Ellen Phillips (O'Loughlin)
Image: Roylyn Phillips
FatherMichael O'Loughlin b. Apr 1826, d. 3 Jun 1890
MotherMargaret Lee b. 1836, d. 15 Feb 1873
Pedigree

Birth, Death, Marriage

Ellen O'Loughlin was born on 26 March 1869 in Warrenheip, Victoria.1 
She married John Phillips, son of James Phillips and Bridget McMahon, on 15 April 1891 in Dunnstown, Victoria.2 
She died on 24 June 1951 in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, at age 82.3 

Family

John Phillips b. 25 Jul 1863, d. 6 Aug 1925
Children
ChartsO'Loughlin, Michael, descendant chart
Phillips, James, descendant chart
Phillips, Thomas, pedigree chart

Story

Ellen was born to Irish parents, and grew up in an area near Ballarat that was home to many other O'Loughlins. Her mother died in childbirth when Ellen was less than four years old. Her father died the year before she married railwayman John Phillips. Initially in Lillimur, most of the couple's married life was in Bacchus Marsh where they raised a family of six boys and four girls. Occupations held by the boys include hairdresser, billiard marker, billiard saloon proprietor, publican, grocer, jeweller and railwayman. Several were also starting price (SP) bookmakers. For many years the family lived in a railway gatehouse and Ellen worked as a gatewoman. She was also a well-respected midwife and strong supporter of her local St Bernard's church. Ellen was a happy-go-lucky person who was devoted to her family. She was a much-loved and often visited Grandma to twenty-two grandchildren.
 
Tragic Childhood
Ellen was born in Warrenheip, a farming area near Ballarat that was home to a large number of O'Loughlins.

At the age of four, her mother died in childbirth.

We don't know how she was brought up. Certainly her father would have struggled on his own to raise his family consisting of a 15 year old boy and five girls aged from 13 down to two. One report suggests they were brought up by her mother's sister. Another possiblity is Michael's brother Austin and his family, as we know Ellen maintained close contact with this family throughout her life.4,5
 
Marriage
John and Ellen were married in St Mary's Roman Catholic church in Dunnstown, near Ballarat, in 1891. This is where Ellen was born.

Witnesses to the marriage were Cornelius O'Loughlin and Margaret O'Loughlin, Ellen's cousin and sister.2
Phillips-O'Loughlin marriage registration, 1891
Image: Vic BDM registry
At the time of the wedding, both of Ellen's parents had died. And as John's only remaining family was his mother, she was the only one of the parents to see them marry.

John was a Catholic because of his Irish mother, the family name Phillips not normally being associated with Catholicism at the time. When they moved to Bacchus Marsh, they were the only Catholic Phillipses there.6
John & Ellen Phillips (O'Loughlin)
Image: Roylyn Phillips
Raising Family
Following their marriage in Dunnstown, the couple lived near John's work around Nhill in western Victoria. They likely lived in a railway house in Lillimur. The three eldest children, Larry, Mary and Tess, were born in Lillimur.

Around 1897, the family moved to Bacchus Marsh. They initially lived in Turner St in what would likely have been another railway house. There is a Bacchus Marsh railway manifest for April 1897 that mentions a Mr Phillips. It is likely that this was delivery of some or all of the family's belongings in their move from Lillimur to Bacchus Marsh. This is just two weeks before the birth of son Tom. More children arrived while in Turner St, Jack, Joe, Jim and Annie.

In 1908, the family moved into the gatehouse on Vallence Rd. Son Danny was born soon after they moved. And tenth and last child, Eileen, was born in 1911.

The children all attended one of the two local Catholic schools. Either St Bernard's School in Gisborne Rd, or St Joseph's Convent School adjoining St Bernard's church in Lerderderg St. The family is recorded as having made a donation towards the construction of the new convent school.6,7,8
 
In 1890 four sisters of the order of St Joseph's, arrived from Sydney to act as educators. A house was purchased for them to use as a convent and high class ladies' school. In time, a detached schoolhouse was erected at the site and it was then that the students were relocated for the last time to our current site in Gisborne Rd - St Bernard's School.

Our beautiful convent was erected in 1900 with classes being held in the downstairs area and the upper floor being used as convent and boarding school. The attached chapel was built in 1905.

