Today’s Sepia Saturday image is “men in braces”, or perhaps working clothes, or newspapers.
In a way my post combines all of these elements. Among my photo collection is a photo of my grandfather taken for a news story.
James Joseph McSherry was an incredibly hard worker, having notched up a normal lifetime’s service with the Queensland Railways, building the old red rattlers at the Ipswich Railway Workshops and before that in the Townsville Workshops. Not content to just take his ease on official retirement, he signed up with Commonwealth Engineering (ComEng) to repair 1500 wagons in three years, completing the task (with his team) in two years. I suspect he was a demanding boss probably having high expectations of his working team.
By the time of this story he was 74 years old and had a staff of 254. Unfortunately the newspaper clipping is not identified by date or name but I suspect it may have been in The Telegraph and would have been sometime in 1956.
It wasn’t as if this was all he was doing either, because as an active member of the Hibernian Society he did lots of carpentry jobs for them and people in need. Even in his late 70s he was painting St Mary’s church West End in Brisbane and the Legion of Mary hostel in Indooroopilly. He was a dedicated worker for the Catholic church all his life, yet on his death there was very little representation at his funeral….sad.
Family history across the seas 
Even so, his reward was waiting for him in heaven, I’m sure.
LikeLike
Indeed Kat, something he firmly believed.
LikeLike
Great when you find an interesting article on an ancestor, isn’t it, especially with a photo included, even if you can’t immediately identify the source. I assume it’s not yet included in Tove, but did he receive a British Empire medal for putting out a fire near a bomb dump?
LikeLike
I was lucky this clipping came to me via my Mum. And no, couldn’t find anything on Trove as yet…Brisbane papers finish earlier than that. Missed the reference to the bomb dump….
LikeLike
You should definitely follow up on Cass’ suggestion. There are several articles in January 1943.
LikeLike
I meant Jo’s suggestion. Sorry, too hasty.
LikeLike
Wow! Finished the job one year early and at the age of 74. Incredible. They don’t make ’em like they used to …that’s for sure.
LikeLike
Yes there’d be lots of companies happy with those kinds of results Alex.
LikeLike
Indeed it is sad that more people didn’t turn up at his funeral for he was clearly a dedicated man who achieved so much in life.
LikeLike
He was indeed a very hard worker Alan, but not always an easy man to get along with despite his many good works.
LikeLike
I never thought about all that before — that trains had to be repaired, just like anything else; to have an ancestor who specialized in this is pretty amazing! Nice post.
LikeLike
Thanks Deb
LikeLike
He was a real workaholic!
LikeLike
indeed he was!
LikeLike
I think I have read about him previously?
Love that first photo.
I admire him for his high workmanship, efficiency and high standards but I certainly hope that I am not still working in my 70s.
LikeLike
Another wonderful clipping to have in your possession. Sad that his funeral was poorly attended, but by the power of Sepia Saturday we’re all here to remember him.
LikeLike
What an amazing amount of energy he must have had! I wish I had half of it.
LikeLike
yes Little Nell, thanks for joining me in recognising his work and life.
LikeLike
indeed Kristin, happy to be retired myself
LikeLike
A lovely family history story and how proud you must be to have the press cutting as a tangible record of his many qualities.
LikeLike
yes Susan, without it I’d have known nothing about it.
LikeLike
Wow, how wonderful, you must be very proud! A great story.
LikeLike
Thanks so much Karen”
LikeLike
Little Nell has a point – you have perpetuated his memory and we have all joined in recognising what a great man he was
LikeLike
Thanks Jackie for your kind words. Sorry about the delayed response…. I’ve been offline.
LikeLike
Hi CassMob do you know James Joseph ancestory. Is he related to me?. Here is a reply I submitted to a McSherry American Blog:
“I am Daniel McSherry of 31 Springhill Road, Glenanne, Co.Armagh, BT60 2LF. Northern Ireland. Patrick McSherry (Married to Catherine Garland) who left Co.Armagh in 1752 and
was responsible for the development of McSherrys town was my great grandfather (Patrick 1821-1891) great uncle. I live on the farm in the townland of Lisdrumchor which
has been in the McSherry family for five generations and also own the lands in the town of Ballylane which was farmed by Patrick’s brother Bernard(1729-?).
We are holding a McSherry Gathering in the townlands of Lisdrumchor and Ballylane on Saturday 28th June 2014. If you have any McSherry memorabilia, photographs you wuld like displayed please get in touch. If you have Ballylane McSherry genes in your blood you are more than welcome to attend. Do get in touch and book your flights early. Contact by email at:
danny.mcsherry@hotmail.co.uk or danny.mcsherry@rnib.org.uk
Many thanks
Danny
LikeLike
hi Daniel, I will email you directly. As yet I have been unable to be conclusive about where my McSherrys come from. Thanks for getting in touch.
LikeLike