James Donelly was born in Ireland in 1788, his parent's names are not known. As a young man he moved to Brampton, Huntingdonshire, England, where he worked as a gardener. It was also here that he met and later married Ann Ray. The date of their marriage is not known, but it was probably about 1818, as their first known child was born at Brampton in 1819. Ann was born at Brampton in 1794, her parent's names are not known. According to the 1851 census, Ann was a nurse.

James and Ann had at least four children, there is a long gap between Robert and Phoebe, so there is the possibility that there were more children born between 1825 and 1837, although a search of the records has failed to find any.

4. Frances Phoebe, born at Brampton on 9th August 1837. Married Charles Branson. (More detail later).

William Joseph was born at Brampton in 1819. He married Elizabeth Clarke at the Parish Church, Brampton, on 29th April 1852. Elizabeth was born at Carringdon, Huntingdonshire in 1834, the 2nd daughter of John Clarke and Louisa nee Selby.

Sometime shortly after they're wedding, William and Elizabeth migrated to Australia. An extensive search of the shipping records for that period has failed to find through which port they entered. However it is thought that they first went Tasmania for about a year, where William may have been employed on a sheep run at Bothwell owned by William J. Clarke. They then went to South Australia for about two years where they formed a life long relationship with the Branson family.

William later moved to Victoria, where he was employed as a shepherd on various other properties owned by William J. Clarke of Tasmania and managed by his son W. J. Clarke (known as “Big” Clarke).

The first property was in the Bulla, Tullamarine area, and later at “Bolinda-Vale”, near Sunbury. He also worked on the property at Sunbury that was later to become known as “Rupertswood” (the birthplace of the “ashes”).

William died of senile decay, at Lancefield Junction (Clarkefield) on 23rd October 1893. He was buried two days later at Sunbury. Elizabeth also died of senile decay, at Riddells Creek on 1st November 1918. She is buried with William at Sunbury. William and Elizabeth had a large family of eleven children.

Louisa was born at Greenock, South Australia on 24th November 1854. She married William Holding at Sunbury, Victoria in 1869. William was a carpenter by trade. He was born in Huntingdonshire, England in 1843, the son of Amos Holding and Eliza nee Donnelly.

No record of Louisa's death has been found, however it is thought she may have died in 1878, during or just after the birth of her last child. William died at Warburton in 1902. They had three children.

1. Elizabeth, born at Melbourne in 1870. Married James Johnston at Sunbury in 1891. They had two children.

2. Fanny Eliza, born at North Melbourne in 1873. Married her 2nd cousin William Charles Branson at Warburton on 20th February 1890. Died at Sunbury in 1930. They had five children.

3. Edith Mary, born at Richmond, Victoria in 1878. Married Henry Thomas Taylor in 1910. Died at Heidelberg, Victoria in 1943. They had four children.

Selina was born at Bulla, Victoria in July 1857. She married Alexander Wilson at Bolinda-Vale on 14th June 1875. Alexander was born at Merri Creek, Victoria in 1852, the son of William Wilson and Isabella nee McIntosh.

Alexander died at Keilor in 1932. Selina died at north Melbourne on 5th January 1940. She is buried in the Fawkner cemetery. They had eleven children.

1. Elizabeth Isabella, born at “Bolinda-Vale” on 11 March 1876. Married Osborne Hartley at Rockbank, Victoria on 11th August 1897. Died at Fitzroy on 21st August 1950. They had ten children.

4. Herbert Frederick, born at Sunbury in 1882. Married Mary Ann Blood in 1902. Killed in action in France in 1917. They had five children.

5. Mary Louisa Florence, born at Sunbury in 1885. Died at East Melbourne on 11th July 1903. She never married.

6. Ethel Edith Alice, born at Shepparton, Victoria in 1887. Married Robert James Poore in 1907. Died at Parkville on 30th August 1950. They had three children.

7. William James, born at Yea, Victoria in 1889. Married Mary Jane Fallon in 1909. Died at Parkville in 1951. They had five children.

8. Walter Alexander George Donelly, born at Yea on 7th December 1891. Married Regretta May Williamson in 1912. Died at Auburn, Victoria in 1955. They had five children.

9. James Edward John, born at Sunbury in 1894. Married Ruby May Fallon in 1919. Died at Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital on 20th July 1954. They had six children.

