written for Athol who is looking for William Shannon

the grandparents of William James Shannon (1867-1939):
Graham SHANNON (1816-1892) & Elizabeth 'Eliza' VANCE (1814-1902)

Graham Shannon & Eliza Vance had 7 children
4 of their sons emigrated to New Zealand
they were:
* George Vance Shannon (1843-1920)
...(possibly a brother of Athol's great great grandfather)
* William Shannon (1845-1880)
* Ezekiel Shannon (1847-1923)
* Graham Shannon (1857-1935)

A SON of George Vance Shannon (1843-1920) was also a William James Shannon
* this William James Shannon married Jean Bruce in 1912

available to read from your library: a book written by Marianne Davis in 2000
A Shannon family: from Antrim, Ireland to New Zealand
also available to buy: The Shannon Family Reunion and Book Committee, 2000

Feilding Star, 28 March 1912 WEDDING of William James Shannon
A wedding possessing all the elements of interest, fashion and beauty was celebrated at St John's Church this afternoon, when two of the oldest and best known families of the district were connected by the marrimonial alliance of two respective members of the younger generation.

The bridegroom was Mr William James Shannon, second son of Mr G. V. Shannon, of "The Totaras," Waituna, and on this the day of his great happiness he was surrounded by a host of relatives and friends to wish him the best of good luck as he passed from the loneliness of bachelordom and took unto himself a wife.
The bride, Miss Jean Bruce, youngest daughter of Mrs A. Bruce, of Denbigh street, Feilding, has resided for the past five or six years in Feilding, having come here with her mother from the Halcombe district, and she is one of Feilding's most beautiful and most popular young ladies. Like the groom, therefore, she also entered her married life amidst an assemblage of relatives, friends, and well-wishers who were all eager to give her as happy a wedding as lay in their power.

The ceremony was performed at St John's Church, which was thronged with a deeply interested congregation. The Rev G. F. Mayo, vicar of the Kiwitea Parchial District, assisted by the Rev A. S. Innes Jones, conducted the sacred rite.

The bride, who looked surpassingly beautiful, was adorned in a dress of soft white liberty satin, veiled with marquisette, and tunic edged with Limerick lace, and caught up at the side with a large satin rose; square train daintily embroidered with pearls in true lovers' knots. The bodice was trimmed with a fichu of Limerick lace and pearls, and finished with a spray of orange blossoms. A glorious veil of Limerick lace was surmounted with a dainty mob cap of tulle edged with orange blossoms. The bride carried a lovely shower bouwuet, and wore the bridegroom's present - a ruby, diamond and sapphire butterfly - in the corsage.

Miss Elsie Bruce (cousin of the bride) was the maid of honour, and the other bridesmaids were, Miss Vera McBeth (niece of the groom) and Miss Irene Prior. All three were quaintly dressed in pale grey satin veiled with pale grey ninon. The tunics were trimmed with three rows of ruching caught at each row with grey and pink ninon roses. and finished with dainty bead trimming. The bodices were finished with ninon fichus edged with ruching and caught with a large pink rose.

She wore large black pom hats, the crown swathed with ostrich feather, and caught with a single pink rose. Each maid had a black velvet neck band and pearl and turquoise neck slide, the gift of the groom, and carried little posies of pink roses and grey tulle.

Mr Arnold Shannon (cousin) supported the groom as best man, and the groomsmen were Messrs Cyril Blundell (Wellington) and Keith Smith (Marton).

The bride was given away her her uncle, Mr J. Bruce (Cheltenham).

This is the eighth marriage of Mr and Mrs G. V. Shannon's sons and daughters.
After the ceremony a reception was held at the residence of the bride's mother, where the customary expressions of goodwill were extended to mr and Mrs Shannon. The happy couple were to leave later by motor car for Wanganui, en route to Auckland and Sydney, where they will spend the honeymoon.

The bride's travelling dress was a saxe blue costume, with tagel straw hat of a lighter shade with grey and blue wings. A set of black fox furs complete a most becoming toilette.

