John Joseph Ryan was born in a small seaside village called Loughshinney,
about 16 miles to the north of Dublin, Ireland. He was born 5 October 1859, the son
of John Ryan (a Fisherman) and Catherine Leary. John was the eldest son of this couple
and the second of 11 children that they eventually had together. He was baptised at the
Roman Catholic Church in a town called Rush, a larger town about 3 miles to the south.
It seems that John may have come to Australia sometime after 1878 but I have been
unable to find a definite listing for this as the shipping records show quite a few John Ryan's
and often give very few other details. This date is derived from the death certificate
information as to how long the deceased had been in Australia which showed John had been
in Victoria for 40 years (he died in 1918). This may or may not be accurate as there is also a
variation in the age attributed to John Joseph in his marriage certificate (claiming he was
born about 1865) and his death certificate (claiming he was born about 1856)!
What does seem possible is that John came to Australia with at least 2 other siblings,
his elder sister Catherine and his younger brother Charles. Charles was born in Loughshinney
in 1867 and was, like his brother, Baptised at the Roman Catholic Church at the nearby town
of Rush. The date of the Baptism was given as 20 October 1867 and the sponsors at the baptism
were James RYAN & Alicia RYAN.
Charles married according to his death Certificate in 1911, Charles had been in
Victoria for 22 years, making his arrival some time around 1889. The proof of his
relationship to John was the informant for his death being listed as "J. Ryan, Nephew,
No. 5 Queen Street, Ballarat East." The death certificate also states that Charles was married
some time around 1903 to an Elizabeth Mary CHEASLEY, although a thorough search of the
indexes fail to show any sign of this marriage.
John Ryan was married at St Alipius' Roman Catholic Church, Ballarat East, on the
26th of February 1889 to a girl named Honora Jane Ettridge, the eldest daughter of Thomas
John Ettridge and Adora Moore. At this time John lists his age as 24 years and his occupation
as Miner. Nora is listed as 23 years of age and her occupation as Servant. One of the
witnesses on the marriage certificate was John's brother, Charles Ryan.
John and Honora soon settled down and began to raise a family in Ballarat. Their first
child was born in 1890 and they named him James Joseph Ryan. Two years later in 1892 they
had another son which they named Thomas Joseph Ryan, followed in 1895 by Francis James
Ryan. Their fourth child saw the birth of their first daughter, Nora Elizabeth Ryan, in 1897.
In 1899 their fifth child was born and they named her Mary Catherine Ryan. Sadly,
she died at the age of 21 days and was buried in the Ballarat New Cemetery on the 2nd of
August 1899. This child is also buried in the same grave as John Joseph Ryan, her father, and
Charles Ryan, her uncle. The address given in this burial listing for John and Nora is No. 5
Queen Street, Ballarat. This address is located next door to what is now known as the "Old
Curiosity Shop" in Ballarat East.
The Ryan family continued to grow after this date with the arrival of the sixth child,
Alice Mary Ryan, in 1901. In 1904 another son joined the clan and he was named James
Ryan. The last of their family was named Joseph Charles Ryan, born in 1908.
The Ryans appeared to have lived at the same residence for most of this time as they
are listed in the 1903 Electoral Roll as follows -
"John Ryan - Queen St., Ballarat - Miner"
and "Nora Ryan - Queen St., Ballarat - Home Duties".
The later Electoral Roll of 1916 only listed the following -
"Nora Ryan - 5 Queen St., Ballarat East - Home Duties"
There is no sign of her husband John! It seems that John Ryan was already ill in hospital at
this time with the illness that would eventually claim his life.
The Ballarat Hospital admissions index lists Norah Ryan, aged 40 years, as being
admitted on the 15th of April 1906 (she was later released) and her address at this time was
given as 5 Queen Street. Her daughter, Norah, was also admitted on the 10th of August 1911
and discharged on the 17th of August 1911, her address was also given as 5 Queen Street.
John Joseph Ryan died on the 17th of September 1918 at the Austin Hospital,
Heidelberg. The cause of death was given as "Haemorrhage and Exhaustion" and it was
noted that he had been suffering from "Epithelioma of the mouth and lips" for a period of 2
years. He was buried at the Ballarat New Cemetery on the 20th of September 1918 in the
same grave as his daughter, Mary Catherine Ryan and brother Charles Ryan.
The Burial reference for John Ryan gives the address of the deceased as now being
369 Humffray Street, Ballarat. It is there that the later references to the Ryan family in
Ballarat most often appear although it changes to read Ballarat East or Ballarat North on
different occasions.
The Electoral Rolls of 1924, 1925 & 1926 show the following people living at 369
Humffray Street, Ballarat East -
"John Joseph Ryan - Clay Hole Worker"
and "Mary Josephine Ryan - Home duties"
The 1925 Roll also shows "Francis James Ryan - Labourer" to be living there with them.
Honora Jane Ryan (nee Ettridge) died in Ballarat on the 29th of September 1937 and
was buried in the Ballarat New Cemetery on the 30th of September 1937. Her address was
still 369 Humffray Street at the time of her death.
When John Joseph Ryan (Jr.) died on the 9th of February 1958 he was described as a
Council worker of 369 Humffray Street, Ballarat North. He was buried at the New Cemetery
on the 11th of February in the same grave as his wife, Mary Josephine Ryan (nee Cockerall)
who had died in May 1951.
The Postal Directory section of the 1967 "Sands & McDougall Directory of Victoria"
lists the occupant of 369 Humffray Street as "J. C. Ryan". This would most likely have been
Joseph Charles Ryan, the youngest son of the original John Ryan and Nora Ettridge.
