Fatality near Kill: Thomas Byrne

It is Friday again, when I share something that I have found whilst looking for records, that is interesting or adds information to our family tree.

Thomas Byrne was Dermot's 2nd great-grandfather and he died on 30 March 1891. The following is an article I found, which describes what happened to him.

Kildare Observer and Eastern Counties Advertiser 04 April 1891, page 5

The transcription reads:

FATALITY NEAR KILL
On Monday evening a man named Thomas Byrne was killed near the village of Kill by a fall from a cart. An inquest was held the following day by Dr Smyth, Coroner for North Kildare, at which Mary Byrne, the deceased man's wife deposed that her husband, who was 50 years of age, was in the employment of Mr de Burgh, of Oldtown. He had been at the Horse Show in Dublin, on Monday, with feeding stuff and was returning home when the accident occurred. When about a mile from Kill the horse ran away and her husband was thrown out of the cart. She found him lying on the road with his skull smashed. He was perfectly sober. The witness said the horse was an unmanageable animal. Thos. White, a labourer of Mr de Burgh's, who was in the dray with the deceased, said that the horse was leaping and frightened several times along the road. When the animal ran away he got out and caught it by the head and then returned to where Byrne was lying. Dr Coady, Johnstown, deposed that he had examined the body. The brains were lacerated and crushed and the vault of the skull separated from the rest of the body. He believed the man's death was caused by the wheel of the dray passing over his skull. Death was instantaneous.
The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence.

Thomas Byrne (1841-1891) married Mary Malone (1851-????).
Their daughter Ellen Byrne (1870-1925) married Richard Boushell (1867-1951) in 1892.
Their son Patrick Joseph Boushell (1895-1969) married Helen Clare Egan (1899-1986) in 1925.
Their daughter Mary Carmel Boushell (1926-1974) married Gerald Westhoff (1928-2012).
Their son is Dermot Westhoff (1957-living).

Confusing Dates

I thought that I would write today about how difficult it can be to ascertain certain dates when looking at records. The following is for Henrietta Westhoff (1907-1994) who is Dermot's 1st cousin twice removed.

Their common ancestors are John Jacob Westhoff (1831-1908) and Mary Ann Mooney (1825-1918), who were Dermot's 2nd great grandparents and the grandparents of Henrietta.

Henrietta was the 8th child of Henry Westhoff (1869-1920) and Johanna Fleming (1871-1954). 

She was born on and this is where it gets tricky as you can see from the following.

I do not have a copy of her actual birth record, but her birth was registered for the 3rd quarter of 1907 in the General Register Office (Vol 8B, p31). 

On the 1911 census her age is given as 3, which would make her year of birth as 1907 (the census was taken on 2 April 1911).

Henrietta married James Joseph Coggins in 1926 and she is on the 1939 register, with her date of birth given as 30 June 1907. 

However, on her death registration in 1994, her date of birth is given as 29 June 1902. I have also found a death notice, which gives her age as 91, which would make her date of birth 1902.

From the Liverpool Echo 10 March 1994, page 23

I believe that her correct year of birth is the one that is given on the birth registration, the 1911 census and 1939 register, which is 1907. I wonder when and how it got changed?

John Roche (1867-1950)

John Roche is Dermot's great grandfather and an ancestor I am finding challenging. He should have 5 census records, but so far, I have only found two that I am sure are correct. The search carries on and I hope at some point, I will be able to update this entry. Anyway, what have I found so far.

1867
Born on 24 September 1867 to John and Jane (McLoughlin) Roche and baptised on 20 October 1867 in St Peter’s, Liverpool.

The record states:
Joannes Roche, son of Joannis and Joanna Roche (McLoughlin)
Godfather: Edwardus Howley
Godmother: Helena Howley

1896
John married Mary Jane Lloyd on 30 July 1896 in St Alexander’s, Bootle.
The church record states:
Joannem Roach of 14 Syren Street, son of Joannis Roach
Mariam Joannam Lloyd of 15 Priam Street, daughter of Joannis Lloyd
Witnesses: Patricic Howley (21 Shaws Alley) and Elizabetha Hogan (17 Egerton Street)

I have a possible match for one of the witnesses. I found a Patrick Howley on the 1881 census, living at 9 Shaws Alley, age 9 (born about 1872). His father is listed as Edward Howley, so possibly the Edward Howley recorded as John’s godfather.
I also found him on the 1891 census, living at 15 Shaws Alley, age 18 (born about 1873), occupation given as dock labourer.

