Mary Durnan

   Cause of her death was Dilated Heart/ Bronchitis.

   Another name for Mary was Mary Durneen.

  General Notes:

Mary's surname is recorded as DURNEEN on her Christening Record. Witnesses were Patrick Durneen and Elizabeth Magrath.

Mary is buried at the Bowman's Forest Cemetery on the road from Wangaratta to Myrtleford. Nearby are graves for her brother James and some of her descendants. She is buried with her husband Jeremiah and her daughter Annie and the grave has an impressive memorial. The Inscription reads:

Of Your Charity / Pray for the Repose of the Soul / of / JEREMIAH ROCHE / died 27 Oct 1906 / aged 70 Years / Also His Wife / MARY ROCHE / died 19th Oct 1918 / Aged 79 Years / Also Their Daughter / ANNIE / Died 23rd December 1912 / Aged 39 Years /.

Her death certificate records that she had been in Victoria for 54 years, suggesting she arrived in 1864. It is possible she arrived in July 1863 on the Western Ocean. There is a record of a Mary DURMAN arriving on that ship, aged 23. Mary would have actually been 25 then but this is the only record that looks like it could be for our Mary.

  Noted events in her life were:

• She emigrated to Victoria, Australia about 1864.

• She worked as a Servant at the time of her marriage on 24 Sep 1865 in Beechworth, Victoria, Australia.

Mary married Jeremiah Roche, son of Garret Roche and Johanna Bottom, on 24 Sep 1865 in Roman Catholic Church, Beechworth, , Victoria, Australia. (Jeremiah Roche was born in 1833 in Cork, Ireland, christened on 24 Jul 1833 in Shandrum, Cork, Ireland, died on 27 Oct 1906 in prob, Whorouly, , Victoria, Australia and was buried in Bowman's Forest Cemetery, nr, Whorouly, , Victoria, Australia.)

  Marriage Notes:

Witnesses were Catherin Fitzpatrick and (what appears to be) John Durnan.