Links:

• Thomas John Healy
• Margaret Gallagher

Generation 1

• Thomas Healy
• Jean Healy
• Rose Healy
• Frances Healy
• Margaret Healy
• Patrick Healy
• Catherine Healy
• Susan Healy
• Francis Healy
• Denis Healy

Thomas John Healy 1840-1918

The story of the Healy family begins with Thomas Healy, who was born on 18 June 1840, in County Galway, Ireland and christened a Roman Catholic. He was named after his father, and his sponsors were John Healy and Sarah Gormerly.

His father was Thomas Healy, a farmer in the village of Menlough (Menlo), three miles from the City of Galway, with estates in Londonderry, Ireland and his mother Bridget Connell. Thomas was what was then often called "an educated man", an unusual factor in those early days, as the ruling English oppressed the Irish to the extent that few Irish people received any scholastic education.

Thomas and Bridget Healy had five children that we know of:

• Mary Healy, born 7/12/1828
• Patrick Healy, born 22/5/1831
• Honour Healy, born 17/7/1834
• Catherine Healy, born 25/2/1838
• Thomas Healy, born 18/6/1840

Research into the families of the first four Healy children has not been done yet. Our family line begins with the fifth child, Thomas Healy.

Thomas Healy Snr died either on 11 August 1873 or 18 August 1875 (records are unclear), and Bridget died on 27 January 1856.

A visit to the cemetery by Desmond Sharp in April 1997 failed to locate headstones of Thomas and Bridget as the old section at Menlough was severely overgrown and the sandstone headstones badly weathered or illegible.

Apparently Thomas was a tall, very dark, very handsome man who loved horses. It was believed by family members that Thomas was a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary (which at that time was controlled by the English) as a Mounted Policeman prior to emigrating to Australia with an aunt who required a male escort at the time. She decided to settle in Australia, but was unhappy at Tom's decision to go to New Zealand, and rumour has it that she vowed to disinherit him.

Ned Kelly Link

However research by Desmond Sharp in Ireland in 1998 found that birth dates and service dates do not agree. It was also believed that Thomas served in the Victorian Mounted Police and was involved in the capture of Ned Kelly and the gang on 28 June 1880 (he was hanged in November 1880 in Melbourne Gaol). A letter from the Victoria Police Historical Unit says that it holds no "record of this gentleman ever having been a member of the Victoria Police". Also, we know that Thomas was farming in Central Otago, and that Thomas married Margaret Gallagher on 5 July 1881 in Dunedin. It therefore seems most unlikely that he was involved with Ned Kelly a year earlier in Australia - a family myth put to rest at last.

The Quest for Gold

In 1866, learning about the gold rush in Naseby, Thomas set forth on the sailing ship SS Gothenberg from Melbourne to Hokitika on the west coast in late 1866-early 1867 (although shipping and newspaper records are unable to confirm this).

• "Yesterday afternoon the signal 'a steamer to the southward' was hoisted at the flagstaff, and the report was at once circulated that the Tararua from Melbourne had hove into sight. As the vessel approached it was soon ascertained that she was not one of the P.N.Z. boats, and when within signalling distance her number was hoisted which read 'Alhambra'. Further communication by bunting revealed the fact that she was from Melbourne with 350 passengers, and would sail again on her direct return tomorrow. The Alhambra arrived just too late on tide, and in consequence was condemned to a 20 hours sojourn in the roadstead with her living freight on board. At an early hour this morning the p.s. Yarra ran outside, and will doubtless return with the first instalment of passengers by 11 o'clock. The Alhambra brings no cargo." (West Coast Times Friday 14 September 1866 p2)
• 27 Jun 1866 - SS Gothenburg departs Melbourne for Hokitika and Nelson with passengers H Russell, 33, single, English, miner; James Duffy, 31, single, Irish, miner; Andrew McFarlane, 31, single, Scottish, miner. (NZ passenger records) Gothenburg off Hokitika 3 Jul. (West Coast Times 4 Jul 1866)

All of Grandfather Tom Healy's activities at Kyeburn and Naseby are not known, but we do know he held a position of managing shepherd for Alexander McMaster of East Kyeburn Station (sheep). Alexander McMaster, a Scotsman born at Stranraer, emigrated to Australia in 1842, thence to Otago in 1856.

