Patrick HEFFERNAN

[majm]

A couple of months ago I sent an email to the Railway Department asking for information about employment records for that period of time and place for Patrick, and of course, I haven't heard anything back from them as yet.

NSWGR (As in Government Railways) records may well be with the NSWSR (State Records) so perhaps a general enquiry email to NSW SR asking if they hold employment records for NSW GR employees and if so, for what years, and how to access these.

http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/contact-us/contact-us   (usually takes three to four weeks for a reply)

Cheers,  JM

[dog_foster_carer]

A couple of months ago I sent an email to the Railway Department asking for information about employment records for that period of time and place for Patrick, and of course, I haven't heard anything back from them as yet.

NSWGR (As in Government Railways) records may well be with the NSWSR (State Records) so perhaps a general enquiry email to NSW SR asking if they hold employment records for NSW GR employees and if so, for what years, and how to access these.

http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/contact-us/contact-us   (usually takes three to four weeks for a reply)

Cheers,  JM

Would you believe it!  I have just received a reply from my enquiry to the Railways.  Unfortunately it doesn't make much sense to me and it seems that I would need to go in to their offices to view the records, or order records via their copy service (although I don't know how I'm supposed to know which records I would want seeing as how I can't see them) or alternatively hire a professional research agent all of which seems difficult and/or costly. 

Other than that, the suggestions they offered are all the things that I've been doing to search for him anyway such as NSW BDM, SRO Archives Investigator etc.

So, unfortunately I think I'll forgo this line of investigation. 

dfc

[majm]

Hi dfc,

Now, don't panic, I am not advocating you spend up on more NSW certs/transcriptions but ...

Have you considered following up on ALL HEFFERNAN on the NSW ER as eligible to vote at Trangie in Dec 1903?   

To save others going back of the thread
 
NSW ER 1903  ROBERTSON polling at Trangie   (eligible to vote : 21 and over, and British Subjects)

Ada HEFFERNAN, of Trangie, domestic duties
Michael HEFFERNAN of Trangie, labourer
Patrick HEFFERNAN of Trangie, engine-driver
Thomas HEFFERNAN of Trangie, hotel-keeper

So I wonder about Michael 

I can see a Michael HEFFERNAN, 17 May 1912, in a spot of bother at the NSW SR index…. He was at Nymagee …      And from the NSW Police Gazettes “First Offenders Discharged …. Michael HEFFERNAN, (70) tried at Dubbo Quarter Sessions sheep stealing…  So that chap was 70 years of age.     I wonder if he was the father/uncle/cousin/or otherwise related to Thomas the hotel keeper?       

And then there’s the following
NSW ER 1903 MACQUARIE, polling at Wallerawang
James HEFFERNAN, of Wallerawang, railway fireman
Lucy HEFFERNAN of Wallerawang, domestic duties

Could this be part of the same Heffernan family as Patrick ? (Yes, I checked the Portland polling place too, NO sightings of Heffernan ....    he is elusive  and Nymagee .... NO sightings of Heffernan )

Cheers,  JM

[majm]

Michael HEFFERNAN aged   70  ....  just one sheep  and he was first offender, and hungry and was able to raise sureties....   
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/15341350 SMH 5 June 1912
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/101280160 Leader 6 June 1912

 

Cheers,  JM

[dog_foster_carer]

Hi dfc,

Now, don't panic, I am not advocating you spend up on more NSW certs/transcriptions but ...

Have you considered following up on ALL HEFFERNAN on the NSW ER as eligible to vote at Trangie in Dec 1903?   

To save others going back of the thread
 
NSW ER 1903  ROBERTSON polling at Trangie   (eligible to vote : 21 and over, and British Subjects)

Ada HEFFERNAN, of Trangie, domestic duties
Michael HEFFERNAN of Trangie, labourer
Patrick HEFFERNAN of Trangie, engine-driver
Thomas HEFFERNAN of Trangie, hotel-keeper

So I wonder about Michael 

I can see a Michael HEFFERNAN, 17 May 1912, in a spot of bother at the NSW SR index…. He was at Nymagee …      And from the NSW Police Gazettes “First Offenders Discharged …. Michael HEFFERNAN, (70) tried at Dubbo Quarter Sessions sheep stealing…  So that chap was 70 years of age.     I wonder if he was the father/uncle/cousin/or otherwise related to Thomas the hotel keeper?       

