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[aghadowey]

The Registration District is Cork and Dispensary District (or sub-district) is Dripsey. You can use this site to find districts- https://www.swilson.info/regdistmap.php

[M S Harmer]

here is summerised info;
What we do know about John Donovan;
Born abt 1873
Have his name on a list of ship deserters in Pt Pirie.
DONOVAN John, 23 y, native of IRL. Deserted SS Bradford City at Port Pirie. Source: PG 1911 p 164, 173.
[Ship having sailed, warrant withdrawn by PG 5-7-1911]
Worked on the warves Pt Pirie sometimes as an interpreter.
According to Sth Aust. marriage registry his father s name was given as Michael.
Mothers name unknown.
Married Elizabeth Ann Brooks,  Daughter of  Thomas and Annie Brooks, 12 Feb. 1895, Pt Pirie, Sth Aust.
They had 3 daughters Ethel May Adelaide (1895), Annie (1899) and Vera Doutheen (1904) my grandmother).
John died 10 Sept. 1910, Pt Pirie.
Elizabeth remarried 1 Mar. 1912 to a John McGrath.
Local news paper of the time describes John DONOVAN as an Englishman !

Oral History;
Only son of an only son.
First or middle name may have been Michael, after his father.
Was from County Cork.
Father remarried after first wife died. Was always told second wife was French !
Was put into a school / monastery (age unknown) to become a priest (Not sure before or after mother died) but ran away and became a merchant seaman.
Father was a publican / spirit dealer.
Both John's knew each other possibly back in Ireland.

Unsure of ship he deserted, the  SS Bradford City to my knowledge was built 1903 or 06 and sunk about 1942. Would have had to have deserted before 1895.

[majm]

Hi Martin,

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/95324159

 re

......
Have his name on a list of ship deserters in Pt Pirie.
DONOVAN John, 23 y, native of IRL. Deserted SS Bradford City at Port Pirie. Source: PG 1911 p 164, 173.
[Ship having sailed, warrant withdrawn by PG 5-7-1911].....

I wonder if among the crew on the voyage of the SS Bradford City calling at Port Pirie (in June 1911) included an Irish sailor whose name was John DONOVAN, and that he was aged 23 when, while SS Bradford City was in port, at Port Pirie he perhaps deserted ....   I may well be wrong, but I suspect that there's likely a date between the first  PG   &  1911  and that p 164 would be page 164 and likely refers to that first instance; if so it is likely the notice announcing the warrant   and then if so, then 173 well it would be page 173  and that the second instance has the full date PG 5-7-1911 and it likely shows that at  page 173 would the announcement of the withdrawal of that warrant...

Perhaps P.G. represents Police Gazette... perhaps the South Australian P.G.

ADD, so I am concerned that the deserting was for an Irish chap aged 23 in 1911 and it is simply a co-incidence his name was John DONOVAN.

JM

[majm]

I have added to my post... 

noting that  so I am concerned that the deserting was for an Irish chap aged 23 in 1911 and it is simply a co-incidence his name was John DONOVAN.


JM

[majm]

South Australia Police Gazette June 28, 1911, page 164
DESERTERS FROM MERCHANT VESSELS
From the  ss ‘BRADFORD CITY’ at PORT PIRIE on June 23rd 1911
Warrants issued for the following :-
........ 
John DONOVAN, A.B. 23 years of age, large fair moustache, a native of Ireland, dress not described.
......
......
.....
.....
A reward for £1 will be paid for the arrest of each of the above-named.  Warrants filed at Port Pirie. (C1449).
(JM notes that six sailors were named in that notice).

and then there's this notice in the South Australian Police Gazette :

Page 173,   July 5, 1911
Vide Police Gazette 1911, page 164.   Re P Sheehan, John Donovan, S Napper and William Evans, deserters from the ss Bradford City at Port Pirie on June 23rd, 1911,  The warrants for arrest of the above named have been withdrawn, the ship having sailed.  C 1449.

Sometimes my hunches actually work   

JM

[majm]

I have just posted on http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=799627.msg6578656#msg6578656

JM