Lyons Family Back Row: Kathleen (1911), Peter Gerald (1891), Theresa Vincent ‘Tess’ (1908), Elizabeth Veronica (1898), Margaret Ellen (Mother) Front Row: Bedelia (1896), Anne Margaret ‘Rita’ (1906), John (Father) – Photo Renee Rawlinson
John Edward Lyons – written by Sue Iles
John Edward Lyons was born in Castlemaine Victoria in 1859, the son of Peter Lyonas and Bridget Minogue nee Mannix. He came to Western Australia in 1905 and originally went to the Northwest of the state. His wife Margaret Ellen nee Egan, and their five children, Peter, Stephen, Mary, Bedelia and Elizabeth followed him to Perth, but on arriving found that the boat from the north-west had been delayed and John was not there to meet them. Margaret Lyons then rented a house until her husband arrived, after which they travelled to Kanowna in the Western Australia Goldfields.
1906, Kanowna, Wood cutter.
An incident occurred at this time in the rented house that was to change the future of a young woman arriving from England. A stranger in the country and unable to find accommodation, she was advised to go, or was drawn to the lighted house and knocked on Mrs Lyons’ door. The children and Mrs Lyons were seated around a fire in the front room and Mrs Lyons was loathed to open the door to the insistent knocking. When she did she found it was a young lady asking for accommodation. She took a room and stayed becoming a firm friend and moved with the family to Kanowna. She was Elizabeth Emily Goldsmith, she married Henry McCaskill in Boulder in 1904. Henry died in 1915 and is buried in the Kanowna Cemetery
The Lyons family stayed several years in Kanowna, Rita, Teresa and Kathleen all being born there. Mrs Lyons and some of the girls remained at Kanowna when John Lyons was allocated a block of land at Emu Hill (Location No 16226) in the Mid West in 1910. John Lyons, Peter, Stephen and Eliza went to the farm for the first few years. Mary had married Tom O’Dea and they later lived in the Merredin district and had nine children.
The first house for the Lyons was of timber and hessian, whitewashed. Then a wooden house, the one being lived in by Kevin and Noeline Smith today (1983) The house was moved from the farm. The Lyons farm was fully cleared by 1929. The wheat, Gluyas and Naawa varieties were obtained from the state farm. The harvested grain was taken by horse and dray to Doodlakine, over one day and back the next. Later it was to Bruce Rock when the railway came through in 1914. The Lyons were among the first settlers to have sheep. They bought them from Dick Clarke and they were returned to his farm for shearing. They were walked to the Clarke Bungullaping farm and camped on the road overnight. This farm was sold at the beginning of the depression in 1930 to Alan Shaman. Early neighbours were Jack and Charlie Cawse on the opposite farm. Albert Patchett later bought it, also Jim Ford then Sterling Parker and now Lindsay Smith.
The Lyons were keen Roman Catholic Church workers and the priest, firstly Father Fahey then Father Smith, stayed there overnight when he came to Emu Hill for mass. Delia Lyons married Arthur Cochrane. Elizabeth Lyons married William Iles from the neighbouring farm, Both in the Emu Hill Hall. Steve married Doris Iles from the neighbouring farm. Rita married George Knight and later Jack Russell. Theresa married Mick Lethridge and the youngest Kathleen married James Edwards who owned Edwards Find, a goldmine at Southern Cross.
At the beginning of the Depression in 1929 John Lyons sold his farm. He didn’t receive the full value for the farm, being prepared to accept a lump sum to finalise the deal. He left farming at an opportune time, many hard years were to follow for the farming community.
John and Margaret Lyons on old age – Photo Sue Iles
John died in October 1947 and is buried in the Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth, his wife Margaret survived him by five years and is buried with him.
Moya Sharp
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Thanks for posting this interesting story. I have fond memories of Auntie Tess and Uncle Mick Lethridge. Mick was my grandmother’s brother.
Glad you came across the story.(: