Tag Archives: Carroll

A close family in life, and in death ~ Tombstone Tuesday

Posted on Jan 29, 2013 by Maggie| Leave a comment

When I received a transcript of Mary Jane’s burial details from Lewisham Council, I wasn’t surprised to see she shared a grave plot. But I was surprised to find out that she was sharing it with five other people! (My previous post describes my search for the grave at Brockley Cemetery.)

It’s been a fascinating exercise to see who all these people were.

The plot was originally purchased by “Mr Rio G M Stapley” of 131 High Street, Deptford, on 12th June 1896 for £3, and the memorial on the grave is described as “Flat stone & Curb set on Landing (Full Memorial)”.

I can find no “Rio Stapley” in the censuses, but living at 131 High Street, Deptford, in both 1891 and 1901 is Michael P. Fannen, an Irish-born Roman Catholic priest, along with two other priests and a couple of housekeeping staff. Should “Rio” be “Rev”? It looks like the grave was donated or paid for by the local church, or perhaps a kind parishioner.

Person no. 1
On the 15th of June 1896, 17 year old Edmund Carroll was buried there. From checking the censuses, it appears he was the second son of John and Honorah Carroll, born in Deptford, Kent. His birth was registered in the September quarter of 1878 in Greenwich. (John Carroll was my great great grandmother’s third husband.)

Person no. 2
Honorah Carroll was buried in the same plot on 10th of February 1900, and was 55 years old. The censuses show her to be John Carroll’s wife, and give her birthplace as Co. Kerry, Ireland.

In 1901, John Carroll married Mary Jane Wright (previously Freeth, formerly Clarke), my great great grandmother.

John and Mary Jane Carroll, November 1917

John and Mary Jane Carroll, November 1917

Person no. 3
The third person interred was 41 year old John Carroll, eldest son of John and Honorah, buried on 8th February 1918. He was also born in Deptford, and his occupation in the 1891 census was pupil teacher.

On the 18th of February in 1918, the ownership of the grave transferred to Mr John Carroll of 180 Evelyn Street, Deptford.

Person no. 4
Johanna Colligan (transcribed as “Colhgan” in the burial register copy) is listed as the fourth internment on 16th of March 1918. She was 44 years of age, and John and Honorah’s eldest child. She married Richard Colligan in 1901, and they appear to have had three children: Honora in 1902, Michael in 1905, and Margaret Mary in 1910.

By March 1918, John Carroll had lost his wife and three of their four children.

Person no. 5
John himself joined them on 26th of January 1923, aged 76 years.

Person no. 6
The last person to be interred there was Mary Jane at 76 years of age, on 17th of February 1932.

On 4th of March 1932, the ownership transferred to Mary Freeth (no address given), Mary Jane’s eldest daughter.

Tombstone Tuesday is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

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Mary Jane’s grave ~ (Not so) Wordless Wednesday

Posted on Jan 23, 2013 by Maggie| 2 Comments

Last week I posted a couple of photos of Brockley Cemetery in Lewisham. This is where my great great grandmother, Mary Jane (Clarke) Freeth/Wright/Carroll, was buried in 1932.  I’d found her entry in the Greenwich Union death register and discovered she had been buried “by friends” in Brockley Cemetery1.  In May 2012 I contacted Lewisham Council and a lovely staff member there sent me Mary Jane’s burial details, as well as a map marked with the location of her grave. Eureka!

My mother was visiting from New Zealand at the time, and together we set off to find Mary Jane’s grave. This is what we were confronted with in the Roman Catholic section of the cemetery:

Brockley Cemetery, Lewisham, London - June 2012

Brockley Cemetery, Lewisham, London – June 2012

You can see how overgrown the area was – it was almost impossible to read any of the gravestones, even where the inscriptions were still legible.  After an hour, we gave up the search.

My next step is to contact the Friends of Brockley & Ladywell Cemeteries, in the hope that they may be able to pinpoint the grave location more accurately. And to buy some heavy-duty gardening tools.

