Michael Kyron Rockett

Michael Kyron Rockett was born on 30 July 1872 near Kilmacthomas, County Waterford to Ellen Rockett (nee Flynne), age 29, and Edmond Rockett, age 42. His place of residence was Ballyogarty, near Kilmacthomas.

He emigrated to Australia, departing on a ship on 14 December 1899 and arriving in Brisbane on 7 February 1900. After initially working on the tramways in Brisbane, he became a police officer with the Queensland Police. He married Margaret Mary Coffey (from Barleymount Middle, near Killarney in Kerry) in Brisbane in 1908 when he was 36 years old. Their son Edmond Patrick was born on 30 August 1909 and Frank Kerin (my grandfather) was born on 4 November 1912.

In 1913 or 1914 the family moved to Longreach in central west Queensland, about 700km inland from the coastal city of Rockhampton. In 1914 or 1915, they then moved to Jericho, about 200km east of Longreach.

His wife Margaret Mary Coffey gave birth to a daughter, Margaret Leinster Rockett on 29 March 1915 in a hospital in Rockhampton. A few days later, Margaret Mary died on 3 April 1915 from tuberculosis and complications in giving birth, she was 33 years old.

In 1916, Michael Kyron Rockett married Else Wilhelmina Stargardt. Else was a friend of Margaret's.