Included in the very large collection of wedding presents were several from relatives in England and Ireland

NOTES
The father of the groom, G. V. Shannon was:
Major George Vance SHANNON (1842-1920) from Ulster, Ireland
who helped found Shannon, Horowhenua
The parents of George Vance Shannon were:
Graham SHANNON & Elizabeth 'Eliza' VANCE
NOTE
There is a headstone at Townland, Atrim for Grahan Shannon which reads:
Erected by George V Shannon, Wellington New Zealand, in memory of his father, Graham Shannon, who died 16th December 1892, age 76 years, his mother Elizabeth Shannon who died 7th February 1902 aged 88 years, and their children William Shannon who died at Nelson New Zealand 27th July 1880 aged 35 years, Mary Ann and Robert who died in infancy, Mary Jane Shannon who died 17th January 1930, Blessed are the dead who die in the lord, REV VXIV 13 eight generations of Shannons the last of the Antrim family rest here in 1907, Graham and Elizabeth Shannon had 4 sons, 26 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren residing in New Zealand, George Vance Shannon their eldest son, being the first to arrive in that Dominica in 1865

George Vance Shannon emigrated to New Zealand about 1865 and was in business in Nelson for 9 years. In 1874, he and Mr J.S.M. Thompson established a drapery business in Wellington with branches in Christchurch, Napier and Auckland. When he retired from this business in 1887, he moved with his family to the ?Totara?s Estate? at Waituna West, Rangitikei district.
He always took an active part in public matters. He was Captain of the Wellington Rifles and was made a Major in the N.Z. Militia, commanding the First Battalion in 1887. He was a member of the Wellington Education Board; Commander of the Wellington Fire Salvage Board; and a customs expert.
But perhaps his most important work was with the Wellington-Manawatu railway. He was a member of the first committee appointed to report on the practicability of the railway; and was vice-president of the London Board; and a director, during his seven years service to the company.
He became one of the best known settlers in the Rangitikei district and died at his Totara's home on June 4th, 1920, leaving six daughters and two sons

George & Emily Jane HEWITT arrived together early 1865 and married in Nelson, 23 Nov 1865
Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 24 November 1865 SHANNON-HEWITT - November 23, at Christ Church, by the Rev G. H. Johnston, Mr G. V. Shannon, to Emily, eldest daughter of the late Lieutenant J. T. Hewitt, R.N., of Sydney Lodge, County Wicklow
* 1866, 23 Aug at her residence, Manuka-st Nelson, a daughter
- Georgina Emily Shannon married Steven Williamson 17 Aug 1885 in Wellington
* 1867 - 1954 a daughter
- Florence Elizabeth Shannon married Robert McBeth in July 1887
* 1868, 22 Dec at her residence, Mount Graham, a daughter
- Margaret Vance Shannon married Dr John Carmichael Smith in `896
* 1870 - 1928, 1 Nov, at her residence Bronti-street, a son
- Graham Hugh Shannon married Evelyn Mary Lodder in 1911. He was accidentally shot
* 1871 - 1953 at Nelson, a son
- William James Shannon married Jean Bruce in 1912
* 1873, 29 June at Bronti-street, a daughter
- Minnie Shannon married Harold Redmmayne in 1902
* 1875 - 1876 Aug a daughter
- Mary Eva Shannon died Wellington aged 6 months
* 1877, 2 Jan at Wellington, a daughter
- Eileen Shannon
* 1879 - 1880 a son
- George Vance Hewitt Shannon died aged 9 months
* 1881, 31 March at Wellington, a daughter
- Kathleen Shannon married Herbert Thornton Richardson in 1907
* 1885, 19 Nov, at Wellington, a son
- Trevor Shannon married Evelyn Mary Lodder 1911. Trevor died 1928 aged 43
EMILY JANE died 25 Feb 1914 at 'The Totaras" Feilding aged 73
GEORGE died 4 June 1920 in Feilding aged 77
- they are buried Plot 59/63, Public section at Bolton street cemetery Wellington

PHOTO
Major George Vance Shannon from NZETC