An Irish PIGOTT family in the Drapery Business in Queensland, from 1885

Michael Daniel PIGOTT was born in Ireland (his grave inscription records his birth in Tuam, County Galway) about 1850, son of Patrick PIGOTT, Farmer.
Michael was a shop keeper in Shop Street, Tuam, County Galway, for the births of his first three children between 1881 and 1883; he emigrated to N.S.W. in 1884. See below.

Michael PIGOTT was a Shopkeeper in Castlebar, County Mayo, aged 29, a Bachelor, when he was married at the Roman Catholic Chapel at Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim, on 22 April 1880, to Mary Josephine WATTERS (or WATERS), also aged 29, a Spinster, and a daughter of Patrick WATTERS, Shopkeeper - the ceremony was witnessed by John WATTERS and Eliza A. WATTERS [Civil Records on the   www.irishgenealogy.ie website].

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Michael Daniel PIGOTT was a Draper; he arrived in Australia in 1884, and immediately headed north to Brisbane, where he set up a business in Drapery.

His first venture was in Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba; in October 1885, Mrs PIGOTT, Draper, Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba, advertised for a General Servant "... wanted; must be respectable" [Telegraph, Tuesday 27 October]; in December 1885, M.D. PIGOTT, Draper, Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba, advertised for a Dressmaker "... wanted; best opening in the city for good hands" [Telegraph, Saturday 5 December].

Michael had employed a young draper in his Tuam shop named Thomas Charles BEIRNE (1860-1949), who emigrated to Melbourne in early 1884; in 1885, his former employer wrote to him from Brisbane, offering him a partnership in his drapery business up north, which he took up; after a delay caused by them failing to get the first premises they had their eyes on, in February 1886, the firm of PIGOTT and BEIRNE opened its doors in a shop on Stanley Street, opposite Boggo Road, South Brisbane; in March 1887, Mrs PIGOTT, corner Stanley Street and Wellington Road, advertised for a "... Smart Girl, 14 to 16 years of age, to mind children and assist in housework" [Telegraph, Tuesday 8 March]; in July 1889, PIGOTT and BEIRNE, Federal Drapery Hall (opposite the Clarence Hotel - which stood on the western corner of Stanley Street and Boggo Road), South Brisbane, advertised a clearing sale commencing 13 July [Telegraph, Monday 15 July]; in September 1889, M.D. PIGOTT, Federal Drapery Hall, Stanley Street, advertised a "... seven roomed house to let in Baines Street, Kangaroo Point; rent low" [Telegraph, Saturday 21 September]; in November 1889, a position for a "... good general servant" was advertised, to apply to "... lady Federal Drapery Hall, opposite Clarence Hotel, Stanley Street" [Tuesday 23 November]; in March 1890, PIGOTT and BIERNE, Federal Drapery Hall, Stanley Street, advertised for a "... Boy for parcels wanted" [Telegraph, Thursday 13 March]; in June 1890, PIGOTT and BEIRNE, Federal Drapery Hall, Stanley Street, advertised for a "... Milliner wanted" [Telegraph, Wednesday 14 June]; in June 1891, PIGOTT and BIERNE, of the Federal Drapery Hall, Stanley Street, South Brisbane, announced that "... they have mutually agreed to Dissolve Partnership, Mr T.C. BIERNE retiring from the firm" [Telegraph, Thursday 18 June].

In March 1892, the firm expanded - "... Messieurs PIGOTT and Company, of the Federal Drapery Hall, Woolloongabba, ... have opened a branch of their business in two shops at the bridge end of Mr D.B. McCullough's new block of brick buildings in Melbourne Street, between Stanley and Grey Streets" [Telegraph, Thursday 10 March]; in August 1892, PIGOTT and Company, Stanley Street, South Brisbane, opposite Boggo Road, advertised a Millinery Sale [Telegraph, Thursday 30 August].

