Michael Brennan – grave tales

Michael Joseph Brennan    12^th June 1875 – 30^th March 1900
a family history by Cheryl Benson:-  gbenson@iinet.net.au

Michael Joseph Brennan was the son of Patrick Brennan and Mary Dougherty born the 12^th June 1875 Reefton, Buller, New Zealand. He was christened on the 20^th June 1875 with sponsors Mr. M. Byrne and Mrs. Potts. Mr. M. Byrne was his father’s long time friend and Mrs. Potts was the wife of an acquaintance of his father Patrick who was very much involved in community work.

The first information we have on Michael is when he attended St. Mary’s Ahaura School in 1881 aged 6 years and some of his results were published in the papers.

Grey River Argus 21 December 1881 St. Mary’s Ahaura

Examination 15^th Thursday December 1881  –  Sub Division – J. Brennan 1^st Christian doctrines, reading, arithmetic, and diligence

More results were published again in 1885 when Michael was aged 10 but by then he had been shifted to the Reefton Catholic School.
Inangahua Times 18 December 1885 Reefton Catholic School

Class 111  –  English Grammar M. Brennan 3,   Dictation M. Brennan 1,    History M. Brennan 2,   Spelling M. Brennan 2,   Diligence M. Brennan 1.

Michael served in the New Zealand Permanent Artillery from 19^th November 1894 to 9^th November 1895. The copy of the return to the Order of the House of Representatives dated the 27^th October, 1897 lists all those men who were transferred from the Permanent Artillery to the Police Force. It also names the region they were serving in at the time. Michael was serving in Reefton at the time. After leaving the Force in November 1895 nothing could be found as what Michael was doing in New Zealand until he left for Western Australia almost twelve months later.

From the newspaper report about his mother’s inquest we learnt that she was admitted to the Hokitika Asylum in 1894. His father had passed away the previous year November 1893.

A report in the papers in October 1896 stated that the youngest sons of Mr. P. Brennan were in Reefton to say goodbye to friends before joining their older brother in Western Australia. The two brothers Michael and Thomas had made arrangements to move their mother to private lodgings. Although this can’t have gone ahead as her death certificate states she died at the Hokitika Asylum on the 9^th February 1897.

Inangahua Times 8 October 1896 pg 2

The two youngest sons of the last Mr. P Brennan are at present in Reefton, bidding farewell to their friends prior to their departure for Western Australia, where their brother is established in a prosperous business. We regret to state that Mrs. Brennan’s condition is not at all improving, and her best friend would not recognize her now. So attenuated has she become through illness and trouble, that her weight has been reduced from 13 to six stone. Mrs. Brennan’s sons have removed their mother from the Hokitika asylum to private lodgings, and are trying to arrange for her further removal to the Hospital here.

Michael and Thomas migrated to Western Australia between the dates of October 1896 and March 1897.

Michael was an active member of the community. He was a member of the Irish National Foresters, this was a mutual aid society established to help members in distress and relatives of members who had died. It began in 1877 and became the largest friendly society in Ireland. The society spread throughout the world but retained close links with Ireland and was a strong supporter of Irish nationalism. A meeting was held at Corry’s Open Call Exchange, Bulong, on Tuesday March 9 1897 for the purpose of forming a branch, a M. Brennan enrolled.

There was a notice place in the papers in June notifying of a meeting of those desirous of forming a rugby football association that would be held at the Commercial Hotel on Wednesday 23^rd June 1897.  The convener read R. (P.) Brennan. Only 10 people turned up to this meeting because of bad weather so another meeting was organised for the 30^th. Patrick advised that he knew of between 30 and 40 rugby players in Kalgoorlie and he was confident that a club could be formed. It was suggested that matches be played on Wednesday so as not to clash with other Association contests.

The Commercial Hotel Corner of Hannan and Cassidy Streets, Kalgoorlie

A match was consequently organised for Wednesday the 7^th July to be played on the Recreation Reserve with teams:   –
Team A: Brennan, Smith, Jones, Kohler, Higgs, Parsons, Allen, Philo, White, Little john, Marshall, Beaumont, Lidlow, Phillips, and King. Team

Team B:  Mays, Brennan, Monteith, McRae, Tullow, Hart, Moore, Shade, Foster, Anderson, Wixey, Raleigh, Weaver, Belchin, and Rudall.

