1. Lawrence Mooney was born c-1818 and died on 16 Jul 1877 in 17 London St. Ratcliff - Stepney - Middlesex at age 59.

General Notes:  

1851 CENSUS:  Lawrence was employed as a dock labourer and living with his wife Mary and children Ann, Patrick, Eliza, and Fanny at 6 Mermaid Court, Shadwell, Stepney, Middlesex London.

Death certificate shows that he was employed as a ballast heaver at the time of his death and died of Pneumonia. He died at his home at 17 London St. Ratcliff and his wife Mary was present at that time.

Lawrence married Mary Carroll. Mary was born c-1825 in Louth - Ireland and died in 1891 in Stepney - Middlesex - London at age 66.

Children from this marriage were:

   2 F    i. Ann Mooney  was born 1844 -c in Shadwell - London - UK.

   3 M    ii. Patrick Mooney  was born 1846 -c in Shadwell - London - UK.

+ 4 F    iii. Elizabeth Mooney  also known as Eliza Mooney was born on 25 July, 1848 in 44 Farmer Street, Shadwell -Wapping London.

   5 F    iv. Fanny Mooney  was born in 1851 in Shadwell - London - UK.

+ 6 F    v. Esther Amelia Mooney  was born 1854 c in Wapping - London - UK, died on 24 Jul 1928 in Latrobe -Tasmania - Devon Hospital at age 74, and was buried on 26 Jul 1928 in Latrobe General Lt04/00496-0 Sect. G/54.

+ 7 F    vi. Jane Mooney  was born in 1854 in Ratcliff - Stepney - Middlesex.

4. Elizabeth Mooney  was born on 25 July, 1848 in 44 Farmer Street, Shadwell - Wapping, London.  Another name for Elizabeth was Eliza Palmer.

General Notes: 1866 Married Frederick George Palmer. Living at Bethnal Green, Middlesex. Witnessed by William Owen Palmer and Emily Palmer (perhaps his parents).

1871 census - Living at 18 London Street, Ratcliff with husband Frederick and children Esther and Eliza,

1873. Elizabeth was witness at the marriage of her sister Esther to Patrick Donovan.

1881 census - Living at 20 London Street, Ratcliff with Fred Palmer and children Eliza, Alfred, Annie, Jane and Lawrence. Esther apparently deceased. 

Elizabeth married Frederick George Palmer, son of William Palmer  and Unknown, on 20 Jul 1866 in Bethnal Green Parish Church- London. Frederick was born in 1845 in St. George In The East.

Children from this marriage were:

   8 F    i. Esther Palmer  was born in 1869 in Ratcliff - Stepney - Middlesex.

   9 F    ii. Eliza Palmer   was born in 1870 in Ratcliff - Stepney - Middlesex.

   10 M    iii. Alfred Palmer  was born in 1872 in Ratcliff - Stepney - Middlesex.

   11 F    iv. Annie Palmer  was born in 1875 in Ratcliff - Stepney - Middlesex.

   12 F    v. Jane Palmer  was born in 1879 in Ratcliff - Stepney - Middlesex.

   13 M    vi. Lawrence Palmer  was born in 1881 in Ratcliff - Stepney - Middlesex.

2. Esther Amelia Mooney was born c -1854 in Wapping - London - UK, died on 24 Jul 1928 in Latrobe -Tasmania - Devon Hospital at age 74, and was buried on 26 Jul 1928 in Latrobe General LT04/00496-0 Sect. G/54.

For additional information on the Mooney / Donovan connection visit the following link:  Descendant Lines - Michael Donovan

General Notes: 

ADDRESSES:

Wapping, London - c.1854
22 Tetley St. Poplar, London - 1873 marriage
17 London Street, Ratcliff, Stepney - 1874 - 1881 -
1 London Street, Ratcliff - 1881 - 1883
Emu Bay (Burnie) Tasmaninia - 1883
Petticoat Lane, Longford, Tasmania - 1886
River Road, Latrobe. - 1888

Esther married Patrick Donovan, son of Michael Donovan, on 25 Dec 1873 in St. Mary & St Josephs Church - Poplar - London. Patrick was born in 1849 in County Cork - Ireland, died on 20 May 1889 in Mersey District - Latrobe - Tasmania at age 40, and was buried on 21 May 1889 in Latrobe Catholic cemetery - Sect. B/52 - unmarked.

