Matilda GILMORE was born on 14 July 1868, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Her parents were two Irish Pioneers Adam GILMORE and Annabella NICHOL.
Adam and Annabella had married on 9 December 1865 at First Presbyterian Church, Ballymena, County Antrim, Ireland. Only six months after Matilda’s parents had married, they emigrated to Australia. They travelled on the ship ‘Wansfell’ for Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on 26 June 1866. It was a bold move as in those days when communication was slow it meant that they would never return again to Ireland or see any of the family again who they had left behind. The ship ‘Wansfell’ departed from Southhampton, England.
Matilda’s father, Adam GILMORE was one of the committee members that represented passengers on the ship commending the ship’s captain. The ship transported immigrants from England, Ireland and Scotland. Of the total 225 immigrants, 172 were Irish. Among the single girls were a large number of domestic servants. 60 were advertised as being for hire on arrival of the ‘Wansfell’. The voyage was smooth for that period with no passenger births or deaths recorded on board.
Annabella and Adam GILMORE moved into a house at Rogers Street, Spring Hill, Brisbane in 1866. Rogers Street is now inner city Brisbane so it’s unlikely that the house is still there however some of the little workers cottages have survived with renovation so it’s not a possibility that can be dismissed.
Adam and Annabella GILMORE had a daughter Annie Jane GILMORE before Matilda was born. Annie Jane GILMORE was born 11 March 1867. She died before her first birthday. Annabella would have been pregnant with Matilda at that time.
So Matilda GILMORE was the second child but once she was born she was the eldest child as her sister had already died. Matilda was born 14 July 1868 at Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
A sister was born the next year. Elizabeth GILMORE was born 30 September 1868 but only a week later on 7 October 1869 she died.
Another little sister was born. Isabella GILMORE was born on 20 January 1871 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. This sister to Matilda died 11 months later on 15 November 1871. John Alexander GILMORE was the first son of Adam GILMORE and Annabella GILMORE. Matilda‘s brother was born on 8 December 1872, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Sister Rose GILMORE was born on 22 December 1874 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and another brother William James GILMORE was born on 25 July 1876. He died about eight months later on 4 April 1877.
A sister, Agnes GILMORE was born in 1880, and in 1881 a brother, Hugh GILMORE was born. The youngest of Matilda’s siblings was Emma GILMORE born 26 January 1885, Brisbane, Australia.
Matilda’s father Adam worked in Brisbane in various occupations. Documentation informs us that he worked as a drayman, storeman and labourer. At one time he and Annabella had a fruit shop.
Matilda married only one year after her youngest sister was born. She married Charles MCKINNEY on 4 August 1886.
Her first child Alexander MCKINNEY was born on 16 July 1887 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. He died on 14 January 1888. Matilda would have been pregnant with her second child at this time.
Matilda and Charles had a daughter on 3 November 1888. Her name was Mary MCKINNEY but she was known as Minnie. Another child Agnes May MCKINNEY was born on 14 May 1890 and a fourth child, Robert MCKINNEY on 11 February 1892 followed by Annabella Nichol MCKINNEY on 17 May 1896. Anabella was known as Belle. The last child of Matilda GILMORE and Charles MCKINNEY was Marjorie Emma MCKINNEY born 23 March 1906.
There was another wedding in the family. Matilda’s brother John Alexander GILMORE married Emma Mary COSTAR on 18 October 1899. The younger children were older by this time so this wedding would have been remembered by everyone in the family. Matilda’s first child Alexander, would have remembered this event too as he was nine years old.
Matilda’s brother John Alexander GILMORE and Emma Mary COSTAR had two children, John Audrey GILMORE 15 November 1903 and Gwendoline Armour Rose GILMORE 18 May 1906. Like Matilda, they lived in Brisbane.
Only a month after the marriage of Matilda’s brother John, her sister, Agnes GILMORE married Herbert BARNES on 9 November 1899 and on 14 September 1900 Agnes and Herbert BARNES had a child Roy Nichol BARNES. Other children followed. Edna May BARNES 21 August 1901, Vera Agnes BARNES 8 January 1902 and Thelma Rose BARNES on 19 April 1907. Sadly Agnes and Herbert’s last two children died in infancy.
Matilda‘s sister Rose got married on 6 November 1901. Rose Married James BOTHWELL. This couple also had children. Meryl Nichol BOTHWELL born 10 December 1902, Margaret Joyce BOTHWELL born 24 April 1904, Gustavus Ronald BOTHWELL born 3 March 1907, Colin James BOTHWELL born 12 October 1908. The couple had another child in 1912 Hugh Alan BOTHWELL. This boy died in 1914 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Matilda‘s brother Hugh was living at Norman Park, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. He worked as a silver plater. He married May Victoria CHARLESWORTH on 29 March 1911. They were married at the Presbyterian Church, Norman Park, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Matilda‘s mother, Anabella GILMORE previously Annabella NICHOLS died on 9 April 1912 of chronic nephritis and Uraemia. She was buried on 9 April 1912 at Toowong Cemetery, Toowong, Brisbane, Australia.
Matilda’s brother Hugh and his wife May had four children. They were Lilly Margaret Nichol GILMORE born 25 September 1912, Kenneth Hugh GILMORE 30 September 1914, Rita May GILMORE 10 January 1917, Douglas Norman GILMORE 10 March 1922.
Matilda‘s father Adam GILMORE died just after her brother Hugh’s first child was born. Adam GILMORE died on 9 January 1914. Quite a large number of mourners were listed in the Brisbane Courier Mail on Saturday 10 January 1914. The funeral service was held at Norman Park Presbyterian Church, Brisbane which was where Hugh and his wife May were married. Adam GILMORE was buried on 10 January 1914 at Toowong Cemetery, Brisbane, Australia.
The first world war had started and Matilda’s son Robert MCKINNEY enlisted on 11 December 1915.
In 1924 Charles MCKINNEY, Matilda’s husband died.
On 20 April 1926 Matilda’s brother John Alexander GILMORE died and her sister Agnes GILMORE died in 1930.
All of Matilda’s siblings had remained in Brisbane. They mostly lived between Norman Park and Balmoral on Brisbane’s Southside though Matilda and Charles had had their family at Fortitude Valley, which is now central Brisbane.
Matilda MCKINNEY previously Matilda GILMORE died on 31 October 1946 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Matilda was buried at Holland Park West, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
