Elizabeth O’FLYNN (1868-1938) and Michael BRISLANE (1865-1896)

Elizabeth O’Flynn, the eldest child of George and Eliza O’Flynn, was born 4th November 1868 in Paroa, West Coast, New Zealand. Elizabeth’s birth certificate has her registered as Eliza, but she was known as Elizabeth. To complicate matters, her birth is registered with the surname Flynn (not O’Flynn!). Elizabeth had a life of many challenges. A record found on the NZSG Index v5 shows Elizabeth O’Flynn was a pupil at Brunnerton School on the 5th of September 1881. (Brunnerton was a small town serving the Brunner Mine on the West Coast). Elizabeth married Michael Brislane on the 30th May 1891 at St Patrick’s Church, Greymouth. The marriage record was incorrectly transcribed as Brisbane, a common mistake. Elizabeth’s husband Michael Brislane was born in 1865 in Sandhurst, Victoria, Australia. His parents were William Brislane and Bridget Quigley. Two months after their marriage, in July 1891, Michael Brislane was adjudged bankrupt.

The circumstances around the bankruptcy are unknown but Michael was working in the Brunner Mine at the time. It is not known when he commenced working in the mine.

By 1896 Elizabeth and Michael had three children; Bridget Mary born in 1892, William George, born in 1893 and Elizabeth Francis, born in 1894. Michael was killed on March 26th 1896 in the Brunner Mine, one of 65 men who died in the disaster. Elizabeth was pregnant with her fourth child when she lost her husband.

The following newspaper article about the disaster makes for sombre reading.

Inangahua Times, 27 March 1896

Names of Men Entombed

[From our Special Correspondent.] Brunnerton, This Day. The scene here in of a most harrowing nature. Eleven bodies have been taken out but their identity is difficult, but so far the bodies have been identified by their clothes or boots. They are -horribly maimed and charred. Water is now making in the mine. Volunteers are coming from Kumara and Denniston and a train is being sent from Reefton. The Governor has telegraphed Condolences to the bereaved ones.

It is pitiful to see the women and children crying at the pit's mouth. Scott has returned to Blackball, and Mr Cochrane inspector of Mines is now in charge of the operations.

The following are the list of the men: Michael Brisbane, married, three children, John Roberts, senr., three children, Mark Masters, married, five children, Robert Pascoe, senr, married, two children, Humphrey Smith, married, six children, Tom Clarke, married, two children, Joseph Mclvor, single, William Liddle, married, six children, Henry Detert, married, one chid, John Langdon, single, Edward Kent, married, four children, Joseph Baxter, widower, three children) James Richards, married, five children, Jeffrey and James Geoghegan, three children and parents dependent on them, Robert Duncan, married, nine children, 'Jas. Worthley, married five children, John Teward, married, three children, Edward Collins, married, seven children Thomas Beaman, married, four children, William McLuskie, and Robert McLuskie father and son, married one and 6 children, Thos. Moore, father 4 children, and Thomas Moore, son, single William Hunter, widower, twelve children, Harry Dinniston, married. James Scott, widower, Charles James, married, six children, David Roberts, William Gunliffe, Fred Franklin, Benjamin Hill, Harry Julian, Charles Baxter, single, Pat McDonald, married, four children, David Anderson, David Hall, John Parsons, Samuel Roberts, single. Paul Pelling, married, three children, James McMinn, married, two children, William Boyd, married, John White, married, seven children, John Allen, married, four children, Alfred Williams, married, six children, Jas Rowe, married, eight children, John Dunn, single, William Moonie, married, six children, Peter McMahon, married, six children, David Hooley, married, three children, John Watchman, single, John Patterson, married, eight children, William John Roberts, married, one child, John Morris, senr, Joseph Masters, married, six children, Thomas Helslin single, William Henderson. single, Ailey Kerr, married, on child, T'homas Mclvor, support of mother and six children, single, James McDonald, single, R. O'Laughlin, single, Robert Pascoe, junr, single, Joseph Scoble, junr, single, William McKinnan, single, support of mother and three children, Roberts, underground manager and three sons are included. The foregoing Langdon has relatives at Boatmans. There are about 86 widows and 180 orphans. The children are dependent on the dead relatives. Most of the children are very young. The Premier arrived last night, and entered the mine. He was deeply grieved, and returned to Hokitika last night.

A subscription list has been started. Most of the families are destitute. The mayor has given instructions to open a large grave in Stillwater cemetery. It is proposed to bury all in one grave by Sunday. It is intended later on to erect a monument to the dead.

