Arras Cathedral (Pas-de-Calais, France)

 

Cathédrale Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Vaast d'Arras

Postcard of Arras Cathedral damaged during World War One. 

You can read more of the cathedral's history at Abelard.org.

Will you come back to Bom-Bombay?

 

As Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood vibrantly remind us, "every picture tells a story". The scene below shows a moment of farewell as the soldier is about to leave his posting in India and head back to England. The postcard was produced about 1908, and features a mixed-race relationship long before it became a modern meme. The woman has doubts about the man's long-term commitment, questioning whether his feelings toward her are lasting, or whether she will become a victim of 'out of sight, out of mind'.

The postcard belongs to the 'song card' genre, but shows only the opening stanza. The full lyrics are:

On a sunny summer's day, there was sailing from Bombay,

A big and stately troopship that was going through the spray

To mighty England many miles away.

A soldier gazed with pride, on his sweetheart by his side,

Said he "Goodbye, my treasure, I shall soon be on the tide,

And when I come back you shall be my bride"

But as she was uncertain of his love — with many sighs,

She murmur'd as the love-light came into her coal black eyes:

 

Will you come back to Bom-Bombay?

I'm grieving now you're leaving,

For a land so far away.

So sad and lonely I shall be

All the time that you're away

Tell me true — tell me, do,

Will you come back to Bom-Bombay?

 

He exclaimed "My sweetheart kind. though I'm leaving you behind

And may not see your face for years, you'll never, never find

That you were out of sight and out of mind.

Though weary years may go, and between us oceans flow.

I'll prize you even more. for little girl I have you know

In the absence of my fond love will stronger grow."

She hung her head in silence— her poor heart began to beat

And when she made him answer, it was only to repeat:

 

"I am thinking, love" said she "When you land across the sea,

Some other girl may come along and gain your sympathy,

And then perhaps you'll be forgetting me

There are scores of girls divine in their silks and satins fine

In the country you are going to, but sweetheart I opine,

No heart could ever beat for you like mine

The last "Good-bye" was said and as the vessel left the shore

She waved her handkerchief and cried in broken voice once more [1]

The song's lyrics and music were written in 1905 by Henry 'Harry' Castling, A. J. Mills and C. W. Murphy.[2] Castling and Arthur John Mills were English lyricists of music hall songs. The Manchester-born Charles William 'Billy' Murphy was a prolific British composer of music hall and musical theatre tunes. It was performed by Victoria Monks, and released by B. Feldman & Co. All of these individuals are acknowledged at the bottom of the postcard. The song was also known as Will you come back to Bom Bombay? 

The verso of the card is equally interesting. Between 'Post' and 'Card' is the logo of the publishing company. It is comprised of a shamrock, whose stem is twisted to read '& Co.' Shamrock & Company was a publisher of postcards, and was the brainchild of Felix McGlennon. His parents were born in Ireland, so his choice of the shamrock is understandable. However, it led to litigation, because it was deemed to deceive the purchaser. The gist of the legal argument is outline in the article below.[3] 

The Family of Felix McGlennon

Felix McGlennon was born in Glasgow on the 30th of January 1856. Both of his parents had migrated to Scotland from Ireland before the Great Famine of 1845-52.[4] His father, Cornelius McGlennon, was a shoemaker, who married Sarah Kerr on the 26th of June 1842 in Glasgow. According to the 1851 census for Scotland, the family was living at 12 Market Street, Glasgow. Cornelius was born in 1816, and Sarah in 1825. They were living with their daughter, Mary, born in 1848 in Glasgow, and their unmarried niece, Letitia Black, who was also from Ireland and worked as their domestic. The family was still residing in Glasgow when the 1871 census was taken. However, by 1881, Felix had moved to Openshaw, a suburb of Manchester, and was residing, as a boarder, in the household of a widow named Mary Lawton. He is described as a 'Song Writer (Author)'. While in Manchester, Felix married Louisa Wilson in 1886. The 1891 census for England and Wales reveals that Felix and his family had moved to Lambeth, a district in South London. He is described as an author and composer. Felix and Louisa had four children:

• Felix Cornelius (1 February 1888-1918)

• Maria Louisa (9 December 1889-1903)

• Herbert (December 1891-1964)

• Louisa (1895- )

Felix Cornelius was born in Manchester, and christened at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Blackley on the 26th of February 1888. The 1911 census shows that he was working for Shamrock & Co. as a 'commercial traveller of pictorial postcards'. At the time, he was living in Prittlewell, Southend on Sea in Essex. His employment was terminated by the First World War, and he died of his wounds on the Western Front in the closing months of the conflict on the 9th of September, 1918. He is buried in the Commonwealth War Cemetery at Aire-sur-la-Lys, a commune in the Département du Pas-de-Calais. He was a Lance-Corporal in the 15th Battalion, Essex Regiment. His service number is 251711.

