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| Mary Ann Kerr nee Murphy |
Introduction
My Great Uncle Alf always talked about his
mother Mary Ann Murphy.
The fact that she was a Murphy and not a
Kerr was a mystery to me until I discovered that Scottish women generally
retained their maiden name. They don’t legally change their name but they used
their married name on official documents which may show both their maiden and
married name. As a widow they are more
likely to be listed under their maiden name but Mary Ann died before her
husband. To think the 21st
century women think it is a pretty modern and feminist concept to keep their
maiden name today.
So commonly we see Scottish wives shown on
their graves by their maiden name. This is so on the following grave stones for
Mary Murphy –married surname Kerr and
her daughter-in-law Catherine Toland whose married name was also Kerr.
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| Mary Ann's grave with that of her son and daughter in law |
Mary Ann’s boys and grandchildren would
call themselves Scottish. The reality is that they have Irish roots with only a
couple of generations at most of Scottish thrown in. From then on their
offspring are Australian. Mary Ann was
born in Scotland but her father and mother were some of the Irish emigrants who
came to Glasgow during aftermath of the potato famine. A pretty miserable time as the great Irish
famine- Gorta Mor -was a period of mass starvation. Ireland was a place of
evictions, starvation and harsh living conditions. It's a period of Irish history where the
population of Ireland fell by 25% with families either dying of starvation or
taking any way out of there.
The Murphys were a part of the million
people migrating to Scotland from Strabane for a better life. The Murphy’s
appear in Scotland in about 1851. The 1851 census has her grandmother Hannah Murphy
nee McConville, a widow of James Murphy living in Glasgow with five sons and a
daughter all born in Ireland, the last in 1839. Born in Armagh in 1809 Hannah
lived in Glasgow until her death in 1881. She died aged 72 of chronic
bronchitis and lung congestion.
They likely came to Scotland any time after
the 1841 census. Mary Anne’s father,
Michael Murphy was born about 1828 in Armagh, Ireland. He is first seen
on the 1851 census as a foundry labourer.
He married Catherine Sorley on 23 Jul
1854 in Glasgow St Johns in a Catholic ceremony. She died before 1860 after
having a daughter Hannah born in Glasgow who seen in the 1861 census. Hannah
was Mary Ann’s half sister.
Although Scotland was originally a Catholic
country, it was now Protestant as a result of English reformations. The State
religion was the Church of Scotland. Irish Catholic emigrants found it
difficult in their new country. Most had settled in the east end of
Glasgow. There was economic hardship and
competition for jobs, and housing accommodation.
After the death of his
wife Catherine, Michael Murphy married the Mayo born Elizabeth McNamara, on 23
Apr 1860 in Hutchestown Glasgow. At the time he was a 35 year old widower and
noted as a Spirit Merchant in the Census records. As Elizabeth and Michael had
been married for a year they appear in the 1861 census with Michael’s first
child, Hannah in their own household record.
Mary Ann’s maternal grandparents, James and
Jane McNamara nee Henderson came from Mayo Addergoole, Ireland before 1845
given that two of their children, Ann and Alexander were born in Glasgow. Their
oldest child, Elizabeth McNamara, Mary Ann’s mother was born in Mayo Addergoole
on 10 May 1840. They are seen in the
1861 census. These grandparents
continued to live around Glasgow until their deaths. James McNamara died as a
pauper of general debility aged 77 in 1885 and Jane had predeceased him in 1881
dying of cardiac arrest.
Elizabeth
McNamara died of heart disease on 12 Sep 1876 in Calton, Glasgow after bearing
him six children. Mary Ann was not quite
two years old. Michael is shown on
various census documents and wedding records as a cab proprietor. When he died on 27 December 1890
in Calton, Glasgow at 84 Henrietta Street Glasgow he was recorded as a
grain dealer. His death aged 62 in 1890 was from
Bright’s disease (kidney disease) which he had suffered from for 3 months.