Thomas was married by the Rev Father Walsh to Margaret Gallagher, also Roman Catholic, on 5 July 1881 at St Joseph's Cathedral in Dunedin. His occupation was noted as manager of the East Kyeburn Station. (Mt Ida Chronicle)

Purchase of Land

Where others are recorded as leasing land, he bought "freehold" in 1893, owning at least two sections of land on one of which he later built a hotel, and named it the "Victoria". Records also show that this hotel was later destroyed by fire. Apparently though, he leased a further 78 acres at Kyeburn. Among his other activities, he owned the old Melbourne Hotel at Naseby which was pulled or burnt down to recover gold which lay beneath it; sold coal from a mine he operated in the foothills of the Kakanui Mountains, and was a goldminer.

Four tall poplar trees on the Kyeburn property still remain today and are known by locals as the "Healy Trees".

The two hundred freehold acres were sold to A B Hore in June 1913 as Thomas was by then in ill-health. The remaining leasehold property near the Kyeburn River was transferred to W D Hore in 1928.

An excerpt from "Gateway to Maniototo, A History of Kyeburn and Kakonga Districts", summarises the sale:

In June 1913, for "reasons of ill-health and old age", Thomas Healey advertised for sale his freehold land of 200 acres acquired in 1893, and his leasehold land, upon which were erected a four bedroomed house, shed and other buildings. The area, all of which had been cultivated, was divided into eight paddocks and could be irrigated with a right to three heads of water. A.B.Hore bought the freehold, but the leasehold near the Kyeburn River remained in the Healey family until it was transferred to W.D.Hore in 1928. Prior to taking up land, Thomas Healey had been in the position of managing shepherd for Alexander McMaster and at one time had responsibility for 10,000 sheep. He was also instrumental in opening up a coal seam on a lower spur of Mt Pisgah.

(Reference: page 40, Gateway to Maniototo, A History of Kyeburn and Kakonga Districts, Compiled by N S MacKenzie ISBN 0-473-00882-3. Budget Print Ltd, 7 Bath St, Dunedin. Copy owned by Desmond Sharp).

Family Stories

Eileen tells the story on her tape that when her Aunty Jean was about 12 years of age, she helped her mother deliver a baby. Apparently Grandad Healy had gone mustering in the hills in the late autumn and Grandma Healy went into premature labour. The midwife in those days was not expected so early, so Jean had helped to deliver the baby. Fortunately everything went well and the baby survived (possibly Patrick, born 1895). This tells you how things happened in the country in those days where young children had to help their mothers with the delivery of babies when the father and midwife were unable to attend.

Eileen also relates the story told by her Uncle Tom of an incident that happened in Kyeburn. Apparently when her Aunty Jean was about 15, her parents had gone on business to Dunedin for a few days. Jean was of a domineering personality and wanted to know what her father had kept in his large locked travelling trunk. In those days they were big trunks made of part iron, part steel, and he apparently kept this trunk locked and threatened everyone not to open it for any reason.

But Jean was curious about what was kept in the trunk, so she forced it open. When her father came home and found that the trunk had been tampered with, and the contents rummaged through, he was "absolutely furious" and he ordered Jean out of the house. The contents were a special coat tail suit, grey trousers and topper hat and cane, and all his documents and papers he had brought from Ireland. It is believed that after this incident, Thomas never locked anything away again, and after his wife Margaret died, most things disappeared, including these valuable documents.