A special train is arranged for on Sunday from Reefton to enable people to attend the funeral. The foregoing list is taken from the Company's letter book, but may not include all. There is said to be 65 in all in the mine, and there is not the slightest hope of anyone being alive. Eighteen bodies are now out. All are identified. Following are the names of the men I have not seen Geoghegan (2), Roberts, junr, R. Duncan, C. James, P. Polling, and Denniston, J. Morrison, Williams, and Hunter. I have just been in the tunnel nearly a mile. The air is fairly good though thick in places. The tunnel resembles a horrid charred house. The force of the explosion may be judged from the fact that flat-sheets of iron fifths of an inch thick is doubled up like paper. The bodies present a horrible spectacle and the anxious widows and orphans as each truck arrives out is heartrending.

The bodies have to be carried on stretchers some distance up an incline, and the low roof makes the work hard. Air is being conveyed by brattice cloth. There is no hope of being left alive. Most of the bodies so far have their hands in a folded position, and their clothes stripped off, some to the waist. Some of the rescuers are exhausted and are glad to hear of help coming. The aroma from the bodies will become intolerable if not got out quickly as it is doubtful if the bodies can be kept till Sunday.

From a count of the list of names on the Company's books I make out 65 men in the mine. Eighteen bodies have been recovered leaving 47 still in the mine. The inquest on the bodies is now proceeding in order to ensure identification, and to permit of interments as soon as the relatives wish. Mr Cochrane made a quick trip to the scene receiving advice from Mr Seddon at 5.15 p.m. yesterday; he left 15 minutes later in the Mawhera and reached here at two this morning. The Premier and a number of volunteers will arrive shortly from south. Words cannot convey an adequate impression of the mournful scene.

Two fine young men, brothers named Geoghegan, are just coffined and taken to their home to their disconsolate parents. Denniston is a step father to Mrs Conway of Reefton. The Hooker brothers were not in the mine, and are safe. Roberts’s father and his two sons are dead.

Mr Stratford, S.M. is conducting the inquest. Inspector McGovern is here also.

The following telegram was received by Mr Shepherd as we were going to press: “No more men required. Tender miners of Reefton my heartfelt thanks for their timely succour”. R. J. Seddon, Brunnerton.

A monument was erected by Michael’s father, William Brislane, in memory of his son. William’s name was added to the monument after his death. Erected by his father in memory of his son Michael Brislane, who was killed in the Brunner Mine, 26 March 1896, aged 32 years. Also his father William aged 83. Elizabeth gave birth to her fourth child, Michael Edward Brislane, five months after the disaster, on 19th October 1896. She was left to raise four young children. On June 6th 1900 Elizabeth gave birth to another son, Walter, at Charleston, West Coast. He was illegitimate and the father’s name is not recorded. Elizabeth was to know more sadness, as Walter died on the 24th June 1900 aged just 18 days. His death is registered in Brunner. The coroner’s

report in June 1900 recorded cause of death as ‘asphyxiation and suffocation produced by convulsions which were due to irritation of the stomach and bowels caused by improper feeding’. 1900, Walter Brislane, child of Elizabeth O’Flynn and unknown

Death of Walter Brislane aged 18 days.

The Grey River Argus records on the 2nd August 1900 that Elizabeth went to Christchurch. There is no reason given and no record of her having actually lived in Christchurch. This was after the death of baby Walter so it is likely that the Mr O’Flynn mentioned here is her brother Francis ‘Frank” Edward O’Flynn.

A claim for £1,000 was made on behalf of the Brislane family in connection with the Brunner Mine disaster. It is not known exactly how much was actually awarded.

Some time after the death of Michael Brislane, Elizabeth moved to Wellington. She is found in the electoral roll of 1905/06 living at 36 Lorne Street, Wellington and is recorded as a widow. It is not known why Elizabeth moved to Wellington. Elizabeth married Charles WILSON, on the 20th January 1909 at St Joseph’s Church, Buckle Street, Wellington. Her brother, Francis “Frank” Edward O’Flynn was a witness for the marriage. Frank was living in Runanga at this time so would have come to Wellington especially for the wedding. Elizabeth’s new husband, Charles Wilson was born 1877 in Wellington.

Newspaper clippings in 1914 show that Elizabeth’s sons William and Michael Brislane had lived at the Stoke Industrial School & Orphanage in Nelson. It is not known why they were living there and not with their mother, as Elizabeth and her husband Charles Wilson were living on the West Coast at the time. William married Minnie Ellen Davies in 1913. He continued to live in the Nelson area and raise a family. Michael was a farm labourer in Dovedale, Nelson before he enlisted in 1914 (underage). He was wounded at Gallipoli and died of his wounds in Malta on the 20th August 1915. Little else is known about Elizabeth and Charles Wilson. The 1911 electoral Roll shows a Charles and Elizabeth Wilson living in Moonlight Road, Blackball and Charles’ occupation is listed as a miner. It is likely this is them as Elizabeth’s son Michael listed “Mrs E Wilson, Blackball” as his next of kin on his WW1 enlistment form. In the 1914 and 1919 (Buller) electoral roll there is a Charles Wilson living at Roa, (but no Elizabeth), and in 1925 and 1935 a Charles and Elizabeth Wilson are listed as living at Kaiata, Greymouth – and Charles is listed as a labourer. Elizabeth Wilson died on the 4th of May, 1938 at Greymouth Hospital.