Wordless Wednesday is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

  1. Board of Guardians, Workhouse Woolwich Road (Greenwich Union, London, England), “Register of Deaths”, Mary Carroll death, 12 Feb 1932; digital images; Ancestry.com, London, England, Deaths & Burials 1813-1980 (http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 23 Jun 2011).

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Deserted, pardoned, enlisted ~ Military Monday

Posted on Aug 1, 2011 by Maggie| Leave a comment

Following up from yesterday’s post,  where I was wondering how and when Alex Wright (my great grandfather) came out to New Zealand, I do know that he arrived before the outbreak of World War I, because he enlisted in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) on 23 August 1914 at Awapuni.1

War had been declared just 19 days earlier, and the army had set up a training camp on the grounds of the Awapuni Racecourse, Palmerston North.

AWAPUNI CAMP

PALMERSTON N. Aug 25

The military camp at Awapunu is the largest in New Zealand, and it is understood it will be continued for some time.  General Godley expressed himself yesterday as highly delighted with the arrangements and suitability of the site for military training.

The Manawatu Racing Club has been warmly thanked for placing their grounds at the disposal of the military authorities.  Fresh troops are expected to arrive shortly for training purposes.

The parade state to-day showed the following men in camp at Awapuni: Infantry, 31 officers and 1165 men; mounted rifles, 21 and 640; artillery, 4 and 203, ammunition column, 5 and 230; field troop engineers, 3 and 80; divisional signal company, 4 and 116; mounted signal troop, 1 and 26; field ambulance, 2 and 43, army service corps, 1 and 86; reservists, 71; total 75 and 2662.2

At the time of enlistment, Alex was single,  working as a labourer with the Public Works Department in Gisborne, and living at 53 Bright Street.  In his attestation, he declared that he was a deserter from the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers.  He gave his mother, Mary Jane Carroll, of 180 Evelyn Street, Deptford, England, as his next-of-kin.

His medical examination describes him being 5 foot 9 inches tall, weighing 11 – 4lb and having a dark complexion, brown eyes, and dark brown hair.  His religious profession was Roman Catholic.  Distinctive marks:  Tattoo, Clasped hands Left, Clasped hands Right, H. Cavender on Right arm.  He was assessed fit and he joined the Wellington Infantry Battalion as a Private with the regimental number of 10/800.

A couple of unidentified newspaper clippings that the family had kept were an interesting find:

"Pardon For Deserters", from unidentified publication, Aug 1914

"Pardon For Deserters", from unidentified publication, Aug 1914

PARDON FOR DESERTERS

WELLINGTON, this day.

The Defence Department has requested the Press Association to distribute the following cable: “London, Aug. 7.   Give the widest publicity to the following army orders:  War Office, August 7th, 1914.  Pardon for deserters.  The King has been graciously pleased to sanction pardon being granted to soldiers who were in a state of desertion.3

Clipping from unidentified publication, 1914

Clipping from unidentified publication, 1914

As showing the fighting spirit of the true Britisher, it may be mentioned that two reservists, who were deserters from their regiments, have offered their services to proceed to the front.3

Military Monday is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

  1. Archives NZ, “WRIGHT, Alexander – WW1 10/800 – Army”; digital image, Archway (http://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=22022458 : accessed 26 Nov 2010)
  2. “AWAPUNI CAMP”, Hawera & Normanby Star, 25 August 1914, page 7; digital image, National Library of New Zealand, Papers Past (http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/ : accessed 01 Aug 2011).
  3. “PARDON FOR DESERTERS” and Untitled clipping, clippings from unidentified publications, dated August 1914; photocopy, original held by [NAME AND ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], grandson of Alexander Wright.

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This is the Face of Genealogy

Posted on Jun 5, 2011 by Maggie| 6 Comments
Mary Jane Carroll (previously Wright, previously Freeth, formerly Clarke)

Mary Jane Carroll (previously Wright, previously Freeth, formerly Clarke)

This is my great great grandmother.  If it hadn’t been for genealogy, I would never have known about this wonderful woman, and my life would be all the poorer for that.

This post is in response to a recent article published by LAWeekly.

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Where o where?

Posted on Apr 16, 2011 by Maggie| 8 Comments

Where did my lovely Mary Jane come from?

