Bartholomew Geary

Arrival in NZ around 1873 on the iron clipper "Auckland" arriving in Port Chalmers.

Newspapers - Western Star 15 December 1916 Page 2 This article

OBITUARY. MR BARTHOLOMEW GEARY.’ It is with regret that we hare to report the death of a well-known resident of the district in the person of Mr Bartholomew Geary, at the advanced age of 81 years. Deceased was a native of County Cork, Ireland, and at age of 18 joined the British Navy. At the outbreak of the Crimean war in 1854 his ship took out the 92nd Highlanders'. He was present at the bombardment and fall of Sebastopol under Admiral Dundas and traversed a considerable portion of the battlefields. He had a vivid impression of the misery the troops endured from hunger and cold; and one. of the saddest sights was the conveyance of hundreds of the bodies out into the Black Sea, where they were committed to the deep. From there his ship returned to Falmouth with the remnant of the 92nd», and were no sooner landed than the Indian Mutiny broke out in 1857 and his ship at once proceeded to India. They reached Calcutta only to hear of the horrors of that terrible conflict. They were ordered to land and the naval brigade proceeded up the Ganges inland and had reached Benares, when news came of the fall of Lucknow and Delhi. News of the rising in China reached the authorities at Calcutta and the warships were despatched to Hong Kong, and Canton was bombarded and taken in 1858 by the British ‘and French. The Allies then proceeded to Pekin and the city was invested. He was on the China station until 1862, when his ship returned to England. From there he joined the Mediterranean fleet and he had an intimate knowledge of the various points and nations of the present war, such as Constantinople, Gallipoli, Greece, Malta, Italy and the Adriatic, etc. Peaceful times saw a reduction in the Navy and the deceased returned to Ireland, where he entered the Coast Guards and saw service in the South of England and around Ireland. He was the possessor of the Crimean, Indian Mutiny, China and long service medals. During this time ho married and shortly after retired from the service and removed to Glasgow, where he worked in the great dock yards until 1873, when he sailed in the iron clipper “Auckland” for New Zealand and, after a voyage of some 90 days landed in Port Chalmers. From there he, with his wife and family, came round to Riverton in the coastal stearner, where he settled down. He eventually joined the railway service, from which he retired some years ago. He was of a quiet disposition and had the good will of his fellow-workers and neighbours. He leaves a family of four sons and two daughters to mourn their loss. One son has enlisted and a grandson was killed in action in France. The funeral took place to-day, the Very Revs. Father Murphy (Riverton) and Lynch (VVrey’s Bush) concluding, the service.—R.l.P.