Most viewed - Carrucan and Sweeney Picture Galleries

Most viewed

1961 - Malachi Ganly Maureen Kelly Ann Ganly142 viewsMaureen Kelly is one of 7 children of Molly (1916-1992) and Bernie Kelly (1916-1980) and is a great great grand daughter of Patrick Carrucan. This photo shows Maureen with her sister Ann and her godfather / uncle Malachi Ganly on the occasion of her reception as a Brigidine nun.

1910 October - wedding of Michael Carrucan and Mary Sweeney of Eltham142 viewsThis shows the wedding of Mary Sweeney and Michael Carrucan at St John's Catholic Church in Heidelberg in October 1910.
Celebrant was Rev Fr. Parker.
From left to right: Kathleen Sweeney, Michael O'Heare, Michael Carrucan, Mary Carrucan, Thomas Sweeney, Ellen Smith

2010 - Fanore in November Phil Clarke142 views

1834 - 1867 Thomas Sweeney Signatures142 viewsThomas Sweeney could sign his name and could probably read well enough to survive in business, but he always had a friend or professional scribe write the letters he sent to government departments.

Peter Cuffley has collected a number of signatures from Thomas Sweeney, ranging from 1834 to 1867.

1840s Robert Hoddle map of Parish of Nillumbik142 viewsThis Robert Hoddle map of the Parish of Nillumbik shows that a number of the subdivision sections have names allocated to them but not all. Thomas Sweeney has a 110 acre section adjoining the Yarra River. He subsequently leased section No. 6 of 810 acres, thus giving him a total of 920 acres to farm. An annotation on blocks 6 and 7 records "Stringy bark range thickly wooded".

As supplied by Peter Cuffley to Alan Marshall for his book Pioneers and Painters.

1850s Culla Hill Main House - floor plan Dr Roger Luebbers142 viewsThe new house at ‘Culla Hill’ was of a type often seen in colonial Australia which displays a simple ‘bungalow-style’ hipped roof which also covers the recessed verandah. It was given twelve-paned windows and the brickwork was rendered with stucco. Materials and fittings such as cedar doors and architraves would most likely have been brought by dray from Melbourne. One of the three floor plans Dr Roger Leubbers has based on his close inspections and old photographs shows the internal layout as it would have been in its first decade.

1835 Illawarra Lake painting by Conrad Martens, Wollongong Art Gallery142 viewsThe 1835 painting 'Illawarra Lake' by Conrad Martens shows remnant forest including a Cabbage Tree Palm, along with a horse and figures and the lake beyond. Thomas Sweeney was one of those who transported the cut wood from the Illawarra to Sydney in his coastal cutter.

Kate Colman's childhood home in Warrandyte141 viewsThe family home of Kate Colman (nee Jones) in Warrandyte was primitive to say the least and provides a good example of the harsh conditions under which these pioneering generations lived. Kate married Jack (John Vincent) Colman, the son of Peter and grandson of Bridget Coleman (nee Carrucan).

1950s - Joe Carrucan141 viewsJoseph Thomas Carrucan (1903-1960), third youngest child of Patrick and Ellen Carrucan, was born in 1904. In 1929 he married Eileen Mary Farrelly the only girl in a family of seven boys and they lived in 60a Gold Street Collingwood. They had six children: Helen (1932), Ivan (1933), Patricia (1935), Kathleen (1937), Michael (1942) and Maree (1947).
Joe was a grandson of Patrick Carrucan and Mary O'Brien.

1952 - marriage of Ann Marie Latham and William Francis Hunt141 viewsGroup wedding photo from the wedding of Ann Marie Latham (b 1923) and William Francis Hunt on 30th December 1952 at St. Joseph's Church, Otter Street, Collingwood.

Left to Right (Top): Matron of Honour:- Molly O'Farrell (nee Latham), Ann Marie Latham (nee Carrucan), Groom: William Francis Hunt, Bride: Ann Marie Hunt (nee Latham), Best Man: Kevin Latham, Lynette Latham
Left to Right (Bottom): Peter, John and Paul O'Farrell and Maureen Latham.