Two Brennan’s were named but neither of them was Patrick as a future notice in the paper in August showed that they are in fact Michael and Thomas playing. A comment in the Kalgoorlie Miner 24^th July 1897: ‘On Sunday last two scratch teams played a football match, Rugby rules. A very good go resulted, but I don’t think the style will catch on, somehow.’The next match planned was to be against the Boulder club on the 25^th July.
The Boulder club was called the Sydney Rugby Football Club.
The match report was as follows:-
RUGBY FOOTBALL. HANNANS v. SYDNEY. The first match between these two clubs was played in Kalgoorlie on Sunday. About 2000 people turned out to witness the game, which was played on the Recreation Ground. Play commenced just after 1.30 p.m. Hannans made a bold rush at the start, and for five or six minutes had the Sydney’s goal in danger. The stubborn play of Sydney’s full-back, however, averted disaster. Soon afterwards the tables were turned, and the result was never in doubt. In the first half B. Rawlin obtained a try, which was converted into a goal by R. Esdaile (full-back). The scores at half time were: – Sydney, 5 points; Hannans, nil. In the second half P. Webster and P. Fitzsimons scored tries for Sydney, both kicks for goal failing. The Sydneys thus won by 11 points to nil.   With about 2000 people there to watch in contradiction to the newspaper report the game caught on fast.

Football.

The following players will represent the Hannans Rugby Football Club in a match with the Boulder F. C. on Sunday, the 8th inst : — Forwards, Leslie, Shade, White, Solomon, Monteith. Marshall, Allen. Smith; halves, T. Brennan and L. Kohler ; five-eighths, L. Medde (captain) ; three-quarters, McCarthy, M. Brennan, Megee ; full back. Dave White; emergencies, F . Kohler, S. Anderson, Packer. A drag, will leave the Commercial Hotel at 1.45 p.m.

Another notice in Saturday’s paper 21^st August which listed the players as: The following players will represent the Hannans club against the Bulong club tomorrow: — Esdale, Allen, Marshall, Brennan (two), Monteith, Smith, Kohler (two), Shade, Hicks, White, Anderson, Coffee, Solomon. Emergencies : Balchin, McGee, and White. Drag leaves Commercial. Hotel at 9.30 a.m.

There was a notice for a meeting of the Kalgoorlie Rugby Football Club held on the 12^th April 1898 where his brother Thomas was appointed a delegate to the Rugby Football Union. The colors of the club were decided as gold and black. Two weeks later on Sunday 29^th May 1898 Michael and his brother Thomas were named in a team who played against the Kanowna team at the Kalgoorlie Recreation Ground, Thomas played full-back and Michael played three-quarters.Then two weeks later on Sunday the 12^th June they journeyed from Kalgoorlie to Bulong to play at the ‘U’. The drag conveying the Kalgoorlie players left Tattersall’s Hotel at 8a.m. sharp and the Bulong Club would entertain the visitors at a dinner at Greenwell’s Victoria Hotel at 12 o’clock. The game would commence at 2p.m. The Sunday before the scheduled match between Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie had been abandoned because of bad weather, it was rescheduled to take place on the following Wednesday if the weather permitted. According to the following years annual meeting the club did not finish the year as high on the ladder as they had hoped.

A review of the match between Kalgoorlie and Pirates was documented in the Kalgoorlie Miner on Monday 25 April 1898 pg 8. This was only one of several reports that named both brothers as playing well for the team.   – ‘Kalgoorlie and Pirates met on the Lake View and Boulder Junction ground yesterday, and after a splendidly contested game, the match ended in a draw, each side scoring two tries – six points. A. Taylor and J. Ritchie got over the line for Pirates, while M. Brennan and Mitchell scored for Kalgoorlie. Taylor, Ritchie, Hammond, and McMurtrie showed the best form for the Boulder, while Brennan, Kelly, Smith, and Henderson shone out conspicuously for Kalgoorlie. Mr. A. Smith made a very impartial umpire, and both teams showed good form, considering that it was the opening match of the season.

A meeting of the Kalgoorlie Rugby Football Club on the 3^rd July 1899 was held at Brennan’s Commercial Hotel. The following officials were appointed : -Selection committee, Messrs T. Brennan, Molloy and Henderson; delegates, Messrs T. Brennan and Henderson; working committee, Messrs M. Brennan, Henderson, Mason, Molloy and Daly ; captain, Mr. P. A. Mason ; vice-captain, Mr. M. Brennan. Mr. P. J. Daly tendered his resignation as secretary and treasurer, as he could not find time to attend properly to the duties. The resignation was received and Mr. M. Brennan appointed for the positions. It was decided to alter the playing colors to those of red and white, and to advise the association of the alterations. Mr. P. J. Daly offered a gold medal to the club, to be presented to the best all-round man, such presentation to be made on the committee’s award. Practice having been neglected of late, it was decided to go in for such every evening on the new reserve in Egan-street, and all players are to be requested attend regularly.