10. Osborne Henry Clark, born at Melton, Victoria in 1897. Married Leila May Booth in 1922. Died at Yarraville on 11th August 1949. They had three children.

11. Alexander Edgar, born at Melton on 14th September 1899. Married Ruth Beryl Morton on 11th June 1921. Died at Footscray on 13th July 1969. They had two children.

Mary Ann was born at Tullamarine, Victoria in 1858. She married Arthur James Humphries at Sunbury in 1878. Arthur was born at Flemington, Victoria in 1857, the son of William Humphries and Louise nee Hapin.

Arthur died at Gisborne, Victoria on 3rd January 1943. Mary Ann Died at Riddells Creek, Victoria on 12th May 1946. They are both buried in the Riddells Creek cemetery. They had eleven children.

1. Arthur William, born at Sunbury in 1878. Married Marion McLaren in 1905. Died at Adelaide, South Australia on 14th November 1920.

2. Elizabeth Louisa, born at Riddells Creek in 1880. Married Charles Edward Scheurer in 1904. Died at Newport, Victoria in 1973. They had seven children.

3. Agnes Amy, born at Riddells Creek in 1882. Married Alexander Millar in 1919. Died at Essendon, Victoria in 1971.

4. Ethel Mary, born at Riddells Creek in 1883. Married Matthew Samuel Scheurer at Riddells Creek in 1906. They had two children.

5. James Walter, born at Riddells Creek on 24th August 1885. Married his cousin, Pearl Branson in 1913. Died at Kyneton, Victoria on 3rd August 1945.

6. John Frederick, born at Carisbrook, Victoria in 1887. Died at Heidelberg on 9th April 1973. Never married.

7. William Alexander, born at Carisbrook 6th January 1889. Married Grace Elizabeth Hutchins in 1914. Died at Royal Melbourne Hospital on 21st March 1977. They had six children.

8. Elsie Myrtle, born at Riddells Creek in 1894. Married Edward Robertson in 1913. Nothing further is known.

10. Ivy Grace, born at Riddells Creek in 1900. Married James Gardiner Hynson in 1938. They had two children

11. Ernest Edward, born at Riddells Creek in 1902. Died at Vaucluse Hospital, Melbourne on 13th July 1978. He never married.

William John (left) was born at Bolinda on 13th January 1861. He married his 1st cousin, Fanny Jane Branson at Warburton, Victoria on 25th August 1886. Fanny was born at Greenock, South Australia, the daughter of Charles Branson and Frances Phoebe nee Donelly. William was a farm labourer and worked on properties around the Warburton area most of his life.

William died of Pneumonia in the Alfred Hospital Prahran on 25th June 1934. He is buried in the Box Hill cemetery. Fanny died at her home at 38 Ringwood Street, Ringwood on 28th February 1948, she is buried with William at Box hill cemetery. They had nine children.

1. Eva Blanche, born at Warburton on 15th January 1887. Married Philip George Bennetts at Riddells Creek on 26th June 1907. Died at Box Hill on 8th September 1963. They had three children.

2. Alice Mary, born at Warburton 5th December 1888. Married Arthur Henry Mason on 1st February 1919. Died at Ringwood, Victoria on 2nd December 1955. They had 3 children.

3. Nellie Ray, born at Warburton on 8th March 1891. Married James Albert William Fowles in 1911. Died at Warracknabeal, Victoria in 1982. They had ten children.

4. Fanny Elizabeth, born at Bolinda on 3rd June 1894. Married Albert William Crowley in 1915. Died at Townsville, Queensland on 7th August 1983. They had two children.

5. William Joseph, born at Warburton on 9th March 1897. Married Beatrice Emily Creek on 28th December 1921. Died at Balwyn, Victoria on 3rd January 1971. They had one known child.

6. Charles Edward, born at Warburton on4th December 1899. Married Ruby (surname unknown). Died at Wangaratta, Victoria on 17th November 1987.

7. John Albert, born at Warburton in 1901. Married Emma Jane Garnett at Cranbourne, Victoria in 1926. They had one known child.

8. Alan Frederick, born at Warburton in 1903. Died at Kew, Victoria in 1978. Nothing further is known.

9. Alexander George, born at Warburton in 1906. Married Hazel Doreen Dobson on 28th May 1932. Died on 3rd November 1943 (killed in action in World War 2). They had three children.