Maria Louisa was born in Salford, and christened in the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist on the 19th of January 1890. She died as an infant.

Herbert was born in Lambeth. In 1901, he lived in Croydon. He married Ella W. Yates in June 1922 at Knaresborough, a town in North Yorkshire. He died in Surrey at the age of 73 in 1964. She died in Surrey in 1993. 

Louisa is found in the 1911 census as a novitiate in St. Edward's Convent, run by the Sisters of Mercy. 

***

As the lyrics of Bombay proclaim: 'Some other girl may come along and gain your sympathy'. And so she did for Felix McGlennon. In the 1901 census, he is described as a 45 year old, married, songwriter, but his wife is no longer living in the household. Instead, we encounter a 'housekeeper' by the name of Edith L. Jury. She was 28 at the time, and presumably the object of Felix's desire. Edith appears in the 1911 census as Edith McGlennon, 'disguised' as Felix's mature daughter. Also present is Felix's 'love-child', Ivy McGlennon, born in 1908. During this era, divorce was out of the question for a Roman Catholic, and on such occasions form was more important than substance.

Felix's disenchanted wife, Louisa, abandoned the family home and her children. In 1901, she is found living alone on Crewsdon Road in Lambeth, and by 1911 as a married woman of 'private means' and as a boarder in the household of George and Mary Hattersley of Lambeth.  She died at the age of 52 in March 1915. By the conventions of the day, there was no respectable period of mourning on the part of Felix. He married Edith within a month of his wife's death. 

[1] Source: John Baxter

[2] Roud No. 13663

[3] New Zealand Tablet 21 January 1919, page 108.

[4] Their origin and the profession of Cornelius are given in the 1851 census for Scotland.

Irene Wood: an evacuee during World War II

 

My mother, Irene, was born on the 9th of February 1928 at 32 Hanover Street, the home of her parents, Walter Wood and Ethel Lomas Wood. It was located off the once-vibrant Cross Lane in the City of Salford. The house was part of a long terrace of two-up and two down houses, typical of working-class dwellings in Britain's industrial cities. By modern standards, it would be considered unfit to live in. The front door opened onto the street, and the only 'greenery' to be seen was the moss growing between the cobblestones of the road. The house had no kitchen as we understand it, but a scullery, which contained a cold-water tap, the only source of water in the house, a stone sink and a small gas stove. There were no bathing facilities and the toilet was outside at the end of 'the yard'. The yard was walled and paved with flagstones, and was as wide as the house, that is, about twelve feet across. It contained a small makeshift coal bunker, the dustbin and a clothesline. The back door of the scullery opened onto the yard, which had its own wooden door that led to the 'back entry'. This narrow entry ran the length of the terrace, and was shared by the rear of the houses that formed another, parallel, terrace. This is mentioned because, by the beginning of 1940, the back entry was covered with concrete slabs to form a bomb shelter. This afforded protection from shrapnel, flying glass and debris, but not against a direct hit. 

Hanover Street with the back entry in yellow
Source: National Library of Scotland

When war was declared on the 3rd of September 1939, my mother was 11 years old, and my grandparents decided that she should join the 20,000 children that were being evacuated from Salford. The city, with its vital docks on the Manchester Ship Canal, was also a centre of strategic industries, making it a prime target for the Luftwaffe. Irene's sister, Doris, was three years old when the war broke out, but she remained in Salford under the care of her grandmother, Frances Lomas. In September 1939, Ethel began her lifelong career in engineering, and was trained as a lathe operator in the manufacture of airplane parts at Sir John Farmer Norton's factory on Silk Street, Adelphi, Salford. She continued her war work at Thomas Bradford's Crescent Iron Works (1940-41), and the electrical engineering company, Dorman and Smith (1942-45). She worked 10-12 hour shifts, almost everyday. The wages were good, affording some black market purchases. Walter attempted to join the RAF, but his work on the railway placed him in a reserved occupation. 