Thomas Healy - Coal Miner 1901-1907

There is an Application for a Lignite Licence Bed of Kyeburn River - Thomas Healy, dated 1901-1907. From records obtained from Archives New Zealand, Thomas applied in December 1901 for the granting of a licence to raise lignite in the bed of the Kyeburn River. In a memorandum to the Under Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington dated 22 January 1902 from the Office of Inspector of Mines, Southern District, the Inspector states that he "visited the locality on the 13th inst, saw Mr Healy in Naseby on the 15th inst, and beg to report as follows: The sketch supplied by Mr Healy is in a general way fairly accurate but in detail it does not give a true description of the area applied for, for instance, the river is shown 5 chains wide whereas the stream is not 5 yds in width and is not in Healy's application at all the river or creek being, as I have since found out, included in an area applied for and granted to one Stephen Peer. As I surmised when offering no objection to Healy's application in minute of 16th December last, Mr Healy proposes to work a small seam which outcrops on the river bank and is high and dry above present river level but being of a highly sulphurous nature is very unpopular and will only find sale when other and better coals are not obtainable. The river bed it should be stated is the ancient bed of ages ago, the present water course being a mere trickle in comparison with the great volume of water that at one time poured down the valley."

An Application for Coal-Lease dated 9 February 1905, under Section 5 of the Coal-mines Act 1891, received by the Warden at Naseby on 24 February 1905 shows that Thomas Healy applied "for a license of the lands hereunder mentioned for the purpose of mining lignite: Precise locality - Kyeburn Survey District, in the bed of the Kyeburn River bounded on all sides by Crown Lands. Area of ground applied for: 10 acres. Term for which licence required: 3 years."

Following this application there was a series of letters over the next few weeks between the Inspector of Mines in Dunedin and the Warden at Naseby questioning the exact location of the lignite licence area as "the applicant is somewhat undecided as to the actual area of the ground applied for by him. The boundaries are not defined other than 'about one chain from McCready and Coomb's Lease'." In a memorandum to the Under-Secretary of Mines in Wellington, the Inspector of Mines stated that "the sketches accompanying the application were very rough and the area was inadequately indicated. I am of the opinion that a survey or, at any rate, reliable plan should be sketched on the back of the licences prepared for reference to should such become necessary so that in the event of another applicant appearing for an adjoining area there would be no trouble. There have been two if not three separate holders of licences on this coal area, at the same time the whole thing is not worth disputing about."

Finally on 7 June 1905 the Inspector of Mines received a letter from the Under-Secretary stating, "I have now to inform you that the Hon Minister of Mines has consented to the issue of a Lignite License over 10 acres in the Kyeburn Survey District, in favour of Thomas Healy" This was acknowledged on 24 July 1905 and on 30 July 1906 Thomas Healy submitted a Return for the half-year ending 30 June 1906 stating, "I beg to inform you that I have not made a start yet with the prospecting for the want of sufficient funds to carry the prospecting to a successful issue."

On the Return for the half-year ending 31 December 1906, Thomas's handwritten remarks state: "I beg to state that I have not made a start yet prospecting for the coal." The Return shows that the Output, Coal Sold and Number of Persons Ordinarily employed were "Nil". A further handwritten note dated 21/1/07 says: "Next time this person applies for Lignite License, bear in mind that he does no work on the area."

A typed note on the file before it was closed states: "Copy of remarks by Thomas Healey, holder of Lignite License, Kyeburn, on form of Return of Coal Output for half year ending 31.12.1907: I have nothing to say, only for want of funds. Owing to the severe winters and dry summers I have not been so successful in my farming pursuits as I expected. Therefore as this is about the last statement I will be called upon, as the license expires soon. I will not ask for a renewal until such time as I will have sufficient money in hand to thoroughly prospect the ground. In the course of a few years if I have the means and no one else takes up the ground I may try the place again."

