Looking for James KENNY of Auckland NZ
malmal
James KENNY was apparently a Shipping Master out of Auckland in the latter part of the 19th century. His son Austin KENNY was a butcher who came to Sydney NSW in about 1890 and married Mary CONNOLLY. Mary was the eldest child of Thomas CONNOLLY who had come to NSW as a policeman in the 1860's. Subsequently he became a farmer in the Orange district of NSW.
I need a lot more on the KENNY side from NZ.
by malmal
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malmal has been a Family Tree Circles member since Apr 2011. is researching the following names: KENNYJAMESWHOMARRIEDMARGA, KENNYJAMESWHOMARRIEDMARGA, DICKSON.
Comments
GWhiz on 2013-01-12 19:49:09Hi,
I think we're looking for information about the same family.
Is your James, Hames Hoare Kenny, who married Elizabeth Curtin, and lived in Timaru?
If so, his son Thomas Gilbert Kenny, is my grandfather. He married Harriet Connor in Dunedin in 1892 and some time around 1909 (I'm confrming when), they moved to Bondi and opened a butcher shop.
His nephew was Thomas James Bede Kenny who won the VC in WWI. Bede's father owned a butcher shop in Paddington. I am trying to find out more about this side of the family.
My mother told us that the Kennys in Australia had a sheep farm in Orange.
There is also a connection to Sister Elizabeth Kenny, who was my mother's aunt.
Any connection there?
GWhiz on 2013-01-17 00:04:29Hi, me again...
I found some more information about Austin James Kenny while trying to find out more about Thomas Gilbert Kenny (his Brother) and a sister of his called Susan Cecilia Kenny (Mrs DeMuth).
This information is upsetting, so please accept my apologies in advance. Of course, you may already know about this from your mother.
I haven't been able to find out what caused the following, although I know that Austin became bankrupt in 1900 and his shop and effects (including the dog) were all sold to cover the debt. But what happened between then and 1915 I'm still trying to find out. Maybe you can help?
On about 11 July 1915 Austin James Kenny killed himself by cutting his throat and his wrists. He was taken to Sydney Hospital but died on the way.
One month later, Bede Kenny enlisted for WW1.
It is interesting that none of this is mentioned in any references to Bede Kenny, and I know that it would not be something that families would talk of back then. But my heart goes out to Austin and his family that he felt that this was the only course of action open to him.
There are some articles about this contained in Trove.
My grandfather Thomas Gilbert Kenny went to live in Australia in the early 1900s. Perhaps the ankruptcy was the reason why, although his father had also become bankrupt around that time. It makes me wonder if another butchery was set up for Austin, or if Bede actually did part of his apprenticeship at Thomas's butchery in Bondi.
I also found that Bede's mother was a nurse, whose address was given as Dynano Private Hospital in Park Parade Bondi. Is this the driver behind his interest in pharmacology? Who knows?
I also wonder if Bede's father's suicide influenced his behaviour which led to the outstanding courage he showed which led to him being awarded the VC.