Left to right: Edith Rawlinson, Irene Wood, Betty Royle, Ella Collaro [1].

Neighbourhood friends who were evacuated together.

Taken in 1939 at Ryecroft Hall, Hambleton, near Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire.

My mother was evacuated from Cross Lane Station, which was serviced by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS). 

Cross Lane Station (looking westward). The bridge carried Cross Lane over the railway tracks, 

and the Station Hotel can be seen above it.

 

Her destination was Ryecroft Hall in Hambleton, a village located about six and a half miles northeast of Blackpool. This meant travelling by train to nearby Poulton-le-Fylde and then crossing the River Wyre by bus to the village. All the children wore a name tag, and carried their gas mask and a small suitcase containing their clothes.  In addition, they were given a carrier bag containing food items, which included a block of chocolate, a packet of biscuits and a packet of cream crackers. Some of the older lads, bent on mischief, began tormenting the girls with the warning that "When this is gone, that's your lot. You're going to starve to death." Whatever tears this taunt generated soon dried as the group arrived at the village hall to a feast of sandwiches, fruit and lemonade. Most of the Salford kids had never eaten a grape before, and the food was devoured in about ten minutes! 

Irene, Edith, Betty and Ella were billeted at Ryecroft Hall, the residence of the businessman, John William Lewis. He was the son of John Tetlow Lewis, J. P. of Westfield House, Patricroft and the sole proprietor of James, Lewis and Company, cotton manufacturers and merchants, (later called John T. Lewis & Sons), of 22 Fountain Street, Manchester, with offices in London, Glasgow and Belfast.  

The girls attended the local school in Hambleton. Life at Ryecroft Hall was in sharp contrast to the conditions they were used to living in. John Lewis had a yacht, with a skipper, who also served as the chauffeur. There was also a gardener, cook-housekeeper, and Margaret, the maid, all locals from Hambleton. John also had his own private bowling green located in front of the hall. He commuted by train from Poulton-le-Fylde to Manchester, where he would stay overnight for three days, but would return to Hambleton for the remainder of the week. Tea was served a 4:30 pm sharp, and dinner at 7:00 pm.

The 'skipper' of Mr. Lewis' yacht.

Ryecroft Hall

John William Lewis and his dog in the garden of Ryecroft Hall

Hothouse and vegetable garden at Ryecroft Hall

The niece of John William Lewis, Peggy Lewis Tuppen, at Ryecroft Hall

Ryecroft Hall, Hambleton

My mother recalled that her parents came to see her at Ryecroft Hall about every six weeks, and paid seven shillings a week toward her keep at their local post office. However, fooled by the months-long Phoney War, Walter and Ethel decided to bring their daughter home. Consequently, my mother spent the Christmas of 1940 in the back entry bomb shelter. On the nights of 22/23 and 23/24 December 1940, the Luftwaffe dropped some 467 tons of bombs on Manchester, Salford and Stretford, destroying and damaging thousands of homes, one of which belonged to my mother's maternal uncle, Harry Lomas, of Fleet Street. He and his family survived by taking shelter in the cellars of the Groves and Whitnall Brewery, itself badly bombed. During the Blitz, Irene left the safety of the shelter to run into the scullery to make Horlicks as a treat for the neighbourhood children. "Were you mad?", I later asked. She responded laughingly, "No ... Spirit of Britain". My mother left school at 14, and started work in 1942 at a Manchester garment factory making clothing for displaced persons. 

When I was a boy, my father, who lived nearby on West Brownbill Street (now demolished), showed me where a bomb had smashed through the wall of the Cross Lane bridge (shown above) to explode near the railway lines next to the Station Hotel. The spot was clearly marked by the new brickwork and coping stones used in its repair. The bridge was eventually demolished as part of Salford's programme of urban renewal. It had managed to survive the bombing, but not the city planners.  

Irene's time at Ryecroft Hall was a memorable one, and she formed a sentimental attachment to the place, returning for a visit in 1955. In 1989, to mark the 50th anniversary of her evacuation, I took her back to Rycroft Hall. By that time, it had become a restaurant, and the staff were most welcoming as she regaled them with her memories. My mother died on the 13th of December 2016 in California. Mercifully, she was spared the news that Ryecroft Hall had been demolished in 2021, a casualty of the covid lockdown.