Other References

• There is a record of a Thomas Healy in 1884 being granted 200 acres of land (L.I.P.) as an Original Grantee of the Kyeburn Hundred. [excerpt from page 109 Gateway to Maniototo, A History of Kyeburn and Kakonga Districts, Compiled by N S MacKenzie ISBN 0-473-00882-3. Budget Print Ltd, 7 Bath St, Dunedin. Copy owned by Desmond Sharp]
• Kyeburn residents in 1888: Thomas Healy (Source: Stone's Directory 1888)
• Records from Naseby Museum: Healy, Thomas, Maniototo 1867 (Maniototo 1913 Jubilee Roll and Naseby Early Settlers Roll, Museum, Naseby)

Death

Thomas died of a heart attack in Dunedin aged 78 years on 10 August 1918, and was buried on 12 August in Plot 55, Block 24, at Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin. His death certificate states that he was a Farmer, native of Ireland.

A death notice in the "Otago Witness" on 14 August 1918, page 32, column 2 states:

HEALY - on August 10, 1918, at Dunedin, Thomas, dearly beloved husband of Margaret Healy (late of Kyeburn, Central Otago); aged 78 years. R.I.P. Private interment. A S Archer and Co, undertakers.

Intestate

It appears that Thomas Healy died intestate which was not unusual in those days. An Application for Letter of Administration of the estate was filed by Margaret Healy on 27 August 1918.

In the documents there were 9 children named (although we know there were 10 children; Denis, who died in 1917 is not listed):

1. Thomas Healy
2. Patrick Healy
3. Francis Healy
4. Jane Norwood
5. Rose Anne Johnson
6. Frances Healy
7. Margaret Sharp
8. Catherine Healy
9. Susan Healy

The documents stated that Margaret was unable to find a will: "I verily believe that the said deceased died intestate and that I am his widow." The estate was believed to be under the value of 300 pounds.

Administration was granted on 25 October 1918 by Judge in Supreme Court of Otago and Southland District.

On 17 December 1918, further application for "Motion of Re-grant of Letters of Administration". On 18 February 1919 a further application for the Re-grant of Letters was approved.

Three years later, on 26 January 1922 a judge noted that "Before a re-grant is made there must be some explanation of the long delay since the re-grant in February 1919".

An explanation was filed with the court on 9 February 1922 stating that "one of the sureties on behalf of the intended administratrix of the said estate left the local district and did not return the Bond and Affidavit sent to him for execution" and that "Margaret Healy, the widow of the abovenamed deceased who has applied for Letters of Administration was also away from her home for some considerable time during which period she sustained an injury and was confined to a hospital".

On 16 February 1922, Margaret Healy was required by the court to present "a true and perfect inventory of all the estate effects and credits of the deceased" by 11 May 1922.

However, on 3 March 1927 there was an order by the Supreme Court in Wellington "to the Public Trustee to administer the estate of Thomas Healy, late of Kyeburn, in New Zealand, Farmer, deceased, remaining unadministered."

This was because Margaret had died on 4 April 1926, at Naseby. At this stage the estate of Thomas had still not been finalised.

The document lists only nine children (again Denis is not mentioned):

1. Bridget Jane Norwood of Wanganui
2. Rose Anne Johnson of Dunedin
3. Fanny Bryant of Auckland
4. Margaret Sharp of Green Island
5. Patrick Parnell Healy, at present a Mental Patient
6. Katherine Healy, at present a Mental Patient
7. Susan Healy, at present a Mental Patient
8. Francis Joseph Healy (then deceased)
9. Thomas John Healy of Omarama

The request to the Public Trustee to administer the estate was made by Bridget Jane Norwood, Rose Anne Johnson, Fanny Bryant and Margaret Sharp.

At that stage the Public Trustee estimated the net value of the estate to be under 415 pounds.

This photo of Desmond Sharp and his family was taken at the grave of Thomas Healy in January 1976.

Conclusion

Thomas John Healy was a true pioneer of Central Otago - a sheep farmer, gold and coal miner, and father of 10 children. His descendants number over 120.