McNamara Family Wedding Album

JAMES McNAMARA - MARY ANN FULLER married in a civil ceremony at the Nanango Court House, Queensland, Wednesday 13 February 1867 before Nanango District Registrar William Cradock Nowell Bussell.

The eldest daughter of Fred Fuller and Bridget Beeching was six months short of her seventeenth birthday when she exchanged vows with 25 years old James.

The couple first met at the Jondaryan Wool Shed in 1864 when both families worked at the property. Oscar Kosa a local auctioneer and Fred Fuller, father of the bride acted as witnesses to the ceremony.

The marriage produced 12 children including two sets of twins. Mary Anne died in 1934. James lived to just over 100 years of age dying in Dalby Hospital, 1 April 1942.

SABINA McNAMARA - AUGUST JAMES FONTAINE married at the presbytery of St. Joseph's Church Dalby, Queensland on 4 April 1892. Sabina had turned nineteen just one month before the wedding.

The couple left Jandowae after a family feud and headed for North Queensland where Gus eked out a living as a kangaroo shooter and part time gem prospector.

After a decade of wandering Gus gave up the nomadic life, settled his growing family at Kelsey Creek near Proserpine and turned his hand to sugar cane farming.

Barely five feet tall, the diminutive Sabina bore 16 children of whom 14 survived. Gus Fontaine died in 1957, Sabina passed away in Proserpine, 1 December 1968.

JAMES JOSEPH McNAMARA - MARY ANN O'BRIEN married by Father Daniel Walsh at St. Joseph's Catholic Church Helidon on 25 April 1900.

The original church and nearby convent, the first branch house of Sisters of Mercy community in Queensland, no longer stand. The church was destroyed in a hail storm that hit Helidon in 1914.

James and Mary Anne began married life at "Glenrock" farm near Jandowae. The expert horseman and drover moved to Hawkwood Station on the Auburn River as overseer for Charlie Persse.

He resigned on 24 April 1918, changed his mind and continued his long association with Hawkwood. James Junior died 11 November 1959. Mary Ann O'Brien predeceased him, dying 13 December 1955.

MARY ANN? McNAMARA - EDWARD CHERRY married at St. Joseph's Church Dalby, 24 December 1907. Mary Ann's youngest sister, seventeen year old Minnie May and brother William acted a bridesmaid and best man for the couple.

For well over a decade the tough times forced them to live at "Rosebank" while Ted struggled to make the couple's property at Iron Pot Creek habitable for the family.

Their four children Agnes (1908), Muriel (1910), Edward (1912), Norman (1915) were all born at "Rosebank" before the family finally moved to their selection "Bellbrook" around 1920.

Ted died June1930, leaving Mary Ann and family to run the dairy farm. Mary Ann died, three decades later, 22 November 1960.

WILLIAM McNAMARA - HANNAH KENAFACKE married at St Patrick's Catholic Church Toowoomba 20 April 1908. Hannah was the second youngest daughter of Jondaryan farmer Daniel Kenafacke and Mary Maloney.

A son William Francis was born the day before his father's thirty-first birthday on 23 March 1909. The double celebration was short lived as Hannah developed post natal complications and died from blood poisoning a week later.

Hannah's dying wish was that best friend Mary Lee care for her husband and child. Tragically William Francis died sixty eight days later at the family home "Rosebank", Jandowae.

Will married Mary Lee in St. Stephen's Cathedral in Brisbane on 11 June 1911.

EDWARD McNAMARA - ANNABELLA FLETCHER married at "Strathgyle" the Fletcher family residence near Bell, Queensland, Wednesday 28 December 1910.

The bride's younger sister Helen and the groom's brother Jack acted as bridesmaid and best man. They were married by Presbyterian Minister George Tulloch.

Ted was the first McNamara to marry into the Fletcher family cementing both families long tradition with the land. Seven years later, older brother Frank married Helen Fletcher in a similar ceremony in the same setting in 1917.

Edward's first marriage produced two children Neil (1912) and Mary(1916). Tragically, Ted lost Bella to cancer in 1939.

WILLIAM McNAMARA - MARY LEE married at St. Stephen's Cathedral, Brisbane on 11 June 1911 just over two years after the death of his first wife Hannah Kenafacke.

It was Hannah's dying wish that her lifelong friend Mary Lee care for Will and new born son.

Although the child died at three months, Mary kept her promise, married Will and cared for him for almost fifty years until she died in 1956.

The marriage produced two children Sylvester William (1913) and Anthony (1924). Will was the first member of the family to choose a city lifestyle over working the land and country living.

William outlive all his brothers reaching 101 years of age. He died in Chermside Hospital, 11 April 1979.

FRANK McNAMARA - HELEN "NELLIE" FLETCHER married at "Strathgyle" Bell (Qld), 10 December 1917.

The Dalby Herald reported at the time, " ... a very quite but pretty wedding took place at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. E. P. McNamara, when Helen youngest daughter of late Mr. and Mrs. Neil Fletcher married Frank, son of Mr. and Mrs. McNamara of 'Rosebank,' Jandowae by Rev T. G. Allen of Bell.

Mr. Archie Fletcher acted as best man, and Miss Ella Fletcher, niece of bride was bridesmaid. The bride was given away by her brother Andrew."

The couple moved from "Strathgyle" to work their selection "Redlands" in Jandowae. Frank and Nellie had no children.

Frank died in March 1957, Helen passed away five months later, 5 October 1957.

CHARLES PARIS McNAMARA - JANE HORROBIN married at St Michael and All Angels Church Kingaroy, 20 December 1939. The "Burrandowan Cyclone", a confirmed bachelor, decided at fifty-two it was time to take a wife.

The small weatherboard church was packed to overflowing with family and well wishers as he and the Kingaroy born Staff Nurse at the local hospital exchanged vows.

The affable, slightly built man with a stutter and the big raw-boned, outgoing nurse were a most unlikely match.

Charlie left his job as stockman at nearby Coven Station following the marriage and took up a job as wardsman at the Kingaroy Hospital in 1940.

The couple had no children. Jane died at Rangeview Convalescent Home, Toowoomba, 16 May 1972. Charlie passed away in Kingaroy Hospital, 23 February 1979.

EDWARD PATRICK McNAMARA - ELSIE LARGE married at the Methodist Church Nudgee, Brisbane by pastor Lex Robertson, 28 April 1948.

Close friends Doris and Walter Krosch acted as best man and matron of honour at the ceremony held in the small suburban church not far from Ted and Elsie's Banyo home.

It was the second marriage for sixty-seven year old Ted after losing his first wife Annabella to cancer in 1939.

Elsie, the Yorkshire born school teacher had known Ted for many years, boarding at the "Strathgyle" property while teaching local children in the Bell district.

The marriage produced one child, Clifford Noel. Ted died at home, 19 January 1955. His death came as a shock to many of his close friends.