Captain William Mullins from Cork City
Hi
I have just discovered this wonderful website and thank you in advance for any help you may be able to provide.
I have been researching for many years, one branch of my Mullins family from Cork City.
This is the information I can provide:
William Mullins was born in Cork City, County Cork, Ireland in about 1832. His father was James Mullins and his mother was named Mary. Mary Sullivan is the likeliest match, as there is a marriage record for James Mullins and a Mary Sullivan in 1827 but unable to locate any other marriage records for this couple.
William married a Catherine Howell from Rock, Kinsale, in County Cork on 17.08.1854 in St Peter and St Paul's (RC).
William’s occupation was a Mariner, there are several records with his birth year ranging between 1929 – 1834. On his application to be examined for competency to become a ‘Master Mariner in November 1866, he gives his date of birth as 15th March 1834 and was residing at 15 Cove Street, Cork City. On an earlier competency certificate for an ‘Only Mate’ his date of birth is also the same but his address given as 17 Corn Market Street, Cork City in December 1860.There are no baptism records available for either him or any of his siblings. I have found two other siblings (witnesses to baptisms of his children), Sarah and Ellen.
Sarah Mullins, one of William's sisters was born, presumably also Cork City, in about 1834.I traced her marriage record from November 1852 marrying a George Mullany, a sailor from Cork City (1838 – 1873) in St Paul’s Church, Cork City, Cork. Her age is given as 18, her father is shown as James Mullins whose occupation is given as ‘Car Man’. The witnesses were M A Dundan and James Griffins. This is the only record that I could trace with their father's name shown. Sarah was living, presumably with her parents, James and Mary in Harpur's Lane.
George Mullany was the witness at Sarah’s brother, William and Catherine’s wedding. As George’s occupation was noted on his children’s baptism entries as ‘Sailor’ – he may well have served on the same Merchant Navy vessels as his friend, William Mullins. As he also lived in Harpur’s Lane, he may have known the Mullins family, who also lived there.
The address for both Sarah and George is given as Harpur’s Lane, Cork City. I know this lane is now called St Paul's Avenue, having visited Cork City in 2025.
William and Catherine and their children lived at the following addresses, as shown in the civil baptism records of their children:
1867 5 Centre, Leihim Street, Cork
1869 1 Northeast, 26 Lower Glanmire Road, Cork (St Patrick’s)
1871 8 South, 102 Douglas Street, City of Cork
1874 8 South, 44 Quaker Road, Cork
1876 8 South, 43 Quaker Road, Cork
I understand that a large portion of baptism records are missing for St Peter and St Paul's in Cork City, which may account for no records for William or any of his siblings. The trail has gone very cold. I would love to trace his parents who I believe remained in Cork as did his sister Sarah and her husband but William moved to Cardiff to join his eldest son, James, who was my great, grand father.
As a point of note - one of Sarah and George's children, William Mullany hit all the newspapers in many counties of Ireland in 1914 for shooting his wife and two of his children (many on line articles from newspapers at that time).
I would be very grateful if anyone can fill in any gaps.
Much appreciated.
Kindest
Becky Angle
