FLANAGAN, John
Born 13 March 1878; died 15 November 1918; buried 18 November 1918; age 39
Service Number 3/3339
John FLANAGAN was born on 13 March 1878 in Malvern, Canterbury, the fifth of 11 children born to Michael Flanagan and Mary WILSON. Sheffield (formerly Malvern) is a small village in the Selwyn district of Canterbury region, near the Waimakariri Gorge.
His father was born around 1839 in County Clare, Ireland and married Mary in Christchurch in 1872. Mary was born around 1839 in Scotland. In 1871 Michael started work as the police constable in Akaroa. Their first daughter, Mary, was born there in 1872 followed by Margaret in 1873. Their father became the publican at Pigeon Bay, on the Akaroa Peninsula, where Charlotte was born in 1875. Another daughter, Jane, was born in Christchurch in 1876.
The family moved to Sheffield in 1877 and set up Flanagan’s Hotel. More children were born while the family was living in this area: John b1878, Michael b1879, Agatha b1881, Monica b1883, Charles John b1884.
The Lyttelton Times published a Bankruptcy Auction for Michael Flanagan on 30 April 1884. Michael had spent 3,000 pounds on the construction of the Railway Hotel in Sheffield in 1883 and applied for bankruptcy in March 1884. His estate was under the control of the official assignee from that time and he was eventually adjudicated bankrupt in Nov 1885, paying a dividend of only 10d in the pound in March 1886, final accounts being filed in May 1888. By January 1885 the family had Flanagan’s Hotel at Coalgate in the Selwyn District of Canterbury, plus an association with the Annat Hotel, around 1886. Sons Joseph, b1887, and Henry John b1889, were born in Christchurch.
By 1896 the Flanagan family had moved to Wellington, living at Brook Street, Thorndon, where Michael worked for the Customs Department. While no record of the position he held has been found, his work in the police and as a publican would have assisted in this work. By 1905 the family moved to 7 Pipitea Street and then to 8 Moturoa Street in the Thorndon / Pipitea area. From the Electoral Rolls of this time Jane was working as a tailoress, John as a railway porter, Charles John as a jeweller and Margaret as a domestic at Government House.
One of their sons, Michael, fought in the Boer War in South Africa, and died from enteric fever on 9 January 1902. He was serving with 2nd Kitchener’s Fighting Scouts and received the Queen’s South African War Medal and 4 clasps (serving in Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902).
Mary died in 1904. Her funeral service was held in Sacred Heart Basilicia, Wellington on 22 October followed by her burial in Karori Cemetery. The Evening Post published a death notice on 21 October 1904:
Flanagan – On the 21st October, 1904, at the Hospital, Mary Flanagan, beloved wife of Michael Flanagan of Pipitea-street, Wellington, aged 55 years. Rest in Peace.
Their son, Joseph, enlisted with the army on 14 December 1914 and was wounded while serving at Gallipoli. He went on to serve with the Auckland Infantry Battalion and was killed in action in the Somme, France on 30 September 1916.
Michael Snr died aged 78 in Napier on 4 June 1916, but was interred in Karori Cemetery. The Hastings Standard published the death notice on 4 June 1916.
An obituary appeared in Evening Post of 12 June 1916:
Mr Michael Flanagan, an old resident of Wellington, passed away at Napier last week at the age of 77 years. The interment took place at the Karori cemetery. Born in County Clare, Ireland, he came to New Zealand about 50 years ago, and settled in Canterbury. There he was engaged in hotel-keeping, and on his appointment to the Customs Department he came to reside in Wellington about twenty years ago. His wife predeceased him some years ago. He leaves a family of four sons and five daughters. One of the sons left New Zealand with the 3rd Reinforcement, and is now in France, and another is at present in camp at Trentham. One of the daughters is married to Captain Henry Redmond, of Oamaru.
His first son, John, grew up in the Sheffield area and attended the Malvern/Waddington School and Glentunnel School before moving to Christchurch and then Wellington.
However, by 1915 John was living in Christchurch, working as a clerk at the Kaiapoi Freezing Works. He enlisted for the army in August but was rejected due to his weight. John was again medically examined on 25 May 1917 but due to limited movement of both ankles, because of an accident 15 months earlier, he was only accepted for the Home Service. He served as a clerk in the New Zealand Dental Corps at Trentham Camp, near Wellington, and Featherston Camp before being transferred to Headquarters, in the quartermasters department.
John caught influenza in November 1918 and was admitted to Trentham Military Hospital on 9 November. He died of influenza and pneumonia on 15 November and was buried in the Soldiers’ Section at Karori Cemetery on 18 November. There was no death notice published, but his death was noted in the newspapers under the Soldier Deaths at Trentham Camp. He was not married.
Born 13 March 1878; died 15 November 1918; buried 18 November 1918; age 39
Service Number 3/3339
John FLANAGAN was born on 13 March 1878 in Malvern, Canterbury, the fifth of 11 children born to Michael Flanagan and Mary WILSON. Sheffield (formerly Malvern) is a small village in the Selwyn district of Canterbury region, near the Waimakariri Gorge.
His father was born around 1839 in County Clare, Ireland and married Mary in Christchurch in 1872. Mary was born around 1839 in Scotland. In 1871 Michael started work as the police constable in Akaroa. Their first daughter, Mary, was born there in 1872 followed by Margaret in 1873. Their father became the publican at Pigeon Bay, on the Akaroa Peninsula, where Charlotte was born in 1875. Another daughter, Jane, was born in Christchurch in 1876.
The family moved to Sheffield in 1877 and set up Flanagan’s Hotel. More children were born while the family was living in this area: John b1878, Michael b1879, Agatha b1881, Monica b1883, Charles John b1884.
