Thomas Whelan b.1860
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Tom grew up in Wetherstons and became a blacksmith, buying a business in Roxburgh. The premises consisted of a stone smithy, a stone proprietor’s residence, and four shops.
Tom married Catherine McGuire (Kate), the ceremony taking place at the Roslyn registry office in Dunedin on 21 November 1881. Kate was born in the North of Ireland, lived in Roxburgh and was 22 years of age on her wedding day. Her father was named only as Mr J McGuire.
Tom Whelan died on 20 September 1931, aged 70 years. His obituary, from the Tuapeka Times of 30 September 1931, outlines much of his life:
“On leaving school Mr Whelan learnt the blacksmithing trade and carried out his trade in other towns before coming to Roxburgh in 1879, when he secured work with the late Thomas Andrew. Shortly after this he started in business of his own, taking over the business of the late Thomas Cameron. He continued in the blacksmith trade for a number of years and he also added a storekeeping business to his activities. Being a very active man and not afraid of hard work he branched further afield, taking up a large pastoral run at the Knobbies, a few miles out of Roxburgh. "
Kate Whelan lived for a further five years after the death of her husband. She is named on the family headstone but the burial records say that she died in Sydney on 9 December 1936.
Tom and Kate the following children:-
John James Thomas Whelan born 10 Sept 1882
Stephen Francis Whelan born 9 Aug 1884
Henry Albert Michael Whelan (Mick Whelan) born 4 Oct 1885.
Percival James Whelan (Percy Whelan) born 1 Dec 1889, died in the Battle of the Somme, September 1916.
Florence Catherine Whelan (Flo Whelan) born 1 Mar 1890, became Flo Jenner.
Gertrude Mary Whelan (Gert Whelan) born 14 Nov 1896
John Whelan’s name is shown on the admission roll for Roxburgh School from 24 January 1888 until he left school at the age of 14 years on 1 December 1896. He then appears on electoral rolls first as a shopkeeper, and then as a farmer. John married Florence Irene Laloli (Sissie) in April 1926. They stayed in Roxburgh, and raised four children there.
John passed away aged 63, on 19 Jun 1945.
John and Sissie Whelan had three daughters and a son: -
Rose Marie Catherine Whelan (Marie ), b. 28 Jun 1927, became Marie Murphy.
Patricia Irene Whelan (Pat) born 1930, became Pat Burtenshaw.
John Percival Whelan born 1931
Bernice Irene Whelan born 1933, became Bernice Sands.
Steve Whelan went to the Roxburgh School, then at age 10 went into station work. He was a carrier in 1911 and 1914 and in 1924 a farmer. Steve had a farm out on the Knobbies, Cairn Hill run. Eventually, the farm was sold and Steve went to live in a private hotel in George Street, Dunedin. Later Steve moved in with his two sisters for a time. His died on 17 September 1958 aged 75.
Henry Albert Michael Whelan (Mick)
Mick Whelan left school at age 14, and learnt his father's trade, blacksmithing. However with the onset of World War I Mick enlisted with the NZ Expeditionary Force. After the usual training, Mick embarked from Wellington on 2 April 1916, and was to serve in the trenches near Amentieres, before returning to New Zealand on the ‘SS Athenic’ in April and being discharged from the Army on 10 July 1917.
Mick again called on his skills as a blacksmith and in 1922 was living in Benhar, just out of Balclutha. Mick died as a bachelor in Roxburgh on 10 Aug 1943.
Percy Whelan also signed up to fight for his country oin WWI, in the Otago Infantry Regiment. He embarked for the Dardanelles on 9 September 1915 and served in Egypt, France and Gallipoli. In October 1915, Percy was promoted to Corporal, and was killed in action in the Battles of the Somme. He is remembered on the Caterpillar Valley Memorial in Longueval, France.
In 1911 and 1914 Flo is recorded as a storekeeper. Flo fell in love with James Herbert Cormack, known as Bert. The happy couple became engaged but Bert was called to World War 1 service. Sadly, 26 year old Sapper 15139, Div. Signal Coy. NZ Engineers was killed in France on Thursday 31 October 1918.
Flo and her younger sister eventually started off a boarding house in Roxburgh, calling their establishment ‘Avoca House’. Later moving to Dunedin, they shared a lovely brick home near the Dunedin Gardens. At the age of 54 Flo accepted a proposal of marriage by William Henry Jenner, and they married in Dunedin. Flo Jenner passed away on 4 March 1961, aged 71.
Gert ran the Avoca House boarding rooms in Roxburgh together with her sister. The two ladies were mentioned in Stones Directory 1939 as Whelan F and G (Misses) Roxburgh. Eventually, along with Flo she moved to Dunedin. Gert Whelan died on 10 July 1967, aged 71.