Elizabeth Carthy

Elizabeth Carthy was my paternal great-grandmother. She was born in County Wicklow around 1860 (three of Elizabeth’s children’s birth certificates record her birthplace as Wicklow, and the fourth as County Wicklow).

(Elizabeth’s name appears as Carty on her marriage certificate, but as Cartey in the signature space; the name was also rendered McCarthy elsewhere, particularly in Australia on her children’s birth certificates, as well as Carthy.)

Elizabeth Carthy’s parents were Hugh Carty (c.1805-1880) and Margaret Carthy (c.1807-1902). Hugh was a Dairyman. A Hugh Carty appears in Griffith’s Valuation in Timmore, in Co Wicklow.

Elizabeth married William Tierney on 25th February 1884 in the Catholic Chapel of the Assumption in Dalkey. At the time of her marriage in 1884 she was residing in Dalkey, which is in County Dublin, and now part of the conurbation of Dublin, about 13 kilometres to the south-east of the Dublin GPO.

Elizabeth Tierney emigrated in October 1885, sailing on the RMS Chimborazo, and arriving in Melbourne on 1st December 1885. There she joined her husband William, who had emigrated in 1884 shortly after their marriage. Elizabeth lived in Melbourne, primarily St Kilda and Elwood, for the rest of their lives.

Elizabeth and William Tierney had four children: William Patrick Tierney (1888-1960), Kathleen Mary (“May”) (1889-1970), Elizabeth Frances (1892-1970; she is my paternal grandmother), and Josephine (1893-1934).

By 1912, perhaps earlier and/or progressively over a few years, Elizabeth and William had started a dairy at the family home in Brighton Rd, Elwood in Melbourne. Elizabeth’s father having been a Dairyman, she no doubt had the knowledge and experience to assist in, if not start up and even direct, the family’s dairy business.

At some time between 1915 and 1916, William and Elizabeth split up and lived separately. Elizabeth Tierney died in 1937, aged about 76, leaving two blocks of land to her daughters in her will.