The Lyttelton Times published a Bankruptcy Auction for Michael Flanagan on 30 April 1884. Michael had spent 3,000 pounds on the construction of the Railway Hotel in Sheffield in 1883 and applied for bankruptcy in March 1884. His estate was under the control of the official assignee from that time and he was eventually adjudicated bankrupt in Nov 1885, paying a dividend of only 10d in the pound in March 1886, final accounts being filed in May 1888. By January 1885 the family had Flanagan’s Hotel at Coalgate in the Selwyn District of Canterbury, plus an association with the Annat Hotel, around 1886. Sons Joseph, b1887, and Henry John b1889, were born in Christchurch.
By 1896 the Flanagan family had moved to Wellington, living at Brook Street, Thorndon, where Michael worked for the Customs Department. While no record of the position he held has been found, his work in the police and as a publican would have assisted in this work. By 1905 the family moved to 7 Pipitea Street and then to 8 Moturoa Street in the Thorndon / Pipitea area. From the Electoral Rolls of this time Jane was working as a tailoress, John as a railway porter, Charles John as a jeweller and Margaret as a domestic at Government House.
One of their sons, Michael, fought in the Boer War in South Africa, and died from enteric fever on 9 January 1902. He was serving with 2nd Kitchener’s Fighting Scouts and received the Queen’s South African War Medal and 4 clasps (serving in Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902).
Mary died in 1904. Her funeral service was held in Sacred Heart Basilicia, Wellington on 22 October followed by her burial in Karori Cemetery. The Evening Post published a death notice on 21 October 1904:
Flanagan – On the 21st October, 1904, at the Hospital, Mary Flanagan, beloved wife of Michael Flanagan of Pipitea-street, Wellington, aged 55 years. Rest in Peace.
Their son, Joseph, enlisted with the army on 14 December 1914 and was wounded while serving at Gallipoli. He went on to serve with the Auckland Infantry Battalion and was killed in action in the Somme, France on 30 September 1916.
Michael Snr died aged 78 in Napier on 4 June 1916, but was interred in Karori Cemetery. The Hastings Standard published the death notice on 4 June 1916.
An obituary appeared in Evening Post of 12 June 1916:
Mr Michael Flanagan, an old resident of Wellington, passed away at Napier last week at the age of 77 years. The interment took place at the Karori cemetery. Born in County Clare, Ireland, he came to New Zealand about 50 years ago, and settled in Canterbury. There he was engaged in hotel-keeping, and on his appointment to the Customs Department he came to reside in Wellington about twenty years ago. His wife predeceased him some years ago. He leaves a family of four sons and five daughters. One of the sons left New Zealand with the 3rd Reinforcement, and is now in France, and another is at present in camp at Trentham. One of the daughters is married to Captain Henry Redmond, of Oamaru.
His first son, John, grew up in the Sheffield area and attended the Malvern/Waddington School and Glentunnel School before moving to Christchurch and then Wellington.
However, by 1915 John was living in Christchurch, working as a clerk at the Kaiapoi Freezing Works. He enlisted for the army in August but was rejected due to his weight. John was again medically examined on 25 May 1917 but due to limited movement of both ankles, because of an accident 15 months earlier, he was only accepted for the Home Service. He served as a clerk in the New Zealand Dental Corps at Trentham Camp, near Wellington, and Featherston Camp before being transferred to Headquarters, in the quartermasters department.
John caught influenza in November 1918 and was admitted to Trentham Military Hospital on 9 November. He died of influenza and pneumonia on 15 November and was buried in the Soldiers’ Section at Karori Cemetery on 18 November. There was no death notice published, but his death was noted in the newspapers under the Soldier Deaths at Trentham Camp. He was not married.
The family plot is in the Roman Catholic section, Plot 46A. On the headstone the following family members are listed:
Mary Flanagan, died 1904
Michael Flanagan, died 1916
Their son, Michael, died 1902
Their son, Joseph, died 1916
Their son, Henry John, died 1968
His wife, Ellenmore, died 1977
Their grandson, Michael, drowned in Victoria, Australia 1955
Their son, Patrick, died 1997
Mary Flanagan, died 1904
Michael Flanagan, died 1916
Their son, Michael, died 1902
Their son, Joseph, died 1916
Their son, Henry John, died 1968
His wife, Ellenmore, died 1977
Their grandson, Michael, drowned in Victoria, Australia 1955
Their son, Patrick, died 1997
Researched and written by Beverley Hamlin
Grave information:
Section: Soldiers
Plot 7 B
Sources:
1. New Zealand Births Deaths & Marriages historical – www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz
2. Newspapers – www.paperspast.natlib.gov.nz
3. Karori Cemetery – www.wellington.govt.nz > Services > Community & Culture > Cemeteries, including the photos of headstones
4. New Zealand Electoral Rolls and family information – www.ancestry.co.uk
5. Archives New Zealand New Zealand Army World War 1 records – www.archway.archives.govt.nz
6. New Zealand Society of Genealogists Kiwi Index for school records
Grave information:
Section: Soldiers
Plot 7 B
Sources:
1. New Zealand Births Deaths & Marriages historical – www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz
2. Newspapers – www.paperspast.natlib.gov.nz
3. Karori Cemetery – www.wellington.govt.nz > Services > Community & Culture > Cemeteries, including the photos of headstones
4. New Zealand Electoral Rolls and family information – www.ancestry.co.uk
5. Archives New Zealand New Zealand Army World War 1 records – www.archway.archives.govt.nz
6. New Zealand Society of Genealogists Kiwi Index for school records