John McKenna emigration to Melbourne

[Clemans]

Can anyone help?

I am trying to find the ship that brought my Great great grandfather John McKenna to Melbourne in the 1880's or 1890's.

John was born in Seltannaveeny (Arigna) Co. Roscommon Ireland in 1863.

He was a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary from 1882 to 1886 - he resigned "to emigrate".

John emigrated to Australia.

John was married in Melbourne to Alice Darcy in 1892.

So - emigration is somewhere between 1886 and 1892.

John's brothers Terrence and James emigrated to Melbourne in 1878 and 1887 respectively.

Thanks

Clemans

[sparrett]

Government Assisted Immigration to Victoria officially ended in 1883.

So it would appear that he would need to pay his full fare or perhaps have assistance from his brothers .

I would suggest that if he left his employment he would have departed shortly after that.

Unassisted immigrants to Victoria can be searched here.
There are many named  J* M*kenna.

Click the ship name on any of interest and then patiently scroll the passenger list to locate further details of the passenger.

https://prov.vic.gov.au/explore-collection/explore-topic/passenger-records-and-immigration

Sue

[Clemans]

Sue,

Thanks for the advice, I should have said that I have already been down that track but can't find him.
Found his brothers but not John.

I agree with your suggestion re timing, his brother Terence similarly appears to have left the RIC in October 1882 and was on the OSS Orient bound for Melbourne a matter of days later.

So closer to 1886 than 1892?

Thanks
Clemans

[shume]

I spent some time tracing John McKenna and believe he was a warder/ chief warder at Pentridge Gaol, living in Coburg with wife Alice and family. The relevance of this is that the Vic Police Gazette has an entry for a John McKenna arrested Coburg Police Station April 1888, discharged 15/5/1888 for obscene language. Born Ireland, labourer.
Whilst this is not definite proof of the correct person, it could mean that he was in Victoria in 1888 which might help to narrow down his arrival. Can't find him at this stage though.

[LoganH]

Both his brothers lived in Melbourne.

Terrence MCKENNA passed away in Nazareth House, East Camberwell at 81 years (April 11th 1940). Late Victorian Police. (Requiescat in pace).

James MCKENNA passed away Fitzroy, Nicholson street. (23rd Sept 1950). Tribute from St Patrick's Benefit Society, Branch no. 1. 
Both from Roscommon, Ireland).

Two being a Constable or Policeman. (still searching his arrival)

[judb]

You may already have these - no help with John though.

 from TROVE
Probate notice for Terence McKenna, gentleman
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11306933

from PROV wills
https://prov.vic.gov.au/explore-collection/explore-topic/wills-and-probates
Terence's will is digitised and beneficiaries are: 500 pounds to St Patrick's cathedral, 500 pounds to the Blessed Sacrament Fathers of Lonsdale St, Melbourne, the residue in trust for the Mother Superior to use for Nazareth House.

https://prov.vic.gov.au/explore-collection/explore-topic/wills-and-probates
As far as I can see James' will can be accessed if you log in to PROV.  His index entry shows:
James McKenna; Residence : Fitzroy; Occupation : X Public Servant;

There are a number of death/funeral notices for James.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/22908617
McKENNA- On September 23, at his residence, 362 Nicholson Street, Fitzroy, James McKenna, dearly loved husband of Susan and loving father of Mary, John, Vincent, Francis, Basil, Monica (deceased), James, Philomena (deceased) and Cyril, aged 84 years. Formerly of Malmsbury and Devenish  Requiescat in pace. 
There are grandchildren listed in other death notices alongside this one.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/279700605
Funeralnotice - buried at Brighton Cemetery.

Judith

[Clemans]

shume,

You are indeed following the same John McKenna.
The records I have show that at the time of John’s marriage to Alice Darcy in 1892, his occupation was listed as warder and his usual residence as Carlton.
John’s daughter Margret Gertrude (known in the family as Aunty Gertie and as Sr Mary Julianna to her fellow nuns) recorded in a memoir, that at the time her elder brother James was born in 1893, the family lived in Brighton and that her father rode a bicycle to Coburg to work at Pentridge jail.  She recorded that the family moved several times to Carlton, Brunswick and three addresses in Coburg – Sydney Road, Nelson Street and ultimately Waterford Street.  She does not record the dates of each move.
The 1915 Sands and McDougall's Directory of Victoria, has John living at 18 Nelson Street, Coburg.  At his death in 1956 he was living at 50 Waterford Street in Coburg.

Obscene language is a trait I have personally observed in the family, so that could be him!

I think I need to trace his start date at Pentridge to see if it is likely that he is in or around Coburg in 1888.

Thanks for the lead.

Clemans

[Clemans]

An update,

I now have John McKenna as a Pentridge prison warder from 11th July 1887, so very unlikely to be the same fellow in Castlemaine prison for obscene language in 1888.

Emigration must have occurred between 31st October 1886 (resignation from the Royal Irish Constabulary) and 11th July 1887 (appointment as a warden at Pentridge, Victoria).

Just cant find him in the passenger lists!

Clemans

[Clemans]

Correction.

Apparently there were two prison warders named John McKenna at Pentridge in the 1880s.

My John McKenna joined the Victorian penal service 15th October 1888.
Can be sure of the right one as the prison record refers to his Irish birth in 1863 and service with the RIC.  Other candidate was born in South Melbourne in 1865.

Clemans