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Elizabeth Mary Dempsey

Hello,

I am attempting to tracemy maternal grandmother and her family. I know very little about her. According to the marriage information, she was 22 years old when she married my grandfather Vivian Herbert Howard (Bertie) in October 1929. They ran away to Reading, England to marry as he was Church of Ireland and she, a Catholic. Her father's name is listed as James Dempsey. They lived in Co. Cork. They had twochildren, my mother (born in Rushbrook) and my uncle. In January of 1935, whilst driving home from a dance at the Lee rowing club, they went off Penrose Quay into the river and drowned. (I have the newspaper report). At this time, they were living in "The Bungalow, Cove (spelling in paper) Juntion. At the inquest and on her death certificate, she was identified as Bridget Howard and ws 23 years of age (could be 28 and transcribed incorrectly). Her father James identified her body according to the newspaper report of the inquest. The Church of Ireland grandparents took the children (who were baptised Church of Ireland) and raised them until my mother was about nine, when she was sent to the Masonic orphans school in Dublin (now a hotel, I believe).

I would like to know anything about her and her family. My mother seems to think her family came from Passage West, but we have nothing to verify that. Presumably, she had siblings and there are decendants from them. I have a couple of photos of my grandparents.

Any help would be greatly appreciated as we are in Australia. Many thanks, Sue

serlangsen@gmail.com

5 replies

What occupation is shown for Elizabeth's father on the marriage cert ?

p.s. are either of the witnesses posssible Dempsey relations ?

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

There are just under 30 births of an Elizabeth Dempsey showing on the BMD Index between 1905 and 1909 (FamilySearch), just one close match that I can find in Cork registration dsitricts - as Mary Elizabeth Esther Dempsey in Cork registration district based in the city,  but father's name is Paul. Extending the search in Co. Cork districts between 1902 to 1914 doesn't seem to add any better matches..

Passage west would have been 'Cork' civil registration for Births marriages and deaths (the district on the death cert is Cork, and the sub-district is Cork No. 1). The reported age looks quite clear on the register but maybe the informant did not know her actual date of birth.

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

Thanks for replying. The father's occupation on the marriage certificate is "engineer". The witnesses on the marriage certificate are a Reading family (Foxell, Arthur and Leah) - brother and sister. I have been unable to link them to my grandparents - that was my thought also, as Reading seems an odd place to go to to get married. 

I had discounted Mary Elizabeth Esther Dempsey, as I seem to remember finding her in someone's family tree living to a much older age. I could go back and check again though.

 

 

serlangsen@gmail.com

There is a Bridget Dempsey on the 1911 Census at "House 2, Grange East (Fermoy Rural), Cork. She was 2 at the time and her father is James. I had considered that a possibility, given the Bridget business on the death certificate. She is listed on my mother's birth cetificate as Elizabeth Mary Howard, formally Dempsey, so I'm assuming that was her legal name and Bridget was a name she was known as in her birth family, for whatever reason. Amongst the Howard family, she was referred to as "Betty" which would fit with Elizabeth. That's also on her grave - just "Bertie and Betty", no other details.

serlangsen@gmail.com

Hi Sue, 

Your grandfather Vivian Herbert Howard was my 2nd cousin 1x removed. Vivian was born 22 MAR 1904 Abbey Street, Tipperary, Ireland, his parents was John Howard and Dora Hayden. It is the Hayden family I am related to.

I don't have much info on Elizabeth apart from what you already have but I will love to talk further

my email is alanmillett@btinternet.com

Regards

Alan

alanmillett@bt…

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