The Sankey family was full of colourful characters who 120 years ago shaped the history of the Darling Downs – by writing their own obituaries. I told a version of this story on radio 4WK.

When Mrs Catherine Sankey died in Dalby in 1904, her obituary said that “although having met many losses and reverses in life, she succeeded in rearing an honest, respectable, and hard-working family of sons and daughters.”

Just a few years earlier, her son’s obituary noted that the family had been “long and favourably-known in the Dalby district.” But I’ll leave it to you to decide how true these reports were about the Sankey family.

Thomas Sankey, wife Catherine and their young family departed Tipperary, Ireland, and arrived in Moreton Bay, Queensland, in 1862. When land became available in the Dalby district, they selected a block on the Condamine River.

Thomas died shortly afterwards in 1866, which left Catherine to raise the family on her own. Enterprising and hard-working they may have been, but honest, respectable and favourably-known were not words that would readily spring to mind.

Firstly, Catherine and a brother were tried for horse-stealing but had a narrow escape.

And then there were her sons. One son John Sankey was a shearer, he was charged with maiming cattle, and died of typhoid at the Dalby hospital. His son was considered a thorough gentleman and would be killed in the First World War. He was the family’s quiet achiever.

Another son Jeremiah Sankey faced the same charge of maiming cattle. He was also charged with cattle stealing, sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for assaulting a young girl, and in 1884 got eighteen months for house-breaking.

Another son Michael Sankey faced the same cattle maiming charge – and he was only thirteen-years-old at the time. A year earlier in 1873, Michael was just twelve when he and his brother William Sankey were charged with stealing 100 sheep, and their mother Catherine was charged with receiving the sheep.

The judge in the case was Charles Blakeney. His father was the Rector of Roscommon and grandfather an Archbishop and the Primate of Ireland, so there may have been some Irish rivalry happening. In any case, Judge Blakeney said no ono could possibly believe their story of having simply found the sheep. Catherine was sentenced to imprisonment in Toowoomba Gaol for twelve months. William was gaoled for three years, and young Michael was discharged presumably because of his tender age.

The Sankeys defence lawyer was the local Dalby solicitor Mr. George Harris. After earlier defending another client, Mr. Harris was given the defendant’s horse in payment for his services. For defending the Sankeys, Mr. Harris asked the judge if some of the money that was found on Catherine Sankey might be awarded him as his fee for defending her. The judge suggested that Mr. Harris consult with his client so that some arrangement might be made. Mr. Harris was allowed to see Catherine, but returned saying that she declined to make any settlement.

Judge Blakeney was not surprised. In his summing up, he noted that for several years the Sankey family had had an unenviable notoriety.  For many years the family had borne a bad name in connection with horses, sheep, and cattle. It was said that if a horse was lost, a Sankey had already found it.

The judge added that the evil ways in which her boys were brought up, was all due to their mother Catherine. He went further and said that it was a sad thing that this family should owe their disgrace to their mother.

Catherine’s influence may even have extended to the next generation. It was during her grandson Patrick Sankey’s divorce proceedings that it was revealed that he told his wife he needed to go out five nights a week to attend meetings of the fishing club, table tennis club, and cricket club. The wife asked him to stay home a bit more, so he agreed to give up his table tennis and cricket, but still had to go to his fishing club meetings two nights a week. His wife did think it strange that he never came home before midnight.

So this was the family of Catherine Sankey whose obituary said that she reared an honest, respectable, and hard-working family. They were definitely colourful characters to be sure.

The lesson of this story is always write your own obituary – just like the favourbaly known Sankey family apparently did 120 years ago.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO A VERSION OF THIS STORY TOLD LIVE ON RADIO 4WK

Photo credits:
Premises of the Dalby Herald newspaper – State Library of Queensland.
John Sankey – State Library of Queensland.
Charles William Blakeney c1865 – State Library of Queensland.
Catherine Sankey Dalby cemetery 1904 – Find a Grave ClubHerron 2019.