The children of John Bourke & Judith Meehan- 1. Michael Bourke

Above: These beautiful photographs are of Michael Bourke’s son James Patrick b 1883 d 1932 and his wife Winifred Bowe. They were kindly sent to me by their grand daughter, Pamela Bourke Cari, who also filled in many of the gaps in Michael Bourke's family.

1. MICHAEL BOURKE.

Judith Meehan Bourke was pregnant with her first child, Michael, when she arrived at Port Phillip in June of 1841. Michael was born four months later, on October 8, 1841.They settled at Moonee Ponds where Michael spent his early years, alongside brothers Paddy and John. He was only about four or five years old when the family relocated to Kilmore, and it was here that Michael received his education and met his future wife.
On December 4, 1867, Michael Bourke married Margaret Molloy at Kilmore. Margaret was the daughter of Irish settlers, Michael Molloy and Catherine Mullavin. She was born at Wallan Wallan, near Kilmore, in 1846. Records show that siblings John, Mary Anne, Catherine and Michael were born in c. 1838, 1842, 1849 and 1850 respectively. The death certificate of her father in 1871 states that there was also a daughter named Alicia who was 20 years old in 1872. Her mother Catherine's death certificate does not mention Alicia, but does name a son called James, deceased.

The Molloy family came from Kings County, Ireland (now called Offaly). Michael Molloy married Catherin Mullavin in Kings County and on September 4, 1841, in Liverpool, England, they boarded the ship 'Gilmore' and set sail for Port Phillip Bay. The ship arrived on December 24, 1841. The shipping record lists Michael and Catherine under the spelling 'Maloy', and states that both were from Kings County, Ireland. Michael was a 35 year old labourer, Roman Catholic, who could neither read nor write. His wife Catherine was a 27 year old housemaid, also Catholic, who could read only. Also on board the ship was a 24 year old Catholic labourer from Kings County called James Malavin...Catherine Molloy was born a Mallavin, but it is yet to be seen if she is related to James.

The spelling of both Malloy and Mullavan took various forms with this family, most likely because neither Michael or Catherine could write. Hence, their children are registered as both 'Molloy' and 'Moloy', and Catherine's maiden name is spelt a variety of ways.

A daughter Mary Anne Molloy was baptised at Roman Catholic St Francis, Melbourne, having been born in Melbourne in 1842.
Michael Molloy and Catherine Mulavin of Kilmore were noted in the church records as being the parents of Margaret Molloy born 18 Jun 1846. She was baptised on 30 Oct 1846 when aged 4 months 12 days by Rev John Joseph Thiery, Sponsors being Thomas Dolan and Catherine Mulginn.
Another daughter of Michael Molloy and Catherine Mullavin named Catherine was born 27 July 1848 and baptised 1 Jan 1849 by Rev Coffy. This daughter was known as 'Kate'.

Michael Molloy was born in 1850 in the Kilmore district, son of Michael Molloy and Catherine Mullaren. He may have died in infancy, as he was not mentioned on the death certificates of either parent.

In 1856, the birth of an unnamed female child was registered to parents Michael Maloy and Catherine Malavin, born Wallan. Viewing her birth certificate, we find that of the five births recorded by the Kilmore registrar on that particular page, four do not have first names recorded...simply "not present". Other information given was as follows:
" May 12, 1856, at Wallan Wallan, female Moloy, not present. Child of Michael Moloy, labourer, 50 years of age, born Kings County; married about 17 years ago, Ireland. Issue living three sons, five daughters. Mother Catherine Malavin, aged 40. Born Kings County."
Sometimes the child who was being registered was counted amongst the living issue, so this unnamed baby was either the 8th or 9th child born to Michael and Catherine Moloy.Children so far named on either their own birth or death certificates, or the death certificates of their parents are: sons James, John and Michael and daughters Mary Ann, Margaret, Catherine/KateKate, Elizabeth and Alicia.

Elizabeth Molloy died in Kilmore in 1857. Her age in the Victorian Death Index is given as '10', but it cannot be taken for granted that this refers to 10 years of age...it could also be 10 months, weeks or even days, so this child Elizabeth could very well be the unnamed daughter that was born in 1856, dying at the age of ten months.

Son John Molloy died in Essendon district in 1885.
A James Molloy was recorded as dying in Victoria in 1870, father Michael, no mother given.