By mid 1895, he had extended his business interests into Ipswich; in May 1895, PIGOTT and Company, Cash Drapers, next North Star Hotel, Brisbane Street, Ipswich, advertised  a bargain sale [Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald, etc, 30 May]; in July 1895, tickets to hear Michael DAVITT at Centennial Hall on the Progress of Home Rule were available from, among other outlets, "... M.D. PIGOTT's, Stanley Street..." [Brisbane Courier, Friday 19 July]; in November 1895, PIGOTT and Company, of Brisbane Street, Ipswich, and of South Brisbane and Boonah, advertised new offerings at their Ipswich branch [Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald, etc, Saturday 2 November]; in May 1896, PIGOTT and Company advertised their removal into Foote's Buildings, Brisbane Street, Ipswich, and starting an Opening Sale, having "... lately leased these premises lately occupied by James De CONLAY" [Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald, etc, Saturday 23 May].

In July 1896, PIGOTT and Company advertised a Monster Sale in premises in Russell Street, Toowoomba, to commence on 6 July [Darling Downs Gazette, Saturday 4 July]; in October 1896, PIGOTT and Company, Cash Drapers and Direct Importers, of Russell Street, Toowoomba, and at Brisbane and Ipswich, advertised their Big Sale of stock recently purchased from the trustees of the Assigned Estate of F.C. WARREN, Ruthven Street, consisting of "... Men's Clothing, Shirts, Hats and Mercery" [Toowoomba Chronicle, Saturday 24 October]; by October 1898, he had ceased operating in Brisbane; in October 1898, PIGOTT and Company, Direct Importers, Ruthven Street, Toowoomba, and at Pittsworth and Clifton, advertised the commencement of a sale of goods recently purchased by "... our Mr M.D. PIGOTT" who had "... just returned from the southern capitals where he has made extraordinary big spot cash purchases" [Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs Gazette, Saturday 8 October].
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Michael died during a visit to one of his married daughters at Forbes, N.S.W., on 11 May 1929, and his body was returned to Toowoomba for burial at Drayton Cemetery (R.C., Block 1; Allotment 22).

His wife Mary Josephine was a devout Catholic who was an unostentatious benefactor of the Holy Name Catholic Church in Toowoomba; she died at Toowoomba on 29 April 1924, aged 73, and was buried at Drayton (ditto, Allotment 23).
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Michael and Mary had issue:

1. Theresa Agnes PIGOTT, born at Tuam, 19 April 1882; in July 1912, she passed ".. the A.T.N.A examination at the Prince Alfred Hospital" in Sydney [Darling Downs Gazette, Saturday 20 July];
Theresa was married at St Patrick's Church, Toowoomba, on 22 February 1915, to "... Mr John CRITCHLEY,  Royal Naval Reserve, eldest son of Mr and Mrs Richard CRITCHLEY, Blundellsands, Liverpool... Their wedding tour will be spent in Sydney and the Blue Monutains, after which they will travel by the Orsova for their future home in England" [Darling Downs Gazette, Tuesday 23 February]; he was born in Skelmersdale, Lancashire, about 1886, son of Richard CRITCHLEY, Grocer, and Mary MOLYNEUX his wife, and he obtained from the Board of Trade his Certificate of Competency as Second Mate for Foreign-going Steamships in the Merchant Service, 24 October 1907; no record of his death has yet been found.

