John and Ellen Tobin (Thomas Tobin’s Parents)

John and Ellen were married in Ireland about 1854 – place unknown – and were the parents of Thomas Tobin.

It is worth noting that the towns of Ennis and Gort are only about 20 miles apart. Both were Famine areas of the 1840s. Ennis was a thriving market town where John Tobin’s family, probably tenant farmers, may have sold their goods.

It is thought that Ellen O’Halloran was a lady’s maid so could have been sent to Ennis on market days to purchase her lady’s needs – ribbons and lace and small knick knacks. Market days meant social as well as business opportunities. [As told to Libby Tobin by Jarlath Tobin (1943 – 2011) grand son of Patrick.]

To date, despite extensive research, little is known of John and Ellen and their respective families. Obviously they survived the Famine and John may have had a sister Mary (Mary Tobin is one of Thomas Tobin’s Baptismal sponsors). Ellen could have worked in the household of Viscount Gort an ancestor of the famous Lord Gort, who was involved in the evacuation at Dunkirk in 1940.

John Tobin’s Profession

For many years, the Australian Tobin cousins thought that their great grandfather John Tobin was a farmer. It appears from oral records that he was born on a farm [Ennis] and died as a farmer [Brosna]. However, from written records, his main occupation in his working life was as a council works supervisor. [Jarlath Tobin’s Ancestor Stories]

When Thomas’s sister Julia Tobin married James Clavin in 1880 in Dublin, her marriage certificate recorded her father’s profession as being a road inspector. [Judy Boyce, Seattle, U.S.A.]

When Thomas’s sister Margaret Tobin married George Barber in 1881 in Queensland, her marriage certificate recorded her father’s profession as being a policeman. [Libby Tobin, Melbourne]

Perhaps, in far north Queensland and taking account of Margaret’s brogue, the registrar may have interpreted her father’s profession (road inspector) as being a policeman.

In July 2011, Jarlath Tobin, great grand son of John and grandson of Patrick (Paddy) supplied the following information to Denise:

Dublin Castle ran public works at that time, countrywide – (after the Famine years). John did not work in Dublin castle, but was employed by Dublin Castle as a clerk of works/supervisor, in Co. Westmeath at one time and finishing in the Birr/Brosna area, King’s County (Co. Offaly). Jarlath remembers records and books that he left as being very literate and well written with copperplate handwriting.

The Wyndham Act of 1908 made it possible for tenant farmers to buy their holdings. During John and Ellen’s lifetimes, only a tiny percentage of Irish tenant farmers owned their land.