I had a request recently for more images of some of the Irish connections of the Bartley families. Today we focus on Patrick Tobin who settled in Wellington, New Zealand.
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| Patrick Tobin abt 1919, taken before his journey to NZ |
Patrick was the third of eight children born to Maurice Tobin and Bridget O'Donnell of Michelston, Cork, Eire. The Tobin farm at Curaghavoe is still held in the family, despite the history of conflict and famine in the region during the nineteenth century. The imposed laws of inheritance, along with economic distress, led to an ongoing dispersal of Irish people around the world. Within that framework, the Tobin's tenure and connection to their place of origin remained resilient. Many of Patrick's wider family group did not fare so well.
His paternal grandparents were Maurice Tobin and Ellen McGrath. His mother's parents were Patrick O'Donnell and Ellen Connell. The O'Donnell's were farmers from Lyreen, Cork. His O'Donnell uncles immigrated to New Zealand in the 1880's and facilitated their nephew's settlement later on.
Their only sister, Bridget married Maurice Tobin at Kilworth, Fermoy on 5 February 1893. She was 22 years old. This photo of Bridget with her mother Ellen Connell was most likely taken to mark that occasion.
Patrick's eldest sibling, Nellie, was born in 1894, followed by Maurice in 1899 and Patrick himself in 1901. John was born in 1902, May in 1903, Bridget 1905, Catherine in 1906 and Margaret in 1911.
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| Maurice Tobin, who also came to New Zealand |
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| John Tobin, who took over the farm from his father |
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| Mother Bridget nee O'Donnell in the centre with daughters Bridget Tobin on the right, Catherine Tobin on the left |
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| Peg (Margaret) on the left with May on the right |
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May Tobin, second left at front, completing her schooling just as the Great War began
After the Great War came the escalation of civil disorder in Ireland. Patrick left for New Zealand as soon as domestic travel was resumed for immigrants in 1919. Maurice came later in 1923. The family story was that Maurice had originally planned to succeed to the farm, as eldest son, but it was not safe for him to remain in Cork any longer. Certainly the brothers were at opposite sides of the political spectrum, a situation common to many families at this time. The assassination of a relative in January 1923, was reported here in the NZ Herald (08 Jan 1923). Maurice, also a government employee, left almost immediately afterwards.
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Maurice settled in Auckland, New Zealand and married late in life. He died there in 1967 and was interred at Mangere cemetery with his wife Della.
John meanwhile had joined cousins in New York, a culture which he relished. He returned to Cork in 1926, when their father Maurice died aged 60.
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| John enjoying an American St Patrick's Day in the early 1920s |
Catherine, also known as Kate or Kathleen, also went to the United States.
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| Kathleen on a trip home to Ireland in 1941 to attend her mother's funeral |
Patrick, after his journey to Wellington, joined his O'Donnell cousins at their market gardens north of the city. Trained as a radio operator he found clerical work in Wellington more in demand. During the 1930's he worked in the head office of J R McKenzie's department stores.
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| Here Patrick, front row far left, in the support role for the 1934 McKenzie's rugby team |
Patrick met Annie Coyne from Makahu, Taranaki and married in Wellington on 25 June 1927. Patrick and Annie had four daughters - Eileen, who joined the Sisters of St Joseph; Patricia, who married Harold Bartley and settled in Auckland; Margaret, who died young; and Kathleen, who married Murray Elliott and settled in Darwin, Australia.
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| Patrick and Annie on their wedding day |
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| Eldest daughter Eileen Tobin (1928-2003) |
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| Patrick and Annie with their youngest daughter Kathleen |
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| Second daughter Patricia (1929-2012) on her wedding day |