Theresa went to live with John in Lancashire; she sailed on the S.S. Tunisian (Canadian Pacific Ocean Services, Ltd) from Liverpool on 5 July 1919, bound for Quebec and Montreal, aged 30, Housewife, with her son Peter, aged 3, and Mr Frank J. PIGOTT, Merchant, aged 33; she was residing in British Columbia (c/- C.P.G.S., Vancouver - unless in error for C.P.O.S., Ltd?), June 1920, when her sister Angela paid her a visit; Theresa was back in Queensland in February 1923, when she renewed her Passport, 20 February, of Glendalough, Toowoomba [Qld Passport Index, Volume 2, Page 188]; she arrived in Liverpool, 2 June 1923, form Montreal, with her son Peter, going to 60 Bunhill Road, London, E.C., her last permanent residence Canada; she made a short return voyage to Gibraltar, April 1928, with her son Peter, address 41 Selby Road, Ealing, W.5 (arrived on the S.S. Narkunda, 5 April, and returned to London on the S.S. Ranchi, 26 April); she made a return visit to Australia in late 1929, and stayed with her sister Angela at Glendalough, intending to leave "... on her return to England via the East at the end of March" (1930), with Miss PIGOTT due to accompany her [Queensland Country Life, 26 February 1930]; they travelled from Yokohama, Japan, 27 May 1930, on the S.S. President Jackson, bound for the U.S., she aged 47, Domestic Duties, born Galoway (sic), Ireland, on a visa issued in Brisbane that month; she sailed on the S.S. Otranto, departing London, 24 October 1936, bound for Brisbane, aged 40, Home Duties, formerly of 41 Selby Road, Ealing, W.5. with her son (F.M. CRITCHLEY) and her sister (Mrs A.M. NORTHIE); she returned to live in Toowoomba; in 1937, she moved into a new home at 16 Campbell Street, East Toowoomba, evidently designed for her by Brisbane Architect Arthur W.F. BLIGH, and which she named "Ellenglaze"; in November 1937, the Brisbane Courier Mail of Tuesday 16 November reported under Toowoomba News, that "... Mrs NORTHIE has arrived from Brisbane and will spend a week's holiday at Ellenglaze, Campbell Street" (this was Theresa's sister); she was residing there in 1943, 1949, 1954 and 1958 [Electoral Rolls, Darling Downs Division]; in April 1945, her son and daughter-in-law spent a few days with her at Toowoomba, before going to Surfers Paradise for a week, and it was further reported that "... when hostilities cease, Mrs T. A. CRITCHLEY intends to give her well known home, Ellenglaze, Toowoomba, to the couple, and will travel extensively" [Telegraph, 17 August]; in 1949, she was visiting England - the Brisbane Telegraph of 5 November reported that "... Mrs T.A. CRITCHLEY, who has been on holidays in Britain for some time, leaves on December 16, on her return to Australia. She well stay with Mr and Mrs Peter CRITCHLEY, her son and daughter-in-law, at their home, Ellenglaze, Toowoomba, when she arrives"; she departed from London, 22 July 1955, on the S.S. Gothic, bound for New Zealand; she arrived in Fremantle, 6 February 1958, on the S.S. Arcadia, from the U.K., heading for Bray Cottage, 12 Dawnie Street, Toowoomba; she was still there in 1963.

Therese died at Toowoomba in 1966; they had issue one son:

