Brian Millane

  General Notes:

Brian Millane (The Healesville Millanes) notes in response to John's query about the Millane links to Peter Lalor (see John Millane's notes for this):
I was interested to note a couple of aspects of the story that raise further matters that might need longer contemplation.
There is no attribution regarding the author of the Obit. While it is a contemporary account and has that singular advantage, the anonymity of the author does raise the issue of accuracy \endash especially as I would assume it's been written by the editor of the magazine, a NSW weekly. Which, in itself is another issue: why is there no similar \endash or, indeed, much grander story in the local papers, the Argus and the Ballarat Courier? Maybe, indeed most probably, there were. Do they not mention Hanlon?
There is a clear statement that the Eureka flag was captured by a foot policeman who was first over the stockade: so, how did it get to be returned to the "rebels" who so generously chopped off pieces of it as souvenirs? Certainly, if the account of Lalor's post-Stockade adventure is close to the truth, he could not have been in possession of it. And why would the government of the day return it to "the enemy"? A bit of a mystery.
Sorry to be a bit querulous but, as you know, I can't help myself!! If I get some time, I'll try and have a bit of a look for myself!! I also need to confirm that, in the early 1980s, I was well acquainted with "the" then Peter Lalor who lived in Williamstown. He had a very large family history documented including a wall chart with hundreds of names on it and, if my recollection is correct, going way back into the 14th or 15th century at least. I'll see if I can track him down.