Londoners, Englanders. City folk. The Shannons have an Irish name and a Catholic heritage but the move must have been made earlier than we can establish. The earliest Shannon we know about is John Shannon who we know little about but that he died before his son John Shannon married Mary Anne Collar in 1901. His occupation was listed as 'Gas stoker' on John Shannon's marriage certificate in 1901 and he was deceased by then. He was married, we think, to Elizabeth Davenport, of whom no details are known.

John Shannon (1880-1938) the second was born in London in 1880 the eldest of 10 children or perhaps an orphan (!) It is difficult to decipher the baptism certificate. Katie says that he was in the South African war. (Boer) She also says that he was a bare fisted boxer with broad shoulders and powerful. He was known as Colabash (?) (something to hold liquids), presumably because of his heavy drinking.

This picture on the left, showing John Shannon peering between Marie Shannon and Charles English at their wedding in 1929, is the only know photo of him.

There is documentary evidence that he was in the army (reserves) for a time and was discharged at the age of 22 in 1900. His character was described as 'very good' and he gave his trade as 'news vendor'. He worked as a labourer and later at the government printers. When married in 1901 at the age of 30 he listed his job as 'General Labourer. When Katie, my grandmother, was born he listed his occupation as "Builder's Laborer" and lived at 131 Lillington St. Westminster, London.

He enlisted in World War I on the 26th August 1914 with the Northumberland Fusiliers and served in France in 1915 and was in the Army for 3 years 193 days including 131 days in France in 1915. (Badly gassed and also wounded before being sent to Ireland to recover (Belfast Katie thinks.) The three green blown glass ornaments of Katies stem from this time. They were his favourite flower - Queen Alexander Roses. It would be nice to have some in the garden.

We have quite a good physical description of John Shannon from his army report on leaving the Northumberland Fusiliers Regiment describing him as 5'10", brown hair, brown eyes with 'tattoo marks' (date?/dots - both arms) They described him on discharge as 'reliable, trustworthy and industrious" (6th March 1918-Discharge No. 30424.)

Nevertheless, other accounts tell a different story. Apparently he was a cruel, violent man and a drinker. Katie recalls he once hit Mary Anne Collar (1878-1953) (his wife) with a pig's head when drunk. Katie recalls he used to thrash the boys, though Katie seems to have stood up to him more than the others. Katie once hit him on the head with a frying pan when he came home drunk ill-treating her mother. Then they went through her pockets for food for the family. His temperament was one of the reasons Katie came to Australia. Katie says that Maria Collar, Mary Anne’s older sister, drowned herself after witnessing some of the cruelty John Shannon inflicted on her sister. She jumped from Westminster Bridge and drowned in the the Thames. Katie also tells dark and veiled stories of a murder that John Shannon was involved in.

Nevertheless, there is a letter written by John Shannon to Katie, after she came to Australia. It reads as follows and casts a different light on John Shannon. I have kept the original punctuation mostly, but added some full stops.

16/9/26

18 Bussborough St ....

My Darling Daughter

Just a few lines hoping this note finds you in the Best of Health as it leaves us at home at Present. I was Pleased with snaps you sent home. I am still at the same Place of work. I hope you have a good place where you are as me and your mother are always thinking of you and Jimmie and Annie are always asking me when are you coming home with their Parrot [?] well darling all at home are alright at Present. Mary and Johnnie are out of work so you know what it is here for me and your poor  mother to keep things going but never mind my love we will get over it with the help of God. I am only hoping for the day when you are borne home just to have a look at you once more. You would be surprised at the people asking about you Dear Kit . . .

