Dr George Valentine Byrne

Edwina:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

Can you give us more info on Dr. Byrne? I don't see him in the 1901 or 1911 censuses in Co. Offaly.

Roger McDonnell

Thank you for you reply.  I now think he was based in Aughrim, Co. Wicklow.

Edwina:

I searched the two censuses and did not find George Byrne in Aughrim Co. Wicklow. There were many Byrnes but no George.

Roger

Dear Edwina: 

I will pass this query to someone who has some knowledge of Wicklow and who may be able to offer further guidance. 

Kind regards, 

Jane

finally located some details on your George, and why he doesn't appear on the census....

focusing on the Aughrim, Co. Wicklow clue - Aughrim was the base of a dispensary District and Part of the Rathdrum Poor Law Union (or Superintendent Registrar's District), so would be where the registrar and doctor for the district was based - usually the same person. In the 1884 listing for County Wicklow the Aughrim sub-district registrar is shown as Joseph Levingston, Reg. B.D. & M. and the doctor as George V. Byrne, L.R.C.S.I., L.K.Q.C.P.I.. The list of Registered, Medical Practitioners In Ireland in the same directory shows him posted at the Whitworth Hospital in Dublin, he is shown as L.R.C.S.I. = "Licentiate Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland", and L.K.Q.C.P.I. = "Licentiate King's & Queen's College of Physicians Ireland" and he's also marked as 'Licentiate In Midwifery'.

In the 1880 listing the Doctor at Aughrim is shown as a James P . Byrne, and there's no sign of George in the Medical Directory.

Between 1884 and the late 1880s George is shown as Doctor along with a seperate registrar, and from about 1890 he appears as doctor/registrar and continues in that post up to the 1899 listing. There's no sign of him in either the Medical Directory or at Aughrim in later listings.

A search of the CIvil records shows his death as George V. Byrne, 29th October 1898, died Aughrim, Co. Wicklow reported age 42, married, occupation medical doctor. The informant appears to be his mother Anne Byrne with a residence in Aughrim.

I had a look for a possible marriage for George in the Rathdrum area, but no matches that I could see of a George Byrne doctor marrying during the likely timeframe, maybe he married in Dublin ?

Thanks a million for the information.  He used to carry out his visits in a pony and trap in all weathers, and eventually, he became very ill with some form of chest trouble so I was told.  I was further informed that he was a very good Doctor and did not charge those people who had little or no resources.  In addition, he fought tirelessly for a water treatment works for the area in which he practised, as there were many waterborn diseases prevailant in those days.   I believe he also practiced in Dublin.  He was married to Brigitte (not sure of the spelling) and had two sons, Edward and Valentine John Patrick (my Grandfather).  I think his obituary was in the paper (not sure which) and he is buried somewhere in Glasneven Cemetery, Dublin.  When he died, his coffin was taken by train to Dublin for burial and as it passed through all the little stations, people stood and raised their hats to the train as a mark of respect.  He could well have married in Dublin, and indeed, his wife (Brigitte my Great Grandmother) went into a care home run by a Holy Order of Nuns in Dublin following is death. My mother was taken to see her every week  by my Grandfather Valentine.  I am wondering now if James Byrne was my Great, Great Grandfather, he could well have been I suppose.  I am most grateful for the information that you have researched and if by chance you should come across anything else, I would be delighted to hear.

Kindest regards,

Edwina Collins  (Great Grandaughter of Dr.George V Byrne).

The Glasnevin Cemetery Burial registers can be searched online - see Glasnevin Genealogy , and there's a probable match on the basic search for George Byrne died 1898 reported age 43 address Wicklow. You need a few credits to view the full details, which should show you the burual register details, including the location references which you can use to locate the exact position of the plot (similar to map coordinates). The record may also give you details of others buried in the same plot etc.

I located the birth of son Valentine Byrne in 1896, which shows his mother as Bridget M. Cox, and based on this tried another search for the marriage ... and found it in St. Paul's Catholic Church Arran Quay in Dublin city on the 18th January 1881. On the civil marriage record George Valentine Byrne is shown as a Medical Doctor with his residence as the Whitworth Hospital (as per that directory entry), his father is Michael Byrne, Rate Collector. The bride is Bridget Mary Cox, residence at 15 Manor Street (Dublin City), father Tho.[?] Cox, a merchant. It's the first marriage for both and they are both 21 or over, the witnesses to the marriage are John Tighe Byrne and Julia Byrne.

The Church record of the marriage includes a few additional details - parents of the Groom are shown as Michael (Byrne) and Anne Tighe with their residence also at Whitworth Hospital (Dublin), and the bride's parents as Thomas (Cox) and Mary Murray[?], no residence recorded for them. See the first entry on this register page of the Catholic records for St. Paul's RC Dublin.

p.s. I had a look at the death record for George - cause of death is not very clear, but part of it includes a mention of "....Pneumonia 1 year, Certified".

Hi Edwina,

I'm glad you've gathered so much information from other respondents.

I had gathered some of the same information and a few extra pieces that might be useful, including a notice of his marriage in the papers, a photo of the family home and reports of a family reunion in 1990, with contact details of his grandaughter, Mrs O'Connor. I'd also found a website with a family tree, http://www.timms.ca/drt/ghtout/gp1005.htm#head4 - you may already be aware of it.

If any of the newspaper reports are of interest to you, just let me know and I'll post them here.  The Bray People/Wicklow People may have a better original photo of the family home in Bray than is available in the scanned copy.

Best wishes

Tara

Dear Tara & Edwina: 

I'm delighted to see that you have contacted one another, and I was wondering if you wouldn't mind creating an Ancestor Profile for Dr. George Valentine Byrne -- if you have not already done so.  You can do so through this link:  https://www.irelandxo.com/ireland-xo/history-and-genealogy  He would make a wonderful profile and I'm sure that many of our readers and members would be interested to hear about him. 

Please let me know if you have any difficulties with creating one.  The very best of luck with your research. 

Kind regards, 

Jane

This is wonderful news for me as the only information I have managed to gather is from other family members.  Mrs O'Connor mentioned is my Aunt and she is now 91 years of age.  I am finding all the information contained on the message board fascinating.  My Grandfather (Valentine John Patrick) worked in offices in Merrion Square, Dublin and his brother Edward Byrne was considerably older, born sometime in the mid 1880's.  Edward too was studying medicine but I am not sure if he finished his degree.  He was in the British Army and was in the war with the Boers and then the first world war.  He ended up in the USA where he did a variety of jobs before joining the French Escadrilles in WW2.  I believe he ended his days in LA where he was the deputy head Probation Officer having gone to California University and there he developed a sept in Psychiatry.

You have definately found the right family line and I cannot thank you all enough for your efforts on my behalf.  I am proud of my Irish Heritage (and there are a few skeletons in the cupboard!)  I would love to receive any photographs or papers on my ancestors and may even obtain an Irish Passport which I believe I can apply for because of my ancestry.

Yours very sincerely,

Edwina Collins.

Dear Edwina,

I stumbled upon a book you might be interested in. It looks like a book which belonged to George Byrne with his signature and hospital name. You can see his initials on the front cover.

Check ebay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/294171395938?hash=item447dfb4762:g:qw4AAOSwt…

Regards,

Piotr