I can’t seem to find her on any census until she turns up in 1891 in Deptford, Kent, when she’s married to my great great grandfather, Ephraim Wright. Her birthplace is given as “Ireland – Monaghan”.1

In the 1901 census, now a widow and living with two of her sons, her birthplace is listed as “Fermanagh, Ireland”.2 Hmmm… these counties are right next to each other, though Fermanagh is (now) in Northern Ireland and part of the United Kingdom, and Monaghan is in the Republic of Ireland.

According to the newspaper clipping I have, she was “born of Irish parents in Belfast”.3 That’s a wee way away from either Fermanagh or Monaghan! Perhaps there was some creative licence used by the article’s author…?

And my cousin Lalli says “she was born and raised in Armagh”.4 So, that’s another county! I’d like to trust Lalli’s information because she knew Mary Jane personally, but it doesn’t seem to tie in with anything else. I guess Mary Jane could have been born in one place, and then raised in Armagh?

I had been trying to find her in the 1911 census under her married name of Carroll, but not having a subscription to Find My Past meant it would be an expensive credit-chewing exercise checking all the Carrolls in the area. Last night I decided to bite the bullet and sign up – and I found her!

At 37 Prince Street, Deptford, on census night in 19115 were:

  • John Carroll – Head – 62 – General Labourer
  • Mary Carroll – wife – 55 – Household work
  • Joseph Wright – son – 24 – Telegraph Clerk
  • George Archer – Boarder – 27 – Foundry Labourer
  • Hilda Cavender – Boarder – 17 -  Tea Factory
  • Bridget Carroll – Visitor – 30 – Nurse St Pancras Infirmary
  • Cecelia Stokes – Visitor – 26 – Nurse Children’s Infirmary

(I wonder if Bridget is perhaps a niece of John’s?)

Anyway, back to the task at hand.  Mary Jane’s birthplace in the 1911 census is…. “Roslea Monaghan Ireland”.  At last a townland!!  Doing a search using Google maps I found a Roslea/Rosslea in Fermanagh, just near the border of Monaghan, so that makes a lot of sense.  I guess the next step is to find out the actual parish, and then go about hunting down a birth or baptism record.

View Roslea, Co Fermanagh in a larger map

I’d love to know where Mary Jane was brought up, where she lived until she turns up in Deptford in the 1891 census.   On her second husband’s (Ephraim Wright, my great great grandfather) death certificate, the informant was Joseph Sullivan “brother-in-law”.6 Now, I’ve only ever found a brother for Ephraim, so I wasn’t sure it would have been a sister’s husband.  I figured it was more likely that it was a husband of a sister of Mary Jane’s.  But, you never know, it could have meant a lot of things back then!  So, I searched around and came across a marriage record for a Joseph Sullivan and an Annie Clarke.7 Bingo!  (Well, not gold-plated proof, but I’m an optimist at heart.)  And then last week I listened to my taped interview with my cousin Lalli (after 20 years) and she talked about a Great Aunt Annie, sister of her grandmother Mary Jane, who married an “Irishman”, Joseph.  So, what’s the point of all this rambling?  In the 1901 census, Annie is living with her husband Joseph (Blacksmith, born Sheerness, Kent)  and nephew Joseph Wright (so I know I have the right family), and her birthplace is “Scotland”. 8 Looking back at the 1891 census, I found Annie living with husband Joseph (Smith [and?] Farrier, born Sheerness, Kent), and her birthplace is listed as “Scotland. Edinburgh”.9

So Mary Jane is born around 1856 in Roslea, and by around 1859 the Clark(e)s are in Edinburgh for Annie’s birth.  Somehow Mary Jane is back in Ireland (Co Meath) for her daughter Mary’s birth1, and then in Aldershot for son Percy’s birth10.  Sometimes I wish my ancestors would just STAY PUT in one village for a few centuries.  I guess travel is in the genes.

Now, if I can just pin down Annie’s birth in Scotland, I may find Mary Jane’s mother’s name. O Scottish records, how I do love thee!

