Sarah Ethel Menagh : Short Biography

Ethel was born on Hill Terrace, Bandon in 1881 to a Church of Ireland family.  She was one of 9 children, 8 of whom lived to adulthood.  Her father Thomas was born in Moy, County Tyrone in 1845 and her mother Maria Hardy was born in Carnearney, County Antrim in 1850.  Thomas and Maria were married in Belfast in 1873 and lived there until about 1880.  Thomas was an accountant at a distillery (possibly Allman's), and his work took him to Bandon, where he removed the family.

In the early 1900's, Ethel moved to Manitoba, Canada, to take over as governess at an estate.  Family lore says her employer was making unwanted advances and was threatening to send her back to Ireland in disgrace if she resisted.  Around this time, she met Edmond Drury, an Irish Catholic real estate agent in Winnipeg.  They were married in 1906 in a civil ceremony and lived at 35 Osborne Place in Winnipeg.  She had turned her bad experience into a good one and convinced her family to come to Canada.  Over the next 6-7 years, her 7 siblings came and settled in Winnipeg.  Sadly, her mother died of cancer in Cork in 1910, but her widowed father came to Winnipeg shortly afterward.

Ethel grew tired of Canada and its long harsh winters, however, and by 1921 moved her family to Los Angeles, California. Again, she pushed her family to follow her.  A sister and brother and their families followed her, but most chose to stay in Winnipeg or moved to British Columbia.  She took classes at a new school called UCLA and became a music teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She and Edmond had 4 sons, 3 of whom lived to adulthood.  The boys were raised in the Episcopal faith.  All 3 sons attended UCLA and became English teachers - 2 in Los Angeles and 1 in Santa Barbara. Ethel lived close to the school and loved going to the football games.  She also loved swimming at the beach.

Her husband Edmond died in 1950.  She died in Santa Monica in 1965 and is buried next to her husband at Inglewood Park Cemetery.