     a. Francis Molyneux (Peter) CRITCHLEY, born in Great Crosby, Lancashire, 16 January 1916 [R.A.A.F. enlistment papers], and registered at West Derby in March quarter, 1916 [Volume 8b, Page 396]; as Peter CRITCHLEY, aged 7, School, when he arrived in Liverpool from Canada, with his mother, 2 June 1923; aged 12, Scholar, when he visited Gibraltar, from London, with his mother, April 1928 (address 41 Selby Road, Ealing, W.8); as Miss (sic) F.M. CRITCHELY, aged 20, Student, when he left London, 24 October 1936, on the S.S. Otranto, bound for Brisbane, with his mother and aunt (Mrs A.M. NORTHIE); in 1937, he was at Cowden Knowes, Margaret Street, Toowoomba, Shop assistant [Darling Downs Division]; in 1943, he was enrolled at 16 Campbell Street, Toowoomba, Shop assistant, with his mother (this may have been a residual enrollment from before he went on overseas service); Flying Officer, R.A.A.F., World War 2, S.N. 404574; awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, in June 1942, ".. for gallant raids on the Renault factory near Paris, and over German industrial cities, including Essen, Bremen, Kiel, Polesy and Hamburg, in extreme adverse weather" [Courier Mail, 27 June]; he returned to Queensland towards the end of the War, and in July 1945, was "... stationed in the north" while his new wife went to Sydney University to study Arts [Telegraph, 17 July]; in 1949, he was enrolled at 4 Arthur Street, Toowoomba, Business executive, with his wife Mary; the Brisbane Telegraph of 5 November 1949 reported that "... Mr and Mrs Peter CRITCHLEY, of Toowoomba, hope to leave Australia for England in April... He and his wife came to Australia more than 4 years ago"; they returned to Australia by the S.S. Orontes, departing London, 3 August 1950, "...after touring abroad for the past five months" [Brisbane Telegraph, 17 August]; in 1954 and 1958, he was back at 16 Campbell Street with his wife and mother; by 1963 he and his wife had moved to Wooldridge Street, Toowoomba North, a Company Director; he died at St Vincent's Hospital,  Toowoomba, 26 March 1998 [Courier Mail, 31 March].
Peter was married at Brentford, Middlesex, 5 January 1942 [Queensland Country Life, 18 December 1941], to Mary HOSEGOOD, and registered March quarter 1942,  [Volume 3a, Page 821]; she was staying with her mother-in-law in Toowoomba in April 1945 when she and her husband went to Surfer's Paradise for a week, having been "... among the English brides who recently arrived in Australia" [Telegraph, 12 April]; she died at Toowoomba, 1 September 2002, aged 85 years [The Chronicle, 6 September].

2. John Patrick PIGOTT, born at Tuam, 10 May 1882; worked with his father as a Draper; went to Warwick in 1911 to work in a branch store there; he was probably enrolled to vote in the Electoral Division of East Toowoomba, 30 July 1913, as Patrick James PIGOTT, Draper; he died in Sydney in 1957, and was buried at the Eastern Suburbs Cemetery, Matraville; as Pax PIGOTT, his engagement to Miss Irene SCOTT, "...daughter of Mr and Mrs William SCOTT of Airlie Hall, Tenterfield, N.S.W.", was announced [Queenslander, 3 July 1915]; they were married at Tenterfield, N.S.W., in 1915; they had issue a daughter:
     a. Joan PIGOTT, born in Queensland, 4 May 1917; of Neutral Bay, Sydney, April 1940, when she visited her aunt Theresa (Mrs T.A. CRITCHLEY) in Toowoomba, and then went to visit another aunt (Mrs C. SCOTT) in Tenterfield, N.S.W. [Sunday Mail, 14 April]; probably at 16 Roslyn Street, Darlinghurst, Nurse, East Sydney Division, 1943; she died at Woollahra, 30 August 1991 [Ryerson Index]; she was married at Paddington, Sydney, 1948, to Colin James SEFTON (born in Port Moresby, 1 June 1920); he was at 63 Bay Street, Mosman, Insurance Consultant, with Joan, Warringah Division, 1968; at 42 Vista Street, Mosman, Executive, with Joan, 1972; he died on 12 July 1997, aged 77, late of Woollahra and formerly of Koitaki, New Guinea [Ryerson Index].

3. Vincent George PIGOTT, born at Tuam, 6 September 1883; also a Draper in Toowoomba; of Sydney, 1929; he was enrolled to vote in the Electoral Division of East Toowoomba, 27 October 1909, of Margaret Street, Draper; he died in Sydney on 23 March 1948, late of Bayview House, The entrance, via Wyong [Will details], "... at a private hospital" and formerly "... of Toowoomba, aged 61 years" [S.M.H., 27 March]; his will dated 17 May 1939, mentioned his brother Patrick John PIGOTT of Melbourne, and sister (Mrs) Gertrude McSTAY of Sydney, and a codicil also mention sister (Mrs) Mary Josephine KELLY of Gympie - his estate, valued at £1555 7s 3d was to be invested, and interest paid equally to Patrick and Gertrude (will), with Gertrude share her half with her sister Mary (codicil), with it to continue after their deaths to his nieces and nephews (with the exception of those of his brother Patrick and brother F.J. PIGOTT of Toowoomba, who were already well provided for) [Will Books, N.S.W. Archives].