The next section describes the lives of Elizabeth and Michael Brislane’s four children:

Bridget Mary Brislane born in 1892, William George Brislane, born in 1893, Elizabeth Francis Brislane, born in 1894, Michael Edward Brislane, born in 1896,

Also Walter Brislane, Elizabeth’s child born to an unknown father in 1900.

Children of Elizabeth O’FLYNN and Michael BRISLANE

Bridget Mary BRISLANE (1891-1971)

Bridget Mary Brislane, the first child of Michael and Elizabeth Brislane, was born on the 31st December 1891, on the West Coast of New Zealand. She was born 7 months after her parents’ marriage (30 May 1891), so her mother Elizabeth Brislane (O’Flynn) was pregnant at the time of their marriage.

She was known as Mary for the rest of her life, although she was registered as Bridget Mary Brislane.

Mary was five years old at the time of the death of her father Michael Brislane.

Mary married Charles Augustus Green on the 28th April 1917. Charles was born on the 5th of November 1889 and died in 1976 at Greymouth. The marriage record for Mary and Charles Green has been indexed with Mary’s name reversed from the birth record.

Charles is listed on the NZ Army WW1 Reserve Roll 1916 – 1917. His occupation is given as Coal Miner and his address is listed as Care of Post Office, Blackball.

It is likely that Mary and Charles Green had children, but it is difficult to determine because the

surname ‘Green” was very common at the time.

Mary Bridget and Charles Augustus Green are both recorded as living at Main St, Blackball in the Electoral Rolls of 1919, 1922, 1925 and 1928. From 1931 until 1969 Charles Augustus Green is listed as living at 9 Mile Road, Rapahoe, and there is no further record of Mary Bridget Green.

Mary Bridget Green died on the 7th August 1971, aged 81. She is buried at Orowaiti Cemetery,

Hokitika.

Charles Augustus Green died in 1976, aged 86.

William George BRISLANE (1893-1974)

William George Brislane, the second child of Michael and Elizabeth Brislane, was born on the 29th January 1893, on the West Coast, New Zealand, and died on the 27th June 1974. A middle name of Lawrence is recorded in the Electoral Rolls, but does not appear on his birth or death record.

William, along with his brother Michael, was an inmate of Stoke Industrial School and Orphanage in Nelson (also known as St Mary’s Industrial School). This institution had a notorious reputation for brutal treatment of the boys in its care. It is not known how long William was living there, but he married in 1913, aged 20, and had left the school before his brother Michael was reported to have been there in 1914. In 1913 William married Minnie Ellen Davies, the daughter of Albert Davies and Emily Jane Russ in Spring Grove, Nelson, New Zealand. Minnie was born on the 2nd January 1889 in Nelson and died on the 4th June 1965 in Nelson.

Marriage to Minnie Ellen Davies in 1913.

In the Electoral Rolls William is listed with the middle name Lawrence.

NZ Electoral Roll records for Lawrence and Minnie Brislane 1914 Minnie Ellen Brislane, Dovedale, Married. (No husband recorded) 1919 William Lawrence Brislane, Dovedale. Farmer. Minnie Ellen Brislane, Dovedale. Married 1925, 1928, 1935 William Lawrence Brislane, Dovedale. Labourer. Minnie Ellen Brislane, Dovedale. Married. 1938 William Lawrence Brislane. Dovedale. Labourer. Minnie Ellen Brislane, Dovedale. Married. Lawrence Albert Brislane (son). Labourer. 1946, 1949 Minnie Ellen Brislane, Dovedale. Married. (No husband recorded). Lawrence Albert Brislane (son), Dovedale. Labourer. 1954, 1957, 1960 Minnie Ellen Brislane, Dovedale. Married. Lawrence Albert Brislane (son), Dovedale. Labourer. Joan Elizabeth Brislane (daughter), Dovedale. Spinster. Neal Maurice Brislane (son), Dovedale. Labourer.

William died at age 82. On his death certificate William’s birth date is listed as 28/1/1892. This is different by a year and a day from how it is recorded on his birth certificate with Births, Deaths and Marriages NZ – 29 January, 1893.