1962 - Margaret Carrucan her son Ivan and his nephew Anthony Carrucan141 viewsThis photo shows Ivan Carrucan (1913-1994), the son of John Francis Carrucan (1885-1956), Anthony Carrucan, the grandson of John Francis Carrucan, and Margaret Ellen Carrucan nee Doherty (d 1969), the wife of John Francis Carrucan.
Ivan was a great grandson of Patrick Carrucan and Mary O'Brien.

1966 - Dalton St Carrucan farmhouse in Eltham141 viewsWhen John Francis (Jack) Carrucan died in 1976, inspections of the old family farm house in Dalton St showed that it was too badly effected by white ants (we had known that and had to walk very carefully in the back rooms due to the deterioration of the floor). Thus the house was pulled down when the property was split up and sold after Jack's death. What a shame!

1969 - Anne and James O'Halloran lived in this house until 1969141 viewsKathleen nee Calnin (1919-1969), the youngest daughter of Annie (Babe) Carrucan and James Calnin, was a grand daughter of Patrick and Mary Carrucan. In 1953 she married Matthew O'Halloran and they had their own family with children Anne (b 1954) and James (b 1956). Until 1969, this was their family home - the address 40 Fairholm Grove, Camberwell.
Alas the marriage was cut short when Matthew died in 1961 and Kathleen was left to bring up their children on her own. Kathleen died in 1969 and at that stage, the family home was no more.
Anne and James are now grown up with their own families.

1998 - Br Raymund O'Regan141 viewsSmall card to mark fifty years as a Marist Brother for Brother Raymund (John) O'Regan.

1920 approx - Ellen (Nelly) Sweeney poses side saddle at Culla Hill141 viewsEllen (Nelly) Sweeney was one of the ten children born to John Francis Sweeney and Ellen Mary Sweeney nee Kenney. She was born in 1874 at Culla Hill and died in 1940. She was a fine horsewoman.

1927 - aunts at Eltham - Annie Smith, Ellen Hooley, Nessie Sweeney141 viewsThere was a constant flood of visitors to Dalton Street on weekends from the now far flung clans. The old aunts were especially formidable with their lilting Irish brogue and their strong personalities and independent ways.
A bevy of aunts - Annie Smith (1860-1934), Ellen Hooley (1874-1943) and Nessie Sweeney (1869-1955).

1960s - Irish Photo141 viewsWaiting for further details on this one.

141 viewsAnn Margaret Carrucan (b 1931) and Francis Xavier Magee (1931-1997) were married at East Kew in January 1956. These two photos are taken immediately after their wedding. Photos compliments of their son Kieran Magee.

1922-04-16 Ellen Sweeney in Mrs Cox's garden Eltham Easter Sunday 1922141 viewsThis photo shows Ellen Sweeney in Mrs Cox's garden in Eltham on Easter Sunday 1922. The writing on the back is as follows

Jackson St Casterton Aug 18. 23
Dear Girls, I was very pleased to receive your nice letters with news of your doings in Eltham. You put Casterton S.A., so your letters were a long time reaching me. As I hope to see you all very soon I shall just send a p.c. of me taken in Mrs Cox’s garden Easter Sunday 12 months ago. The river here has been in flood twice and people who lived along its banks had to move. I believe the Eltham PS is greatly improved. Betty says I shall get lost there now. Casterton is on the Glenelg R. in Vic so you will remember that next time. Best wishes to you all.
From E. Hooley

Ellen Sweeney was a former student of Eltham State School in the 1880s, She became a teacher at the school from 1891-1898. She returned in 1915 until her marriage to William Hooley of Casterton at St Marys, Eltham, Tuesday, April 24, 1923. see the following 2 articles, recording her wedding (http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article56655781) and her death (http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article57491650).

1940-02 Culla Hill Home Beautiful - Old Longhouse141 viewsThe Home Beautiful magazine issue of 1st February 1940 contains a wonderful 6 page article on 'Sweeneys'. This is one of a number of historically significant photos from that article. Peter Cuffley has a copy of the original magazine issue.