  1. “1891 England Census, Ephraim Wright (age 30) household, St Paul Deptford, London,” Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.co.uk/, accessed 01 Oct 2010), citing PRO RG12/494, folio 67, p 63, GSU roll: 6095604, Greenwich registration district, St Paul Deptford sub-registration district, ED 2, household 323, 05 Apr 1891.
  2. “1901 England Census, Mary Clark Wright (age 45) household, St Nicholas Deptford, London,” Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.co.uk/, accessed 2010), citing PRO RG13/526, folio 118, p 60, Greenwich registration district, North Deptford sub-registration district, ED 18, household 300, 31 Mar 1901.
  3. “An Imperial Service Family”, undated clipping from unidentified newspaper; digital image, scanned May 2009 from original held by [NAME AND ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE]; inherited from Audrey Dearness, Gisborne, NZ.
  4. Alice (Lalli) Coppinger (Lomita, California), interviewed Dec 1991; audiotape privately held by author. Coppinger, now deceased, was granddaughter of Mary Jane.
  5. “1911 England Census, John Carroll (age 62) household, St Nicholas Deptford, London,” findmypast, (http://www.findmypast.co.uk/, accessed 14 Apr 1911), citing PRO RG14/2640, Greenwich registration district,  Deptford East sub-registration district, ED 17, household 300, 02 Apr 1911.
  6. England, death certificate for Ephraim Wright; 26 Nov 1894, Greenwich; citing Dec 1894 [quarter] 01d [vol] 552 [page], General Register Office, Stockport.
  7. “England & Wales, FreeBMD Index: 1837-1983,” database, FreeBMD (http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl : accessed 2010), marriage entry for Joseph Patrick Sullivan and Annie Clarke; citing Sep 1883 [quarter] Greenwich 1d [vol] 1487 [page].
  8. “1901 England Census, Joseph Sullivan (age 39) household, Bermondsey, London,” Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.co.uk/, accessed 2010), citing PRO RG13/395  folio 105, p 2, St Olave Southwark registration district, Bermondsey sub-registration district, ED 52, household 12, 31 Mar 1901.
  9. “1891 England Census, Joseph Sullivan (age 29) household, Camberwell, London,” Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.co.uk/, accessed 2011), citing PRO RG12/492, folio 62, p 48, Camberwell registration district, St George sub-registration district, ED 26b, household 678, GSU roll: 6095602, 05 Apr 1891.
  10. England, birth certificate for Percy Freeth; 31 Aug 1878, Farnham; citing Sep 1878 [quarter] 2a [vol] 111 [page], General Register Office, Stockport.

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My Mary Jane

Posted on Apr 14, 2011 by Maggie| Leave a comment

Of all the ancestors I have discovered in my research so far, Mary Jane Carroll (previously Wright, previously Freeth, formerly Clark) is the one whom I’d most like to meet.  She comes across as an incredibly strong and loving mother, full of life and spirit.

In a recent post I showed a newspaper clipping with her and her children around her.  Apart from her eldest daughter Mary1, they were all born in England, but Mary Jane’s strong Irish roots apparently ensured a very Irish household.

So where in Ireland is she from?  Good question!  And one which has many answers…

First off, a brief run down of what I know about her life.  She was born in Ireland, the daughter of John Clark2.  At some point she married James Freeth and had at least two children with him – Mary (known as Mollie) born in Meath, Ireland around 1877, and Percy born in “South Camp, Aldershot, Hants” on August 31st, 1878.3 In the newspaper clipping I have it says “she had for her first husband Colour Sergt…” – this I am assuming is James Freeth, and it sounds likely he was in the military. (I have not found a service record for him yet.)

Mary Jane and Ephraim Wright (probably wedding photo, 1882)

Mary Jane and Ephraim Wright (probably wedding photo, 1882)

Something happened to James, because on March 13th 1882, Mary Jane Freeth, widow,  married Ephraim Wright, bachelor.2 They go on to have five children1:

  • Lavinia born around 1883 in Deptford, Kent
  • James Arthur born around 1885 in Deptford, Kent
  • Joseph William born around 1887 in Rotherhithe, Surrey
  • Ephraim George born around 1889 in Deptford, Kent
  • Alexander (my great grandfather) born June 27th 1891 in Deptford, now London5

On November 26th 1894, Ephraim (senior) died of “Enteric Fever”, otherwise known as typhoid.6 He was thirty three years old and left his widow Mary Jane destitute.  According to my (first, twice removed) cousin Lalli7, the local Catholic priests helped place Lavinia into a girls school, and two of the boys – James and (Ephraim) George – into St Joseph’s Orphanage in Orpington.  Joseph was brought up by Mary Jane’s sister Annie and her husband Joseph Sullivan.  And wee baby Alec was kept by Mary Jane.  Such hard times, having to let your children go.