Her
Siblings and her early life
Michael Murphy and Elizabeth McNamara had the
following children:
Jane “ Jeannie” Murphy born on 04 Feb 1861 in Calton,
Glasgow. She married James Stevens and
they probably came to Australia in 1904.
James Murphy born
on 01 Mar 1863 in Calton, Glasgow. He
married Janet Callaghan, daughter of John Callaghan and Elizabeth McCulloch on
01 Dec 1891 in St Marys Chapel Glasgow. She was born in 1864 in Ayrshire. She
died in 1926 in Scotland.
Elizabeth “Lizzie” Murphy born on 22 May 1865
in Calton, Glasgow. She died on 12 Jan
1948 in Camlachie, Glasgow. She had married Cornelius (Neil) McBride, son of
Daniel McBride and Catherine Lennox on 19 Sep 1884 in St Mary's Chapel Calton
Glasgow. He was born on 21 Oct 1861 in Glasgow. He died on 19 Feb 1921 in
Kirkintilloch, Dunbartonshire, Scotland.
Margaret Murphy born on 6 Nov 1867 in Calton,
Glasgow died 18/8/1868
Mary Murphy born on 03 Aug 1869 in Calton,
Glasgow.
Annie Murphy
born on 25 Sep 1871 in Calton,
Glasgow.
Mary Ann Murphy, the youngest born
on 15 Nov 1874 in Calton Glasgow Lanark.
Mary Ann Murphy was my Great Grandmother and
the youngest of 8 children including her half sister Hannah born in 1855 of
Michael and his first wife Catherine Sorely.
Mary Ann enjoyed a large extended family of
Grandparents, Aunt and Uncles and their families. A number of Michael’s
brothers had families living around Glasgow as well as her Aunt and Uncle’s
families on her mother’s side.
The Black Irish-myth or not?
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| Mary Ann looks so olive skinned and darked eyed here |
Stereotypical Irish features are
represented by blue or green eyes, reddish hair and pale skin. Irish people who
have dark hair, brown eyes and dark complexions are often referred to as Black
Irish. At times, immigrants from Ireland have been called this term, often in a
derogatory manner.
Spanish features and blood from the 1500s
can be easily diluted but the dark features have remained. What are the other
origins of the MaryAnn’s heritage?
McNAMARA
is Irish
too. It means "son of Conmara" in Irish. The given name Conmara is
composed of cú "hound" and muir "sea". Many MacNamaras
migrated to Scotland; this caused the name to be changed to McNamara.
The McCONVILLEs (MaryAnn’s grandmother‘s family name) live in greatest
density on the border between Armagh and Down.
1990s MacCONVILLE, Conwell & MacGONIGLE - The
principal thing to be noted about the MacGonigles (or Magonagles) is their
constant association with Co. Donegal. Apart from the adjacent parts of Co.
Derry they were very seldom to be found elsewhere.
Mary Ann’s marriage and children
Mary
Ann is seen in the 1881 census living in
84 Henrietta Street with her widower
father, Hannah, her step sister,
James and Lizzy. Her mother had died when she was two.
After
leaving school Mary Ann began employment as a Power Loom Weaver. Upon the death
of her father in 1890 Mary Ann looks to have boarded. Although there are two
records in the 1891 census which fit a
strong possibility is that as she was a Mill Worker the census with her living
with the Ferrie family seems to fit best. The Ferries were distant relatives of
the Murphys.
She
married James Cross Kerr, son of James Francis Kerr and Jessie Wilson Cross on
04 Aug 1897 in St Marys (Catholic) Chapel Glasgow. James’ father was the owner
of a handsome cab business running out of Sword St, Glasgow. With her father,
Michael also having worked in the cab business this is probably how the couple
met.
Three
years later in the 1901 census she has had her first son James aged 2 and with
her husband James, she is living in a tenement at 26 Bellfield Street
Dennistoun. Francis Joseph, her second son is born a few weeks after the census
on 19/4/1901.
Later
Alfred is born 14/4/1904 and Stephen on 1/8/1905 who died before his 4th
birthday of tubercular meningitis.
