Early Life and Migration To Australia
Peter Lalor was born in the family home of Tenakill, at Raheen County Laois (then known as Queen's County), Ireland, the son of Patrick "Patt" Lalor, a landowner and supporter of the abolition of tithes who held a seat in the House of Commons from 1832 to 1835. He was the first Catholic MP for Queens County, Ireland since the reign of James II. His mother was Ann, née Dillon. They had 11 sons of whom Peter Fintan Lalor was the youngest. His eldest brother was the Irish revolutionary James Fintan Lalor. Another brother, Richard Lalor, served as a Parnellite nationalist in the British House of Commons. His mother died on 4 June 1835 and his father then married Ellen Mary Anne Loughnan with whom he had no children.
Lalor was educated at Carlow College and then trained as a civil engineer at Trinity College, Dublin.
Three of the Lalor brothers migrated to America and fought on both sides of the Civil War. However, Peter and his brother Richard decided on Australia, arriving in Victoria in October 1852. Lalor worked first in the construction of the Melbourne-Geelong railway line, but resigned to take part in the Victorian Gold Rush. He began mining in the Ovens Valley, then moved to the Eureka Lead at Ballarat where he befriended Mr. Duncan Gillies (who later became Premier of Victoria). His brother Richard returned to Ireland, becoming politically active and himself a member of the House of Commons.
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