I'm really hoping someone can help me to find or prove a link with the above families. They were mainly from the Arran Quays, Stoney Batter, Cabra area. I'm actually trying to trace back my family from my great grandfather John Connolly (a cattle drover and then dealer who took cows from Dublin to Liverpool, York and beyond) but we have so little information, it may be a side branch of our family may provide the clues.
My great Grandfather was John Connolly born in Dublin approx 1892/1893. His father was called Peter. We believe John to have been one of ten children but the other 9 all died either at birth of very shortly after. If this is true it is probable that his mother was Anne Murphy. If this is so, it may be that her father was Michael Murphy. I have no proof of this and do not know how I could verify this.
We have two photographs of John Connollys mother at different ages, both with her holding a certificate. We have always been told that she became a midwife and was one of the first to qualify. The story said that she smoked a pipe and rode around Dublin on a bicyclye. We were told that she was well known locally and well respected - that men would stop and dip their caps to her. This is confusing as I believe I found her on the 1911 census listed as a charwoman and in 1901 as a dealer.
John married in Yorkshire (Rotherham 1920 aged 37) and lived in Osbaldwick, York with his young wife Annie, where he later died aged 48.
His daughter Grace spoke about her Irish Cousins Rose(anna) Wade (nee Sheridan b.1920 Dublin) and Margaret (McAffee) - in a family photograph they look like sisters and were possibly the daughters of Joseph and Catherine (nee Allen) Sheridan. However John Connolly's son thought that Margaret may have been an "aquired" cousin. I'm not sure what he meant by that.
My grandmother Grace also corresponded with a John Allen who lived with Rose when he became elderly (and before she married). He signed his letters "Uncle John" though he could not have been a true unlce. I do know that John Allen had a son Jack who moved to London (I believe it was Islington) married a Rosetta Scott and had three daughters.
Does any of this have any link to anyone here whom might be able to clarify any of these points, or even help me trace John, Peter & Anne further back? This has been a family brick wall for decades!
Rabsi
Saturday 5th Oct 2019, 03:57PMMessage Board Replies
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What occupation is given for John's father on his marriage cert ?
Could the witnesses to the marriage provide any clues - i.e. any Connollys or other familiar surnames ?do you know the names or approximate dates of birth for any siblings to John ?
Could you post the links to the census returns you found for John and other Connolly family in 1901 and 1911...
EDIT : is this your Connelly family in 1911 at Clark's cottages ?
Anne married 31 years, 10 children, 1 alive as of 1911, son John cattle-drover born c1882 ?I located a likely marriage for this couple at St. Paul's RC (Arran Quay) - Peter Connolly & Anne Murphy on the 31st October 1880, Peter's occupation is shown as labourer and his resdence as Grangegorman, bride's residence is 82 Prussia Street. Witnesses are James Duffy and Rosanne Manning. The children could have been baptised at St. Paul's but the NLI films only cover up to the early 1880s.
Records for St. Paul's RC are not included on the IrishGenealogy wbsite but I've located the baptism of just one child to this couple - a Mary Anne Connolly baptised St. Michan's (RC) 18th November 1885, family residence a that time is 6 North Kings Street, RootsIreland (pay-website) has transcripts of St. Pauls' and shows several other children - James Joseph 1882, Catherine 1884, Christopher 1887 and Peter jnr. in 1889. A search for corresponding civil births should show father's occupation...
Shane Wilson, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Saturday 5th Oct 2019, 07:06PM -
Attached FilesJohn Connolly Marriage certifica.PDF (125.54 KB)
Hi, sorry for delay in replying. (I replied over a week ago but must have not pressed tje post button!!).
John's father Peter is listed as a fitter on John and Annies marriage certificate (copy uploaded). The witnesses, Mary Williamson (nee Goodrick) and Alfred Williamson were Annie's sister and brother in law, whose home they were staying (or living) in.
Presuming that Peter's wife was Anne Murphy (and I have no concrete evidence that this is right) I have now found:-
24/07/1881 Connolly born at Rotunda Hospital. Parents living at 71 ? Street
27/10/1882 Connolly born at Rotunda Hospital. Parents living at 21?
03/04/1884 Connolly born at Rotunda Hospital. Parents living at 33 Soney Batter
02/11/1885 Mary Anne Connolly baptised St. Michan RC born at Rotunda Hospital. Parents living at 6 North King Street
13/12/1887 Connolly born at Rotunda Hospital. Parents living at 43 North Brunswick Street
25/07/1889 Connolly born at Rotunda Hospital. Parents living at 113 N ?
17/07/1893 Connolly born at Rotunda Hospital. Parents living at 105 Grangegorman
Peter is described as a labourer for every birth - is it possible he would later become a fitter?
If my family is Peter Connolly and Anne (nee Murphy) then the Clarks Cottages 1911 census would appear to be correct, especially as her son John is listed as a cattle drover. However, I'm confused by her being described as a charwoman if she was supposed to be a midwife. She is only 50 and I can't imagine that she wouldn't still be a midwife. She also appears to be still married and not widowed - in which case, where is Peter? She also cannot read - would a midwife holding a scroll not be able to read?
I found an Anne Connolly in the 1901 census living on Bow Street, Arran Quay. She's listed as 40 years old, a widow living with her sister Jane Duffy (nee Murphy - also a widow). Anne cannot read or write and is listed as a dealer. Again, I find this confusing if she was a midwife. I also can't work out if these are the same Anne Connolly (maybe in 1911 she should have been listed as a widow). I've also not located John in 1901. However, this could fit in with the marriage certificate you found where one of the witnesses was James Duffy. The other Roseanne Manning does not currently fit with anything I know, other than the name Rose and Roseanne in the letters that were written to my grandmother from "uncle" John Allen.
I'm really struggling to work out the truth because so often, there is somethig that just doesn't seem quite right. I have thought that if I could trace backwards from Rose Sheridan and/or Margaret McAffee, I might be able to find the link between the Irish "cousins" that visited my grandmother and her Irish grandparents - but I've not been able to succeed with that either!
Any help is very much appreciated - Thank you
Rabsi
Saturday 12th Oct 2019, 11:57AM