This stone built building was part of the original homestead. In 1940, it served as a guest room.

1986 Ellie Goss, Jim Murray, Noel Murray with wife Marcella and Cath Cuffley141 viewsThis photo, of cousins Ellie Goss, Jim Murray, Noel Murray and wife Marcella, and Cath Cuffley, was taken at the Murray property, Laurel Hill, Etham North in 1986.
James Eugene ‘Jim’ Murray lived until 1993 and always welcomed cousins to the old house on the hill.

1847 - Edward Dunn convict 1769-1850141 viewsA legal dispute between Thomas Sweeney and one of his employees, Edward Dunn, was reported by the Port Phillip Herald of Thursday 22nd July 1847. Peter Cuffley has investigated the background of Edward Dunn and this information is captured in the attached image.

Fanore - view from hills140 views

Headmaster's House, Eltham Elementary School, circa 1900140 viewsThe Headmaster's House at the Eltham Elementary School in Dalton Street was build in the 1890s and still stands today as part of the Eltham Primary School.

1909 - Patrick Richard Lane140 viewsThis photo shows Patrick Richard LANE 1851-1926, the husband of Bridget Carrucan. The photo was taken in 1909 at the wedding of Patrick and Bridget's daughter Bridget Lane to Jack McMahon.

1950s - Joe Carrucan with Boxing Troup140 viewsJoseph Thomas Carrucan (1903-1960), third youngest child of Patrick and Ellen Carrucan, was born in 1904. In 1929 he married Eileen Mary Farrelly the only girl in a family of seven boys and they lived in 60a Gold Street Collingwood. They had six children: Helen (1932), Ivan (1933), Patricia (1935), Kathleen (1937), Michael (1942) and Maree (1947).
Joe was a very good boxer in his younger days and and he passed this knowledge on via his boxing shows. These began in 1941 at St Joseph's but moved to the Collingwood Town Hall from 1942 until 1956. For the last show, with the help of a committee, he filled the Festival Hall, varying the boxing and wrestling with singers and other variety acts.

1950s Robert Edward Calnin - Breaking in a 2 year old140 viewsRobert Edward Calnin, born in 1929, was the the eldest (along with his twin brother John) of the children born to Maurice Calnin. He was a great grandson of Patrick Carrucan and Mary O'Brien. He became a policeman, served in the Bundoora Mounted Branch and then at Buchan. Riding a horse was essential for policing in the rugged mountain country of that area. When he retired, he took up farming at Buchan. He and his wife Betty had 2 children, Dale and Robyn. He died in 2010.
Photo from Maurice's grandson Dale Calnin.

1950s Robert Edward Calnin - Bundoora Mounted Branch140 viewsRobert Edward Calnin, born in 1929, was the the eldest (along with his twin brother John) of the children born to Maurice Calnin. He was a great grandson of Patrick Carrucan and Mary O'Brien. He became a policeman, served in the Bundoora Mounted Branch and then at Buchan. Riding a horse was essential for policing in the rugged mountain country of that area. When he retired, he took up farming at Buchan. He and his wife Betty had 2 children, Dale and Robyn. He died in 2010.
This photo shows Bob 3rd from the left when he was in the Mounted Branch. The photo was taken at the Bundoora Police Stud Farm
Photo from Maurice's grandson Dale Calnin.

1957 - Jack Carrucan on his promotion to Police Inspector140 views1957 - Jack Carrucan on his promotion to Police Inspector

2009 - Kesha family at the wedding of Antoinette Kesha and Derek Foster140 viewsJanet Monica (Jan) Carrucan (b 1944) married Neville Nehru Kesha in Auckland, New Zealand, in the 1960s. They had two children, Aaron (b 1969) and Antoinette (b 1973). Aaron and Antoinette are great great grandchildren of Peter Carrucan and Hannah Woods.
The following photo was taken in 2009 at Antoinette's wedding to Derek Foster at her parents' home.
From left to right Neville, Jan, Antoinette, Derek, Petrece, Aaron, Dayna, Eden, Jacob and Jordan.
Photo supplied by Antoinette Kesha.

