21. Final Years in Port Pirie January 1915 to October 1918

This diary comes after John’s return from Ireland in late 1912. It continues on for some years and then drops off.

I assume that this is his final diary and he ceased writing after this. HE does make a note in 1921 about the importance of Home Rule back Ireland and what this means to him as his final diary entry.

The diary covers the years he set up a butcher shop with his son-in-law Ali Wade and the many happy times he spent working our at Warnertown with the Walsh’s on their property which he refers to as The Pines. He stress the importance of the Walsh’s as great friends to him over many years. He lives for som e of this time with his daughter and son-in-law. My grandmother Esther Richardson, John’s grand daughter works for a time as a young woman in this butcher shop, but that is not covered in the diaries as it happened in the late 1920’s after John finished writing in the diaries.

The diary also alludes to his falling out with his brother’s David and Patrick Fitzgerald. David is living at The Four Mile at the time and I think for a few years Patrick may live their with him.

While John lives in Sefton Estate and then Solomontown in these diaries, his wife Mary-Ellen Fitzgerald is living at the Two Mile on a 18.5 acre block.