Michael was also into cycling and rode in the Monster Cycling Carnival held on the Queen’s Birthday May 24^th 1898. Although cycling wasn’t mentioned in his obituary cyclists were requested to attend his funeral. In the race called the ‘Maiden Mile’ with handicaps starting at 10 yd he and another competitor were given the longest handicap of 80 yd. In the next race, the ‘Warden’s Plate’, a half mile this time he was handed a 95 yd handicap with only one other person starting at  the 100 yd mark. The last race, ‘LAP Handicap’ his handicap was again the longest at 50 yds.  The results of this race meet could not be found. He entered into several races in the years 1898 and 1899 but the only result found was where he came 2^nd being beaten in the home turn.  There was a cycle meeting held at the Kalgoorlie Recreation Reserve on Wednesday 11^th October 1899, Michael competed in the Publicans’ ½ Mile Race with a handicap of 15yds.

In December 1895 the Town Clerk placed a notice in the local papers requesting volunteers to join the Kalgoorlie Fire Brigade and Salvage Corps. It took until April 1899 for the properly organised salvage corps to be arranged. The first meeting of men interested in joining occurred on the 20^th April in Brennan’s Commercial Hotel. The point of the group was to save property at outbreaks of fire. At the next meeting held at the Commercial Hotel on Thursday 27^th April 1899, with President Rev. Father O’Gorman chairing the proceedings, the decision was made that their uniform was to be khaki, with red facings for the rank and file, silver braid for lieutenants, and gold for captain. Practice was to start on the following Tuesday on a vacant piece of ground between Maritana street and the public school. The corps were to ask for donations from the public. No mention of Michael being a member is made in the papers except in his death notices.

Michael was one of eight stewards for the Binduli Race Club which held its first unregistered meeting on the 6^th December 1899. Horse and riders were to be approved by the stewards. Six races were planned of varying distances. Address given was Brennan’s Commercial Hotel.

In December 1899 Michael applied for a wine and beer license for premises in Maritana street near Egan-street and was refused

On the 15^th December 1899 Michael Joseph Brennan gave notice of Application for Wine and Beer License. It read:   ‘I, Michael Joseph Brenan, single, Hotel manager, now residing at Hannan-street, Kalgoorlie, in the District of East of Coolgardie, do hereby give notice that it is my intention to apply at the adjourned Licensing Meeting to be holden for this district, for a license for the sale of Wine, Beer, and other Fermented Liquors, the produce of the colony, in the house and appurtenances thereunto belonging, situated at Boulder-road and Egan-street, Kalgoorlie, and erected on part of block 874, and which said premises I hold on lease from Charles John Moran, the owner of the said premises, I have not held a license before.’

Michael Brennan Kalgoorlie Cemetery

According to the papers Michael came down with typhoid fever and then three weeks later died from Pneumonia on the 30^th March 1900. He is buried in the Kalgoorlie Cemetery.

The following notices and Obituary were placed in the various papers.
Kalgoorlie Miner 31 March 1900 pg 4

Members of the Kalgoorlie Volunteer Salvage Corps (in uniform) and members of Kalgoorlie Rugby Football Club, also cyclists, requested to attend funeral of Mr. M. J. Brennan, at 3.

 Kalgoorlie Miner Saturday 31 March 1900 pg 5    –     Death of Mr. M. J. Brennan.

