Cudgegong Valley History Project

Very Ill. We regret to report that amongst the influenza victims is Mr. Thomas Houlahan, the popular licensee of the Federal Hotel, whose condition is so critical that but little hopes are held out of his recovery. Mudgee Guardian, Monday 14 July 1919, p. 2. Very Ill Thomas Houlahan

Deaths. MR. THOMAS JEREMIAH HOULAHAN. The death occurred at 1.30 p.m. on Tuesday morning last of Mr. Thomas Jeremiah Houlahan, son of Mrs. James Fitzgerald, of Sydney, aged 23, the cause of death being pneumonia. The deceased had only been ailing for a short period. He was a very highly respected and esteemed resident of Mudgee, and the sad news of his death caused universal regret. For the past three months Mr. Houlahan conducted the Federal Hotel, Mudgee, previous to which he was the proprietor of the Hotel Metropole, Lismore. He was a fine sample of manhood. He is survived by his widow, and the following bers and sisters: Messrs. Gerald, James, Alfred, and Timothy Fitzgerald, and Mrs. Patterson (Sydney) and Mrs. Paton (Lismore). There were no children of the marriage. The family have had a great deal of trouble of late. Only a week ago Mr. John Ashton, uncle of the deceased, died, and now Mr. Gerald Fiztgerald and other members of the family are ill with influenza. The body was taken to Uarbry on Tuesday last, and the remains were placed in the Roman Catholic portion of the cemetery, the Rev. Father O'Reilly, of Gulgong, officiating at the graveside. Mr. H. Barton had charge of the funeral arrangements. Mudgee Guardian, Thursday 17 July 1919, p. 16. Death Thomas Jeremiah Houlahan

Local Brevities Mr. Houlahan, who died in Mudgee on Monday night, was to all appearance a strong, robust man, and the very last whom it would be thought was likely to go under to the influenza with its dreaded attendant of pneumonia. Hut though he put up a good fight the thing was too much for him. Mr. Houlahan, who himself had been for a few months at the Federal Hotel, was a ber of Mr. Gerald Fitzgerald, of the Oriental Hotel, Mudgee. He was born in the Cassilis district, where at the time of his death he had valuable, property interests. There are numerous bers and other relatives of Mr. Houlahan, residing in the Cassilis district, where the gentleman himself is well known and very highly respected. Mr. Houlahan came to Mudgee to assume the proprietorship of the Federal Hotel, from Lismore, then Queen City of the Northern Rivers. He had always a big liking for Mudgee, an ambition to settle down in the town. This ambition he grasped as his but unhappily, he did not live long to enjoy what he had attained. Mudgee Guardian, Thursday 17 July 1919, p. 10. Obituary Thomas Houlahan

Mudgee Will Case. THE HOULAHAN ESTATE. WILL PROVED IN SOLEMN FORM. Hearing was concluded by Mr. Justice Harvey in the Probate Court on Friday of the suit to prove in solemn form the Will of Thomas Jeremiah Houlahan, hotelkeeper, of Mudgee, who died on July 15, 1919, leaving an estate of the net value of £2022, the plaintiffs being Alfred Thomas Fitzgerald and James Fitzgerald, the executors named in the will; and the respondent Elizabeth Mary Houlahan, widow of the testator, who had entered a caveat against probate of the will being granted to the plaintiffs. His Honor found in favor of the plaintiffs, and admitted the will to probate. Mr. Davidson (instructed by Mr. F. H. Greaves, Sydney agent for Mr. G. Davidson, of Mudgee) appeared for the executors; and Mr. Norman Pilcher (instructed by Messrs. Collins and Mulholland, agents for Mr. W. P. Kelly, of Wellington) for the caveatrix. Mudgee Guardian, Monday 9 August 1920, p. 9. Will case Thomas Jeremiah Houlahan