St Bernard's was the first Catholic school to be run by the Sisters of St Joseph, founded by Saint Mary MacKillop. Mary would often visit the convent on her journeys between Sydney and Melbourne and past students fondly remembered her handing out boiled lollies to the children.9
 
One Grandparent for the Children
The children would not have known what life could be like with grandparents. Ellen's mother died when she was only three, John's father died when he was only three, and Ellen's father died before John and Ellen married. So John's mother was the only grandparent that any of the children knew, and she died of dementia when the eldest, Larry, was just six.10,11,12,13
 
Gatewoman
There were three railway gatehouses in Bacchus Marsh; on Grant St, Fisken St and Vallence Rd. When the family moved to live in the Vallence Rd one, Ellen began working as a gatewoman.

Ellen (and sometimes the kids) would open the gates to let the train through, then close them afterwards. The Vallence family across the railway line had a dairy, so occassionally the job also involved shooing Vallences' cows off the line.

Ellen was the gatewoman all the time that the family lived in the gatehouse. We don't know when her job ceased, but John's August 1925 death might have been a trigger.14,15,16,17
 
The Gatehouse
The gatehouse was next to the railway line on the north-east corner of the Vallence Rd crossing (this crossing was removed in 2004). It was a small four-roomed house, and the older boys slept in a tent in the back yard.

The children would play with any children nearby or who were known through school or St Bernard's church. There was a strong connection with all the Vallence families with a number living nearby including Nell, Eddie, Amy and Harry, who were just over the railway line. Lifelong friendships were known between the Phillips children and Vallences. And Mary married Bill Vallence.

The wide age range of the children, nineteen years to the day between the eldest and youngest, created an interesting household. Larry was working as a hairdresser before Eileen was born. He married when Eileen was just three, and made her Auntie Eileen at age four, before she started school.

During and following the First World War, the children gradually started leaving home.

Larry was first to leave the gatehouse, around 1914. About five years later he was followed by Tess and Tom. Last to leave home from the gatehouse was Mary in 1923.6,15,18
Railway gatehouse (Phillips family home), Vallence Rd, Bacchus Marsh
Image: Bacchus Marsh & District Historical Society
Preparation For Retirement
Ellen and John prepared for his retirement. In 1921, John's pay increased significantly and Ellen purchased land from the railways on what was later Vallence Rd.

The property was just over two acres with a 56 m frontage to Vallence Rd, and was about 150 m south of the gatehouse.

During the next four years, they built a house there.19
Title held by Ellen Phillips, Bacchus Marsh, Jul 1921
Image: Land Registry Services
John was described as 'always a hard-working and respectable man'. He was also described as 'a bit grumpy'.

For the majority of John's time on the railways, the work was physically demanding. By his retirement in 1924, he had a duodenal ulcer and a heart condition, and reportedly got puffed on the way from the railway gatehouse to the church.

John Phillips died from a duodenal ulcer haemorrhage and heart failure at the gatehouse in Bacchus Marsh on 6 August 1925, aged 62. He was buried at Maddingley cemetery on 8 August with his mother Bridget.20,21,22,23,24
DEATHS
PHILLIPS.- On 6th August, at his residence, Bacchus Marsh, John, beloved husband of Ellen Phillips, and loved father of Laurence, Mary (Mrs WJ Vallence), Teresa (MRS T O'Loughlin), Thomas, John, Joseph, James, Annie, Daniel and Eileen. Aged 62 years.
RIP.25
 
[Obituary]
The death is announced of Mr John Phillips, who has resided at Bacchus Marsh for 30 yrs; he was a member of the Railway Department staff in charge of the upkeep of the line on the section either side of the local railway station. Mr Phillips was always a hard-working and respected man, and it is a pity that he was not spared to enjoy more of his retired life, which took place just a year ago. He was born at Lal Lal 62 years ago, and leaves a widow, also a large grown-up family of ten - six sons and four daughters. The funeral will take place this Saturday afternoon, at the Maddingley cemetery.20
 
BEREAVEMENT NOTICES
MRS PHILLIPS and family desire to express sincere thanks to all kind friends and neighbours for letters, cards, telegrams, floral tributes and personal expressions of sympathy in their recent ead bereavement. Will all please accept this as a personal acknowledgment of our deepest gratitude.
"Sunnyside," Bacchus Marsh. [Sep 1925]26
 
The House on the Hill
John died in August 1925 and by September, Ellen and the six children who had not yet left home, had moved to the recently completed house on Vallence Rd. This house was on the north-facing side of a hill and they named it 'Sunnyside'. In later years, the grandchildren all referred to it as 'the house on the hill'. It was a twin weatherboard house with a covering between the two sections.