4. Francis Joseph PIGOTT, born in Brisbane, 25 July 1885; Apprenticed to a Draper in Brisbane, and then went to work with his father in Toowoomba; he was enrolled to vote in the Electoral Division of East Toowoomba, 31 August 1906; he made a world trip from May 1913 to January 1914, visiting South Africa, London (attending the firm's business), then Paris, New York (he arrived on the S.S. Lusitania from Liverpool, on 25 October 1913, aged 28, Draper, having recently stayed with his friend James ADAIR at 60 Bunhill Road, London, E.C.), Chicago and San Francisco, and sailing from Vancouver on the S.S. Niagara, having marvelled at the complete motorisation of Traffic in London and New York, the Woolworth building in New York (at 55 stories, the then tallest building on earth, with 40 acres of floor space and 28 elevators, 2 of which travelled the 55 floors in 55 seconds), and the luxurious train travel in America [Warwick Examiner, 10 January 1914]; he enlisted in the 1st A.I.F., and served with 1st A.G.H. Reinforcements in France; he returned to Toowoomba after the war, arriving "in transit" at Quebec in July 1919 on the S.S. Tunisian, with his sister Mrs Theresa CRITCHLEY and her 3 year-old son; he and his wife visited London in 1939, and after touring the British Isles and the Continent, planned to sail on 14 July to New York, on the S.S. Queen Mary, to meet up with his sister Mrs NORTHIE [Courier Mail, 18 April]; he died there on 10 June 1957, and was buried at Drayton; he was married in Brisbane in 1920 to Marie Elizabeth TRACKSON, she died at Toowomba on 30 August 1989; with issue:
     a. James Francis PIGOTT, born at Toowoomba, 16 May 1921; R.A.A.F., New Guinea, WW2; he was at 23 West Street, Toowoomba, in 1949, his occupation Company Director; he retired as joint Managing Director PIGOTT and Company in 1983; he died on 30 August 2014; he married Marlene (Merle) Margaret ROESSLER; they had issue.
     b. John Michael PIGOTT, born at Toowoomba, 13 September 1924; Pilot Officer, 1 Squadron, R.A.A.F.; he was killed in a training flight accident at Kingaroy, 7 May 1945, and was buried at Taabinga Cemetery.
     c. Louis Joseph PIGOTT, born about 1927; M.B., B.S., Queensland University, 1950; Mater Hospital, South Brisbane, 1954; he went to England in 1954, arriving at Tilbury on the S.S. Stratheden, 21 February, from Sydney, aged 26; he was back in Brisbane in 1963, at 38 Bonney Avenue, Clayfield, a medical practitioner, with Kathleen PIGOTT, Home Duties.
     d. Mary PIGOTT; married Leo Patrick ROESSLER; he died at Toowoomba, 19 March 2013.