Irene at Hambleton 1955

Magazine advertisement 1970s 

For the hungry teeth of time devour, and the silent-footed years pursue.

Oscar Wilde

[1] Ella's parents were from Malta. 

Kinsale Parish Records

Even though it is best practice to consult original documents, parish records can be notoriously difficult to read, especially when the recorder's handwriting is undecipherable. Consequently, many transcription errors are made. The task of decrypting an entry is made even more laborious when abbreviations are used, and there is no indication as to their meaning.

In the records for the Parish of Kinsale, County Cork, many abbreviations are used in recording places of residence. Place-names using an initial 'B.' are not always immediately recognizable. Moreover, a particular abbreviation is not consistent in its signification, and thus requires additional research. 

source: National Library of Ireland

In the above example, three place-names begin with 'B'; two show 'B. Road' and one 'B. Gate'. In consulting Guy's Postal Directory for Kinsale (1914), only one 'road' is mentioned, and that is Bandon Road. As such, we can be reasonably confident that B. Road refers to this major thoroughfare. 'B. Gate', on the other hand, refers to Blind Gate. Lastly, W. End indicates World's End. Unfortunately, we are not always this lucky. The place-name, 'B. R.', shown below, could be anywhere.

Frequently, the 'B.' signifies 'Bally', an anglicized rendition of Irish 'baile', which can mean 'place'.  In the seventeenth century, 'bally' was often used as a prefix, which was added to an established place-name in order to indicate that it was a townland. [1]. We see this practice below where 'B.' precedes the townlands of Rath More ('B. R. More') and Rath Beg ('B. R. beg'), even though 'bally' is not part of their official place-names. 

'B. Regan' refers to the townland of Ballyregan More, a site associated with the Battle of Kinsale in 1601-1602. In the parish record entry shown below, there is no reference to the place-name element, 'More'. This is troublesome, because, when 'Ballyregan' is searched for in the database of townlands, it yields twelve townlands of that name, none of which relates to Kinsale! It can only be found by searching 'Ballyregan More'.

'B. Mills', recorded below, is more straightforward, and refers to the townland of Brown's Mills. 

I became interested in this issue during genealogical research relating to a family member, John Fitzpatrick of Kinsale. The record of the baptism of his son, John, found while looking in https://churchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords showed the following in the search results:

The place-name transcription is 'B RN', which is based on the original shown below. 

 'B. Rn' or possibly 'B. Roc' are not readily identifiable. 

However, further research, using the Tithe Applotment Books (1814-1855), revealed that John Fitzpatrick was a Kinsale blacksmith, whose forge was located on Butcher's Row.  As such, the above abbreviation is judged to be a hurried 'B. Row'. 

Applotment Book for Kinsale 1850 (click on image to enlarge)

Butcher's Row is also abbreviated as 'Butch Row' in the following:

and can also be seen in a scribbled version below.

This brief survey is nowhere near an exhaustive list, but it does serve as a caution when dealing with transcriptions, and underscores the need for additional research and a lot of perseverance. 

 

[1] Deirdre and Laurence Flanagan, Irish Place Names 1994: 3, 20-26.

The Family of Donogh O'Brien and Ida May Hardy

 

We explored the Hardy family in a separate post, and now turn our attention to the O'Brien clan.

Ida May Hardy and Donogh Joseph O'Brien [1] married on the 8th of November 1919 in Clifton, near Bristol, England. Ida belonged to the protestant Church of Ireland and Donogh was a Roman Catholic.  At the time, 'mixed-marriages' were largely unwelcome in a society that had been conditioned by centuries of religious strife and un-Christian bigotry. Fortunately, Donogh had a relative, who was an ordained Catholic priest serving in Clifton who interceded on behalf of the young couple. He is said to have proclaimed, "Tell them to come over here and I'll marry them on the highest altar I can find", and he did with Ida's family and Donogh's brother, 'Paddy' in attendance. The priest was William Lee, who later became the  Bishop of Clifton on 26 January 1932. Bishop Lee was born in Kildorrery, near Mitchelstown, Co. Cork on 27 September 1875, the son of Robert Lee and Bridget Connery. He died on 21 September 1948. Ida and Donogh remembered his kindness in the naming of their youngest child.