Elizabeth was born at Sunbury on 31st July 1862. She married John Andrew Wilson at Sunbury on 19th April 1882. John was born at Ballan, Victoria on 2nd May 1861, the son of Andrew Wilson and Sarah nee McDaid.

John died at Fitzroy, Victoria on 17th August 1898. He is buried in the Melbourne General cemetery. Elizabeth died at Coburg, Victoria on 19th October 1937, she is buried in the Fawkner cemetery. They had four children.

1. William John Andrew, born at Sunbury in 1883. Married Nellie Bruton in 1905. Died at West Coburg on 18th October 1934. They had six children.

2. Elizabeth Florence Selina, born at Sunbury on 28th February 1885. Married George Henry Cairns at Melbourne on 14th August 1900. Died at Parkville on 19th July 1958. They had eight children.

3. Maud Edith, born at South Melbourne on 21st April 1887. Married Christopher Burgess in 1905, Died at West Coburg on 18th September 1939. They had four children.

4. Sarah Mabel Louisa, born at Sunbury on 12th September 1889. Married Arthur John Skipper in 1910. Died at Cheltenham, Victoria in 1964. They had ten children.

James was born at Bolinda-Vale on 16th August 1864. He married Emily Shepherd at Bolinda-Vale on 30th January 1888. Emily was born at Preston, Victoria on 9th September 1971, the daughter of William Thomas Shepherd and Jane nee Fitzsimmons.

James spent most of his working life as a farm labourer and Rabbit trapper. He died of heart failure, at 35 Powell Street, Regent on 1st June 1936. He is buried in the Preston cemetery. Emily died of Bronchial asthma, at 697 High Street, Preston on 24th February 1948, she is buried with James in the Preston cemetery. They had twelve children.

2. Emily Florence Selina, born at Sunbury on 24th August 1889. Married Percival Charles Watts in 1913. Died at Parkville on 27th May 1957. They had eleven children.

3. William John, born at Sunbury on 7th March 1892. Died at Riddells Creek on 4th October 1971. Nothing further is known.

4. Edith May Blanche, born at Sunbury on 11th August 1894. Died of heart failure at Kew mental Hospital on 10th October 1955. Never married.

5. James Edward, born at Sunbury on 7th March 1898. Died of heart failure at Reservoir, Victoria on 3rd March 1956. Never married.

7. Alice Maude, born at Sunbury on 16th March 1902. Married William Henry Lewis in 1928. Died at Footscray in 1969.

8. Mary Louisa, born at Sunbury on 29th January 1904. Married John Charles Henry Shepherd at Preston, Victoria on 24th December 1927. Died at Rutherglen, Victoria on 10th October 1993. They had three children.

9. George Frederick, born at Sunbury in 1906. Married Evelyn May Shepherd on 16th June 1937. Died at Bunyip, Victoria on 18th December 1977. They had one child.

10. Walter Robert, born Preston on 5th September 1908. Married Kathleen Susanne Epworth in 1931. Died at Heidelberg in 1976. They had seventeen children.

Frederick was born at Bolinda-Vale on 12th June 1866. He married his 1st cousin, Clara Ellen Branson at Buttlejork, near Warburton on 6th September 1888. Clara was born at Greenock, South Australia on 17th March 1872, the daughter of Charles Branson and Frances Phoebe nee Donelly.

Frederick was a farm labourer and shepherd, he worked all his life on properties owned by W. J. Clarke.

Frederick died at his home in Riddells Creek on 3rd September 1929. He is buried in the Riddells Creek cemetery. Clara died at Riddells Creek on 13th September 1938, she is buried with Frederick at Riddells Creek. They had nine children.

2. Frederick Walter, born at Sunbury on 12th May 1893. Married May Paynter at Bendigo, Victoria on 31st March 1920. Died at Heidelberg on 20th September 1964. They had four children.

3. Florence Nellie Ray, born at Lancefield Junction (Clarkefield) on 17th July 1894. Married Albert Melfort Ferdinand Hodgetts at St. John's Church, Riddells Creek on 19th March 1913. Died of Consumption (tuberculosis) at the Greenvale Sanitarium in August 1929. They six children.

4. Violet Blanche, born at Riddells Creek on 23rd November 1896. Married Ivan Claude Howard in 1917. Died at Gisborne in 1975. They had three children.