5. Louis Michael PIGOTT, born in South Brisbane, 11 July 1887; Christian Brothers College, Toowoomba; Nudgee College, 1904; St John's College, Sydney University, 1907-13; M.B., Sydney; he completed his residency at Brisbane General Hospital, and then went to Western Australia; a Medical Practitioner; he served Lieutenant, R.A.M.C. (Royal Army Medical Corps) from March 1915 until March 1916, when he returned to Australia; he then volunteered in the 1st A.I.F., December 1916, and embarked (Medical Officers) in Melbourne on 10 May 1917 on H.M.A.T. Clan McGillivray, bound for Plymouth; he was initially attached to A.A.M.C. (Australian Army Medical Corps) Training Centre at Parkhouse, then with their 5th Training Battalion at Rollestone; he was sent to France in December 1917, and was posted to 1 A.G.H. (Australian General Hospital) at Rouen; he was transferred to 7 Field Ambulance in January 1918, and was routinely detached into 27 and 23 Battalions; he was detached into 17 Battalion, March 1918, and while serving with them at Villers-Bretoneux, in August 1918, he suffered multiple wounds to face, head and legs, and burns to the eyes from a phosphorus shell; he was invalided back to England, and discharged into 5 A.A.H. (Australian Auxilliary Hospital), and then 2 A.A.H. in Southall for duty; in June 1919, he took leave to undertake post-graduate studies in Edinburgh before returning to Australia, on H.M.T. Pakeha, from Southampton, 6 October 1919; he was discharged after arrival back in Brisbane, 3 January 1920; he was enrolled at Dr PAGE's, Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley, Medical Practitioner, 1921 [Brisbane Division]; he went to Launceston in 1923; in 1924 he went to Western Australia, and set up in practice at Menzies; he died at St John Hospital, Kalgoorlie, 9 November 1924, and was buried at Kalgoorlie R.C. Cemetery.

6. Mary Josephine PIGOTT, born in Brisbane, 7 April 1889; she was married at Toowoomba, 15 February 1916, to Dr Arthur Francis KELLY of Stanhope; with issue two sons killed in action over Germany during W.W.2, including:
     a. Margaret (Peggy) KELLY, born in Gympie, early January 1917.
     b. Charles Dermot KELLY, born at Stanthorpe, 2 May 1918; enlisted in the R.A.A.F., S.N. 404685; Pilot Officer, 105 Squadron; killed in action over Germany, 19 August 1942, and was buried at Becklingen War Cemetery, Saltau, Lower Saxony; he was married in Canada, in 1941, to Anne Helen WAITE (daughter of Carl WAITE of Toronto and the late Mrs WAITE) [Sunday Mail, 19 October 1941]; his widow arrived in Brisbane on 22 October 1945, on the S.S Matsonia from San Francisco, "... accompanied by a child" and c/- Mrs A. NORTHIE, New Farm [Courier Mail, 20 October].
     c. Brian Arthur KELLY, born at Gympie, 6 October 1922; Draper's Assistant; enlisted in the R.A.A.F., S.N. 425314; Flight Sergeant/Air Gunner, 158 Squadron; killed in action over Germany, 1 September 1943, and was buried at Hanover War Cemetery.

7. Monica Evangeline (Angela) PIGOTT, born in Brisbane, 20 July 1891; as Angela Monica, she was enrolled to vote in the Electoral Division of East Toowoomba on 26 July 1913; in June 1920, as Angela PIGOTT, 26, born Australia, when she visited her sister, Mrs CRITCHLEY, c/- C.P.G.S., Vancouver (possibly in error for C.P.O.S?); as Miss Angela PIGOTT, living at Glendalough, Campbell Street, Toowoomba, February 1930, when her sister, Mrs T.A. CRITCHLEY visited, and planned returning to England via the East at the end of March, accompanied by Angela [Brisbane Courier, 26 February]; they sailed on the S.S. President Jackson, 27 May 1930, from Yokohama, Japan, bound for the U.S., and she was listed as Angela Monica PIGOTT, aged 34, Domestic Duties, born Galoway (sic), Ireland, the visa issued in Brisbane; she was at Aloha Court, Julius Street, New Farm, Brisbane Division, 1943, 1954 and 1963; she was at 193 Moray Street, New Farm, 1968; she died in Qld in 1980.
Angela was married in Toowoomba, on 14 April 1931, to Vivian Richard NORTHIE; he died in Brisbane on 4 February 1934, aged 40, the "... best known and most popular travelers in Queensland... for more than ten years respresenting the Aspro interests"and was buried at Toowong Cemetery; evidently no issue.

8. Gertrude Mary PIGOTT, born in Brisbane, 10 June 1896; she was married in Brisbane in 1921 to Lionel Leslie McSTAY, a Medical Practitioner; they had issue two sons - Robert James Lionel and John Michael McSTAY.