William Lee, Bishop of Clifton

 As the Roman poet, Virgil, wrote in his tenth Eclogue, omnia vincit amor, 'love conquers all'. 

Donogh O'Brien was born on 28 February 1888, the son of William Bernard O'Brien [2] and Mary Geraldine Barry. In the 1901 Census for Ireland, William is described as a "1st Class Examining Officer, H.M. [His Majesty's] Customs', and the family was living at 9 Glenarm Avenue (Glenarm Villas) in Drumcondra, Dublin. The census reveals that the entire family was proficient in the Irish language.   

Both of Donogh's parents were from the Mitchelstown area of County Cork, and they were married at Saints Peter and Paul's Church in Cork City on the 13th of August, 1885. At the time of the marriage, William was living in Drumcondra and Mary resided in Clogheen, a village in County Tipperary. She was the daughter of Walter Barry.[6] Mary was born 22 November 1857, and William on 6 September 1854 in Curraghgorm, Co. Cork.

 William and Mary had the following children, which were all born in Drumcondra:

• Aileen Maura O'Brien born about 1887. She married William Francis Hooper, MD, who was born in Cork City on 4 April 1886. He was the son of a famous nationalist journalist and Member of Parliament, John Hooper, and Mary Jane Buckley. Aileen was married in Manchester, England in 1912. They had four sons. 1) Brian Patrick was born on 17 December 1915  2) Ivor Joseph Francis born 2 November 1918. 3) Niall Aidan Joseph born on 18 September 1920. 4) Shaun Finbar born on 18 February 1913. They were all born in the family home at 6 Kenilworth Park, Harold's Cross. Aileen died on 23 May 1972. She was 86. William Francis died on 7 November 1946 at the age of 60. Aileen was a member of the Central Council of the Irish Red Cross.
• Donogh Joseph O'Brien was a dental surgeon and president of the Irish Dental Association (1942). His practice was located at 22 Merrion Square, Dublin. He qualified in Manchester, England. Donogh died on 31 October 1954 at Our Lady's Hospice, Harold's Cross, Dublin of an arteriosclerotic cerebral thrombosis leading to hemiplegia. He was 66.
• Kathleen Maura O'Brien was born on the 1st of June 1893. She married Edward Patrick Morrissey on the 2nd of February 1932 at the Church of St. Columba in Drumcondra. He was the son of Edward Joseph Morrissey of Abbeyleix, the owner of  the renowned and historic pub, Morrissey's.[5] Edward Patrick was born on 8 June 1884, and it is likely that in 1911 he was working in Manchester as an electrical engineer.  
• Sheela Maura O'Brien was born on the 1st of January, 1896. She died 24 January 1922 of tuberculosis at the age of 26. She worked as a bank clerk.
• Patrick Joseph O'Brien was born about 1899, and like his brother, Donogh, was a dental surgeon. He married Mary Hilda White on 30 April 1927 at the Church of St. Columba in Drumcondra. Mary was the daughter of Francis A. White, a pawnbroker, who lived at 5 Iona Drive, Drumcondra. Patrick died 22 June 1954 of emphysema. He was 55.
• Mida (Míde) Maura O'Brien was born on the 3rd of January 1903. She married Robert Charles ‘Roy' Geary (1896–1983), the Director of the Central Statistics Office. Their wedding took place at St. Columba's Church in Drumcondra on 7 September 1927. They had two children, Colm and Clodagh. She died on 19 February 1978, and is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery. Mida was very musical and sang beautifully. She was an active member of the Rathmines and Rathgar Musical Society and also worked at the Gate Theatre in Dublin.

The family migrated to Manchester, England, settling in Stretford, the home of the world's first and largest industrial estate, Trafford Park, and the home of Manchester United Football Club at Old Trafford. Stretford lies immediately to the west of the Manchester Ship Canal, and is situated opposite Salford Docks. The American industrial giants, Westinghouse and the Ford Motor Company, were situated in Trafford Park, and the docks at Salford and Manchester (Pomona Docks) handled over five million metric tons of cargo in 1915, making it one of the busiest ports in Britain. When the Manchester Ship Canal opened in 1894, it became an international customs port, which was the reason William moved to Stretford. His employment there meant promotion and a higher salary, and we see in the 1911 census for England and Wales that he carries the title, Surveyor of His Majesty's Customs and Excise. Since the post of surveyor was established in 1909, we can be fairly certain that the O'Brien family moved to England around 1909-1910. A surveyor was responsible for a customs and excise collection district, and the Port of Manchester was an extremely important district. William returned to Glenarm Avenue, Drumcondra around 1920, after he retired.

