Michael Mulqueen’s Bendigo funeral business

As you can see from the Shield on the Home Page, The Mulqueen Family History in Bendigo and that of the Bendigo Funerals Industry are entwined since almost the very beginning. So here I give an insight into the History of the Funeral Business that has been a cornerstone of the family.

It appears that the first indication of a Funeral Director/Undertaker in the Bendigo township was advertised on 24/3/1855 – S. Oakley locate at Lyttleton Terrace back of the Post Office. There is nothing to connect this business directly with T. Oakley however Thomas Oakley always claimed his business began in 1853, therefore they are likely one and the same.

Meanwhile Thomas Abell established a Funeral Business in Bridge Street in 1855 with a branch in High St. He was a Carpenter and Undertaker. He lasted just 12 months or so before selling, although initially it was thought to Thomas Oakley, it is my understanding that his business was acquired by Melbourne Undertakers Bramston and Marshall in May 1856, operating it for a few months before selling to Mr. Thomas Oakley in Nov. 1856.

Thomas Oakley arrived in Sandhurst in 1852, it is thought he operated from 1853, moving to McCrae St (opposite the Coroner’s Office) in 1855, he purchased the business of Brampton and Marshall in Bridge Street around 20th November 1856 and continued at McCrae St for some time.

Thomas Oakley later operated his Business in conjunction with the Francis Brothers Undertaking Department – Beehive Stores Mourning Department advertisements in 1865 indicate Thomas Oakley as Manager. It also appears Thomas had a Branch office in High St. Eaglehawk. In the 1870’s his advertising relied heavily on 2 ‘Positioning Statements’ ECONOMICAL FUNERAL ESTABLISHMENT and THE OLDEST UNDERTAKING ESTABLISHMENT IN SANDHURST. Thomas was also a member of the Sandhurst No. 1 Fire Brigade. The Business of William Turnbull (operated 1871 to 1877) was acquired and incorporated into the Oakley Business in 1877 transferring from its Mitchell Street location to the Bridge St Premises.

Thomas Oakley died in December 1885 and his wife a month later. The business was then taken over by a partnership made up of his son William H. Oakley and Peter Fizelle a local Cab Proprietor and Livery owner with some 200 Horses based at the corner of McCrae Street and Arnold St.

Using the Trading name W. H. Oakley, the partnership continued from 1886 until 1895 when Peter Fizelle took over the business, including all debts and receipts. Oakley re-established himself as an undertaker at Howard Place.

Peter Fizelle continued to run the Livery and Cab business whilst he went from silent partner in the Funeral Business to the Principle, using the name PETER FIZELLE UNDERTAKER

Both photos c. 1905

Peter Fizelle was born in 1842 and came to Australia in about 1860, departing the London Port of Liverpool on Oct 4th 1859 on a Ship called ‘The Hilton’ with his brother Henry and Sister Jane. Originally, they were from Ireland where the family were established in Kilfinnane, County Limerick – descendants of ‘The Palatines’ a group of emigrants who settled in Ireland in 1709 having left the Essenhiem township in the Rhineland Valley (French/German Border near Frankfurt).

Palatine Families in Ireland

Around 1700 the French invaded the Palatinate area of Germany and drove its Lutheran population out.

In the early 1700s about 3,000 of them ended up in Ireland, essentially as refugees under the protection of English landlords, and each of them was allocated eight acres of land at a nominal rent of five shillings per acre and leases of “three lives”. They were also given a not inconsiderable grant of 40 shillings a year for their first seven years in residence.

At the time Irish tenants were paying rents of thirty-five shillings per acre and had little or no right of tenure, so the newcomers were not sympathetically received by all of the local population. In fact, many Palatine Families left within a couple of years, hounded out by hostile neighbours, and returned to Germany.

Most of the Palatine families settled in Co Limerick, notably around Rathkeale and Adare, with smaller numbers in Kerry and Clare and other counties.

A small village in Co Carlow is still to-day called Palatine, often a source of bemusement to those who come across it. It was previously known as Palatinetown, and it is thought that the pretty cottages at the edge of the village date to the time of the Palatines. There are no Palatine surnames now found in the area.

It is estimated that to-day only around 500 or so people living in Ireland can claim a Palatine origin, but some names which survive from this time include Fizelle, Fyffe (of banana fame), Ruttle, Glazier, Shouldice and Switzer. Benner is one that many visitors to Ireland will have seen – Benner’s is a long established and popular Dingle hotel.

Unlike the Hugenots, the Palatine settlers were farming people, they mostly stayed on the land and for the most part their descendants living in Ireland to-day are still farmers.

The Irish Palatine Association are very active in researching and preserving the history of Ireland’s Palatine families.

The Fizelle name was originally Fishel/Phissel in Germany.

Peter’s parents were John Fizelle and Mary Stark m. 13/1/1819 (Mary Stark was also a Palatine descendant).

One of 8 children, Peter came to Australia with his brother Henry Fizelle (who married Margaret Liddy) his sister Jane (who married Thomas Medland and lived at Echuca) Peter married Mary Liddy. (Peter and Henry married Sisters).

FAMILY – Peter married Mary Liddy on 14th July 1862 at St Kilian’s Church and had 5 Children.

• James FIZELLE 14/6/1863 – 1/11/1886, Aged 23 years Single
• Mary Jane (WHITE) 14/8/1867 – Oct 1901, Aged 34 Years M. Harry White (2 Children)
• Elizabeth Anne (MULQUEEN) 22/5/1869 – 18/3/1918, Aged 48 Years M. Michael – (6 Children)
• John Henry FIZELLE 21/5/1871 – 28/7/1896, Aged 25 years Single
• Margaret (McCUBBERY) 18/2/1873 – 1902, Aged 29 years Married James P. (2 Children)

Peter died on October 12th 1901 at Bendigo, Peter’s wife Mary had pre-deceased him in 1895.

After Michael Mulqueen married Peter’s daughter Elizabeth in 1898, Peter gave Michael one of 3 shares in the Business, Elizabeth one Share and he retained a share himself, the business name was changed on Feb 5th 1900 to FIZELLE & MULQUEEN UNDERTAKERS. In time Michael’s brother John Mulqueen took over management the Livery & Cab business.

On Peter’s death his share of the Business went to his other surviving daughter Margaret McCubbery who in turn decided to sell it to Elizabeth Mulqueen for an annuity (Annual Payment/share of Profits), but Margaret only lived a year after that, she died in 1902 at the age of 29 years, leaving 2 infant children.

Following Peter’s Death, the Business was run by Michael with Elizabeth raising their 6 Children. She did not keep the best of Health (Tuberculosis as far as I know) and was often require to live at their Epsom property where the air was cleaner. She died in 1918 at the age of 48 years.