Marriage Notes: Patrick and Esther were married in the R/C St. Mary & Joseph church, Poplar. Both made their 'mark' on the register. Their addresses at the time were listed as 34 and 22 Tetley Street, Poplar - respectively. The witnesses present were Denis Donovan (brother to Patrick) and Elizabeth Palmer (sister of Esther). Patrick was listed as a batchelor labourer by occupation (later shown on birth registrations of Daniel and Michael as a ballast heaver) and Esther a spinster - their fathers - Michael and Lawrence respectively were also listed as labourers.
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GRO reference volume 1c - page 1373 of the Poplar District Register.
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Sts Mary and Joseph, Canton Street, Poplar, London E14.
School chapel opened 1816 in Wade Street. New chapel in Wade Street opened 1835. Enlarged church opend 1856 was destroyed by enemy action 1940. Present church opened 1954.
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Poplar / Stepney registers are now located in the Tower Hamlets District.

Children from this marriage were:

+ 6 M    i. Daniel George Donovan was born on 15 Dec 1874 in Middlesex County - Stepney Dist. - Ratcliffe - UK, was christened on 29 Dec 1874 in St. Mary & St. Michael Catholic Church, Commercial Rd. Stepney, died on 13 Dec 1924 in Royal North Shore Hospital at age 49, and was buried on 15 Dec 1924 in Waverley C of E Cemetery plot 3353-57 - N.S.W..

   7 F    ii. Mary Ann Donovan was born on 12 Jul 1878 in Middlesex County - Stepney Dist. - Ratcliffe - UK, was christened on 14 Jul 1878 in St. Mary & St. Michael Catholic Church, Commercial Rd. Stepney, died on 21 Jan 1897 in Latrobe Devon Cottage hospital at age 18, and was buried on 22 Jan 1897 in Catholic cemetery Latrobe in grave of her father Patrick B/52.

General Notes: The death of Mary Donovan is recorded in the 1897 Mersey Death Register, entry 7250. She died at the Devon Cottage Hospital, Latrobe as a result of 'Phthisis' T.B. (infectious disease which creates leisons on the lungs). Aged 19 years 6 months. She was buried at the Catholic section of the Latrobe cemetery in the grave of her father Patrick. B/52. The graves are currently unmarked. The Devon cottage hospital no longer exists and was replaced by the Mersey hospital. No records have survived from the Latrobe Catholic church or the hospital.

   8 M    iii. Michael John Donovan was born on 22 Sep 1881 in Middlesex County - Stepney Dist. - Ratcliffe - UK, was christened on 2 Oct 1881 in St. Mary & St. Michael Catholic Church, Commercial Rd. Stepney, died on 19 May 1936 in Latrobe -Tasmania - Devon Hospital at age 54, and was buried on 21 May 1936 in Latrobe General Cemetery - LT04/00495-1 Sect. G/55.

General Notes:
1903 Electoral Role notes Michael Donovan as a Latrobe horse trainer.

Michael was residing in 17 Twiss Street, Latrobe at the time of his death.

The funeral notice of Michael requested that members of the the U.A.O.D. Mistletoe Lodge No.3 attend the funeral.

On 1/7/1936 the will of Michael John Donovan was lodged in the Tasmania Supreme Court - number 21305. All possessions were left to his wife Susan Ellen Donovan. Confirmation that there were no children to that marriage.

Michael married Susan Ellen Leonard, daughter of Jonah Leonard, in 1913. Susan was born in 1881 in Westbury - Tasmania, died on 8 Nov 1972 at age 91, and was buried in Latrobe General Cemetery - LT04/00495-2 Sect. G/56.

   9 F    iv. Johannah Donovan was born on 29 Dec 1883 in Emu Bay - Tasmania, died on 30 Dec 1960 in Latrobe -Tasmania at age 77, and was buried in Latrobe General - LT04/00912-0 Sect. J/51. Another name for Johannah was Hanna Donovan.

General Notes: Believed to have resided in Melbourne where she worked as a Governess and also as a saleswoman in a large store. Apparently did not marry and returned to Latrobe where she is buried.

+ 10 F    v. Elizabeth Jane Donovan was born on 4 Mar 1886 in Longford - Tasmania, died on 5 Oct 1963 in Latrobe -Tasmania at age 77, and was buried in Latrobe General - LT04/00247-2 Sect. A/70.

   11 F    vi. Margaret Amelia Donovan was born on 7 Mar 1888 in Latrobe -Tasmania, died on 7 Feb 1957 in Latrobe -Tasmania at age 68, and was buried in Latrobe General - LT04/00854-1 Sect. K/36.

