I’ve just discovered that I’ve had the following piece of information in one of my folders for some time. It comes courtesy of John deCourcy, who now lives in Australia, and is part of a family tree he was compiling at the time.
This photo, taken from The Border Watch, Mt Gambier, of Thursday 2 June 1983, is from their ‘70 years ago’ history section and shows (in the top hat) Martin John Hannagan, who died in 1913, following a prominent career as a local businessman. His obituary, from page 3 of the Wed June 4, 1913, edition of the same paper, notes:
‘Mr Hannagan was a native of Melbourne, where he was born in 1856. In his boyhood he emigrated to New Zealand with his parents and remained there for some 10 or 12 years, and learned the tailoring trade.
Then he went to Melbourne, where he was for many years manager of the business of Hollands, tailors and outfitters. He was married there to Miss Eliza Beggs.
After coming to Mount Gambier he was for some years in the employ of Messrs Rowan and Gaillard.
“Dad”, as he was familiarly called, was of a genial and liberal disposition, and his dignified figure will be missed in the streets. He was a PCR of the Ancient Order of Foresters, having passed through the chairs in Melbourne. He leaves a widow and a family of nine – four sons and five daughters. Mr Frank Hannagan, of Messrs Cameron and Helpman, of this town, is one of his sons. Messrs James and Walter announce the funeral for this afternoon.’
At present, on the Hannagan Family Tree, you'll note there are no details of Martin's family. I should be able to rectify this soon.