It is possible Jack and Joe stayed in the gatehouse for a couple of years after the others left, as Jack is shown as still at the gatehouse in 1926 and 1927, and Joe was still in Bacchus Marsh.

The weatherboard 'house on the hill' was later replaced by a brick house, which in turn was demolished to make way for the 2004 rail realignment as part of the Ballarat Fast Rail project.27,18,21,28,29,30,31,32
Ellen & Eileen Phillips with Pat Simmons (in front), house on the hill, Vallence Rd, Bacchus Marsh
Image: Eileen Redden
O'Loughlin Family Contact
While we don't know the full extent of Ellen's contact with her O'Loughlin family, we do know she had regular contact with her sisters, Bridget and Margaret, and her cousin Cornelius. These last two were the witnesses to her marriage.

Bridget became Bridget Guerin and later moved to South Australia. Margaret became Maggie Budge and lived in Skipton. Cornelius visited from Dunnstown with his two sons, Jack and Con (Cornelius).33,34
 
Doctor's Assistant
Ellen was a well respected midwife in the area, often being called upon when a difficult birth was expected. She was not a registered midwife, but was often called out at odd hours to help the local doctor with births, and sometimes, deaths.23,5
 
The Great Bacchus Marsh House Swap
In January 1931, Ellen bought a house at 43 Lerderderg St. This house was close to St Bernard's church.

After Bill Vallence died in Caulfield, Mary moved back to Bacchus Marsh and in April 1934 bought the house at 16 Millbank St. Ellen then moved in with Mary. Ellen's son Jack and his family (Ruby, Joy and Roylyn) were renting Ellen's Lerderderg St house.

Ellen got less mobile, and in May 1946, Jack bought the Millbank St house from Mary and moved in, with Mary and Ellen moving back to the Lerderderg St house. This made it easier for Ellen to get to church.28,35,36,37,38
Phillips Lerderderg St former home, Bacchus Marsh, Nov 2013
Roylyn & Ruby Phillips (Williams), Lerderderg St, Bacchus Marsh
Image: Roylyn Phillips
Phillips Millbank St former home, Bacchus Marsh, Nov 2013
Mary Vallence (Phillips), Tom Redden, Eileen Redden (Phillips), Bub Phillips, Ellen Phillips (O'Loughlin), John Redden, Danny Phillips (seated), 16 Millbank St, Bacchus Marsh c. 1937
Image: Eileen Redden
In September 1936, Ellen stayed with Jim and Reece in Murchison. Danny was in Una hospital in Shepparton at the time, and he planned to return to Bacchus Marsh with his mother for a holiday.39,40
 
Grandchildren 
Grandchildren loved visiting their Grandma Phillips in Bacchus Marsh, either at the House on the Hill, Lerderderg St or Millbank St. They would also get to play with their Bacchus Marsh cousins, Roylyn and Joy Phillips. At different times, their Auntie Mary and Auntie Eilie were also living with Ellen.

They would visit for two to three weeks during school holidays. The older grandchildren stayed at the House on the Hill.
The house had a cow. Grandma would squirt them [Jack, Reg and Laurie] in the face. Also chooks. The water tank had 'wrigglers' [mosquito larvae]. Grandma said 'They won't hurt you'. [Laurie Phillips]

At the House on the Hill, the nearby railway embankment was a popular play area.
After they [Dot, Beryl and Marge] had - again - been sliding down the railway embankment, Grandma told them that this time she was not going to patch the seats of their pants again. Marge remembers hearing from Auntie Eilie something like 'Why do we have to look after those b__y kids again?' [Marge Deveney (O'Loughlin)]

At Bacchus Marsh, they [Jack, Reg and Laurie] visited Gran up on the hill. They had good times. At the railway embankment they'd shout 'Paper! Paper!' as the train went by and people would throw out newspapers. They'd flatten pennies or halfpennies on the railway line or roll rocks down the embankment. They'd also try to trap rabbits by blocking some of the exits with rocks. [Jack Phillips]

When Grandma and Auntie Mary lived up on the hill near the railway line, Jack, Reg and myself used to wait by the line as the train went by calling out 'Paper! Paper!' and the people would throw out papers, minties, different goodies they didn't want, we used to reckon it was as good as Xmas. Many trains went by on that line so we had a ball. Those were the days. [Laurie Phillips]

When Jack, Reg and Laurie stayed with their grandma during school holidays, they would bring their blue school shirts to wear. These got grubby and needed changing every day, and Eilie remembers 'an endless stream of those damn blue shirts to clean and iron'. [Eileen Redden]

The children would get to ride on the horse and jinker to get to church.