William O'Brien died on the 31st of October 1934 in Dublin. Two beneficiaries were named in his will, Donogh O'Brien and William Francis Hooper.[3] The address given is 'Kincora', Glenarm Avenue, Drumcondra, an address which also appears on the registration of his death.[4] He died of cardiac arrest following a bout of gastroenteritis. He was 80. 

Dental Society Dance 1942
Ida and Donogh front row seated on right

Ida and Donogh had four children:

• Oona (Una) Marie was born 14 August 1920, at a time when the family was living at 3 Percy Place, Dublin. She married Eunan Edward McCarron on 21 June 1947.

Death of Oona McCarron mother of colleague Martha McCarron ( RTÉ Radio )

Our deepest sympathy to our colleague Martha McCarron and the McCarron and O'Brien families on the death of her mother Oona .

The following notice appeared:

McCARRON (née O'Brien), Oona (Blackrock, Co. Dublin) - March 5, 2016, in her 96th year, beloved wife of the late Eunan (peacefully), in the presence of her daughters and in the tender care of Ferndene Nursing Home staff; sadly missed by her loving children Fr. Peter [born 1950], Martha and Mary, pre-deceased by her brother Delcan; she is deeply mourned by brothers Ronan and Oliver, sister-in-law Monika, sons-in-law Paul and Tim, grandsons Shane, Conor and Darragh, nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews and by her extended family. Her Funeral in the Church of the Assumption, Booterstown and at Mount Jerome Crematorium was private in accordance with her wishes and took place on Wednesday March 9. May she Rest in Peace.

• Donogh Declan was born 16 May 1923.

Former military surgeon Royal Army Medical Corps (b 1923; q University College Dublin 1946; LM, MBE, OStJ), died from secondary lung cancer on 14 March 2006.

Former military surgeon Royal Army Medical Corps (b Dublin 1923; q University College Dublin; MBBCh, BAO 1946, LM 1948, brigadier L/RAMC, MBE, OStJ), died from secondary lung cancer on 14 March 2006.

Declan was surgeon and commanding officer of the British Military Hospital in Berlin and was involved in the health care of Rudolph Hess. He often monitored the opinions of consulting surgeons from the United Kingdom, USA, Russia, and France, and his wise statements were accepted when Hess was treated in the British Military Hospital. He was a careful meticulous surgeon whose clearcut opinions were highly respected. He served in Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, British Army of the Rhine, and in the military wing of Musgrove Park Hospital, Belfast, where he operated on soldiers and victims of the violence from both sides of the sectarian divide. He became a recognised specialist in missile surgery and his final posting was in the Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital, Woolwich, the major receiving hospital for casualties from the Falklands War.

After retirement he became chief medical officer of the British Red Cross overseeing a new edition of the First Aid Manual. He then worked for various benevolent organisations, most notably the Oswald Stowell Foundation and the Officers’ Association. He kept up this work to the end of his life, dispensing wit and wisdom in equal measure.

He was a keen supporter of the BMA and served as president of the Bromley Division. The Sydenham Medical Society was another of his interests, and he hosted a meeting just a few days before his death. A strong family man, he lost his wife, Georgina, in 2001. His family, Moya, Patricia, Donogh, Conor, Fergal, and Oona, always gave him strong support during his travels overseas and were with him when he died from secondary carcinoma deposits in the lung.

• Ronan Patrick was born 15 June 1926.
• Oliver Murragh Lee was born in the Herbert Street Nursing Home, Dublin on 10 April 1939.

Photograph courtesy of Oliver O'Brien. Taken in 1951 at Bettystown. From left to right: Oona, Peter and Eunan McCarron, Oliver, Donagh, Moya, Declan, Georgie and Ronan O'Brien.

