Michael’s gone to London...

Writing runs in our family. When I went to England in the 60s, my mother (Pat) sent me this poem, one of several she wrote over the years. 

Fred was my first and much beloved cat, discovered at the back door one morning when I was still a child. Once she got her residential approval (took about two minutes) she made herself at home. She died before I returned to New Zealand in 1974. 

Stanley St was my home address in New Zealand.

Michael’s gone to London

And things are rather flat

At number 7 Stanley St,

With only Fred and Pat.

Fred was looking rather glum

On Friday, when Pat came home:

“What have you done with Mike?” she said.

“Mike’s on his way to Rome.”

“To Rome,” said Fred in great surprise,

“Is it just a port of call?

Or is he wishing with coins in a fountain,

Or perhaps tete-a-tete-ing with Paul.”*

“No, Michael’s going to London, Fred,

Not to see the Queen

But to do the things he’s longed to do

Since he was about sixteen.”

“Michael’s going to London!” said Fred,

“Well, what do you know about that.

He might have taken me with him,

Like Whittington took his cat.”

“You’d leave your home in Stanley St?

Oh, Fred, you wouldn’t, I bet.

You wouldn’t be game to go with Mike,

To London, and on a jet.”

“Oh, well, if you put it like that,” said Fred,

“Maybe I wouldn’t be game.

But I miss him so, and I’d like him to know

That I love him just the same.”

“Well, I can tell him, Fred,” said Pat,

“Next time I write a letter.”

“Oh, good,” said Fred, “that’s an idea.

Already I’m feeling much better.”

So here’s a note from Fred and Pat

To Mike, with all our love.

We wish his days to be filled with joy

And will ask the Lord above

To bless, protect and guard him

Every day of every year,

And to give him great contentment

While he is over there. 

*Probably Pope Paul. 

Martin John Hannagan; obituary

Obituary Border Watch P3, Wednesday June 4, 1913
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 some 10 to 12 years, and
learned the tailoring trade.
Then he went to Melbourne, where he was for many years manager of the business, 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 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 this afternoon.

Martin John Hannagan

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.

Daphne in Croatia

We received an email today from Daphne. She and her brother John are touring around Croatia where their forebears come from.

What a relief! After using the e-mail at Singapore with no problems I couldn't get into it at Zagreb for some reason or another. Tonight we're in Split which is way down the coast in Croatia - into Dalmatian territory. Last night we were in Opajtia - a very quaint town on the coast and this morning after leaving there we traveled through Reijk which is where our grandfather lived. It was a very busy port and it was easy to see how our grandfather could have hopped on a boat to come to New Zealand. I would loved to have stopped there even for 5 minutes but didn't get the opportunity. We have actually been talking to a couple from Brazil over dinner tonight, Reuben and Beatrice - very nice people. His grandfather and grandmother also came from Croatia and the area we will go through tomorrow. John invited another Brazilian couple to our room for a glass of not very good wine before dinner. Sonia was a paediatrician and her husband an anaesthetist.

Croatia is a very lovely place and so much of it is so so old. Unfortunately, John and I are the only English speaking people on the tour, apart from the tour guide. At Zagreb she arranged for us to have a guide of our own which was really good and we had a thoroughly enjoyable time. Kristina our guide is very nice but she talks to us a lot on the bus and not so much when we get to places. Consequently by the time we get to where we're going we've forgotten what she said a lot of the time.

Tomorrow we're off to Dubrovonich where we'll spend 2 nights and then I think we make our way back to Zagreb and then to Poland. We've been on the bus most of the day today but are spending the morning here in Split before we more off again.

It's all going well and especially now that I know I can reach you all by e-mail again