Carrucan Family Bible 2140 viewsJohn Sweeney died on 24 May 1909 at age 65 and this Bible was given to his daughter Mary on the occasion of her marriage to Michael Carrucan in 1910. It stayed in their house in Dalton Street until the property was subdivided and the old house demolished in 1976.

The following inscription is found inside the front cover pages

Dec 2nd 1887
I John Sweeney became a teetotaller for twelve months.

This Bible was published in 1877.

Carrucan Family Bible 4140 viewsJohn Sweeney died on 24 May 1909 at age 65 and this Bible was given to his daughter Mary on the occasion of her marriage to Michael Carrucan in 1910. It stayed in their house in Dalton Street until the property was subdivided and the old house demolished in 1976.

The following inscription is found inside the front cover pages

Dec 2nd 1887
I John Sweeney became a teetotaller for twelve months.

This Bible was published in 1877.

1940-02 Culla Hill Homestead floor plan Dr Roger Luebbers140 viewsWhile the name Culla Hill is used for the road in a subdivision of part of the original 110 acres, the name ‘Sweeneys’ has been generally used since 1939 for the house and barn precinct. The owners at that time, Colin Stanfield Gibson and his wife Beatrice Ebsworth ‘Betty’ Gibson, were from Tasmania and thankfully their thoughtful renovations at Culla Hill in 1939 were influenced by an understanding of the Colonial tradition and its revival. While stone from the demolition of a large fireplace and chimney became a new garden path and garden edging, most of the refurbishment kept the essence of the original fabric. The plan here shows the layout of the rooms as they were at the time of the 1940 Home Beautiful article.
Diagram Dr Roger Leubbers, 1997

John Francis (Jack) Carrucan - 1976139 viewsUncle Jack (John Francis Carrucan) was the last of the Carrucans living in Eltham. When he died in 1976, the long line was broken and the family farm in Dalton St was broken up and sold.

2012 - Fanore - general shots on a walking daytrip139 views

The Burren139 viewsThe Burren (Great Rock) is a plateau occupying a vast area of North Clare. It rises in the south from the foothills near Killanoboy and Kilfenora, is bounded in the east by the Gortaclare mountains and is contained in the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Its highest peak, Slieve Elva, overlooks Galway Bay and the Aran Islands. It is an area of scenic attractions - wild and lonely but picturesque - where the clear light, reflected from the stone-grey hills, seems to radiate an air of timelessness, made more realistic by the many pre-historic remains that dot the fields and the valleys beneath. The Burren is of particular interest to archeologists, botanists, speleologists, zoologists, ornithologists, etc.

The Aquaduct in 2005 - only remnants remain of this Great Depression Initiative139 viewsThe aquaduct, built as a Govt initiative during the Great Depression, has largely disappeared and only remnants survive. This section in Allandale Rd (near Zig Zag Road) in North Eltham is one such reminder to the work done by these early pioneers.
many local Eltham residents including the Carrucans worked on this in the late 1880's.

Eltham State School, 2005139 viewsThe Eltham Elementary School in Dalton Street (School Number 209) had been started in the 1850s and was just a stone's throw from the Carrucan farms. All the Carrucan children attended. At its peak, 2 teachers had to teach some 100 children ranging in age from 3 to 14 in the old sandstone schoolroom. The early schooling was general in nature and focused on rudimentary reading and writing as well as giving the students basic farming capabilities.

1913 Ivan Francis Carrucan eldest son of John Francis and Margaret Carrucan139 viewsTaken in 1913, this photo shows Ivan Francis Carrucan, the eldest son of John Francis(Jack) and Margaret (Maggie) Carrucan of Cheswick. Ivan was a great grandson of Patrick Carrucan who migrated from Co. Clare to Eltham in the 1850s. Ivan was born 30.11.1913, married Ellen Kiniry in 1969 in Melbourne and died on 15.5.1994, aged 81 years.

