William Henry Whelan (Bill) b.1880
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Bill Whelan married Daisy Charlton, the wedding took place on 12 June 1912 at St. Mary’s Old Church Christchurch.
Daisy
Charlton, born in 1891 in Marske-by-the-Sea, Yorkshire, England, was the third
child of Archibald Charles Charlton and Martha Esther Stubbs, and had travelled
to New Zealand to stay with relatives in 1905.
Bill and Daisy built a house at 229 Salibury Street, and it became their life-long home.
Bill Whelan passed away on 22 July 1954. His occupation is recorded on the death certificate as “Retired Accountant”, but many of the older men in Christchurch would have known him as “Honest Bill the Bookie” ! Daisy died on 29 January 1959 after contracting the ‘H bug’ whilst in hospital.
Bill and Daisy Whelan brought the following children into the world:-
Marjory Mary Whelan, born 3 Jun 1913, became Marjory Sharman.
John Archibald Whelan (Jack), born 17 Sep 1914, married Phyllis White.
Stanley William Whelan, born 17 Dec 1915
Joan Esther Whelan, born 4 Apr 1917, became Joan O'Connell.
Denis James Whelan, born 21 Jan 1919, married
Margaret Simpson.
Peter Henry Whelan, born 31 Oct 1921, married Estella Shirley Baker.
Brian Francis Whelan, born 3 May 1926
Marjory Whelan married Maurice Sharman on 20 June 1942. Maurice was the son of Clement Sharman and Louise Sharman of 381 Gloucester Street. Marjory and Maurice eventually made their home at 240 Innes Road, Christchurch.
Maurice passed away at the early age of 59 years, on 26 November 1975.
Maurice and Marjory had three children:-
David Mason Sharman, born 23 Mar 1944, married Beverley Janice Strathern.
Kevin Edward Sharman, born 28 Dec 1946 married Ann Gregory.
Robyn Louise Sharman, born 23 Aug 1953, became Robyn Hoadley.
Jack enlisted in the Medical Corps at Burnham Military Camp, at the same time as his brothers Stan and Peter. However, during his final medical the Army discovered Jack’s early history of polio, enlarged heart and badly healed broken foot, and sent him home! He then married Phyllis Marie White, daughter of David White and his wife Catherine Florence White (Kate) nee Catherine Anderson.
The young couple made their home at 33 Sherbourne Street, Christchurch. Jack loved everything Irish, and with his great singing voice Jack could always be heard at parties and in church. Jack Whelan passed away on 24 February 1985.
Jack and Phyl Whelan have six children:-
Annette Marie Whelan, born 8 Jan 1942, became Annette Nevin.
Anthony John Whelan (Tony), born 21 Jul 1943.
Geoffrey Michael Whelan, born 20 Apr 1945.
Katherine Rosalie Whelan (Kate), born 7 Oct 1946, became Kate Brixton.
Patricia Mary Whelan, born 24 Mar 1953, became Patricia Schroeder.
Maureen Gerarda Whelan, born 8 Oct 1955, became Maureen Hastings.
Stanley Whelan (Stan)
Stan served in the NZ Army in World War II, mostly in Egypt and Italy, at one time receiving a leg injury when his tank passed over a land mine. Stan later became a stalwart at St Mary’s Church in Manchester Street, worked for disadvantaged Maori parishioners, and took care of his youngest brother Brian. Stan passed away on 23 Aug 1998
Joan met her future husband Tony, a young New Zealand soldier, on V.E. night, and they danced every dance together.
She married Anthony Mathew O’Connell (Tony) on 28 September 1946 at St Mary’s Church, Christchurch. Joan and Tony lived in various parts of New Zealand, and Tony passed away in Wanganui on 6 February 1974. Their children are:
Helen Joan O'Connell, born 29 Feb 1948
Angela O'Connell, born 1 Jul 1949, became Angela Fordham.
Julie O'Connell, born 20 Jul 1951, became Julie Calkoen.
Michael O'Connell, born 24 Dec 1952
Marie O'Connell, born 4 Nov 1955
At the age 17, Den joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, and at the outbreak of WWII was mobilised to active service in the Royal New Zealand Navy. Sometime during 1940/41, at the Naval Base at Portsmouth, England, Den met his bride-to-be, Margaret Simpson (known as Midge) who was a telephonist and nurse aid in the British WRENS. Margaret Simpson was born in Manchester, England, on 20 December 1919, the fourth child of Herbert Simpson and Esther Rebecca Simpson (nee Esther Lovatt).
Midge and Den Whelan married in Manchester, both wore full navy uniform. After giving birth in Manchester to their first child in 1942, Midge sailed from England to join her husband in New Zealand, and they lived first in Christchurch, then Ashburton.
Denis Whelan died on the 4 January 1970, and later Midge was to marry a widowed farmer, Andrew Eliot Driscoll, in Ashburton. Midge Driscoll was to pass away on 14 April 1996.
The children of Denis and Midge are:-
Margaret Ruth Whelan, born 15 Oct 1942, became Margaret Stott.
William James Whelan (Bill), born 6 Feb 1946, married Suzanne Smith (Sue).
Graham Patrick Whelan, born 1 Oct 1948, married Yolanda Marcella
Bruce Michael Whelan, born 28 Jun 1950, married Kay Walsh.
Denise Yvonne Whelan, born 12 Mar 1957, became Denise Ferris.
Peter joined the NZ Army in 1941, and was to serve his country in Egypt, Libya, and Italy. Upon his return, and in February 1947, he married Estella Shirley Baker (Shirley)in St Mary’s Church, Christchurch, and raised a family there.
Both Peter and Shirley Whelan were to pass away in 2005.
Their children are:-
Barry Peter Whelan, born 29 Dec 1947
Philip Raymond Whelan, born 20 Apr 1952, married Janice Alexandra Robson.
Brian was a happy, loving Downs Syndrome child. He attended special classes at East Christchurch School and developed a great love of music. His guitar was his constant companion and Brian just loved to get up and join in the Maori Concert parties or other singing groups. Brian passed away on 31 Mar 1998 in Christchurch.