Simon Hanley

Rochester Express (Vic. Friday 22 December 1916

MR SIMON HANLEY.

We regret to announce the death of Mr Simon Hanley, one of our earliest pioneers, which occurred at his home at Pannoomllloo yes terday, at the age of 77 years. He had been ailing for about 18

months, and the immediate cause of death was heart failure, He was born in County Tipperary, and came to this State 63 years ago. His early days were spent in Bal Iarat, and he took part in the up rising of diggers at the Eureka Stockade, where his brother, Michael, received a wound that was the"ultimate cause of his death He came to Pannoomilloo in 1873, where he resided till his death, and was much respected by all with whom he came in contact. Mrs Hanley died nearly six months ago, and there survives of the family, his son, Mr John Hanley, of Diggora, and daughter, Miss Mary Hanley, of Pannoomilloo. De ceased was an uncle of Mr John Hanley, of Bamawm, and Mrs J. A. Egan, of Rochester. His brother, Mr John Hanley, late of Rochester Park, now lives at Carlton. The funeral will leave deceased's late residence at Pannoomilloo at 2 p.m. to-day (Friday.)

Weekly Times (Vic. Saturday 4 April 1914

FOUGHT AT EUREKA STOCKADE

BROTHERS IN FIRING LINE.

Mr Simon Hanley, of Diggora, is one of the stout-hearted pioneers who followed the lure of gold in the early "fifties," at Ballarat, and he took part in the memorable affray between the military and the miners at the Eureka Stockade in those stirring times.

He is the mildest and most genial of men, but his kindly eyes flash when he refers to the far-off days when, as a lad of about fourteen years of age, he went forth to the fray armed with a pike and a revolver. He was one of three brothers who were in the firing line. The elder of the trio — Michael — received two bul- let wounds during the fight, one of which was indirectly the cause of his death, about fifteen years later. While handling a restive horse at Miners' Rest, Michael Hanley was unable to manage the animal owing to having lost the full use of one of his arms at the Eureka affray. He was thrown, and received injuries that resulted in his death.

The other brother, Jeremiah, like Mr Simon Hanley, escaped unharmed. The most treasured memory of the latter in regard to this historical es- capade centres in the fact that he harmed nobody.

Born on a farm at Mount Kathar- ine, in County Tipperary, Ireland, in 1840, Mr Hanley sailed for Australia from Birkenhead, in the ship Man- gerton, in 1852. The vessel was blown ashore off the coast of Scot- land during an adventurous voyage that took six months to complete. Eventually, however, Geelong was reached. Ballarat was the rendezvous decided on by the ship's passengers, and gold was the adventurers' lodestone.

The Hanley brothers did well on the diggings, but Mr Hanley soon fol- lowed farming pursuits at Winder- mere, and afterwards at Bungaree — a decade being spent in each place. About 1873 the Diggora lands were thrown open for selection, and Mr Hanley settled there.

Rochester Express (Vic. Friday 24 April 1914

Reminiscent of the Eureka

Stockade.

Mr Simon Hanley, of Diggora, is about the last of the survivors of the Eureka Stockade riots, and in response to the pressing invitation of the Historic Films' Company the veteran will go to Ballarat in a few weeks, in order to help superintend the erection of a stockade like the original one and to arrange the fighters as he remembers the belli gerent diggers to have been in the famous skirmish with the troops on the eventful dawn in the early fifties. The film produced from the re-enaction of the riots will be shown throughout the world.

Mr John Hanley ■ will accompany the veteran, whose elder brother died as the result of a bullet wound which fractured his arm as he was fighting in the affray with the troops. When trying to manage a restless horse, at Diggers' Rest, some years later, owing to his disabled arm pre venting the rider grasping the reins Mr Hanley's brother was thrown and died as the result of his injuries. Mr Hanley and another brother escaped injury.

Mr Hanley, who is now about 76 years of age, was letting two young horses through a gate on his farm a few weeks ago when he was crushed against the gate. He suffered much pain in his side in conse quence, but decided to grin and bear it like a Stoic of old. While on a visit to his medical adviser yesterday it was found, on exami nation, that the veteran had sus tained a fractured rib on his left side when the equine hobble-de- hoys showed more haste than good manners. He is in good heart and looking forward to renewing old acquaintances during his forthcom ing holiday, when he will be well recompensed for his services at the film making riots, at Ballarat.

Our Diggorra correspondent writes:— The death took place on Thursday morn- ing of Mr. Simon Hanley, one of the dis- trict farming pioneers. The deceased gentleman, who was 76 years of age, was born at Mount Catherine, Tipperary, and came to Victoria in the early fifties. Both his two brothers, Michael and Jeremiah, and the late Mr. Hanley, walked to Ballarat from Geelong in 1852. Shortly after their arrival on the goldfield the       three brothers took a leading part in the Eureka Stockade riots, Michael being wounded in the arm during the shooting. Chiefly through the limb being practically useless Michael was subsequently thrown from a horse and killed at Miners' Rest. After leaving Ballarat the late Mr. Simon Hanley farmed at Windermere for ten years after which he spent a similar term at Bungaree. He married at Ballarat. His       wife pre-deceased him by about a year. The late Mr. Hanley was a sterling citizen 'in every sense of the word, and was held

in high esteem. He was born in 1840. He came to Diggorra in 1874, and farmed with

success. A daughter, Miss Mary Hanley, and son, Mr. John Hanley, are left to

mourn a devoted parent. The cause of death was senility. A large circle of relatives and friends will hear of the veteran's death with regret.