Ernest Vincent O'NEILL 1885-1958

Ernest Vincent (Pop) O'NEILL was born on the 20th August 1885 in Carroll Gap, NSW, the eldest child of Patrick Joseph O'NEILL, a labourer, and Christina Janet PATERSON. Ernest's birth was witnessed by Mrs Walker, who I presume may have been the widwife of the area.

Despite Ernest being born at Carroll Gap, Ernest's father's residence was Currabubula, some 73km distance by today's roads (via Tamworth). This same situation seems to have occurred for the birth of the O'Neill's second child. Perhaps Christina travelled to where Mrs Walker lived in order to give birth. This is unclear at this stage.

Ernest's father died of throat cancer in 1892 when Ernest was 7 years old. Ernest's mother never re-married, so presumably raised the children on her own.

Family legend says there was some sort of falling out between Ernest and his family as he moved north to Queensland, and never spoke of them.

The Queensland electoral rolls then assist me in tracing Ernest's movements as an adult.

At the age of 28, we find Ernest working as a carpenter in Townsville, North Queensland, and living at the Excelsior Hotel, according to the 1913 electoral roll.



This photo of the Excelsior was taken during WWII, in the 1940s. Many thanks to Peter Dunn's "Australia at War" website.

In 1914, Ernest married a 19 year old English girl, Florence TOPLIS, at the Church of the Holy Redeemer in Prairie, Queensland - a tiny little town on the Flinders Highway about 50km from Hughenden. Her marriage certificate states that at the time, Florence resided in Prairie, whilst Ernest resided in Sellheim, some 221km distance from each other. The were married according to the rites of the Church of England. The witnesses to their marriage were Michael Christian Romer (unknown) and Rosina Toplis (Florence's sister).

Florence emigrated to Australia with her mother and siblings in 1910 on board the SS Oswestry Grange ex London. She was born in Pendleton, Salford, part of Greater Manchester City in Lancashire on October 20th, 1894. Her parents were William TOPLIS and Louisa FRODSHAM. They were either divorced or William has died in the years before Florence emigrated to Australia. (More research required).

In 1918, the infant daughter of Ernest and Florence, Mavis, passes away from infantile tetanus. I have mislaid Mavis' death certificate, but it was unclear how old Mavis was. I think she may only have been a few days old.

The electoral roll for 1919 shows Ernest and Florence residing at Fourteenth Avenue, Railway Estate, Townsville, with Ernest's occupation again listed as carpenter. 1919 also sees the arrival of their son, Ronald, born on the 18th of April of that year.

The electoral roll for 1925 shows both Ernest and Florence living at Sellheim, near Charters Towers. I would presume that Ernest and family have moved here for work reasons.

Five years later, and the O'Neills are back at Fourteenth Avenue, Railway Estate.

In 1942, their son Ronald enlists to join the fight for empire in World War II from Merinda in Bowen.

The 1949 electoral roll again shows family movement; this time the O'Neills are living in Bowen, Far North Queensland. Ernest was working at the Merinda Meatworks as a carpenter. He retired from the Meatworks in 1953. The Meatworks closed in 1998 and were completely demolished in 2004.

In 1954, Florence's mother Louisa passed away in Bowen. Florence provided the certification and details on her death certificate, and stated that the O'Neills then lived at Queen's Beach, Bowen.

Ernest passed away suddenly on the 8th of October, 1958 at the Bowen Base Hopital. His cause of death was Cerebral Thrombosis. He was buried on October 9th, at the Bowen Cemetery.

The following notices were published in the Bowen Independent of 17th October 1958;

OBITUARY

The death occurred on 8th October of Mr. E. O'Neill. The deceased was a former Townsville resident, who later went to the Merinda Meatworks, from which he retired five years ago to his home at Queen's Beach.

THANKS

We wish to thank sincerely the business people of Bowen and Queen's Beach, workmates, close friends and firends of the late Ernest (Pop) O'Neill for the wreaths, messages of sympathy and condolences and those who helped in every way in our sudden and sad loss.

FLO, RON & ROSE O'NEILL.


*Birth Cert 1885/032925 on file
*Death Cert 1958/4309 5991 on file
*Marriage Cert 1914/1818 on file
*With thanks to the State Queensland of Library "Ask a Librarian" service for the obituary notices.