William (Lawrence) George Brislane and Minnie Ellen Davies had five children:

Lawrence Albert BRISLANE was born on the 6th May 1915, at Richmond, Nelson. He died on the 31st August 1993. The online index has incorrectly indexed his surname as Brisbane.

Rex Michael BRISLANE was born on the 5th March 1917 at Richmond, Nelson. He died on the 24th July 1944, aged 27 years in Florence, Italy. Rex served as a Corporal, service No. 76594, in the 23rd Canterbury and Otago Battalion 5th Infantry Brigade. He is buried at the Florence War Cemetery. Grave/Memorial Reference: VIII. C. 4.

Shirley Emily BRISLANE was born on the 8th January 1922, at Dovedale, Nelson and died in 2002 in Kaikoura. She married Cecil Maurice Jordan in 1945 at Spring Grove, Nelson. Cecil was born in Nelson in 1921 and died in 2003.

Joan Elizabeth BRISLANE was born on the 9th February 1928, at Dovedale, Nelson. She married Roy Simon Fleming in 1961, in Auckland. Roy was born in 1924 and died in Nelson in 1992. Roy was previously married to Prudence Alice Wright. Roy and Prudence married in 1946 and divorced in 1959.

Neal Maurice BRISLANE was born 16th March 1931, at Dovedale, Nelson and died in 2002. He married Rosalie Gladys Jefferies. Rosalie was born in 1929, at Dovedale, Nelson, and died in 2007.

Elizabeth Frances BRISLANE (1894-1954)

Elizabeth Frances Brislane, the third child of Michael and Elizabeth Brislane, was born on the 15th October 1894, on the West Coast, New Zealand.

Little is known of Elizabeth’s life other than what is on Electoral Rolls and on her cemetery record. Elizabeth’s occupation is unknown and she did not marry. She lived in hotels, which may have been used as boarding houses.

NZ Electoral Roll records for Elizabeth Brislane: 1919 Nelson, Masonic Hotel. Spinster 1928 Napier, c/- Masonic Hotel. Spinster 1938 Taihape Hotel. Spinster 1946 66 Falkirk Ave, Mirimar, Wellington. Spinster 1949 Victoria Hotel, Petone. Spinster 1954 Empire Hotel, Petone. Spinster.

Elizabeth died on the 24th November 1954 in the Hutt Valley at age 60.

She is buried at the Taita Cemetery, Lower Hutt.

Name: BRISLANE Elizabeth Frances Date: 24 Nov 1954 Source Cemetery: Taita Old Monumental, Lower Hutt Type: Monumental Inscriptions

Elizabeth died ‘Intestate’. She did not leave a will.

Michael Edward BRISLANE (1896-1915) Michael Edward Brislane, the fourth child of Michael and Elizabeth Brislane, was born on the 19th October 1896, on the West Coast, New Zealand;

Michael was born 7 months after his father's death in the Brunner Mine and he had a very sad life.

Michael Brislane and his brother William were inmates of Stoke Industrial School & Orphanage, maintained at the orphanage by a payment of 4 shillings a week from the Brunner Relief Fund. It is not known why they were living there, as their mother had remarried and was living on the West Coast at the time. According to a newspaper article, in 1912 Michael got a legacy of £100 from an unnamed uncle. In 1914, just prior to going to WW1, Michael took this £100 from the bank and the manager of Stoke Industrial School took £73 of it for ‘the cost of the boys maintenance in the school’. Michael’s brother William Brislane was not an inmate in 1914 so no money could be taken from him.

See http://archives.govt.nz/research/guides/education for information about Industrial Schools.

Michael Edward Brislane enlisted with the Canterbury Mounted Rifles on the 24th August 1914. He declared his birthdate to be 1st August 1894, so it appeared he was 20 years of age. He was in fact only 17 years 9 months old. Michael Edward Trooper 7/533, Canterbury Mounted Regiment, NZEF. He was shot in the spine on 8th August 1915 at Gallipoli, Turkey, and died 18th August 1915 in Malta. The following are Newspapers reports of his injury and death.

Colonist 7th Oct 1915

Michael’s brother William Brislane was named as executor of his will.

Michael is buried in Pieta Military Cemetery, Malta, Plot A. Row IX. Grave 4. ( A. IX. 4.)

Walter BRISLANE (1900-1900)

Walter Brislane was the fifth child of Elizabeth Brislane. He was born on the 6th June 1900, and died 18 days later on the 24th June. Walter was illegitimate and who his father was is not recorded.

Birth of Walter Brislane.

Death of Walter Brislane, aged 18 days.

Coroner’s report 26 June 1900. Walter Brislane died aged 18 days due to ‘asphyxiation and suffocation produced by convulsions which were due to irritation of the stomach and bowels caused by improper feeding’.