Two stories

This blog has suffered a bit of neglect over the last year, in spite of the fact that I've been retired since last April.  So this is by way of a bit of an update.

Some of you will know that our younger son, Dominic, the baby of the family, got married in Idaho, in January, to Elizabeth Anne Nelson - who just happens to have the same first two names as my youngest daughter, Libby, meaning that currently we actually have two Elizabeth Anne Crowls in the family.  The new Mrs Crowl is normally known as Liz, however.

We were blessed out of our socks because a bunch of people from our church decided that we should go to the wedding, even though we'd decided that we really couldn't afford it.   So they clubbed together and paid for the airfares - no small sum.  We stayed with Liz's parents, Chris and Cindy - along with my other son, Ben, who'd paid his own way, and various other relatives: Liz's brother, Daniel, Liz herself at times, one of Cindy's sisters and her husband, Chris's sister from California, and one of Cindy's oldest friends, also from California - which is where the family hails from originally.   So it was a full house for the week.

Confused?  Liz's family consists of Chris and Cindy Nelson (the parents) and Daniel and Sarah - her siblings.  Sarah is married to Joel, whose surname I've forgotten.   Cindy has eight brothers and sisters, but only four of them made it to the wedding.

We had a great time in Nampa (a kind of suburb of the capital of Idaho, Boise - pronounced Boy-see, and derived from the French word for trees).  Nampa is about twenty miles from Boise itself, and we were further out still, in what was a fairly rural area, on a wide open plain where there's no irrigation except via the man-made canals, which the snow off the mountains is supposed to fill up each year.  While we were there the snow hadn't arrived at all, and was over two months late.  It was mostly like a mild Dunedin winter - very pleasant and sunny.

On another tack altogether, while Celia and I were cleaning out some cupboards yesterday, trying to find a particular thing and throwing out other stuff that had survived uselessly for some time, we came across a page of the Joyce family tree that my mother's cousin (now deceased) had put together for me some years back.  I'd started to include it on the online family tree, but had never finished.

Working my way down the page I was intrigued to discover our mechanic's name!  He's married to my second cousin's daughter, Debra Joyce.  Celia knew there was some relationship, because Debra's aunt used to live over the fence behind the old house in Stanley St for most of her married life.  And Celia had played badminton with her and her sister - who's Debra's mother.   So I rang the mechanic, just for a laugh, and wound up with the names and details of his two sons, and their birthdays.   If only all genealogy was so easy!

The photos are of Dom and Liz on their wedding day, Liz with Cindy and Chris, and Liz with a friend after they both graduated as Physician's Assistants.  The interesting thing about this photo, if you enlarge it, is that Liz has Elizabeth Crowl on her name badge - this was some weeks before she got married....

Clearing the attic

The other day we were looking for something in one of our two attics and came across a box of photos and memorabilia that had belonged, Celia tells me, to my mother.  I've scanned some of the photos: they're a random mix, so you'll just have to take them as they come.  (And there'll be more.)

The first group were photographed at the family reunion in 1976: from the left we have three sisters: Anne and Tess Hannagan, Rose (Gallagher) and their cousin Mona.  (I have three Mona Hannagans listed on the family tree, so I'm not quite sure which one this is, though my bet is on Mona Thomas.)

The next picture comes from four years later: the three sisters have not aged well, although it must be admitted they weren't young ladies either (Anne was 84, Tess, 81 and Rose, 88).  Rose is in the middle, and died a year later. 

In this photo we have cousins of a different generation.  I think it's Denise Hannagan on the left, with Kathleen Ryan behind her; Anne (?) Ryan in the front, and Mary Stokes at the right.

By way of contrast, to the left we have a group of boy cousins: Paul Stokes, myself, John Ryan and Raymond Hannagan.

On the right is Terry Hannagan on his wedding day, with Monica (nee McCabe), his new wife, and Jack (his younger brother) and Phil (Monica's sister).


The photo below is of Des and Monica at their wedding - the quality isn't so good because this is already a copy of an original.  


















And the photo above was taken at Brian O'Flaherty's wedding to Jean.   Brian's parents, Des and Joyce O'Flaherty (nee Hannagan) at to the left, with Terry, their other son beside them.  On the other side of the couple is Pat O'Flaherty, and presumably Jean's parents.

Finally we have a photo of Jack Hannagan as a boy - I have no idea who the Bishop is, or the other two boys.   [Wikipedia tells us that James Whyte was Bishop of Dunedin from 1920 to 1957, but there was also a coadjutor Bishop, Hugh O'Neill, from 1943-1946.  My guess is that it's more likely Whyte.]

Durants, Tunnellers, and what connections?

I've had a phone call and a couple of emails from Sue Baker Wilson, who is doing some research on a group called the New Zealand Engineers Tunnelling Company.   These men were often engineers who were used in the First World War to undermine the enemy lines and other subversive jobs.   

She rang because there seems to be a connection with one of the Tunnellers to people connected to our family, the Durants.  Emily Durant married Arthur Joyce, and was thus my grandmother's sister-in-law.  Her sister was Alice Durant.   You can see a very small amount about them here.

