Lyons Family

Present day memorial to Michael Lyons at Lexton

Memorial to Michael Lyons

My great great grandfather, Michael Lyons, was born around 1816 at Breunstown, Tipperary in Ireland. Soon after marrying Sarah Jane Marks they made the decision to begin a new life in Australia. The couple left Plymouth on November 27 1839 and travelled on the China to arrive at Port Philip on May 1 1840. Two months later Sarah would give birth to her first child so the voyage would not have been very pleasant for her.

In Ireland Michael was a blacksmith but in Australia he went in a new direction and by 1856 he was an innkeeper. He obviously had a strong interest in education as in 1853 he helped set up a school at Colac and a few years later he successfully gained a land grant at Lexton and, for the amount of 333 pounds, a school was built there as well. He was a trustee of the Lexton school committee.

My great grandmother Ellen Mann nee Lyons

My great grandmother, Ellen Mann nee Lyons is on the far right.

Michael and Sarah had eight children of whom at least one died as an infant. Margaret (1840-1909), Mary (1840), my great grandmother Ellen (10 January 1844 – 22 October 1933), Michael (1847), Sarah (1848), James (1851), Edmond (1853-1855) and Joseph (1855).

Ellen Lyons married Charles Mann in 1861 in Maryborough.