1897
Birth of daughter Mary Agnes (1897-1975)

1900
Birth of son John Joseph (1900-????) may have emigrated to America

1901
In the 1901 census the John Roche family lived at 3 Syren Street, Liverpool.

• John Roche – age 33, house painter, born in Liverpool, Lancashire
• Mary Roche – age 33, milliner, born in Liverpool, Lancashire
• Mary A Roche – age 3, born in Liverpool, Lancashire
• John J Roche – age 1, born in Liverpool, Lancashire

1902
Birth of daughter Frances (1902-1966)

1904
Birth of daughter Ann (1904-????)

1907
Birth of daughter Elizabeth (1907-????)

1910
Birth of daughter Kathleen (1910-????)

1939
In 1939, John was living with his daughter Frances and family at 51 Beatrice Street, Bootle.

• Edward Westhoff (9 September 1902), groceries assistant
• Frances Westhoff (23 April 1902), unpaid domestic duties
• Mary E (Connolly) Westhoff (3 August 1925), at school
• 3 closed records (these would be for Betty, Edward and Francis, Gerald was evacuated to Southport)
• John Roche (24 September 1867), old age pensioner
• Mary Agnes Roche (28 June 1898), unpaid domestic duties

1950
John died at home (98 Bedford Road, Liverpool) on 9 April 1950, age 82. His death was registered by his daughter Mary Agnes on 11 April 1950 and the certificate states that he died of cardiac failure, myocardial degeneration and senility. He was buried on 13 April 1950 in Ford cemetery, Liverpool.

Death Announcement: John Westhoff (1893-1952)

It is Friday again, when I share something that I have found whilst looking for records, that is interesting or adds information to our family tree.

A very short and unfortunately a little blurry death announcement.

From: Liverpool Echo 15 February 1952, page 29

The transcription reads:
WESTHOFF - Feb. 13. JOHN, the beloved eldest son of Johanna and the late Henry Westhoff and dear brother of Edward, Mary, Johanna, Fred, Lizzie (deceased), Harry, Etta and Francis. R.I.P.

John Westhoff is Dermot's 1st cousin, twice removed.
Common ancestors are:

John Jacob Westhoff & Mary Ann Mooney
2nd great grandparents of Dermot and grandparents of John

Although the announcement is only short, it confirms John's siblings with the names they used and also whether they were still alive in 1952.

Edward (1895-1971)
Mary (1896-1979)
Johanna (1898-1973)
Fred (1900-1978)
Lizzie (Elizabeth) (1901-1943)
Harry (Henry) (1904-1958)
Etta (Henrietta) (1907-1994)
Francis (1914-1992)

Wordless Wednesday

Mary Ellen (Goodwin) Hooley and Boys

Back: Mary Ellen (Goodwin) Hooley

Front (left to right): Her sons, Norman, Frank and Eric

Mary Ellen (Goodwin) Hooley (1883-1955), my great grandmother
Eric Hooley (1908-1992), my grandfather
Norman Hooley (1911-1981), my great uncle
Frank Hooley (1913-1998), my great uncle

Mary Ellen's youngest son (Dennis Hammond) was born in 1918, so this must have been taken before then, if I estimate that it was taken in 1917, then it would make Mary Ellen 34, Norman 6, Frank 4, and Eric 9.

Percy Hooley (1882-1919)

Percy Hooley is my great grandfather and was born on 9 March 1882 in Macclesfield to Charles and Mary (Hammond) Hooley, their 3rd son. Another ancestor for whom I do not have many records for.

He was baptised on 19 April 1882 in Brunswick Wesleyan Methodist Chapel; the record shows them living at 10 Blackshaw Street, Macclesfield.

