| Links to More Pages |
|
Link to Parents |
|
Joseph Whelan, youngest son of Thomas Whelan and Mary Murphy, married in Fitzroy at the age of 25 years, to Mary Kate Sheil. Their 1901 marriage led to a daughter and a son.
Less than eleven years later, in 1911, 40 year old Mary Kate Whelan died.
Joseph, father of two small children, remarried to Bridget Mary Smith. This marriage did not produce any children. At various times Joseph worked as a storeman in the Customs Department, a labourer, and a kitchen hand. Joseph Whelan lived to the age of 81, passing away on 29 September 1957 at the Mount Royal Hospital, Parkville.
Children of Joseph and Mary Whelan were:-
Mary Catherine Whelan, born 5 May 1902 (known as Maisie Whelan)
Joseph Vincent Whelan, born 28 Apr 1904 (known as Joe Whelan)
Mary Catherine Whelan (Maisie)
Around 1922 we can find Maisie in NSW, as a co-licensee of the Milbrulong Boundary Inn Hotel. Around 1937 Maisie moved to nearby Lockhart and worked in various homes there. She was well known in this small town for her great sense of humour and community work which included playing the organ at the local church and organising many 'Euchre' parties to raise funds for Army Queen competitions in the area. In 1948, at the age of 46, Maisie married Matthew Kennedy, the ceremony taking place back in Melbourne at St. Brigid's church. The couple made their home at "Linlithgow" in Lockhart NSW, but Maisie was to pass away on March 9th 1951, aged 48. She is buried at the Lockhart Cemetery.
Joe, together with his sister Maisie, was placed in a convent as live-in boarders and their time there was not a happy one. Joe left as soon as he was legally able, and moved around seeking work as a labourer. In 1941 he enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force and served in the Middle East and New Guinea. Whilst on a furlough in 1942 he married his sweetheart Hazel May Bull (known as Brownie) at All Souls church in Edenhope, north-western Victoria. Brownie was the child of Lawrence Augustine Bull and Elizabeth Charlotte Bull (nee Martin) who had married in Ballarat in 1894.
Sadly Joe's marriage 'outside the Catholic church' was to lead to complete estrangement from his family.
After discharge from the Army Joe and Brownie lived at the Bull family farm "Pascoe Vale", Ozenkadook, then moved to Millicent South Australia where Joe worked at a sawmill, then at a cardboard manufacturing plant. Joe passed away in Millicent on 9 July 1958, aged 54.
Brownie worked very hard at all kinds of housekeeping jobs right into her 70's in order to support her growing family. She passed away in Millicent on 26 March 1985.
Joe and Brownie Whelan had four children:-
Lois Hazel Whelan (Hazel), born 4 Sep 1943, became Hazel Clarke
Valerie Anne Whelan (Val), born 21 Oct 1945, became Val Walker
Lawrence Neil Whelan (Neil), born 29 Mar 1947, married Phyllis Milde
Janice Heather Whelan (Jan), born 24 Jun 1949, became Jan Cook