The younger grandchildren visited their Grandma at Lerderderg St or Millbank St and would make their own fun.

At the Millbank St house, when Don and I used to visit, there was an ant track along the back of the house. We'd put sticks in the way so the ants had to go over hurdles. [Rene Barnes]

When Brian spoke of visiting Grandma, he said it was at the Lerderderg St house, and Auntie Mary and the cockie quickly came to mind.41,28,42,43,44,34,45
 
Charlie's broken windscreen: Auntie Eilie recalls once when Auntie Bub was going out with a chap by the name of Charlie Britnall. Charlie was from Sydney and his step father was Sydney bookmaker and politician, Sir John Montgomery Dunningham. Charlie was a good dancer (the Charleston gets a mention) and drove a sports car. One weekend, Bub and Charlie drove to see her and her mum (Ellen, Grandma Phillips) at the house on the hill in Bacchus Marsh. Unfortunately for them, Jack, Reg and Laurie were there for a holiday (they were maybe 7 to 9 years old). From the safety of the house, the boys threw stones at Charlie's sports car, breaking the windscreen.46,34
 
Mrs E Phillips, accompanied by her daughter in law, Mrs Jack Phillips, has been spending a few days with her son, Mr TJ Phillips, of Orr street. They returned to Bacchus Marsh this morning. [Mar 1945]47
 
Ellen Phillips with her three oldest daughters, Annie, Mary and Tess.
Back: Annie, Mary & Tess (Phillips); front: Ellen Phillips (O'Loughlin)
Image: Roylyn Phillips
Four generations: Dot McInerny (O'Loughlin), Pam McInerny, Ellen Phillips (O'Loughlin) & Tess O'Loughlin (Phillips), circa 1949.
Four generations: Dot McInerny (O'Loughlin), Pam McInerny, Ellen Phillips (O'Loughlin) & Tess O'Loughlin (Phillips) c. 1949
Image: Roylyn Phillips
Philosophy, Interests and Final Days
Ellen had a saying: 'It's no good being poor and looking poor'. Personal appearance was important to her, and she passed this philosophy on to her children. It has been noted that her six boys always dressed well.

Ellen is described as a happy-go-lucky person, another attribute she passed on to her children. This was in sharp contrast to her husband John, who has been described as 'a bit grumpy'.

Ellen was devoted to her church and family, though she did find time for other interests. While at the house on the hill, she would tune the 'cat's whisker' of the crystal set radio so she could listen to the wrestling through the headphones. And her obituary noted that her favourite recreation was a game of euchre.

Ellen Phillips died of cardiovascular disease and kidney disease at her home in Lerderderg St in Bacchus Marsh on 24 June 1951, aged 82. She was buried at Maddingley cemetery in Bacchus Marsh on 25 June 1951.

She died after a fortnight's illness. The funeral took place following a requiem mass at St Bernard's church.

At the time of her death, Ellen had twenty-two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.48,49,50,22,3
Ellen Phillips (O'Loughlin)
Image: Don & Marion Phillips