And then there’s the following
NSW ER 1903 MACQUARIE, polling at Wallerawang
James HEFFERNAN, of Wallerawang, railway fireman
Lucy HEFFERNAN of Wallerawang, domestic duties

Could this be part of the same Heffernan family as Patrick ? (Yes, I checked the Portland polling place too, NO sightings of Heffernan ....    he is elusive  and Nymagee .... NO sightings of Heffernan )

Cheers,  JM

Thanks JM

That 1903 ER registration you mentioned is what made me think to contact the NSW SR. 

I would like to follow up on all the Heffernans but atm with all the info that has come to light with the Heffernans and the Rawson families (and others) I feel I'm having information overload, or more likely it feels like brain drain.  Seeing has how this family history research stuff is so new to me (only four months since I started) I do tend to sometimes find it difficult to determine what to do or where to go next and how to get there.  I've learnt so much about my ancestry and how to search for them, especially with the wonderful help from all the RChatters here, you guys are so knowledgeable and helpful, a BIG thankyou to you all.

That being said, I appreciate your tips above JM but unfortunately I'm at a loss on how to follow up on this information, unless you mean to write/phone the Hotel in Trangie about Thomas.  Perhaps I should take a week or so away from the ancestry stuff and give the brain a rest and maybe I'll come back re-inspired for more.  I think the fact that Patrick is proving to be so elusive is disheartening me, I know it shouldn't, but it's starting to get hard to stay positive.

If there are any tips on where to start with the info you have given me above, welcomed.

Thanks again everyone,
dfc

[majm]

I'm at a loss on how to follow up on this information, unless you mean to write/phone the Hotel in Trangie about Thomas.  Perhaps I should take a week or so away from the ancestry stuff and give the brain a rest and maybe I'll come back re-inspired for more.  I think the fact that Patrick is proving to be so elusive is disheartening me, I know it shouldn't, but it's starting to get hard to stay positive.

May I suggest you keep separate notes of each of the 'bits and pieces' sightings of various 'possibles' perhaps on a pin board or similar and 'ignore' them for that week or so, and then when you come back to them, you consider them as simply jigsaw pieces, belonging to at least one jigsaw, but possibly several different jigsaws.    You do not yet know how many pieces need to be found for any of the jigsaws, and the cover on the box does not give you any picture to follow.   

Every family history buff has 'brickwalls' that are challenging, and some endure for decades and even generations.      These brickwalls can be so confusing, sometimes until the very last brick in the wall is found/cleaned up/minutely examined, or othertimes until the very last brick in the wall is removed.    But the journey in seeking to crack any brickwall down can be full of grand experiences, so the journey is often much longer than the collapse of the wall.    

Family History is addictive and the addiction, once entrenched is there for life, and can be inherited even.....  I inherited my addiction from both sides of my family....  and on one side, I have private family papers which show the addicition goes back errrr .... generations    Now, errr .... some of my younger set are definitely showing signs of inheriting that same addiction.  Others 'tolerate' the addiction, and some ... well, they have very different hobbies.   Of course, not everyone inherits the addiction, some are able to choose to become addicted to family history. 

Cheers,  JM

[dog_foster_carer]

I just wanted to update this thread and thank everyone for their help earlier on.  I have since found the elusive Patrick Heffernan, confirmed with the very generous assistance of Rootschatter "rosball".  Wow, what a journey it's been looking for this very secretive man.  But, it has let me find another family of relatives that we knew nothing about.  Anyway, mystery solved!!!! 

[brennan1239]

Regarding Patrick Heffernan, he was my great grandfather.  i think the reason he and Ada may have never married is because Ada was part aboriginal.

[majm]

Regarding Patrick Heffernan, he was my great grandfather.  i think the reason he and Ada may have never married is because Ada was part aboriginal.

Hi,  Welcome to RootsChat.

I think Ada and Patrick did marry.     in 1882,  and there has been a misread of his surname.  I posted about this earlier.

JM