Family Card - Person Sheet
Family Card - Person Sheet
NameThomas Hugh Jephson CASEMENT
Birth3 Jan 1863, At Sea, Registered In Boulogne Sur Mer
Deathca Apr 1939, Dublin
Spouses
Birth1879
DeathBasingstoke, Hampshire
Burial2 Oct 1970, Cremated Aldershot, Hampshire
Mother(Lucy) Emma BURROWS (1879-)
Marriage31 Jan 1912, Johannesburg, South Africa334
Separation
Notes for Thomas Hugh Jephson CASEMENT
When 13, he went to sea as apprentice in a sailing ship trading with Australia •1, became an officer, then left the sea., having lost his officer's papers. •2

Stayed with Dr. Brabazon CASEMENT 1888 but was "very rightly kicked out for discourtesy to his wife". •3

He wrote on 10th May 1888 to his great-uncle John CASEMENT asking him for £50 to £100 to finance a trip to the Queensland gold fields.

Inspector, Metropolitan Board of Works, Melbourne, in 1895., earning £2.10/week, living with his brother Charles and his family. •2

In 1892, Tom CASEMENT married his brother's sister-in-law Blanche May BALHARRY. The marriage was kept secret and Blanche never went to church again because she felt she was living in sin. (Her grandfather, Charles James PERRY was married to the widow of Tom's uncle, Hugh CASEMENT Jnr in 1871).

Tom served in the Boer War and was said to be the "tallest man in the Victorian regiment". He never returned to Australia.

Prospecting for mercury at Zoutpansberg, Transvaal, by 1905 Feb. Inspector of mines at Barberton, Transvaal •1 Member of "the famous Rand Club, the most exclusive club in South Africa" and rode his horse up the club's staircase for a bet. •1 Strove to abolish Chinese slave labour in S. Africa. •4 Attempted to farm (by 1908 Dec.) and run a mountaineers' hostel (by 1910 Jan •5) at Rydal Mount, Witsieshoek, Harrismith, Orange Free State. In the first party to climb Cathkin Peak •6 in Drakensbergs 1912 •7

By Feb 1912, Tom had married again in South Africa. Kate AKEMAN ('Katje'), painter , from a West Country family which played an important part in Natal politics H. She was b. 1878-79, d. Basingstoke, Hampshire (Hants.), 1970 Sep. 25 (crem. Aldershot, Hants., Oct. 2). She is thought to have left him during or soon after the 1st war; worked in Dubrovnik in the 1930s [source- Bénézit]. Katje is the Kate CASEMENT who sent letters to Kathleen VAUGHAN née CASEMENT in Oct 1966 and May 1967 from Park Prevett Hospital, Basingstoke, Hampshire (Hants.) Letters are in an envelope labelled "Aunt Kate Casement's last two letters" She wrote that she was hoping that Dr MacKay's son would continue his father's campaign to have Roger Casement's paper returned to Ireland.

Described by his brother Roddie as "an extraordinarily unbusinesslike human being".

Served during the 1st War as Capt. in German East Africa (Tanganyika) •1 Diamond prospector on the Vaal River •7. Returned to Ireland July 1920. Involved in building a bank in Tralee. He was instrumental in obtaining the aid of Jan Smuts as intermediary between the British Govenment and de Valera in 1921 •4

He helped found Irish coast life saving service •1 Denis Johnston based the character of George in "The Moon in the Yellow River" on Tom CASEMENT.,publ 1930.

Tom visited Bavaria to collect documents on his brother Roger David CASEMENT for the NLI. He was in Diessen on Lake Ammersee in the 1920s, visiting the son of Dr Curry, friend of his brother.

He drowned in canal, Dublin, ca 1939 Apr.
Last Modified 8 Feb 2004Created 21 Mar 2024 by Jim Falk