Thomas O'Shea/Shea
- Born
- 1838-01-01 12:00:00
- Died
- 1921-01-01 12:00:00
- Gender
- Male
Looking for information on Thomas Shea/O'Shea, my great-grandfather.
Born Co Tipperary - a distant relative says Thomas was born or baptised 1838 in Ballyneale, Tipperary. He migrated to Victoria, Australia about 1871.
Below is most of the information I have:
From Marriage Certificate
August 18th, 1872 Redesdale (Victoria, Australia)
Thomas Shea b. Tipperary, Ireland age 34 years, living in Glenhope (Victoria)
occupation: farmer labourer
parents: Patrick Shea (farmer) & Bridget Edmonde
married
Margaret GRIFFIN Spinster b. Youghal, Ireland, age 24, living in Glenhope
occupation: servant
parents Maurice GRIFFIN (farmer) & Elizabeth GOGGIN (CORCORAN on Marriage Cert but probably incorrect)
witnesses William Baker and Sarah Wallace
From Thomas O’Shea’s Death Certificate
Died October 15th, 1921, Glenhope, Victoria
Age 80 years, Parents unknown
Where Born: Ireland. Had lived about 50 years in Victoria, Australia.
Married Redesdale, Age about 30 years to Margaret Griffin (still living)
Children listed Mary, Elizabeth, Lucy, James, Anastasia (my maternal grandmother) Margaret, Thomas(dec)
From Thomas O’Shea’s Obituary:
Advocate (Melbourne, Vic. : 1868 - 1954), Thursday 27 October 1921, page 26
"Mr. Thomas O'Shea, an old and much-respected resident of Glenhope, died early on Saturday morning week. He was a native of County Tipperary, Ireland, and was 82 years of age. He arrived in Victoria about 52 years ago. He resided for over 40 years on his farm at Glenhope, where he reared a large family. Before leaving Ireland he spent 12 months in Italy, where he fought in the memorable war in defence of the Pope's Estates.
He is survived by his wife, one son and five daughters..."
I have no other information except that there’s a family story that Thomas fought in the Boer War & one of his farms was called “Ladysmith”. I’ve not been able to find out anything about this yet. Maybe the story was mixed up with the Papal States war mentioned in his obituary. If Thomas did fight in a Boer War it would most likely have been the First Anglo-Boer War - also known as the Transvaal War or Transvaal Rebellion December 1880-March 1881. I have read that members of the Irish Diaspora did fight in both Boer Wars. Australians fought in the second Boer War but I think Thomas would have been too old by then. A later farm was called Aran More.
I would love to add to Thomas' story, especially of his time in Ireland.
