Thomas Arthur GRATTAN

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Thomas Arthur GRATTAN b 1851 in Phillipstown, Kings County, Ireland, married 13 April 1880 in Hamilton, to Ellen Gorton, died 27 March 1928.

His father was Thomas GRATTAN and his mother was Isabella FISHER. Thomas came from Ireland when he was 4 years old to Australia. He worked as a clerk in customs before enrolling in the Australian Army to come to NZ to fight in the 1863 land wars. His mother, Isabella also came to Australia and started a private school in Kew, Melbourne which is now the Trinity School of Music. There is a Grattan Street in Kew.

Wife: Ellen GORTON, b 12 Nov 1857 Otahuhu NZ, d 5 Oct 1952 Hamilton, NZ. Hear her talk about her life.

Her father was John GORTON, mother was Margaret HUGHES. Margaret was born off the coast of Barbados in 1837, second child of James and Ellen HUGHES.

In 1847 James HUGHES, Ellen (nee TAYLOR) and 4 children came to New Zealand on the ship 'ANN'. James HUGHES was born in 1804 in Cappagh County, Tyrone, Ireland and was a Fencible in 6th Company. He married Ellen TAYLOR in London in 1829 and settled in Otahuhu after serving 21 years 3 mths including West Indies and North America.

Margaret HUGHES married John GORTON on 1 Jan 1855 in Trinity Church, Otahuhu. John GORTON died 24th OCT 1859, in Otahuhu (ref CTF13830) and she re-married John RAY also in Trinity Church, Otahuhu on 12 Aug 1872 and had 5 more children: Alice REAY (1873-1952), Mary Ann REAYE (1876- m. Albert WALTER), Betsy RAY (1878-), Harriet RAY (1881-), James RAY (1885-1885). Two of the girls were raised in the Waikato by her sister Helen who married Samuel TICKLEPENNY.

1. Isabella GRATTAN b 18 Sep 1880 at Waihau and died in 1926 in Hamilton. M Alfred Montgomery ST GEORGE and had 9 children.
2. Ellen GRATTAN b 2 Dec 1882 at Waihau, M Albert George YARDLEY.
3. Loiusa GRATTAN b 6 Apr 1885 at Te Aroha, M W. Burns SMITH.
4. Jane GRATTAN b 28 March 1887 at Te Aroha. M Patrick (Paddy) HOGAN.
5. Henry Parnell GRATTAN b 17 June 1889, at Te Aroha. Never married, died from lung troubles due to WWI.
6. Thomas Arthur GRATTAN b 22 Sep 1891 at Te Aroha. Soldier in WWI.
7. John GRATTAN b 1894, at Te Aroha. Soldier in WWI.
8. Maud GRATTAN b 1896 at Te Aroha, d 6 Mar 1993 at Te Aroha, M James DOWLING.
9. Edward James GRATTAN b 1 March 1899 at Te Aroha. M Ruby Orr. They had one girl & 2 boys.

Arthur and Ellen Grattan, about 1914.