Farther Afield – the Gaffney family

The following plaque was photographed in a cemetery in Clunes Victoria by Wendy Broomfield. What a wealth of information on one plaque for the Gaffney family, it even gives the mothers maiden name, MARK, which is rare.

Elizabeth GAFFNEY

When Elizabeth MARK was born in 1845 in Providence, Rhode Island, USA, her father, Edward, was 25, and her mother, Ann, was 25. She married Timothy GAFFNEY in 1874 in Victoria. They had nine children in 13 years. She died on 4 July 1921 in Clunes, Victoria, at the age of 76.

Timothy GAFFNEY

Timothy Gaffney was born in 1834 in Co Cavan Ireland. He married Elizabeth Mark in 1874 in Victoria. They had six children during their marriage. He died on 11 November 1896 in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, at the age of 62. He is buried in the Kalgoorlie Cemetery. He is registered as ‘William’ Gaffney in the cemetery records.

Kalgoorlie Miner Thursday 12 November 1896, page 2

Ritson Myles GAFFNEY

When Ritson Myles Gaffney was born in 1884 in Clunes, Victoria, his father, Timothy, was 50 and his mother, Elizabeth, was 39. He had two brothers and three sisters. Ritson Myles Gaffney served in WW1 as a private in the 44^th Battalion service number 2822.

He died from Tuberculosis on the 8^th Nov 1941 at the Wiluna Hospital, Western Australia, aged 57 yrs. He is buried in the Wiluna Cemetery, Western Australia. The newspaper records his name as DAFFNEY. He has no headstone.

Kalgoorlie Miner Monday 10 November 1941, page 2

Edward GAFFNEY

Kalgoorlie Miner Wednesday 29 July 1942, page 2

Edward and Timothy are both buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Kalgoorlie Cemetery but in separate graves.

There is a third ‘Gaffney’ burial at the Kalgoorlie Cemetery who I am sure will be connected to this family. James Gaffney was a victim of a ‘Hit and Run’ accident. He was aged 76 and his body was identified by Patrick Donnelly, his nephew.

Sunday Times Sunday 9 August 1931, page 2

Many thanks to Eric Chamberlain and John Pritchard for their help with this research.

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Moya Sharp

Owner at Outback Family History

My name is Moya Sharp, I live in Kalgoorlie Western Australia and have worked most of my adult life in the history/museum industry. I have been passionate about history for as long as I can remember and in particular the history of my adopted home the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Through my website I am committed to providing as many records and photographs free to any one who is interested in the family and local history of the region.

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