William Alleyn headstone at Rookwood Cemetery

When in Sydney earlier this year (2009) I spent some time at Rookwood Cemetery. While there I found several ALLEYN headstones including William ALLEYN (1833-1907), the brother of my ancestor Ellen Teresa CONLON nee ALLEYN.

William is buried in the Rookwood Catholic (Necropolis) section. Details from the Rookwood index:

Surname     Alleyn     Type     Burial
First Name     William P
Interred Date     24/06/1907
Location Section Graves: Mortuary Mortuary 2
Area C
Grave 227











Transcript:
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
BRIDGET ALLEYN
BORN GALBALLY CO. LIMERICK IRELAND
14TH JULY 1838 DIED 4TH MARCH 1906
ALSO WILLIAM PLACID ALLEYN
BORN GOLDEN, CO. TIPPERARY IRELAND
20TH JAN 1833 DIED 23RD JUNE 1907
ALSO JULIA BRADY
BORN SYDNEY 12TH OCT 1857
DIED 27TH FEB 1913
ON WHOSE SOUL’S SWEET JESUS HAVE MERCY
------------
ALSO THOMAS ALLEYN BRADY
BELOVED SON OF ABOVE
AND HUSBAND OF HANNAH BRADY
WHO WAS ACCIDENTALLY KILLED 19 NOV 1922
AGED 35 YEARS
ALSO THOMAS BRADY
HUSBAND OF JULIA
DIED 3RD JAN 1921 AGED 62 YEARS
R.I.P.


Details. So William is buried with his wife Bridget MCNAMARA who he married at St Mary's Cathedral in 1853 (V1853240 99/1853). Bridget died on 4 Mar 1906, her headstone indicating she was born in Galbally, County Limerick and her NSW death register entry (2031/1906) states her parents were John and Julia.

Their daughter Julia (generation 2) was born 12 Oct 1857 according to her headstone, but NSW BDM indicates she was baptised in Sydney (V1855498 72/1855). She married Thomas BRADY in Glebe in 1882 (2344/1882) and they had at least five children. Julia died in 1913 (2837/1913) and Thomas' death is inscribed on the headstone as 1921 but no corresponding entry exists for that year in NSW BDM indexes.

Their son Thomas Alleyn BRADY (generation 3) was born in 1884 (17749/1884) registered in Ryde NSW. His headstone indicates he married a Hannah - one entry exists in NSW BDM in 1911 to a Hannah JACKSON ( 8393/1911 ). Thomas died in 1922, 'accidentally killed', the year after his father. His wife is buried elsewhere.

{EDIT: this short article describes how Thomas the younger died:
Monday 20 November 1922
FATAL BUS ACCIDENT.
As a result of a bus accident on Saturday night Thomas Brady, 34, a bus conductor, who resided in Hewitt-street, Marrickville, wat fatally injured. He attempted to step from the bus, which was proceeding along Eddy-avenue, when he slipped and fell to the ground, the wheels of the vehicle passing over his body. The Civil Ambulance conveyed nim to Sydney Hospital, where he was admitted suffering from a crushed left thigh and shock. He died early yesterday morning,}

So three generations are buried in the same grave. The headstone is about eight feet high and made of sandstone. It is structurally sound as was standing perfectly upright, but some erosion is eviden, and the crucifix that presumably stood at the top of the headstone is missing (note for comparison the headstone immediately behind).