The Molloy family took up a small parcel of land at Bylands near Kilmore, and the children grew up there whilst their father earned a living farming and labouring. Michael Molloy died at 7 a.m on the morning of November 15, 1872, aged 74 years. His cause of death was given as 'old age and debility, 4 years duration, and his death was not certified by a doctor. His widow Catherine registered her husband's death, and gave the following information:
Parents: Michael Molloy, farmer, and Alicia Doolan.
Born: King's County, Ireland.
In Victoria 31 years.
Married in Kings County, Ireland, to Catherine Mullavan(could be a 'y' on the end-dificult to read)
Issue: John, 30; Mary Ann 27; Margaret 25; Kate 22; Alicia 20.

Michael Molloy's will and probate records can be found online at the Public Records Office Victoria (PROV) website. The will is very basic, leaving everything that Michael owned, worth about one hundred pounds, to his widow, Catherine Molloy. It specifies the location of the Molloy farm...20 acres incorporating Portion 115, Parish of Bylands. The land was valued at 100 pounds, the furniture in the house at 2 pounds, and two cows worth eight pounds. Michael owed a lady named Mrs Eliza Nelson ten pounds, so his total estate was valued at an even 100 pounds.
Michael Molloy's son-in-law, Michael Bourke, provided a signed statement regarding the value of the property:
" I. Michael Bourke, farmer of Kilmore, make oath and say that I have a knowledge of the land Portion 115, Bylands, described, and that the piece of land including all improvements which consist of a slab hut containing three rooms and the allotment being enclosed with a brush fence is not worth more than one hundred pounds."

Catherine Molloy ended her years at Boosey, near Yarrawonga, where her daughter Margaret had moved with her husband Michael and Michael's mother and several siblings in the 1870s. Catherine died there on July 9, 1897, and was buried in the Burramine Cemetery on July 11, 1897. Witnesses to the burial were her son-in-law, Michael Bourke, and James Mannix, who was married to Michael Bourke's sister, Ellen. Information on Catherine's death certificate was as follows:
On July 9, 1897, at Boosey, Catherine Molloy, aged 84 years, of pneumonia, 11 days duration. Last seen by Yarrawonga district doctor, Dr. Denis, on June 30. Parents James Mullavin, farmer, and Catherine Spain. Born Kings County, Ireland, 57 years in Victoria. Married Kings County, Ireland, when 24 years old, to Michael Molloy. Issue: James dead; John dead; Mary Ann 55; Margaret 51; Catherine dead. Informant: C or E Paterson, undertaker.

                                        Above: Kilmore Free Press, August 30, 1877.

Michael Bourke and Margaret Molloy had a large family, although it appears that they as parents were particularly slack in registering their children’s’ births, as none of them can be found under any spelling. However, one of the children, Judith Bourke, was still alive in the 1990s, and she jotted down a few notes to help sort her family out. It appears that Margaret’s and Michael’s issue was as follows:

JOHN BOURKE: Born c. 1868, Kilmore. Died 1887, Yarrawonga district, aged 19 years. For many years it had been believed that this John Bourke was the same John Thomas Bourke who moved to Grong Grong from the Yarrawonga/ Burramine district to take up farming. This John had married Margaret Elizabeth Lawless on October 26, 1884, at Yarrawonga. Their marriage certificate, however, reveals that John Thomas Bourke was the son of 'Geelong Bourke' (the convict John Bourke) and his wife Maria Little. Two of the sons of John Thomas and Margaret Lawless served in WW1- John Boniface & James Joseph, the latter being KIA in France in 1918. It seems as though it is just coincidental that this Bourke/Lawless family moved to the Grong Grong area around the same time as members of the family of Michael Bourke and Margaret Malloy of the Burramine and then Barooga areas.

EDWARD FRANCIS BOURKE: Born October 13, 1869, Kilmore. Baptised November 14, 1869, sponsors Patrick Bourke & Bridget Bourke. Known as ‘Ned’. Died 1940, aged 70 years.