General Notes: Resided at 1 Twiss St. Latrobe.

Margaret married William Reece Davies, son of William Reece Davies and Mary Ann Foster, in 1913. William was born in 1887 in Port Sorrell District, Tasmania., William Davies died on 30 Aug 1959 in Latrobe -Tasmania at age 72, and was buried in Latrobe General - LT04/00854-1 Sect. K/36.

Esther Donovan next married James Henry (1st) Gower, son of Jessie Gower and Elizabeth Cramp, on 24 Dec 1891 in District of Mersey - Latrobe - Tasmania. James Gower was born in Bagdad, Brighton, Tasmania 1 July, 1843, died on 31 Dec 1926 in Latrobe - Tasmania -  age 83, and was buried in Latrobe - Catholic Tasmania F/37-38.

2nd. Marriage Notes: Though brought up a Catholic Esther married James Henry Gower (widower) after the death of her husband Patrick Donovan. They were married by a C of E Minister in their home at Latrobe on 24/12/1891 and in attendance were Joseph Bilson and M. Gower. Entry 40 in the 1891 Mersey District Marriage Register. They had a son Charles Henry Gower who died in infancy and a daughter, Myra Jane Gower born at Latrobe Mersey on 16 Sept. 1894. Elizabeth was still brought up in the Catholic faith and Daniel changed to C of E. 

Esther was buried in the 'general' section of Latrobe cemetery along with Michael and Margaret whilst Patrick and his daughters Mary Ann & Elizabeth were buried in the Catholic section.

Obituary listed in The Advocate on Friday 27 July, 1928 showed that pallbearers at the funeral of Esther Gower of Latrobe were A.W. Paice, Les Lowrey, Ned Cook and E. McKendrick.

Tombstone reads:

In Loving memory of Esther Gower, died July 24th 1928 aged 75 years.
Thou are gone but not forgotten. Now ever will thou be. As long as life and memory live we will remember thee.

General Notes: Second marriage for James Henry Gower. First married to Charlotte Johnson and had a son (also) James Henry Gower.  Charlotte Gower, wife of James, is shown to have died on 14 May, 1887 (age 42) and been buried at Latrobe General cemetery. M. Gower is shown as a witness to the wedding of James Gower and Esther Donovan 24/12/1891. On the marriage certificate James is shown as a 'widower' which supports that he was previously married and his wife was deceased.


On 12/9/1924 James Henry Gower updated his will leaving all his property (block of land purchased from Mrs Hodstrom) to his first son James Henry Gower (died 28/2/1946 aged 78). It would appear that even though Esther was still alive he did not see fit to include her in the will. Possibly they were estranged? He also fails to provide for his daughter Myra Jane. (Source - Supreme Court of Tasmania - 21/2/27 - will number 16050.

The grave of Charlotte in Latrobe Catholic cemetery also shows that James Gower is buried beside her. Sect. F/37 and 38.

Children from this marriage were:

   12 F    i. Myra Jane Gower was born on 16 Sep 1894 in Latrobe -Tasmania and died on 8 Jul 1960 in Tasmania at age 65.

General Notes: Myra Gower married to Frank Marshall in 1910 - folio F.1096 - confirmed that F. Marshall was listed as the son in law of Esther Gower at her funeral on 26 July, 1928.
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Daughter to that marriage was Esther Caroline Jordan born Westbury 2/6/98 - married Walter Maurice Rumney - 1918. Not confirmed.

Myra married Frank Marshall in 1910.

   13 M    ii. Charles Henry Gower was born on 18 Jul 1892 and died on 18 Jul 1892 in Tasmania.

3. Jane Mooney was born in 1854 in Ratcliff - Stepney - Middlesex.

Jane married Edward Brennan in 1874 in St. George in the East. Edward was born in 1852 in Ratcliff - Stepney - Middlesex.

General Notes:
1881 - Edward Brennan is god father to Michael John Donovan, baptised at St. Mary and St. Michael Church, Commercial Rd. Stepney on 2 October, 1881.

1881 census - Jane Mooney and Edward Brennan living at 18 London Street, Ratcliff with children Mary Jane, Eliza and Lawrence.

Children from this marriage were:

   14 F    i. Mary Jane Brennan was born in 1873 in Ratcliff - Stepney - Middlesex.

   15 F    ii. Eliza Brennan was born in 1875 in Ratcliff - Stepney - Middlesex.

   16 M    iii. Lawrence Brennan was born in 1879 in Ratcliff - Stepney - Middlesex.