Loughlin Keeffe - Kilkenny goldminer in Bendigo btwn 1840s-1860s

[caroline_wex]

Hello!

Hoping some of you might be able to help and would really appreciate it!

Loughlin (O')Keeffe was born in Knocknadereen/Knockadeen near Paulstown in Co. Kilkenny, Ireland on 10th December 1826 to John and Anne.

Apparently, he and two neighbours/cousins called O'Loughlin went out to mine for gold in Bendigo, Australia in the late 1840's. One of these O'Loughlins stayed on and then went to Ballarat where he made his fortune and his legacy would fund the O'Loughlin Memorial Church in Kilkenny.

Would LOVE to find out more about Loughlin himself.

I *might* have found his arrival back to UK as it was then in April 1861 - passage from Victoria to Liverpool - passenger list for the Donald McKay leaving from Victoria to Liverpool mentions a Lott Keeffe, aged 30 which would be in and around the right age. If was him, he would have gotten a boat back then to Ireland from there.

As you can see above, there are so many different names, it's hard to know which might be the right person.
Loughlin/Laughlin/Lochy//Lachy/Lott
Keefe/Keeffe/O'Keefe/O'Keeffe

If there was a prominent photographer there at the time who miners might have taken photos to send back home, there might be a chance he'd be among them. Or a newspaper during that time (going by his age, between 1840s and 1860's) which might have an archive I can look through? Would there have been census returns taken in Bendigo around these times?

What I know for sure is that he married Ann Somers/Summers and they settled in Ballywilliam near New Ross in Co. Wexford. It's possible Loughlin met relatives of Ann's while he was mining for gold - maybe even met her there - and could have even married over there. Ann was only about 23 (and Loughlin about 38) when they had Margaret (1864) and went on to have Annie (1865), Mary (1866), Johanna (1868), Catherine (1869). On the 25th October 1870, Ann went into premature labour of a child which would die after 10 minutes. They named her Catherine (although the child born in 1869 had not died). Ann herself died some hours later, aged just 29 years old.

If you can help over in Australia, I'd really appreciate it!
All the very best,
Caroline

[majm]

Australia's Gold discoveries not 1840s ... 1851 earliest.  If your  chaps left Ireland late 1840s chasing gold it could be to California.

JM

[caroline_wex]

Thanks a million, majm.
I'd been told around late 1840's but there isn't proof!
He definitely went to Bendigo though. That we are *sure* of... so it's good to break down the potential range then to between 1851 and 1864 (or 1861 if can prove that was him on the Donald McKay!). He was back in Ireland in 1864 for the birth of daughter Margaret.
Thanks again,
Caroline

[maddys52]

The Australian National Library has an excellent online newspaper resource - Trove
https://trove.nla.gov.au

You can search by name (or any word) and narrow it down by State, year etc. I've had a very quick look but can't see a mention of Loughlin KEEFFE, but as you say, he may appear under one of many names.

[caroline_wex]

Thanks so much, maddys52.
I'll check out Trove and see if can find him under a combination!
Caroline

[majm]

Did you follow up back in 2010 https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=486726.0

JM

[caroline_wex]

Good morning, majm.
Yes, had followed up on that but nothing turned up on Loughlin unfortunately.
Does anyone have a goldmining ancestor and might be able to point me in the direction of where information on them might exist? I'd been told Bendigo was little more than an encampment of tents for a long time so there may not be any records of them or their mining patches or of their even staying there. I hope there's more to be found!
Thanks,
Caroline

[hallmark]

Have you asked the kilkenny archaeological society if hey have a Bio for him?

http://kilkennyarchaeologicalsociety.ie/tag/oloughlin-memorial-church/