In 1901 “Mary Clark Wright”, widow, is living in Deptford with two of her sons: James 16, who is a messenger, and Alexander, 9, a school boy.8 However, in the June quarter of 1901, she marries John Carroll9, and it was as “Grandma Carroll” that my cousin Lalli knew her.

John and Mary Jane Carroll (previously Wright, previously Freeth, formerly Clark), Nov 1917

John and Mary Jane Carroll (previously Wright, previously Freeth, formerly Clark), Nov 1917

On February 12th 1932, Mary Jane died of cerebal thrombosis at 2A Woolwich Road.  She had been living at 180 Evelyn Street, the “widow of John Carroll, General Labourer”.  The informant was her son, George Wright.10

Tomorrow I’ll tackle the mystery of her birthplace.

  1. “1891 England Census, Ephraim Wright (age 30) household, St Paul Deptford, London,” Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.co.uk/, accessed 01 Oct 2010), citing PRO RG12/494, folio 67, p 63, GSU roll: 6095604, Greenwich registration district, St Paul Deptford sub-registration district, ED 2, household 323, 05 Apr 1891.
  2. England, marriage certificate for Ephraim Wright and Mary Jane Freeth; 13 Mar 1882, Lewisham; citing Mar 1882 [quarter] 01d [vol] 1019 [page], General Register Office, Stockport.
  3. England, birth certificate for Percy Freeth; 31 Aug 1878, Farnham; citing Sep 1878 [quarter] 2a [vol] 111 [page], General Register Office, Stockport.
  4. “An Imperial Service Family”, undated clipping from unidentified newspaper; digital image, scanned May 2009 from original held by [NAME AND ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE]; inherited from Audrey Dearness, Gisborne, NZ.
  5. England, birth certificate for Alexander Wright; 27 Jun 1891, St Paul Deptford; digital image, scanned May 2009 from original held by [NAME AND ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE]; inherited from Audrey Dearness, Gisborne, NZ, daughter of Alexander.
  6. England, death certificate for Ephraim Wright; 26 Nov 1894, Greenwich; citing Dec 1894 [quarter] 01d [vol] 552 [page], General Register Office, Stockport.
  7. Alice (Lalli) Coppinger (Lomita, California), interviewed Dec 1991; audiotape privately held by author.  Coppinger, now deceased, was granddaughter of Mary Jane.
  8. “1901 England Census, Mary Clark Wright (age 45) household, St Nicholas Deptford, London,” Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.co.uk/, accessed 2010), citing PRO RG13/526, folio 118, p 60, Greenwich registration district, North Deptford sub-registration district, ED 18, household 300, 31 Mar 1901.
  9. “England & Wales, FreeBMD Index: 1837-1983,” database, FreeBMD (http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl : accessed 2010), marriage entry for John Carroll and Mary Jane Wright; citing Jun 1901 [quarter] Greenwich 1d [vol] 1817 [page].
  10. England, death certificate for Mary Jane Carroll; 12 Feb 1932, Greenwich; citing 1932 Mar [quarter] 01d [vol] 1231 [page], General Register Office, Stockport.

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Imperial Irish ~ Wordless Wednesday

Posted on Apr 6, 2011 by Maggie| Leave a comment
An Imperial Service Family (clipping from unknown publication)

An Imperial Service Family - Back L-R: Percy Freeth, Joseph Wright, George Wright, James Wright, Alexander Wright (my g grandfather). Front L-R: Mollie Freeth, Mary Jane Carroll, Lavinia Wright. (clipping from unknown publication)

Wordless Wednesday is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

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