JOHN BOURKE: Born c. 1868, Kilmore. Died 1887, Yarrawonga district, aged 19 years. For many years it had been thought that this John Bourke was the John Thomas Bourke who moved to Grong Grong from the Yarrawonga/ Burramine district to take up farming. This John had married Margaret Elizabeth Lawless on October 26, 1884, at Yarrawonga. Their marriage certificate, however, reveals that John Thomas Bourke was the son of 'Geelong Bourke' (the convict John Bourke) and his wife Maria Little. Two of the sons of John Thomas and Margaret Lawless served in WW1- John Boniface & James Joseph, the latter being KIA in France in 1918. It seems as though it is just coincidental that this Bourke/Lawless family moved to the Grong Grong area around the same time as members of the family of Michael Bourke and Margaret Malloy of the Burramine and then Barooga areas.

MARY ELLEN JOHANNA BOURKE: born July 20, 1873, Kilmore. Baptised September 7, 1873. Sponsors Ellen Bourke & Patrick Corboy. Married George Rava. Died 1944.

PATRICK JOSEPH BOURKE: Born c. 1871. Died 1880, aged 9 years.

MICHAEL BOURKE: Born c. 1877, Burramine. Died 1903, Mooroopna Hospital, of typhoid fever, aged 26 years.

" “DEATH:- Typhoid fever claimed a victim on Monday in the person of Michael Bourke, jun., son of Mr M. Bourke, of Barooga, but formerly of Burramine. The deceased, who was a fine, hale young man, and well-known throughout this district, recently contracted the fever while working at the Waranga basin, and he succumbed after a short illness, despite the best attention of the Mooroopna Hospital staff. His unexpected death at the early age of 26 years caused a shock to his friends, many of whom were not aware of his illness, and genuine sympathy is expressed for Mr Bourke and family in their sad and untimely bereavement. The remains of the deceased were brought by train to Cobram yesterday, and were interred in the Burramine Cemetery.” - Cobram Courier, Thursday 7 May 1903.

JAMES BOURKE:vBorn November18, 1883. Married Winifred Bowe. Children as follows:
Michael John b September 23, 1907
James Joseph Bourke b December 20, 1909
William Francis Bourke b November 11, 1911
Winifred Mary Bourke b March 2, 1914
Desmond Joseph Bourke b September 14, 1915
Joseph Patrick Bourke b October 29, 1917
Mary Maureen Bourke b July 7, 1919
Bernadette Bourke b April 13, 1923
Edward Thomas Bourke b July 14, 1925(?)

James Bourke died 1932, Cobram district, aged 49 years.

MARGARET BOURKE: married Martin Rava, brother of George Rava. Had 14 children, all born Barooga and Grong Grong, NSW. Children as follows:
MARY RAVA: b Feb 29, 1898, Barooga.Marr Michael Corbett, 1931.
EDWARD RAVA: b 1900, Barooga. Marr Ellen Mary Kelly 1937.
MARTIN RAVA: b March 6, 1902, Barooga. Marr Laura Reiher, 1927.
MICHAEL RAVA: b 1903, Barooga
ALICIA RAVA: b 1904, Barooga died 1915.
JOHN RAVA: b August 6, 1905. Marr Antoinette Gawne, 1930.
GEORGE RAVA: b February 22, 1906.Marr Myrtle Reiher 1927.
JAMES RAVA: b December 12, 1908. Marr Jean Winifred Allen 1937.
VERONICA RAVA: b April 30, 1910. Marr Russell Boyle, 1931.
KATHLEEN RAVA & TWIN AGNES: b May 3, 1911, Grong Grong. Kathleen marr. Edward Quinn & Agnes m John C. Smith, both in 1935.
JOSEPH RAVA: b March 3, 1912, Grong Grong.Marr Veronica Mary Quinn.
LESLIE RAVA: b May 1, 1913, Grong Grong.
MARGARET FRANCES RAVA: b June 24, 1914, Grong Grong.

Margaret Bourke Rava died in 1914, aged in her early thirties. Her husband Martin remarried in 1918 to Margaret Cronin, and died in 1947 aged 78.
The Rava family all originated from a French man, Michael Rava, who immigrated to Victoria on November 28, 1859, leaving from the port of Hamberg in Germany. Six years later in 1865 he married Susannah Lockyer, and the couple had 11 children: Margaret Rosetta b 1866;Catherine b 1868;Martin James b 1869:Vincenso b 1870;George b 1872;Susan Adelaide in 1874;Michael in 1875(died 1875); Michael in 1876;Mary b 1878 and Rosa b 1881.
All were born at Green Hills, Durham Lead, in Victoria, where their father worked as a carter. Michael Rava Snr applied for Naturalization in 1884, at the age of 43 years.

