John Anthony Cleary
Son of Anthony Cleary and Bridget McMahon. Baptised 11 June 1843 and therefore presumed to have been born shortly before that in Miltown Malbay, County Clare, Ireland.
Arrived in Victoria sometime in the 1860s. It is thought his brother Peter and sister Elizabeth arrived in 1864; there was another passenger named John Cleary on that ship but "our" John's death certificate says he had been in Victoria for 49 years when he died, suggesting he arrived in about 1869 which, coincidentally, is the year in which his younger brother Michael is also thought to have emigrated (although Michael continued his journey and initially settled in New Zealand). The man named John Cleary who travelled on the ship with Peter and Elizabeth was from the family of prominent Victorian identity and former parliamentarian Phil Cleary (see http://www.philcleary.com.au/).
John Anthony Cleary married twice, first (when he was aged 32) to Lucy Agnes Brewer who died on 30 June 1886. His second marriage (possibly when he was age 36, but this is not certain) was to Johanna Mary Croker. Both marriages were in Melbourne. He had no children from either marriage. His occupation was "warder" and he was a "government pensioner" at the time of his death. He died, at age 75, on 26 December 1918 at 59 Martin Street, Elsterwick, in the Borough of Brighton, Victoria, and was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. Johanna died on 27 November 1931 at age 64.
from left : brothers Peter, John and Michael Cleary.
Photograph from Denise Ritter, grand-daughter of Michael.
Photograph of commemorative monument in Melbourne General Cemetery.
Thanks to Margaret Kelly and her daughters, Laura, Alison and Mary for the transcription of the engraving.
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