James Patrick ‘Patsy’ Hallahan – death of a pioneer

The COLOURFUL CAREER of the Late Mr. J P. Hallahan
Well-Known Goldfields Identity

The death occurred a few days ago in Perth at the age of 92, of Mr. James Patrick Hallahan, formerly well-known on the Goldfields. The following account of his career has been contributed by Mr. V. H. Cribb:—

Of Irish parentage he went to sea in his 14th year. During his sailoring days he had many varied experiences. He often told the story of a robbery by brigands from his ship while it was in a Greek port. More than 60 years afterwards while he was in conversation with an old Greek, in Kalgoorlie, he ascertained that an uncle of the Greek was one of the men connected with the robbery. On another occasion when Mr. Hallahan’s ship was anchored in the Danube, the whole of the crew and the captain were stricken down with fever.

During the Franco-Prussian War Mr Hallahan jummped ship along with an English sailor and made his way to France. Both offered their services to the French forces; his friend was accepted, Mr. Hallahan was rejected as under age. Some years later Mr. Hallahan, while in a Brazil port, was surprised to find the comrade he had left in France. They decided to leave their ships again and obtain ranch work together. When, however, the ranch manager desired them to choose wives from among the local girls of the ranch, they soon found themselves back again at sea. It was in a South American port again that Mr. Hallahan left the sea service for the last time, when a mining engineer inspecting mines engaged him.

Later he travelled to India with the same engineer and gained a considerable knowledge of mining. Mr. Hallahan eventually found his way to New Zealand and engaged for a number of years in gold and coal mining. He became a close friend of the late Richard Seddon, destined to become Prime Minister of New Zealand. Mr. Hallahan always recalled that he assisted Seddon in his first election campaign. Mr. Hallahan arrived in Western Australia in the early days of gold mining and he was for many years associated with the industry. Working for the Government he assisted to raise the first coal in th Collie coal mines.

Mr. Hallahan could tell many tales of old goldfields characters. He was a good friend of ‘Smiler’ Hales, with whom he subsequently spent some time in London. Mr. Hallahan made several trips abroad and on the advice of an American brother, went to the U.S.A. to investigate the Raw Hide mining field. It was at Raw Hide in Tex Richard’s dancing saloon that Mr. Hallahan was introduced to, and danced with the well known novelist, Elinor Glynn. In company with others Mr. Hallahan escorted the novelist around Raw Hide, including ‘Stringray Gulch’ a doubtful and dubious quarter. This induced Mr. Hallahan to pen a limerick:

There was a young lady named Glynn
Wrote a book on ‘the Cardinal Sin”
Of scenes she avowed She had heard but not seen
But the boys said, ‘Her book was too thin.’

Elinor Glynn obtained possession of this and later it appeared in the camp’s paper, ‘The Raw Hide Hustler.’ While Mr. Hallahan was in Richard’s saloon a store man heard him mention Kalgoorlie, and inquired if he knew Mr. Callahan, manager of the Lake View mine. Callahan, the storeman, stated he was his brother-in-law, and also asked after Dan Maher, his son. In the early days Dan Maher was a noted Boulder Block character and was known as ‘The Mayor of Boulder Block.’ During Mr. Hallahan’s sojourn in Raw Hide a bank closed its doors and clients and customers clamoured around its doors for their money. Later, a lorry drew up laden with money bags, the bank manager politely assuring his clients that everything was all right. Later on, however, it turned out that these same bags were full of copper coins.

Before returning to Australia from the U.S.A., Mr. Hallahan visited New York and spent a day with a friend at Coney Island, where he was attracted to a Gipsy fortune-teller’s tent. Asking the Gipsy where she came from he learned she was from Fremantle. She confessed that she was born in Bunbury, but owing to ‘pecuniary difficulties’ in New York had joined the Gipsy sideshow. In New York Mr. Hallahan was surprised to meet Kauffman, the well-known mining speculator, who was known to him in Western Australia. Kauffman asked Mr. Hallahan to advise him of anything worth while he might hear about upon his return to W.A. This request Mr. Hallahan eventually fulfilled, and at a later date was surprised to receive a bank draft for £1000 from London. Kauffman had made a considerable amount from the information. Kauffman, it was who purchased the Merton’s Reward Mine, the sale eventuating in a Kalgoorlie hotel in Mr. Hallahan’s presence. Merton secured his price cf £10,000 cash and £100,000 in shares in a £300,000 company. Merton subsequently became owner of racehorses and won a Caulfield ! Cup with Flavinus.

