My Family Tree

Thomas Brosnahan
born c1871, died 1960 aged 89 in NZ.
1960/24391 Brosnahan, Thomas 89Y
birth record not found.

QUERY: Thos Brosnahan, "New Zealand, Immigration Passenger Lists, 1855-1973"
Name: Thos Brosnahan
Event Type: Immigration
Event Date: 20 Oct 1877
Event Place: Wellington, New Zealand
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Single
Nationality: Kerry
Occupation: farm laborer
Ship Name: Wairoa
Departure Date: 1877
Arrival Port: Wellington
Digital Folder Number: 004411780. Image Number: 00018

John Brosnahan in the Cyclopedia [could be father]
Posted on Feb 11, 2012 by Maggie

Interestingly, a John Brosnahan appears in The Cyclopedia of New Zealand, which I posted about yesterday. Could this be my John?

Brosnahan, John, Farmer, Levels. Mr. Brosnahan was born in County Kerry, Ireland, and came to New Zealand in 1862 by the ship “Exchange.” He engaged in various pursuits until 1865, when he became a farmer at the Levels, where he acquired 530 acres. Mr. Brosnahan is married and has twelve children.

Twelve children. Crikey! I have my work cut out trying to find all that lot.

The people featured in the Cyclopedia paid for the privilege of having an entry included – and provided the information to the compilers, so one assumes that the biographical data would be reasonably accurate.

My John Brosnahan did arrive in New Zealand in 1862, but the ship given here is “Exchange”, whereas he sailed on the “Echunga”. I can’t find any record of a ship called the “Exchange” sailing to New Zealand during this time, so I suspect it is an error made by the compiler, or perhaps faulty memory on John’s part? Or a different John?
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http://eastkerryroots.com/index.php/brosnanclangathering2013/2-3/ Wedding photo.
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Was this lady his mother?
New Zealand Tablet, 22 May 1902, Page 20
MRS. BROSNAHAN, Temuka. [nee Annie Collins]
Yet another of the fast diminishing numbers of early settlers has passed away in the person of Mrs Brosnahan, relict of the late Mr James Brosnahan, whose death (says the Temuka Leader) at the age of 86 is announced. The deceased lady was a resident of the district for the past 36 years, having settled here on her arrival from the County of Kerry, and was well known and highly respected. During the last 12 months her once familiar figure has not been seen about as frequently as of yore, owing to illness. The late Mrs Brosnahan was the mother of Mr John Brosnahan, of Arowhenua. Mrs M. Gaffaney and Miss Brosnahan (Temuka), Mrs G Gaffaney (Dunedin), and Mrs Bryant (Christchurch). She leaves altogether one son, four daughters, 41 grand-children, and 20 great grandchildren. Previous to her illness she was hale and hearty, and was often to be seen walking to or from Mr Brosnahan's to her own house in Temuka preferring to do so than drive.