Peter Joseph Millane (1843 - 1921)

Born 18 Jun 1843 in County Clare, Ireland

Ancestors

Husband of Hanoria Elizabeth (Fyans) Millane — married 1866 in Victoria, Australia

Husband of Julia Agnes (Fyans) Millane — married 1899 in Victoria, Australia

Descendants

Died 8 Aug 1921 at age 78 in East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Col Brierty [send private message]

Biography

The Argus 8 Aug 1921

MILLANE. —On the 7th August, 1921, of pneu- monia, Peter Joseph Millane, of Field street, Glenhuntly (late roadmaster, Victorian Railways Department), in 79th year.

An act of heroism. Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Saturday 16 October 1875, page 5 ________________________________________ "On Friday last, October 8, four boys at Castlemaine agreed," says the "Mount Alexander Mail, "to have a swim in a waterhole a little behind the house of Mr. Colles, sheriff. None of them were aware of its depth, but judged it to be shallow from the water showing a sloping bank. The first lad to enter the water had only waded a little way when he disappeared, and as he did not again come to the surface, his companions immediately spread an alarm. Mr. Peter Millane, of Campbell's Creek, immediately ran to the waterhole, entered it with all his clothes on, but not finding any body he dived to the bottom, about 10ft to 15ft, and fortunately at the first effort seized the body of the almost lifeless boy, and brought it to the surface. After a little time, the boy recovered sufficiently to be taken home. Mr. Millane refused to receive recompense or any kind."

It appears that Peter was also a wife abuser as described in the following article. "Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), Friday 13 July 1917, page 10

"GLENHUNTLY KAISER"

PENSIONER IS CHARGED I WITH ILL-TREATING WIFE PROMISE MADE OVER GLASS IS SOON BROKEN, IT IS SAID

According to evidence given at the Caulfield, Court today, Peter Joseph Millane, 71, a retired civil servant, had so badly treated his wife that his father-in-law was provoked into, calling him on one occasion the "Glenhuntly Kaiser." Millane, whose address was given as Field street, Caulfield, was sued for maintenance by Julia Millane, 43, his wife. Mrs Millane also asked for support for her four children. Mr T. B. Fogarty appeared for Mrs Millane: and Mr Marshall Lyle for the husband. It was stated that Millane had often; promised not to ill-treat his wife. On one occasion he was so earnest in his protestation of good intentions that he insisted on sealing the promise with a glass of whisky. An order for 15/ a week was made on Mrs Millane's behalf, while Millane was ordered to pay 5/ a week each for the support of his four children. Mrs Millane said that on June 22 she went out. When she returned, her husband refused to let her enter the house. Continuing, witness said : "My children cried and begged him to let me remain. I eventually did stay that night. When I got up the next morning my. husband said "Good God, are you here yet ?" (Laughter). With her husband standing alongside the witness-box and listening carefully with his hand to his ear, witness continued her story. She said that her husband struck her and blackened her eye. He also knocked some of her teeth through her cheek. That day witness left the house and took her children with her. WHISKY TINDER PILLOW. On March 6 Millane came home the worse for drink. He took witness's thumb and twisted it, but a neighbor interfered. On one occasion her husband came into her room at 2 o'clock in the morning and pulled her out of bed by the hair and ordered her to find a bottle of whisky. He threatened to break her skull. Witness said to him, "For God's' sake get an axe and put me out of my misery." She escaped and with her little boy, went down to Elsternwick for a policeman. She could not find one, and returning to the house, stayed In the washhouse until she thought her husband was asleep. The following morning her daughter asked Millane if he had found the whisky. He said, "Yes, my dear, under my pillow." (Laughter.) Her husband was a retired railways inspector, drawing a pension of £12 /18/4 a month. Witness was not a "nagger." She was happy when her husband was not talking to her, because then he was not finding fault. Witness had been married to Millane 18 years. She was his second wife. She knew that he had treated his first wife badly, but she had been willing to take a chance at the time of her marriage. (Laughter). Thomas Fyans, brother of Mrs. Millane, said that Millane had admitted that he had accused Mrs. Millane of improper conduct with her youngest brother. On one occasion Mrs. Mil-lane asked witness not to say anything to her husband. Once witness and his father went to the house in Field street because of Millane's treatment of his wife. The father said, when Millane came to the door, "How are you, the Glenhuntly Kaiser?"

KNOCKED DOWN BY BROTHER On the evening of June 22 witness and two of his brothers went to Field street, but Mrs. Millane had left home. Witness waited in Bambury road for Millane. Half an hour later Millane came up, and witness demanded an explanation of his conduct. Millane accused one of witness's brothers of having been guilty of improper conduct with Mrs. Millane and the brother in question knocked Millane down and gave him a few cuts with Miilane's own walking cane. On the occasion on which witness and his father went to Field street Millane promised not to ill-treat his wife again. Millane insisted on making the promise over a glass of whisky. (Laughter.) Charged with having assaulted his wife on June 22, Millane was fined £3, in default 14 days' imprisonment. The Bench characterised the assault as a cowardly one. Millane claimed £49 damages from Thomas Evans. He alleged that Fyans and his two brothers had assaulted him. The claim was dismissed Without costs."

Sources

• VIC BDM: Death 10904/1921
• VIC BDM: Marriage - MILLANE Peter Jos Marriage FYANS, Julia Agnes Yr1899 Rg 2929/1899
• VIC BDM: Marriage - FYANS Hanoria -Marriage to MILLANE, Peter yr1866 reg 3603/1866

• Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957)