Johanna Spellman

GEDCOM Note

Patrick Berkery's family lived at Curraghleigh in the Borrisoleigh election division of Thurles poor law union. In the same division at Drumtarsna, Denis Spillane lived with his family. This is most likely Johanna's father and her townland.

When Johanna married Patrick in 1854 in Coventry, England she gave her occupation as a servant. She was 22 years old and was living at Cow Lane, Coventry, the same address as Patrick. Her father, Denis was deceased by the time of her marriage, but his occupation was a herdsman.

Johanna and Patrick, together with their marriage witnesses, William Murphy and Catherine Maher were all illiterate and signed with an "X".

Patrick travelled to Australia alone in 1855. Johanna 20 years, named as Judy on immigration records, her mother in law, Mary 45 years and baby daughter, Mary 1 year travelled together on board the Mindoro, arriving in Melbourne in July 1856.

Ballarat Hospital Admissions Register 1856-1913 show that : On 10 March 1881, Johanna Berkery, 48 years, born in Tipperary, married and living at Bungaree was admitted to the Ballarat Hospital. She was listed as being in the Colony for 26 years.

A pre 1893 list of Victorian Railways employees lists Johanna Berkery as being employed as a Gatekeeper, single (widow) ? with a date of entry to the service being 6 Aug 1879 and ceasing employment on 31 Jan 1895. The family resided at one of the Railway Gate Houses at Bungaree. Railway gates at road crossings were manually opened and closed and as trains travelled during the day and night this occupation required someone to be present constantly.

Several of her sons also joined the Railways. The same list shows Denis as being a Repairer in the Engineers Department, single with a date of entry of 1 Jul 1881 and John as a Traffic Department's Acting Porter, single and date of entry of 12 Apr 1879. John later became a Goods Guard. Patrick commenced on 22 Feb 1889 as a Repairer with the Existing Lines Department, but left the following year to join the Police Force.

In the 1914 Victorian Electoral Rolls Johanna is listed as residing with her daughter Winifred and Hugh Kavanagh at 641 Spencer Street, West Melbourne. At the time of her death she resided at 141 Miller Street, West Melbourne

GEDCOM Source

Newspaper Classifieds cutting @NS21461@ The Age, Sat 26th August 1916, page 5 QUAY 3