Torpedo Billy Murphy family history and The Fighting Murphys

he family of a Dublin Lad and a Limerick Lass

Billy Murphy was born on the 26th March 1862, at 11 James St (now Potatau St) Arch Hill, Grey Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand.

The second child and first son of James and Johanna Murphy (nee Cronin) he was a welcome addition to this couple who had met when Johanna Cronin at the age of 16-17 years, arrived on the barque “British Queen” leaving Plymouth on 11th April 1859 arriving Auckland 30th August.

You can imagine after such a journey by ship delayed by leaks, battered by storms, running out of food, the excitement at sighting the land that was to become her home.  She could hardly contain herself with the joy of meeting her older brother, already an Auckland citizen, who had paid her fare so as she could join him. The disappointment to be met by this stranger, James Murphy who announced ‘Your brother Tim wrote to me, he has gone off to the Thames in search of gold, he asked me to meet you and take you to his lodgings and keep an eye out for you till he returns’ to which she replied, ‘Show me the letter before I leave the ship’ home James went to fetch the letter.

He must have acquitted himself very well as they were married on the 23rd November 1859. James is listed as a Policeman on his marriage certificate and a retired Policeman on his death certificate in 1911.

They had already bought their property at 11 James St. by the time their first born Annie Maria arrived in September 1860. Billy followed in 1862, John Joseph in 1864, Sarah Bridget in 1866, James Hugh in 1871, Daniel Timothy (Tim) in 1873, Ada Frances in 1875, Francis Joseph in 1879, Elizabeth Helena in 1880, George Bernard (Bert) in 1883.

The couple worked hard to educate and bring up this family as strong responsible citizens. Acquiring a little bit of property to make themselves self sufficient, when the boys left school they all had to take up trades. The girls all did well and put their hand to many trades.They were all bought up with strong minds and the spirit to use them, their Catholic faith bound them all together.

Annie married John O’Hara, influential in the engineering of mining in Thames.

Billy was a much favoured son, brother and uncle, always had stories to tell of his adventures on the road, always enjoyed the company of his family. Auckland, New Zealand was where his heart was.

John became a bootmaker, later followed his Uncle Tim to Notown in Westland, Tim still searching for Gold, John met his future wife Elizabeth Weir and settled to become a bootmaker in Greymouth.

Sarah married Michael Gordon, her grandson Sid Tonks will be much remembered as an Auckland Racing Commentator for many years.

James Hugh became a tailor, he also followed his older brother Billy into the ring, he was on his way to maybe surpassing  Billy’s achievements when during a sparring fight in Johannesburg, he wiped a cut near his eye with a red handkerchief, resulting in blood poisoning, causing him to lose his eye. He died within the year at the age of 25. The Sportsmen of Johannesburg had a whip around to bury him and put a monument on his grave of which they sent a letter and photo of to his bereaved parents.

Daniel Timothy also learnt the tailoring trade, the ring drew him, after running out of opponents in New Zealand he shifted to Melbourne, where he married an Australian lass Emma Cox in 1897, became an Australian Champion Middle/Heavyweight boxer. Fought in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa & America.

Ada Frances married Fred Northcott, a motor salesman, sadly he died at a very early age.

Francis Joseph sadly died in infancy, a devastating time for this family who’s mother had bought so many babes into the world. Johanna was the first to be called for her skills as a midwife.

Elizabeth Helena (Lena) married Dillon Shaw a publican they are the grandparents of the Kennedy family.

George Bernard another tailor tried his hand at boxing had some successes, but perhaps not the same passion as his older brothers.

No matter where the boxing Murphy’s were in their travels their parents and siblings were not far from their thoughts and they returned regularly to visit them.

We were the custodians for many years of the Phonograph given to Billy by Thomas Edison. His punching bag was hung under our house, where the older siblings could pretend to take on the world.

There is a story that has come from many different branches of the family regarding the boys who became tailors, it is said while any of them were visiting family or friends they would sit down to yarn and pick up any mending to do without hardly pausing in the story they were telling. Welcome visitors.

Interesting the sewing trait didn’t seem to come to the fore with the girls.