John Walsh, son of Michael Walsh and Mary Fogarty, was born about 1842 in Kilmacar Parish, County Kilkenny. He was baptised on 14 May 1842 at Kilmacar.
John, aged 22, arrived in Melbourne on the “Lightning” in May 1865 from Liverpool, England after voyage of 140 days. Travelling with him were his brother James and sisters Bridget and Catherine. Catherine’s husband, Richard Lawless, was also with them.
Bridget Sherman was born in 1845, the daughter of Thomas Sherman and Julia Brien, from Ballycallan Parish, County Kilkenny. She was baptised at Ballycallan on 15 May 1845. Bridget had arrived in Australia on the “Arabian” in May 1866.
On May 4th 1871, John and Bridget were married at St Alipius Roman Catholic Church in Ballarat. At the time of their marriage, John was 27 and working as a Miner while Bridget, who was 24, was a domestic servant.
John and Bridget had nine children – eight daughters and one son – all born in Ballarat or Sebastapol between 1872-1889.
In 1909 John and Bridget were living at 138 Peel Street, Ballarat. John was a miner while Bridget was Hotelkeeper of the Royal Oak Hotel for which she had taken over the license in 1907.
John died on 2 July 1911 at the Royal Oak Hotel, 138 Peel Street, Ballarat. His death certificate states he was 68 years old and a Hotelkeeper. Cause of death was Carcinoma of Face and Asthenia.
Bridget suffered from Bright’s Disease and died of heart failure on 6 January 1914 at 103 Albert Street, Ballarat.
John and Bridget were buried together in the New Ballarat Cemetery – Roman Catholic “C”, Section 07, Row 1, Grave #26. There is no headstone on their grave.