Mr. Hallahan spent many years prospecting and for some time, with the late ‘Billy’ Frost, who was considered one of the State’s best prospectors and arid bushmen. He also prospected in the Northern Territory, though thought little of that part of Australia as a gold producer. He later worked a small property in Gippsland, Victoria, and inspected other properties in that State for West Australian people. While prospecting at Edjudina, Mr. Hallahan was bitten on the foot by a snake and was laid up for a considerable time. He often recalled that, while he was prospecting in the Gordon’s district with the late Paddy Queally, a snake crawled across Queally ‘s neck while he was lying outside their tent one moonlight night. Mr. Hallahan called to. his mate to remain still and the snake luckily crawled off and was later despatched.

At Kanowna Mr. Hallahan was manager of the Robinson mine and crushed much rich ore for the late Tom Doyle, of whom he used to tell many yarns. Later he managed the Golden Ridge mine and in that company’s interest inspected over 50 mining properties, but was unfortunately unable to recommend any of them. In later years Mr. Hallahan’s best ‘lucky year’ was when he obtained an option from the prospectors, Slavin and Evers, over their find at Hampton Plains. The option was exercised and a company,

the White Hope gold mine, was floated in South Australia.

London capital was introduced and the shares reached £4. Mr. Hallahan was a large shareholder and could have become a rich man. His faith in the property caused him to retain most of his shares, but fortunately he sold sufficient to provide a competency. During the last mining boom he received a posted request from an Eastern States broker to try to obtain an option over a certain mining property. The letter. was followed by a telegram: — ‘Do your ‘best; I can’t float scrap iron.’ For some years before the war, Mr. Hallahan spent his winters in Kalgoorlie, where his circle of friends was large. His summer months were, spent at Cottesloe, where he was well known to visitors at the Hostel Manley. He never missed his morning dip. At 80 years of age he swam out to the pylon to decide if a bird was perched on the pole. The Kalgoorlie Mechanics.’ Institute knew him well, and well he knew the best books there. One of his pastimes was translating Greek. He ; could read ; and speak several languages and many years back wrote : articles for the ‘The Bulletin.’

During the past few years Mr. Hallahan made’ his home with his widowed daughter, Mrs. Hunter, of Maylands, three of her sons having  enlisted in this World War II. Remembering his own great sorrow in the loss of three gallant sons in World War I, he wished to be on hand should anything happen to his grandsons. Unfortunately, the  youngest of the three did not return. The eldest of Mr. Hallahan’s sons lost in World War l, was Captain Walter Hallahan, considered to be one of the best soldiers to leave these shores. He was the third son killed and this loss occurred within a few weeks of the end of the war. His death was a severe blow to the father and for a short time caused him almost to lose his equilibrium, but with the. same splendid courage as possessed by his four gallant sons he regained his balance and spent many years with his remaining relatives and friends.

Captain Hallahan was returning to Australia for a well deserved spell and was in England waiting transport when he was ordered back to France. He was to have wedded a nurse the next day. His comrades of the 11th Battalion were surprised to see him return to action, and heard him remark.

“I don’t care what becomes of me now, one of us will return home.”

He was referring to his youngest brother who had been taken prisoner in Germany. This son, Robert Thomson Hallahan,  did return and is now a Church of England Minister in South Australia. Captain Hallahan was killed a few days after returning to his battalion. Captain Belford, in his book ‘Legs Eleven’, wrote as follows:  ‘Captain. Hallahan stood out as typical of the best of trie 11th Battalion; he. was idolized by all and loved by all who knew him.’ The battalion pioneers constructed a cross for his grave and on its plinth were the words: ‘Loved by All.’ The same comment could well be written of his devoted father, who fought for 92 years in life’s campaign.

Family History of James Patrick Hallahan:
Born in Portrush, Antrim, Northern Ireland in 1854 to Daniel Hallahan and Jane nee Harty. In  1885 in Westport, Buller, West Coast New Zealand he married Janet Bernard (died New Zealand 1911) and had the following children:
Wendell James born 1885 (KIA)
Mary Jane born 1888 died age 1yr. (Twin to Janet)
Janet Annie born 1888 died same year (Twin to Mary)
Walter Rewi born 1889 (KIA)
Grace Margaret born (Twin to William) 1890
William Alfred born 1891 (Twin to Margaret) (KIA)
Agnes Mary born 1893
Robert Thomson born 1895

Captain Walter Rewi Hallahan

Rev Robert Thomas Hallahan