My gt-gt-grandfather, John MaWhinney ("McWhinney", etc.), was born about 1834 at Newtownards, County Down, Ireland, a grocer and later Publican. He married twice, Magill sisters, with whom he had thirteen children, living his last years at Belfast.
He is commemorated on a stone at Comber New Cemetery, photographed and transcribed at;
http://billiongraves.com/pages/record/Robert-McWhinney/4322679The stone notes he died 23 September, 1902 at Melbourne, Australia, the Australian Death Registration index has a John MaWhinney died 1903, father James which fits, mother Margaret Bailie which I did not previously have, but which is a Newtownards name suggesting this is the correct registration.
Presumably John was in Melbourne visiting a child, but I could not find any article in TROVE noting the death or identifying McWhinneys from Newtownards there then, of course the child might have been a daughter with then a different surname making the search more fun. I do not have a lot of experience with Australian records, and would appreciate if anyone has suggestions for further searching.
Here are John's children, even if noted as died in Ireland it is possible they spent time in Australia and returned;
1) James MaWhinney, born 1862 at N'ards, died 1911 at Belfast (my gt-grandfather)
2) Margaret "Maggie" MaWhinney, born 1863 at N'ards, died there 1916, married 1881 there to William McGimpsey
3) Sarah MaWhinney, born 1865 at N'ards, died there 1869
4) Jane MaWhinney, born 1866 at N'ards, death or marriage not identified
5) Robert MaWhinney, born and died 1867 at N'ards
6) Martha MaWhinney, born 1869, at N'ards, death or marriage not identified
7) Sarah MaWhinney, born 1870 unmarried in 1901 and 1911 census, Informant of a nephew's death 1904, looks to be an unmarried 43 year old 1914 enterring USA in Ellis Island database, probably married William Gaskin of West New Brighton, Staten Island
8 ) Anna MaWhinney, born 1872, unmarried 1901 and 1911 census, emigrated to USA 1915
9) Lucinda MaWhinney, born 1873 at N'ards, died unmarried 1905 at Belfast
10) John Alexander MaWhinney, born 1876, died 1927 unmarried at Belfast
11) Elizabeth MaWhinney, born 1877 at N'ards, unmarried in the 1901 census, not seen in 1911
12) Robert MaWhinney, born 1880, died 1948, no wife noted on stone
13) Kenneth MaWhinney, born 1883, married 1904 at Belfast
Donald.