1947 - Robert Calnin in Gibraltar139 viewsRobert Edward Calnin, born in 1929, was the the eldest (along with his twin brother John) of the children born to Maurice Calnin. He was a great grandson of Patrick Carrucan and Mary O'Brien. He enlisted in the Navy when he was 16. This picture was taken in Gibraltar when he was between 18 and 20 yrs old.
He later became a policeman, served in the Bundoora Mounted Branch and then at Buchan. When he retired, he took up farming at Buchan. He and his wife Betty had 2 children, Dale and Robyn. He died in 2010.
Photo from Gail Calnin.

1953 - Marriage of Kathleen Calnin and Matthew OHalloran139 viewsKathleen Calnin (1919-1969), the youngest daughter of Annie (Babe) Carrucan and James Calnin, was a grand daughter of Patrick and Mary Carrucan. In 1953 she married Matthew O'Halloran and they subsequently had their own family with children Anne (b 1954) and James (b 1956).
This is their wedding photo.
Matthew died at Camberwell on 3 March 1961 from natural causes. Kathleen died at Melbourne on 14 December 1968 from natural causes. Both are buried at Box Hill Cemetery, Box Hill Victoria.

2005 - Mgr Bernie O'Regan 26 gun salute139 viewsAs a sign of the respect in which Mgr Bernie O'Regan was held, he was granted a full military funeral, the first held at Melbourne General Cemetery for many many years. After Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart led a service for him at St John's in Clifton Hill, mourners went to the cemetery where an RAAF honour guard lined the main avenue, 26 Steyr rifles raised. His many decorations and medals, including his OBE, his air-commodore rank as RAAF Chaplain General and his service medals from Vietnam and Malaysia were also carried as part of the service. The service concluded with a 26 gun salute and a live sounding of the Last Post.Bernie was a great grandson of Peter Carrucan.

2012 Delia Carrucan Ryan at Federation Square in Melbourne139 views

1920s Culla Hill buildings 1840s right and 1850s left139 viewsThis old photo, from one of Betty Carrucan's albums, shows the Culla Hill home, date unknown but probably in the 1920s or 1930s. It shows the original 1840s building on the right and the 1850s main house on the left.

1971 Pioneers and Painters page 10139 viewsIn the years leading up to 1971, the centenary of the Eltham Shire's birth, the Council felt that the publication of a Shire history would fittingly mark the century of achievement. Well known author Alan Marshall, who was an Eltham resident, took on the task and the end result was the wonderful Pioneers and Painters book. As part of his research, Marshall reached out to many people including Peter Cuffley (who was his source for information on Thomas Sweeney) and my uncle Jack Carrucan (who was also very knowledgeable about the early days of the Shire).
Front Cover
Pioneers and Painters is a wonderful history of the early settlement of Eltham and the surrounding towns - Kangaroo Ground, Queenstown, Panton Hill, Christmass Hills, Yarra Glen, Kinglake. It is still generally available for purchase at second hand bookshops and via online vendors and I would recommend it to everyone.
This book is also the first to acknowledge Thomas Sweeney's early footprint in the Eltham district and his pioneering settlement at Culla Hill.
For completeness, here are the 2 pages in 'Pioneers and Painters' that refer to Thomas Sweeney.

The Carrucan Crest - the Eltham Butterfly138 viewsA poor Irish farming family had little use for a family crest - such things were reserved for those families steeped in power, riches and history.
Matthew Carrucan (Peter Line) has come up with a modern Australian interpretation of the family crest. It features the Eltham Copper Butterfly (Paralucia pyrodiscus lucida), an endangered species of local butterfly that is native to the Eltham area where our forebears settled so many years ago.
Matthew comments that he chose it for the obvious association with Eltham and obviously as it is a metaphor for 'the resurrection' and the continuation or transformations of 'Life after Death' (Peace and Life Eternal).

There are two forms of the crest.
The second version shows the butterfly inside a circle with the final stanzas of our family prayer surrounding it. This version contains 3 symbols, each representing one of our major family lines
Saint Bridget Cross - Bridget Line
Keys - Symbol of Saint Peter - Peter Line
Trefoil - Shamrock - Trinity Symbol Saint Patrick - Patrick Line"

1930 - Family Shot - Mick and Jimmy Carrucan in front138 views

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