1891
In the 1891 census, the Hooley family lived at 74 Peel Street, Macclesfield.

• Charles Hooley – age 52, steward in silk mill, born in Macclesfield, Cheshire
• Mary Hooley – age 49, born in Macclesfield, Cheshire
• Frederick C Hooley – age 19, silk dyer, born in Macclesfield, Cheshire
• Percy Hooley – age 9, born in Macclesfield, Cheshire

1901
The family remained in the same house, but Percy was now the only son still at home.

• Charles Hooley – age 62, silk staffman, born in Sutton, Cheshire
• Mary Hooley – age 60, born in Sutton, Cheshire
• Percy Hooley – age 19, plumber, born in Sutton, Cheshire

1906
Percy married Mary Ellen Goodwin in about August 1906 in Macclesfield, Cheshire.

1907 
Birth of son Leslie Hooley
Death of son Leslie Hooley <1

1908 
Death of father Charles Hooley (1839-1908)
Birth of son Eric Hooley (1908-1992)

1911
In 1911, the family lived at Kitts Moss Lane, Bramhall.

• Percy Hooley – age 29, sanitary plumber
• Mary Ellen Hooley – age 27, born in Macclesfield, Cheshire
• Eric Hooley – age 2, born in Macclesfield, Cheshire

1911
Death of mother Mary (Hammond) Hooley (1841-1911)
Birth of son Norman Hooley (1911-1981)

1913 Birth of son Frank Hooley (1913-1998)

1918 Birth of son Dennis Hammond Hooley (1918-2003)

Percy died aged 36, on 24 January 1919, at home (214 Bramhall Lane, Hazel Grove), the informant of his death was his wife Mary Ellen.

His death certificate indicates that he had a pyloric ulcer (16 years), carcinoma of the stomach and a gastroenteroscopy. In the past, a gastroenteroscopy was typically performed to treat peptic ulcers. It is now rarely used because most cases are bacterial in nature (due to Helicobacter pylori) and there are many drugs available to treat the gastric reflux often experienced with peptic ulcer disease.

Outrage near Macclesfield

It is Friday again, when I share something that I have found whilst looking for records, that is interesting or adds information to our family tree.

Francis William Hooley shares a family name, but so far I have found no family connection. A record found shows that on 8 December 1890, Francis was sentenced to 8 years penal servitude for arson and 1 week's imprisonment for the unlawful wounding. He was sent to Stafford prison.

From: Congleton & Macclesfield Mercury, and Cheshire General Advertiser 30 August 1890, page 8

The transcription reads:

OUTRAGE NEAR MACCLESFIELD.- Macclesfield and the district has been thrown into a state of excitement by its becoming known on Tuesday that the daughter of a respectable farmer (Mr. Bonsall, Higher Sutton), had been brutally assaulted on Saturday night. It seems that about nine o'clock on Saturday night a boy was accosted by a young man on the highway, and robbed of 3d. The thief went in the direction of Mr. Bonsall's farm, and about half an hour afterwards while Miss Bonsall, aged 21, was going along a footpath which leads through her father's farm she was accosted by a man who asked her who she was and what she was doing there. He made a remark to the effect that she was trespassing, and she told him who she was, whereupon he suddenly seized her and threw her down, and behaved in a most violent manner. He seized her by the throat, and she struggled and shouted "murder" as loudly as she could, but the more she shouted the more firmly the ruffian grasped her throat, and kicked an otherwise ill-treated her. Fortunately, Mr. Bonsall was in the house, and on hearing cries of someone in distress he ran down the field, and it was only on getting close to the struggling couple that he recognised the cries of his child for help. On Mr. Bonsall's approach the villain decamped, Miss Bonsall was at once taken home, and information given to the police; she is still suffering from shock, and is badly bruised all over her body, her teeth having penetrated through her upper lip in the struggle. She states that the man, whom both she and her father recognised, was Francis William Hooley, a dyer, twenty two years of age, in the employ of Mr. Whiston, of Langley. Before making off he swore he would set fire to all the farms about the place; whether this was a mere idle threat or not it is impossible to say, but it is a notable coincidence that the same evening no fewer than four farm fires took place in the locality. In one case-that of Mr. Millward's farm-damage was done to the amount of £400.