Darling I suppose there will come a time whe you will come and see us as a surprise to all at home. We are having wonderful fine weather at home for the time of the year . . . I am pleased to say the Maggie children are getting on very nice you won't know norman when you come home he grows such a nice boy and the Baby is getting quite big. Mary Jimmie Billy Charlie and Johnnie sent their love to you. Well Kit I do hope you will soon be home with us all for a week or two if not for good it's lost here without you now. We miss you more all the time. . . well we must wait till that ship is ready for you. I hope you have heard from Mrs M [?] . . . Darling girl I think I have told you all this time hoping once more you are keeping in good Health. I will Draw this note to a close with fondest love from Dad & Mum and all the children Jimmie (xxxxxx) and annie (xxxxxx) sends you a kiss each (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) good Bye and God Bless you Darling (xxx)

John Shannon Died in St Stephens Hospital and was buried at St. Mary's Cemetery (Catholic cemetery) - Grave number1289.G.

Mary Anne Collar, [pictured at left with Aunty Anne] Katie’s mother, was the 3rd of 8 children. A Protestant, who was disowned by her family for marrying an Irishman beneath her station, she seems to have suffered a considerably in the marriage. "Why did you marry this man", Katie once asked. "You know Katie, he's never looked at another woman",  was her reply.

The Collar family had a Hand Laundry business in London and her father’s name was John but we know little about them. They lived at 5 Dorset Place, London and his occupation was listed on Maryanne's birth certificate as "Coachman" and on Mary Anne's marriage certificate as "Cab driver". (notice the variations in the spelling of her name). John died before she married in 1901 .Mary Anne died aged 74 and was interred at Streatham Park Cemetery, London, Grave no. 56304 Sq. 38.

Near the end of her life, Mary Anne wrote a letter to Bert who was serving in the Air Force. The letter reveals something of Mary Anne and her personality. The letter was dated Thursday November 30^th, 1944 and the address was Mrs M Shannon, 16 Schomberg House, Page Street, Westminster, London, SW1, England. Part of the letter read:

Kathleen Shannon (1905- ) or Katie, is a rich repository of stories of her early childhood and days in Cockney London and is the source of many of these tales. (though most have been well corroborated) She was born in 1905. Tales of scrubbing the doorsteps and rummaging through the pockets of her drunken father are family legend and probably no less strange than her other early experiences, emigrating to Australia, working for "Mrs J.C. Williamson in Sydney and moving to Melbourne.

She lived originally in Westminster, London with her parents who lived in Tufton St., then later moved to Belgrave Square. Katie left home at 14 and went to Northumberland to work at Cresswell Hall, Cresswell Nth, for the Countess of Ravensworth. At 18 worked for the King and Queen of Portugal (Emmanual and Amelia) at Eton Square. She worked for Gordon Selfridge at South Belgrave for 3 months and then worked at Whitehall for the National Liberal Club. Housemaid to Mr. Sayle.

Katie met Mrs J.C.Williamson through Marie (?). She travelled to Australia with JCW in 1925. on the "Oronasy" (Orient Line) arriving on Cup Day, the 1st of November 1925.

Katie lived at Potts Point. She stayed at "Kings Clair" (block of flats) with JCW. She left Mrs JCW and worked at Mansions Hotel, Kings Cross and in 1927 went to Melbourne. There she stayed with cousins (Rowes) at Scott St. Moonee Ponds where she met Bert Sandford. They were married in 1930 and lived in Beaver St., Essendon for many years before moving to Kars St., Frankston to be near her three children. [The photo on the left is of Katie with Bert soon after they met]

Katie’s brothers and sisters all bring interesting aspects to to the family history too. Her brother Charles, for example, was in the Merchant Navy during World War II and aspects of his diary survive and make fascinating reading. Part of his diary of this period (from 19th March 1941 to 30th March 1942) was typed up by Pat and sent to Bert and Katie. This excerpt, written while he was a gunner on the SS Bodegraven. describes seeing a ship in his convoy sunk he wrote on Wednesday 19th March 1941:

The marriage certificate of John Shannon and Elizabeth Davenport would be a good start to getting further with this line. It may be difficult since we have no exact date or place for that marriage. Probably London, and probably in the late 1870s. As far as the Coller’s go, we are not even sure of John Coller’s wife’s maiden name so that may even prove more difficult still. This would seem the least promising road to pursue.