William O'Brien (1854-1934) was the son of Denis [1] O'Brien and Ellen Lee as the following entry in the parish records of Mitchelstown testifies:

6 September 1854 (National Library of Ireland)

Denis O'Brien was born about 1813, and died on 25 March 1895 in Kiltankin, Co. Tipperary. He was 82. Ellen Lee O'Brien was born in 1822, and died at Kiltankin on the 25th of April 1902 at the age of 80. She is described as 'of Corracuna'. Denis and Ellen are both buried at Marshalstown Cemetery. Her epitaph reads:

ERECTED

BY HER CHILDREN

IN FONDLY CHIRISHED MEMORY

OF

ELLEN O'BRIEN OF CORRACUNA

WHO DIED APRIL 25TH 1902

AGED 80 YEARS.

ON WHOSE SOULS SWEET JESUS HAVE MERCY

AND OF HER SONS

VERY REV.DAVID O'BRIEN V.F. CANON OF CLIFTON

WHO DIED JULY 4TH 1910.

JOHN O'BRIEN WHO DIED MARCH 28TH 1912.

MAY THEY REST IN PEACE

HIS WIFE CATHERINE DIED 13 FEB. 1986.[10]

AGED 100 YEARS.

A photograph of Denis' grave can be seen here and here.

According to the birth record of  their son, Thomas, Denis was a farmer in Curraghgorm Townland. Immediately contiguous with this townland, to the west, is  Baunnanooneeny Townland. It is in the Baunnanooneeny Townland that Denis O'Brien leased a house and over 11 acres (4.5 hectares) of farmland from the Earl of Kingston. 

According to Griffith's Valuation (the survey of Cork County was completed on 20 July 1853), Denis  held the leasehold on parcel 10A and Michael O'Brien held 10B. Michael is likely to have been a brother of Denis. 

Map of Griffith's Valuations 1853
Aerial View

The known children of Denis O'Brien and Ellen Lee are:

• William 
• Thomas, who was a witness to William's marriage, was born on 11 September 1864 in the village of Curraghgorm, near Mitchelstown, County Cork. He was a surgeon. Thomas died on the 14th of 1933 at the age of 69 of prostate cancer while at St. Anne's Hydro in Blarney. His wife, Mary Kate, died the 19th of May 1934 in Mitchelstown. Both are buried in the Marshalstown Cemetery.

His family appears in the 1901 census for Ireland: See also 1911 census

Thomas married Mary Kate Germaine on the 14th of October 1891 at the Church of St Francis Xavier in Gardiner Street, Dublin.  At the time of her marriage, she was living in Graney, County Kildare. Mary was the daughter of John Germaine and Mary Foley, and was born on 5th of April 1870 at Grangecon, County Wicklow. John Germaine was a farmer, born in County Wicklow about 1834. 

Their son, Thomas Kevin, was killed-in-action on the Western Front during the First World War on 30 May 1916. He was a Captain in the 6th Battalion Connaught Rangers. He is buried in the Noeux-les-Mines Communal Cemetery (Pas de Calais), Grave I. L. 7. His epitaph reads: "Son of Dr. Thomas O'Brien, of Ard-na-Greene, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork." This refers to Ard na Gréine, the family home. Thomas Kevin was educated at St. Colman’s College, Fermoy, Co. Cork. He attended Bristol University in 1909, and transferred to University College Cork, where he studied medicine, and was a resident of St. Anthony’s Hall (UCC) from 1910-12. 

Aileen 'Muire' was born on 16 September 1892. She married Benedict Arthure on 7 July 1920. They are the parents of the late Father Robert Arhure.

Thomas Kevin was born on 15 December 1893.

Donagh Patrick was born on 14 May 1895.

Kathleen Geraldine Irene was born on 3 June 1899.

All were born at home.

Photo credit: Bill Power (Facebook)

• David (The Very Reverend). Catholic priest, vicar forane, Father Provincial and Canon of Clifton (Bristol). He was born during 1862 in Mitchelstown, and died in Bristol on the 4th of July 1910. His body was transported back to Ireland, where it was buried at Marshalstown Cemetery with his family. 

On the 18th of May 1853, he was elected a member of the Kilkenny Archaeological Society, giving his address as Chapel House, Clarendon Street, Dublin. This was obviously connected to St. Theresa's Church, confirmed by the fact that David belonged to the order of Discalced Carmelites (see Thoms Irish Almanac 1852). He was also a council member of the Celtic Society (1853).

