AUS-VIC-GOLDFIELDS-L Archives

From: Greg McNamara <>
Subject: Hello & Re: Colonial theatre on goldfields.
Date: Wed, 17 Feb 1999 23:20:08 +1030

Hello all

I too am a new subscriber. I have strong family connections with the Vic
goldfields and I am hoping there might be someone out there who knows
something about the bits of the family that I have had "trouble" with
BUT I am also intersted in the life of these people - not just a chain
of names - so hence this posting

My gggrandfather, James McNamara, and family moved to Golden Point near
Chewton in early 1860 from SA via Melbourne. Two children died at this
time. They had a large family (15 in all) with 11 children surviving to
adults. The mother of all these children, Catherine McNamara nee Guerin
is buried in Chewton cemetery. She died in 1888. They all grew up at
Golden Point so they probably ?went to school, worked and married in the
Castlemaine area. I am hoping someone out there can help me tap into any
information that might relate to these people. Until 3 months ago I did
not know any of them existed as my grandfather was a "loner" so nothing
of this line in the family was passed down to my brother and I. My
father did not even know his grandfathers name or anything else to do
with the extended family!

My ggrandfather, Denis McNamara, married Catherine Mullane in
Castlemaine in 1875. He was the oldest son of James and Catherine. His
brother, Michael McNamara, married Sarah Elizabeth Cooper in
Castelemaine. Denis and Catherine raised their first two children, James
Edward & Mary Beatrice, at Golden Point before moving to Grafton where
my grandfather John leo McNamara was born. However, after producing two
more children in Sydney they had another child in Melbourne in 1888. I
suspect they may have been back at Golden Point around this time because
it coincides with the death of Denis's mother.

When Catherine McNamara nee Guerin died her husband James moved to
Hillgrove (NSW goldmining centre) with sons Michael, Edward, Thomas and
maybe others. Denis and family moved back to Grafton and had two more.

Curiously my grandfather eventually moved to the WA goldfileds and
married a woman from Sebastapol - St Arnaud area in Kalgoorlie area in
1904. Her name was Mary Ophelia Marshall. Her father, William Marshall,
was son to Evan Marshall and Elizabeth Marshall nee Davis. They came to
Vic from Wales in ~1854. Evan and Elizabeth are buried in Ballarat
cemetery. The Marshalls were a big family. Mary Ophelia's mother was
Maria casey from Redbank.

I think my grandfather may have worked on a mine in the Vic goldfields
before meeting Mary Ophelia and moving to WA. There seems to be a family
connection of somekind to a mine called "Stiglets" - sorry about
spelling I only know it through our family oral history.

I would be most interested to hear from anyone who knows anything about
any of the families mentioned and I am especially keen to collect
anything that specifically relates to these individual people living and
working on the Victorian goldfields.

ALSO joy calder wrote:
>
> Hi All, I would be interested to hear from anyone who has ancestors who
> were involved with the "stage" on the goldfields. My maternal
> g-grandparents were and I have been gathering material on them for 20 years
> or so. Still searching - Joy in West Aus.

JOY, one of my great aunts is said to have got involved in opera. It is
a long shot but if you come across any McNamara, Moore, Price or Swales
in your research I'd like to hear about it.

Thanks

Greg

This thread:

• Hello & Re: Colonial theatre on goldfields. by Greg McNamara <>