Dan Dill’s Working Holiday in Australia – by Paul Dillon
Dan Dill’s Working Holiday
I was recently sent two copies of the latest publication by Paul Dillon. He had originally envisioned a set of four books culminating in his research into his family history. However, after seeing the letters that Dan wrote back to his family in Ireland, the impetus was set for as fifth edition.
Paul’s 3x Gt Grandmother was Margaret Dill who married Edward Dillon, the exact relationship between Margaret and Dan is not absolutely clear but if she had lived while Dan was alive I am sure he would have called her ‘Aunty’.
I originally was contacted by Paul to see if I could assist him regarding Dan’s time in Kanowna (1898) which I’m sorry to say that I wasnt able to help with other than to provide a general picture of the town as it was then. If like me, you enjoy reading accounts that were written by an ‘ordinary bloke’ talking about what he sees and commenting on affairs back home such as the land clearances, you will very much enjoy reading these letters. It highlights the time it often took for information to reach someone in Australia. While Dan was in Mt Magnet in 1910 he comments that a family friend, Mary, had been dead for 12 months before he heard. This is the date of the last of the letter home from Dan.
Kanowna
He talks about the Boer war from the perspective of someone who is reading the news as it happens. It is likely that some of his letter are missing and Paul has tried very hard to keep the undated correspondence in order. I’m sure that all of Dan’s letters probably never reached him or and some of his own never reached home. He seems to treasure photographs of his family and often asks for a new photo to be sent to him. He also sends money and some gold back home.
What is know about Dan is not a lot but these facts have been gleaned from his letter and surviving records:-
He was baptised on the 14th Nov 1858 at Morneabbey, Co Cork. His father was John Dill who travelled to America and died there. His mother was Anne Forrest, he had two brothers Bryan and David and two sisters, Margaret and Mary Kate, Dan was the oldest. Although the name Dill is found all over Ireland it is only the Dill’s from Rathcooney, Co Cork who are concerned in this story. Dan travelled to Australia at the age of about 26yrs and arrived in Melbourne Vic in Aug 1884 after a two months journey. He travelled around the eastern colonies for a time until he journeyed to Western Australia. It is his last letter from Mt Magnet, WA in 1910 that provides the mystery as it is not known what happened to Dan after this, did he die in Australia or did he make his way back home again?
Other books by the author are as follows:-
Edward Dillon, the Forgotton Boroondara Warrior of Bench, Bank and Borough.
Edward Emmet Dillon. The Man Who Would Not Fall-In!
Dillon of the Cross, Centre of Cork.
Southward The Wild Geese
Red Centre, Dead Centre, The True Story of Peter Falconer
There is a copy of ‘Dan Dill’s Working Holiday in Australia’ in the William Grundt Library, Kalgoorlie should you wish to read it.
Moya Sharp
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