1910 Deaths Limerick Leader

The 1901 Census for England and Wales shows that David O'Brien and William Lee were sharing a house on York Road in the Bedminster area of Bristol, from which they serviced the local Roman Catholic Church of Holy Cross on Victoria Street. David at 39 was the priest, and William at 26 was the assistant priest. The two priests, of course, were related through David's mother, Ellen Lee. It is assumed that William's father, Richard of Curraghgorm, was the brother of Ellen.[9] William Lee eventually became Bishop of Clifton.

Holy Cross (now demolished)

Official Directory Bristol 1904-05

David officiated at the marriage of his brother, William, to Mary Barry. Their brother, Thomas, witnessed the union. David also officiated at the marriage of his brother Thomas, which was witnessed by Patrick O'Brien. The beneficiary of David's will was Patrick O'Brien, his brother. 

• John O'Brien married Catherine Hyland on 9 March 1886. She was the daughter of Martin Hyland, a farmer of Curraghmore. They were married in the presence of Denis O'Brien and Alice Lee at the Chapel of Ballygiblin. John was a farmer. He died at Kiltankin (like his parents) on 28 March 1912. His daughter, Ellie (Ellen), was in attendance. John was 60 when he died, which suggests a birth year of 1852. According to the 1901 census, his wife, Catherine, was born about 1856. [10]  They are both buried at Marshalstown Cemetery. See also here.

1901 Census for Ireland
See also 1911 census

The John O'Brien mentioned in Thomas O'Brien's (1864-1933) birth record [7] is not be confused with the above mentioned John. He is likely to have been Denis O'Brien's brother.

Ellen Lee O'Brien, a widow since 1895, is found living under her son's roof in 1901.

Denis was born 6 March 1891 in Kiltankin (named after his grandfather).

Ellen was born 18 June 1894 in Kiltankin (named after her grandmother).

Julia was born 16 July 1897 in Kiltankin.

Catherine was born 2 October 1900 in Kiltankin (named after her mother).

• Patrick was born about 1857, no doubt in Curraghgorm, Co. Cork.  He appears in the 1901 census for Ireland living with his brother, William. Patrick's wife, 'Brigid' is also present. She was born around 1859. Their marriage record shows that Patrick  married Bridget Morrissey of Clogheen, Co. Tipperary, the daughter of Thomas Morrissey. They were married on 9 August 1892 at St. Francis Xavier's Church in North Dublin. .Patrick is described in the census as a drapery merchant.  He was a witness at Thomas' wedding.  

Some Observations

Ellen Lee was born about 1822. If she married at age 23, her wedding would have taken place during 1845. Her known children are John (born 1852); William (born 1854); Patrick (born 1857); David (born 1862) and Thomas (born 1864). We can assume that other children were born prior to John and in the years between William and David.  There is an entry in the Tithe Applotment Books for 1831, showing a Patrick O'Brien farming over 12 acres in Curraghgorm. It is likely that he was a family member, perhaps a brother of Denis, and William's brother, Patrick, may have been named after him.

[1] Donogh frequently appears as Donagh and Donough. It was commonly anglicized as Denis.

[2] According to the 1901 census, William's middle name is Barney. This seems unlikely. His marriage record looks like Bernard. 

[3] Hooper was the husband of Aileen Maura O'Brien. He was a medical doctor.

[4] In the birth record of Kathleen (1893), it is described as 'Kincora Cottage, Drumcondra'.

[5] Edward Joseph Morrissey's probate card: He died 28 March 1919

[6] Walter Barry was the son of John Barry of Mitchelstown, Co. Cork. At some time, John moved to Clogheen, Co. Tipperary. John died on 20 March 1859. Walter was a grocery and drapers merchant in Clogheen. Walter died on 21 March 1897 at the age of 83. His grandson, John Barry, was present at his death.

[7] Mitchelstown | Microfilm 04993/01 Diocese of Cloyne | County of Cork. Baptisms

06 July 1845 to 07 May 1881: Thomas O'Brien.

[9] Richard (born about 1836) according to 1901 census. Most probable burial. Preferred birth year of 1832 according to death registration.

[10] I believe 1986 is either a misreading or a transcription error for 1956. The 1901 census for Ireland suggests Catherine was born in 1856, therefore, she would have been 100 in 1956. An 1856 birth year would be close to her husband's 1852 birth year. Had she died been born in 1886, Catherine would have been 34 years younger than her husband.