6. Elsie May, born at Riddells Creek in January 1903. Died at Riddells Creek on 30th October 1903.

7. Walter Charles, born at Riddells Creek on 19th January 1904. Married Ida Kettle in 1926. Died at Noble Park, Victoria on 7th July 1984.

8. Clara Ellen, born at Riddells Creek on 26th January 1907. Married Eric Layton Pike at Riddells Creek on 26th January 1927. Died at Brighton, Victoria on 3rd December 1984. They had three children.

9. Lillian May, born at Riddells Creek on 12th July 1910. Married Vincent Edward Pike (the brother of Eric) at north Fitzroy on 31st August 1934. Died at Brunswick, Victoria in May 1990. They had three children.

Robert was born at Sunbury on 3rd May 1868. He died at Sunbury on 10th September 1876, aged only eight years.

Florence was born at Sunbury in 1870. She married Owen Joseph Madigan at Sunbury in 1888. Owen was born at Hackham, South Australia on 2nd August 1865, the son of Michael Madigan and Sarah nee Flannagan.

Florence died at Riddells Creek in 1914. Owen died at Yarraville, Victoria in 1942. They had eight children.

2. William Michael, born at Sunbury in 1890. Married Ethel May Davidson in 1919. Died at Ringwood, Victoria in 1963.

3. Owen, born at Sunbury in 1893. Married Isabel Ann Johnstone in 1932. Died at Ringwood in 1978. They had two children.

4. John Francis, born at Sunbury on 2nd October 1895. Married Dorothy Elizabeth Piggott in 1918. Died at Footscray on 3rd June 1975. They had seven children.

5. Thomas Martin, born at Wallan, Victoria in 1900. Married Eileen Monica Tilley in 1927. Died at South Melbourne in 1949. They had one child.

6. Patrick Andrew, born at Wallan in 1903. Married Dorothy Chisholm about 1941. Died at Footscray on 8th March 1973. They had five children.

7. James Vincent, born at Sunbury in 1906. Married Ellen Veronica Clark in 1928. Died in 1992. They had one child.

Edith was born at Sunbury on 4th March 1872. She married John Francis Ryan at “Bolinda-Vale” on 30th January 1888. John was born at Gisborne in 1864, the son of Jonathan Ryan and Elizabeth nee Delaney. John was a labourer and worked on properties in the Gisborne, Sunbury area.

John died at Brunswick, Victoria in 1954. Edith died at Brunswick on 11th January 1956. They had five children.

1. Mary Edith May, born at Gisborne on 10th May 1889. Married Arthur Henry Jackson at South Melbourne in 1907. Died at Heidelberg on 11th February 1959. They had no children.

2. Nellie Iva, born at Gisborne in 1891. Married William Whybert Holmes in 1909. Died at Brunswick in 1966. They had three children.

3. Alice Lillian, born at Riddells Creek in 1893. Married Clement Burns in 1913. Died at Coburg in 1971. They had three children.

4. John Francis, born at Riddells Creek in 1895. Married Victoria Daphne Mary Carter in 1916. Died at South Melbourne in 1944.

5. Olive Grace, born at Lancefield Junction on 28th March 1900. Married Frederick John Faulkner in 1919. Died at Melbourne on 27th August 1984. They had four children.

Edward was born at Sunbury on 12th September 1874. He married Alice Ruth Florence Hobson in 1902. Edward died at Melbourne on 16th July 1940. Alice died at Prahran in 1943.

Frances was born at Brampton, Huntingdonshire on 9th August 1837, the fourth and last child of James and Ann. Sometime before 1855,she migrated to Australia, probably with her brother William and his wife.

Phoebe married Charles Branson at the home of William Branson at Greenock, South Australia on 31st August 1855. Charles was born at Titchmarsh, Northamptonshire, England on 22nd May 1832, the son of James Branson and Sarah nee Hankins.

Charles had immigrated to South Australia in 1852, aboard the “Amazon”. He was quite a successful farmer in South Australia and later in Victoria.

Charles died at his property, “Brampton Park”, at Warburton, Victoria on 1st April 1887. Frances died at “Brampton Park” in October 1913. They are both buried in the Lilydale cemetery. They had twelve children. Their story is covered in more detail in the Branson chapter of this history.