His many friends in Kalgoorlie and elsewhere will learn with deep regret of the death early yesterday morning of Mr. Michael Joseph Brennan, brother of the popular licensee of the Commercial Hotel. Mr. Brennan, who was only 24 years old, was born at Reefton, New Zealand, where his father was an early settler and one of the leading men for many years. Mr. Brennan, sen, was one of those energetic and enterprising young men who were attracted to the colonies by the glamour of new found gold, and whose courage and ability carried him through the hardships of the early pioneering days into the haven of prosperity. He went to Reefton in 1871, and was identified with the growth and life of that settlement till his death in 1893. About three years and a half ago Mr. Michael Brennan followed his elder brother to this colony, and since then the two have worked harmoniously together, and have well deserved their popularity and the esteem of their fellow townsmen. In sporting circles Mr. Michael Brennan was well known and respected. His assistance was always freely given to all branches of sport. In New Zealand he was known as a good Rugby footballer, and he has been a keen supporter of that game here. In his business and private life Mr. Brennan was noted for his bright geniality and warmhearted kindliness. Some time ago Mr. Brennan applied for the license of a new hotel on the Boulder road, and the refusal of his application was a bitter disappointment to him. The application was renewed, and the constant adjournments that followed affected him very keenly and caused him a great deal of mental worry. This re-acted on his, physical health, and about three weeks ago he had an attack of typhoid fever, which rapidly grew worse. Pneumonia supervened, and, in spite of excellent medical treatment and the unwearying care of his brothers, he succumbed at an early hour yesterday morning. The funeral will take place this afternoon, leaving Mr. Patrick Brennan’s Commercial Hotel at 3 o’clock.

 Inangahua Times 28 May 1900 pg 3    –     Funeral of the late Mr. M. J. Brennan

On Friday morning at 8 o’clock Mr. Michael Joseph Brennan, brother of Mr. Patrick Brennan of the Commercial Hotel, Kalgoorlie, breathed his last after a combined attack of typhoid fever and pneumonia. The actual cause of death was stoppage of the heart’s action, as both the before mentioned diseases had disappeared; but the fight of nature had been too severe for even the youth and strength of a Hercules. Every care, both spiritual and temporal, was bestowed upon the dying man, and the affections of a particularly affectionate family, were lavished on the sufferer.

Deceased, who was only 24 years of age, was the second son of the late Mr. P. Brennan, of Reefton, New Zealand. He had been in business for some time with his brothers, and had made several attempts to start on his own account, but the licensing bench, for reasons unknown, refused to grant a license for the house which he had erected. These refusals caused him serious anxiety during his last illness.

Michael Brennan, Kalgoorlie Cemetery.

The funeral, which took place at 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon, was probably the largest that has been seen in Kalgoorlie or on the goldfields. The vast procession should afford consolation to the relatives of the deceased, as it manifests the high regard in which he was held as a citizen. After the removal of the corpse from the Commercial Hotel it was taken to St. Mary’s Church where the Rev Father Cleary performed the funeral rites, The Irish National Foresters led the procession followed by the members of the Salvage corps in both of which organisations deceased was a member; then came the hearse in which the corpse was coffined in polished oak tastefully mounted with silver. The members of the family present were Mr. Patrick and Thomas Brennan, Mrs. Brennan, Mr. W. Ryan, (brother-in-law), Jas. Smith (cousin), Mrs. R. Fagan, and Mrs., J. G. Alderdice; other friends also in the mourning coaches. In the procession nearly all the leading men of both Kalgoorlie and Boulder were present, 90 vehicles and number of horsemen comprising the cortege. The sidewalks were lined with sympathisers and sightseers and a veil of gloom generally seemed to be cast over the town at the loss of a citizen whose manhood and amiable bearing had made him a general favorite. At the grave the Rev Father Cleary read the usual burial service of the Roman Catholic Church in Latin, and after adding prayers for the dead in English delivered some very impressive remarks on death. The scene at the grave side was very affecting, and several of the deceased’s comrades were sobbing convulsively when the coffin was lowered into the grave.  Mr. C. J. Morgan M.LA., Mr. Oldham  M,L.A., Messrs R. Fagan, J. G. Alderdice, P. J. Daly, P. Hargan, T. Conway, and R. Boylen were the pall bearers. Floral wreaths were forwarded by the following :-Mr and Mrs Ralph Potts, Staff of W. A. Bank, Palace Hotel employers, Mr. P. Hargan, Mr. and Mrs. C.J. Morgan, Mr. Rob, Boylen, the Nurses Nyburn and Meyler, P. J Daly, Shamrock Brewery, T. Alfred Strempel, J. B. Goodman, J. Buck, Frank Scott, Licensed Victuallers Association, Messrs Brennan Bros., Mrs. Durant (Australia), Mr. and Mrs. Jack Baillie, Miss O’Neill, Rugby Football Club, Mr. and Mrs. T E. Thompson (Railway Hotel), Mr. and Mrs. F Fagan (Broad Arrow), Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Alderdice, Mr. W. Woodhead,  Miss Lena Thomas, Miss Hyde, Miss Gardner, and many others by whom the sterling qualities of the deceased were thoroughly known and appreciated.