Citations

  1. [S30] Ellen O'Loughlin, birth registration no. 1121, 26 March 1869.
  2. [S22] John Phillips and Ellen O'Loughlin, marriage registration no. 3056, 1891.
  3. [S360] Ellen Phillips, death registration no. 17781, 24 June 1951.
  4. [S31] Eileen Redden, personal communication, 5 December1998.
  5. [S38] Lynette Dow, personal communication, 14 March 1996.
  6. [S318] Bacchus Marsh & District Historical Society, personal communication, 8 November 2013.
  7. [S276] '[No title]', Bacchus Marsh Express, 1857-1983, newspaper, Christopher Crisp & George Land, 17 April 1897, p. 2, viewed 23 June 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88346650
  8. [S392] Australia, Electoral Rolls 1903-1980, online, division of Corio, subdivision of Bacchus Marsh, 1903.
  9. [S2] 'History', St Bernard's Parish Primary School, online, St Bernard's Parish Primary School, Bacchus Marsh, August 2021, viewed 12 September 2021.
  10. [S54] Michael O'Loghlen, death registration no. 5727, 1 June 1890.
  11. [S47] Margaret O'Loughlin, death registration no. 2885, 15 February 1873.
  12. [S48] Bridget Phillips, death registration no. 18989, 25 December 1903.
  13. [S34] James Phillips, death registration, 16 September 1866.
  14. [S1] Ellen has two electoral roll entries for 1908, one as homeduties in Bacchus Marsh and one as gatewoman in Maddingley, so we have assumed this is the year she started work as a gatewoman.
  15. [S38] Lynette Dow, personal communication, 18 December 1996.
  16. [S331] Joan McClure, personal communication, 7 December 2013.
  17. [S392] Australia, Electoral Rolls 1903-1980, online, division of Corio, subdivision of Bacchus Marsh, 1908.
  18. [S331] Joan McClure, personal communication, 11 December 2013.
  19. [S561] LANDATA, online property information, certificate of title, vol. 4466, folio 186, Bacchus Marsh 1921-1990.
  20. [S276] '[no title]', Bacchus Marsh Express, 1857-1983, newspaper, Christopher Crisp & George Land, 8 August 1925, p. 2, viewed 4 September 2021, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/262252670
  21. [S44] Roylyn Phillips, personal communication, 13 March 1996.
  22. [S52] Doris 'Nene' Courtie, personal communication, 30 December 1996.
  23. [S31] Eileen Redden, personal communication, 16 November 1996.
  24. [S359] John Phillips, death registration no. 7850, 6 August 1925.
  25. [S276] 'Deaths: Phillips', Bacchus Marsh Express, 1857-1983, newspaper, Christopher Crisp & George Land, 8 August 1925, viewed 8 November 2013.
  26. [S572] 'Bereavement notices', Melton Express, 1905-1943, newspaper, Christopher Crisp, 5 September 1925, p. 2, viewed 4 September 2021, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/254706533
  27. [S32] Laurie Phillips, personal communication, December 2013.
  28. [S37] Margaret Deveney, personal communication, 11 March 1996.
  29. [S392] Australia, Electoral Rolls 1903-1980, online, Commonwealth division of Ballaarat, Victorian division of Bulla, subdivision of Bacchus Marsh, 1926.
  30. [S392] Australia, Electoral Rolls 1903-1980, online, Commonwealth division of Ballaarat, Victorian division of Grant, subdivision of Bacchus Marsh, 1927.
  31. [S392] Australia, Electoral Rolls 1903-1980, online, division of Ballaarat, subdivision of Bacchus Marsh, 1926.
  32. [S392] Australia, Electoral Rolls 1903-1980, online, division of Ballaarat, subdivision of Bacchus Marsh, 1927.
  33. [S38] Lynette Dow, personal communication, 22 June 1997.
  34. [S31] Eileen Redden, personal communication, 25 February 1996.
  35. [S44] Roylyn Phillips, personal communication, 12 July 1996.
  36. [S15] Irene Barnes, personal communication, 5 October 1996.
  37. [S561] LANDATA, online property information, certificate of title, vol. 4153, folio 477, Bacchus Marsh, 1918-2017.
  38. [S561] LANDATA, online property information, certificate of title, vol. 4740, folio 847, Bacchus Marsh, 1923-1980.
  39. [S201] 'The Social Round: Social notes', Shepparton Advertiser, 1914-1953, newspaper, Thomas Pettit and William Callender, 14 September 1935, p. 7, viewed 25 June 2020, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/175420415
  40. [S201] 'Personal', Shepparton Advertiser, 1914-1953, newspaper, Thomas Pettit and William Callender, 14 September 1935, p. 4, viewed 25 June 2020, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/175420457/…
  41. [S32] Laurie Phillips, personal communication, 26 May 2014.
  42. [S102] Jack Phillips, personal communication, 30 November 1996.
  43. [S281] 'Phillips Family', Facebook, webpage, Facebook Inc, group created 25 June 2011, 9 January 2012 post by Laurie Phillips.
  44. [S15] Irene Barnes, personal communication, 4 December 2013.
  45. [S408] Brian Phillips, personal communication, 2 June 2015.
  46. [S102] Jack Phillips, personal communication, 2 March 2013.
  47. [S201] 'Patricia's diary', Shepparton Advertiser, 1914-1953, newspaper, Thomas Pettit and William Callender, 9 Mar 1945, p. 9, viewed 4 May 2019, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/170425812
  48. [S319] 'Obituary: Mrs John Phillips, Sen', Bacchus Marsh Express, newspaper obituary, 30 June 1951.
  49. [S61] Beverley Scott, personal communication, 12 July 1996.
  50. [S31] Eileen Redden, personal communication, 10 March 1996 and 4 December 1998.
  51. [S10] Thomas James Phillips, birth registration no. 8018, 2 May 1897.