Sue wrote: 

I have been searching for information. A Paperspast article, refs below, refers to Mrs Durant, Leeston, who was a widow of W Harding and who married Thomas W. Durant. A 1917 In Memoriam inserted by ‘her loving daughters, Ada and Nellie’ refers to her as Alice Durant. It would appear that Alice was stepmother to the tunneller I am researching, W M Durant and possibly the person shown on your website.

Tunneller officer William Durant’s family are linked to Leeston & Christchurch. A Star, 12 Feb 1907 article notes that The mining scholarship for the West Coast has been won this year by Mr W M Durant, eldest son of Mr T W Durant, formerly of Leeston and Christchurch.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume XXII, Issue 3838, 4 October 1916, Page 2

This article tells us that The death occurred at the residence of her son in-law, Mr G, H. Jones, Selwyn Street, Leeston, on Sunday night, of Mrs Durant, relict of tbe late Mr Thomas Durant, formerly of Sumner and St. Albans, and for many years a prominent Leeston business man.
There is no mention in the obituary of Durant senior's first family, if this is the same Thomas Durant, father to Lieut Durant. I cannot find any obituary to a Thomas Durant. Mrs Alice Durant, was remembered by her daughters Ada Jones (Mrs George Henry Jones) of Leeston and Nellie (Rackely). G H Jones  died in England 1931. He had had a carrying business operating between Leeston and ChCh before going back to settle in England. A report says he was twice married and at the time of his death a couple of sons were still in Leeston. One of these son’s, Albert Edward died in 1945. At that time, some of his son’s still resided in Leeston.

W M Durant’s name does not appear on the Leeston war memorial.

Lieut Durant’s wife and children are buried together in Arundel cemetery, Strathalian County, Canterbury. Robert died 22 Dec 1968. According to the Timaru District Council cemetery database Jessie died after her son 15 Dec 1977, which differs from the 1975 info you have found. Margaret Ralston (Audrey) Durant died 10 August 2006. Attached grave pic.

It doesn’t look like there were any offspring for any of William Durant’s children.

If you find any family links to either Durant or Jones, I would be interested in knowing more.

 

I haven't had time so far to dig into this further, but if any other member of the family knows something about them, I'd be interested to hear.   

Kathleen and Bill Wilson

Kathleen Wilson (a cousin of my mother) died during the week.  Her funeral was held at St
Andrews Rest Home on the 20th Oct, 2011.  It was the second funeral in about six weeks for the family as Kathleen's husband, Bill, died recently.  Bill was buried from St Andrews as well. 

Kathleen and Bill used to live in Barr St and she was a St Francis Xavier parishioner for many years.  She and Monica Stokes were the same age and great friends in their younger days.  She has been at St Andrews suffering with Alzheimers for the last four years.  Bill, who had broken his hip, spent the last few months of
his life there also.

My aunt, Daphne Hannagan, spoke to two of the family: Pauline, with whom she had worked briefly years ago.  Pauline now lives in Australia.  She also spoke to Stephen and his wife who live in Cargill St.  Marie
and Ann are the other two members of the family.  

Rose Gallagher (nee Hannagan) was Kathleen's mother.   Rose was one of my grandfather's sisters (Charles Hannagan), which means, of course, that she was my great-aunt.  I can remember her name, and I know I met her when I was very young, but I don't remember much more about her.    I'd like to fit Kathleen into the family tree, but I need to be clear as to whether I've got her relationship with Rose correct.  

New arrivals

Just a short note from Bernadette Hannagan to say that: 

Taran Broc Hannagan was born on Saturday October 1 to Andrew and Sian Hannagan. He is a beautiful little boy 9 lbs 7oz safely delivered at home (by choice)

(Andrew is Raymond and Bernadette's son).   

 And an equally short note from Bex Dixon (Hannagan - Mark and Debbie's daughter)

Anthony and I have also had our second child, Theodore Clayton Dixon born 8th September 2011 weighing 8lb 14oz :) 

New grandchild, and Jack Scragg

Margaret Irvine has just written to say that she has another grandson. She wrote:
Rhonda Irvine and her partner Damian had their second son on September 1.
His name is Charlie Ismael De La O (somewhat exotic for this Pacific Celt family) and he is, of course, just wonderful.

And news on another front: several months ago I received an email from Jack (John) Scragg.   This was a name I remembered from my childhood - he had been (unofficially?) adopted by one of my grandfather's sisters and her husband.   Jack had lived through the Napier earthquake, and subsequently had come south because his mother and my great aunt were friends.  How things worked out from there, I'm not entirely sure.

I spoke to Jack on the phone several times: we were going to meet up (he lived in Waikouaiti - in Otago) but there was often a health issue on his side (he had cancer) or some complication on ours.   Regrettably we never got to meet face to face and late last month we saw his death notice in the paper.  He sounded like a great bloke, and was very friendly.    RIP, John....

Alice Durant

Another in the recent series of photos I've been scanning. This is a photo of Alice Durant and Flora Joyce (my maternal grandmother). Alice was a sister of Emily Durant. Emily married Arthur Thomas (?) Joyce, one of the sons of Milliman Thomas Joyce (my maternal great-grandfather).
The back of the photo has some words written in a somewhat childish hand - not one I recognise. It says Alice Durant No Relation to us sister of Emily Durant. As far as I can work out she's the one sitting. My grandmother is standing.