Mary Ann (Bennett) Nolan (abt. 1844 - abt. 1915)

Born about 1844 in County Limerick, Ireland [uncertain]

Wife of Daniel Nolan — married 14 Oct 1871 in Bowen, Queensland, Australia

Descendants

Died about 21 Nov 1915 at about age 71 in Mackay, Queensland, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: John Nolan [send private message]

Biography

Mary Ann was born about 1844. Intormation from her first two sons' birth certificates, Qld, Australia suggest she came from Limerick, Ireland and her parents were William Henry Bennett and Margaret Florence Boulton. ^[1]

She emigrated to Australia and was in Rockhampton, Qld by 1865, but no Australian immigration record has been confirmed; whether she travelled alone or with family members is unknown.

Around 1865, Mary Ann met James Starr in Rockhampton, Qld. He was born in Cheddar, Somerset, England and had emigrated via "Shackamaxon", arriving in Moreton Bay on 25 Nov 1859. ^[2]

Mary Ann recorded on her first two sons' birth certificates that she married James Starr on 7 Aug 1865 in Rockhampton^[3], but no record of this marriage has been found.

The couple relocated to Nebo, Qld around the end of 1865 ^[4] and soon afterwards had purchased land at Nebo. Mary Ann had two sons with James Starr - George Francis, born 8 Oct 1866 and William Henry, born 2 Oct 1868 - both born in Nebo, Qld. ^{[5] [6]} Between 1869 and 1871, James Starr moved further north to take up Mining Rights at Ravenswood, Qld, and during this period seems to have severed his relationship with Mary Ann.

Mary Ann had a daughter on 30 Jun 1871 and the birth was registered at Ravenswood with no father recorded. ^[7]

Mary married Daniel Nolan, a publican and gold miner, on 14 October 1871 in the Court House at Bowen, Qld.^[8].

Daniel James Augustus Nolan, was born on 1 Oct 1873. The birth was registered in Mackay, Qld.^[9]

Another daughter, Emily Florence Margaret Nolan was born on 10 Sep 1879 at Nebo, Qld.^[10]

John Spencer Nolan was born on 29 Apr 1882 at Mount Britton, Qld. He died on 5 May 1882 at Nebo, Qld. ^{[11] [12]}

Mabel Violetta Claribel Nolan was born at Mt Britton, Qld on 31 Mar 1884. ^[13]

Following Dan Nolan's death in Sydney in 1884,^[14] Mary Ann married another miner, Charles Gibbard, in 1887 at Mt Britton, at the house of Ebenezer Gibson who was the butcher in Mt Britton. ^[15]. There were no further children from this marriage.

After 1888, Charles and Mary Ann left Mt Britton and lived at a property called 'Woodstock' situated between Mt Britton and Nebo. Charles died after an extended illness on 31 May 1898. ^[16]

After Charles death, Mary Ann left "Woodstock" and returned to Mt Britton to re-open the Mt Britton Hotel, but sold it in 1901 to James Perry. (The Hotel only stayed open until 1902, when the building was dismantled and re-built in Nebo.)

Mary Ann then moved to Marian between Nebo and Mackay, Qld. ^[17]

In 1904, Mary Ann was apparently receiving mail at the Swan Hotel, Newbury Junction near Mackay^[18] and, by 1908, was living in Albert Street, Mackay.^[19] In 1913, Mary Ann was still living in Mackay but her address was now in Carlyle Street.^[20]

Mary Ann passed away on 21 Nov 1915 in Mackay, Qld and there is an imposing headstone in the Mackay cemetery. ^[21]

Sources

1. ↑ births listed below
2. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, Assisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1828-1896
3. ↑ births listed below
4. ↑ Undelivered letters held at Rockhampton Post Office
5. ↑ Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages
   Birth registration:
   George Francis Nolan
   Birth date: 8 Oct 1866
   Registration details:1866/C/
6. ↑ Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages
   Birth registration:
   William Henry Starr
   Birth date:2 Oct 1868
   Registration details:1868/C/2039
7. ↑ Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages
   Birth registration:
   Mary Ann Nolan
   Birth date:30 Jun 1871
   Mrs Bridewell, nurse
   Registration details:1871/C/????
8. ↑ Queensland Marriage Index
   Marriage registration:
   Daniel Nolan
   Marriage date:14 Oct 1871
   Spouse's name:Mary Anne Elizabeth Bennett
   Registration details:1871/C/14
9. ↑ Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages
   Birth registration:
   Daniel James Augustus Nolan
   Birth date:1 Oct 1873
   Registration details:1873/C/3387
10. ↑ Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages
    Birth registration:
    Emily Margaret Florence
    Birth date:10 Sep 1879
    Registration details:1879/C/4720
11. ↑ Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages
    Birth registration:
    John Spencer Nolan
    Birth date: 29 Apr 1882
    Registration details:1882/C/3915
12. ↑ Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages
    Death registration:
    John Spencer Nolan
    Death date: 5 May 1882
    Registration details:1882/C/1697
13. ↑ Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages
    Birth registration:
    Mabel Violetta Claribel Nolan
    Birth date:31 Mar 1884
    Registration details:1884/C/7752
14. ↑ Births Marriages and Deaths, NSW Australia, Reg. No. 1441/1884
15. ↑ Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages
    Marriage registration:
    Charles Gibbard
    Marriage date:8 Nov 1887
    Spouse's name:Mary Anne Elizabeth Bennett
    Registration details:1871/C/1789
16. ↑ Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages
    Death registration:
    Charles Gibbard
    Birth date:31 Mar 1898
    Registration details:1884/C/4558
17. ↑ Pugh 1901-02; N Qld Register 22/7/1987 - Sundowner, Glenville Pike
18. ↑ Post Office Mail records
19. ↑ Qld electoral Roll
20. ↑ Qld Electoral Roll
21. ↑ Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages
    Death registration:
    Mary Ann Gibbard
    Death date:21 Nov 1915
    Registration details:1915/C/4857