. However, as in say the NZ goldfields, people died/disappeared without records
What records I have uncovered are :
Birth of Gerald Mannion, Sebastopol, parents Gerald and Ellen Murray.
Marriage: Gerald homas M to Flor Howell, 1917, location not known yet
Death of Gerald Thomas M, at Heid, 1959 aged 73. Years don't quite addup.
There is an article from Ballarat, recording Ellen M, 1st erald's wife, being fined for bad language, following Gerald being knocked out in a fight.
From memory Oz census records record the Geralds living in various locations around Melbourne. By coincidence vatious McFarlane ancestors were also in the same areas.
Presumably you have been in touch with Christine Basket (Donaldson) who did a lot of work before the benefit of the internet. She lives in Tauranga.
That is where I am up to at the moment., I go in fits and starts but was aiming to trace the Melbourne links to see if I could find out more of the male Mannion story. I think my brother Vaughan is due to visit Melbourne several times this year, and am going to ask him to trace what he can. I have found that things stagnate for a while, and then something sparks off another burst of activity
I hope this helps for now, you have probably uncovered the same.
Incidentally our elder daughter, Orla (22) is currently in Queenstown
I rang Roger Manning this morning to say you had been in touch. Roger and I have different styles, but up until now we appear to have complemented each other.
Cheers, and looking forward to hearing from you,
Steve