ALICIA BOURKE: Born c. 1880. Died April,1897.The Tungamah Independent reported:

"SAD RIDING FATALITY.
The news reached Tungamah on Sunday of a sad riding fatality near Berrigan, NSW, by which a young lady, Miss Alicia Bourke, met her death. The unfortunate young lady, who was only seventeen years of age, was a daughter of Mr Bourke, a farmer near Finley, and has a number of friends and relatives in this district. She was known as a clever horsewoman, and on Saturday evening was returning from Finley to her home when she was thrown from her horse, and when picked up she was found to be quite dead, her neck having been broken.
An inquiry was held before a local magistrate,and on Monday the body was conveyed to the Burramine(Vic) cemetery for interment."
-Tungamah Independent, April 22, 1897.

CATHERINE VERONICA BOURKE: born c. 1885. Died Balwyn, Victoria, 1968, aged 83 years.


JUDITH BOURKE: Was still alive in the 1990s and provided information about her family. Wrote that her father Michael Bourke had a farm near Cobram-Yarrawonga at Boosey, and that prior to this he and his wife had the ‘tote gate’ at Kilmore.
Judith reported that her father was very wealthy, with “lots of money, grooms, cooks, maids etc, but all was lost through letting contracts for building”.
Judith also wrote:
“ My grandmother walked to Kilmore from Melbourne, 38 miles. She was a nurse and had relations named PROUD who had the first fleet of cabs in Melbourne and a big house in Kew.
My grandfather was first cousin of the Maloneys, from Geelong. Maloney was the postmaster, and they had the first tweed mills in Geelong.
Mick Coonan from Yea was my father’s cousin. They were big land owners, very wealthy.”

Research conducted in 2019 has proved that Judith's information about the relationships between her family and the Maloneys and Prouds was mainly correct. The only thing that threw me for a time was her statement that the Maloneys were first cousins of her grandfather. I located this family, but everything pointed to the Geelong Maloneys being first cousins of her father, Michael Bourke, not her grandfather, John Bourke. The information that Judith gave when she was in her 90s was not written by her...she dictated it to a friend. Whilst it would have been clear in Judith's mind who she was talking about, because she didn't name which grandparent she was discussing, the friend may have confused just who the Maloneys were first cousins of. They were actually the nephews of Judith's grandfather, John Bourke, and first cousins of her father, Michael.
The four Maloney sons were born in Tipperary between 1837 and 1847 to Mary Bourke and John Maloney. Mary was born c. 1811, which puts her of an age to be a sister of John Bourke, Judith's grandfather. At her death in 1873, her son John Maloney stated that his mother's parents were William and Mary Bourke.( Our John Bourke's son from his first marriage was named William.) The Maloneys arrived in Queensland in 1850 on board the ship Emigrant, then in 1853 started to make their way south to Victoria. In 1853, they sailed on board the 'Margaret' from Sydney, arriving in Geelong on April 21, 1853.
  Of Mary's and John's four sons, only one married and had children. Eldest son Daniel died in 1863, aged only 23 years. Sons William and Richard never married, dying in 1905 and 1907 respectively. Youngest son John was the Geelong Post Officer worker from Judith's story. He married twice, and with his second wife, Ellen Walsh, had two daughters and three sons-Mary Agnes; Sarah; John Gerard; Alexander Joseph and Vincent Gerald. Neither Mary or Sarah married, and eldest son John died in 1911 at the age of 19. Alexander married Monica Ellen Bourke in 1946, and died in 1951. Youngest son Vincent moved to NSW and in 1936 married Ursula Reardon of Cootamundra. He died in the Young district in 1984, and I have no knowledge of any children.

  The Proud family were related to Judith's mother's family, the Mullavins.

Michael Bourke, eldest son of Judith Meehan and John Bourke, died on Sunday, January 16, 1910. His obituary in the ‘Yarrawonga Mercury’ read as follows:

“ DEATHS: Mr. Michael Bourke died at Barooga on Sunday and was buried in the Burramine Cemetery on Monday 17th inst. In years past deceased was farming in Burramine, from which place he removed to Barooga, where he resided for some years. His health for some years was bad, and he was confined to his home. He was a brother of Mr. P. Bourke of Tungamah and Mr. James Bourke of Burramine.”