unknown Wellington Road Launceston Tasmania Australia Ellen Mary O'Meara Julia Agnes, Thomas John, John Mathew, Michael Joseph, Leonard Basil, Francis Leo, Kathleen Breda & Frederick Ambrose

This is possibly John Thomas Butler who was born about 1839, perhaps in Ireland as his death notice in The Examiner requested Dublin papers to copy. John married Ellen Mary O'Meara and seven children were born to them in Tasmania: Thomas John, 9 Sep 1879; John Mathew, 26 Jul 1881; Michael Joseph, 9 Jun 1883 and Leonard Basil, 30 May 1885, were born in Campbell Town. Francis Leo, 11 Mar 1887-Jun 1914; Kathleen Breda, 16 Jan 1890 and Frederick Ambrose, 26 Jun 1892, were born in Launceston.

The funeral of John Thomas' sister, Catherine Butler, left from his house in Wellington Road in June 1901, for the Roman Catholic Cemetery. This is possibly Kate Butler, the nurse, who is also in the Family Album. John himself died a year later, on 27 Jun 1902, aged 63, at 123 Wellington Road. Members of St Patrick's Branch No. 217 HACB Society were requested to attend his funeral.

In 1903 Ellen was living at 26 Percy Street with Julia Agnes, Thomas and John Butler. Thomas and John were grocers. Julia Agnes was most likely to have been another child born before the couple came to Tasmania. She had a son Joseph in 1899. Ellen died at 6 Portland Street on 15 May 1917, aged 62.

Prue McCausland Oct 2011