The 1911
Census describes the family living in another tenement at 36 Bellfield St
Camlachie, Glasgow. They were living in 2 rooms with one or more windows. Mary
Ann was 37 yrs, James a 34 year old Cab
driver , probably working for his father , James 12 yrs, Francis 9 yrs and little Alfred 6 yrs old.
Alf
remembered getting an orange in a stocking for Christmas and always had a
fantastic memory for growing up in the streets of Glasgow in a working class
tenement.
The
Glasgow tenements, a form of Scottish housing in flats sometimes summon up a
vision of slum living, poverty and derelict houses. 70 % of Glasgow families
lived in them pre WWI. In fact families lived quite respectfully in the two
rooms where tenement dwellers cleaned and shared the common property of the
close or entrance landing and the back court which was used for communal
laundry. These tenements were quite friendly communities and where neighbours
looked out for the children and families “up oor close”. The move from one
tenement to another came with the need for more space as families grew just as
Mary Ann and James seem to have done by 1911.
During
WW I James Cross Kerr signed up to do duty. His war records are in the “burnt
collection” but it is thought that his experience working with horses in the
hackney cab business led him to a job looking after horses during the war. In
order to serve he may have put his age back.
His
Grandson Alf, believed James Cross Kerr may have served in the Argyll and
Southern Highlanders. From the picture below of Mary Ann and James taken around
1915, the Information Service of the Australian War Memorial noted that the bandolier
and spurs suggested he was in a mounted unit and the shape of the cap badge
suggests the Army Services Corps which was known as the Royal Army Services Corps
from 1918. It is thought he saw service in Turkey and France and was possibly
discharged unfit perhaps with malaria. The Malaria contracted during WWI saw
him receive a pension for a while and the Doctor said it played a part in his
death.
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James Cross Kerr and Mary Ann during the war years
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James
Cross Kerr’s father, James Francis Kerr had died during the war in 1917. The family Cab business had been disrupted by
the enlistment of his sons in the war effort. They had worked in the business
too as drivers and chauffeurs. In addition it was the early days of motor
transport – a major change for a business which featured the horse and
carriage. James Cross Kerr still worked as a coachman while in Scotland.
Alf had
began work at age 13 as a fitter at Singer Sewing machines. Young James probably
worked in one of the industries which had prospered eg shipbuilding,
manufacture etc. They lived in a time when the Titanic sailed down the Clyde River ready for its maiden voyage and
when there was still fierce sectarianism and rivalry between Celtic and Rangers
Football teams. The Irish Catholics identified with the Celtic team.
The
family was also involved in amateur musical theatre. Mary Ann’s sister, Lizzy
had married Cornelius McBride and some of the McBride children had become
rather famous for their vaudeville acts performing in music halls all over
Scotland and England. Not to be out done
their cousin Frank, Mary Ann and James’ second son had his own Vaudeville act
where he played a Hebrew Impersonator. Alf’s daughters Ann and Mary Kerr own a
theatre poster where Frank was billed in a variety act at the Palace Theatre in
Lawn St Paisley (the Rink) in 1926.
He was
billed under the stage name of Frank E Rayner (the name of an Australian
relative he had never met). He was one of the many who performed as a Hebrew
impersonator at the time. One can't help thinking he would be run out of town
in these politically correct times. At the time, he was billed with acts such
as King and Bentley, a natural conversationalist, "clever comedian"
Nicholas Rimsky, and the Gordon Brothers Acrobatics Act. The mind boggles at
the concept of a "funny acrobatic Chinese act” and a Hebrew impersonator
being played in the 1920s in Glasgow.
James
too was part of a Minstrel band performing with his banjo which is still in the
family today. Amongst his papers was a reference from George Green Ltd (Picture
House) saying that he had been in their employ for about three years. They
found him to be “a sober, honest and industrious worker”.
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| James Top left and his Minstrel Band |
The Kerrs make a life in Australia
After the war some of James and Mary Ann’s
family members decided to move to Australia. James Cross Kerr’s younger sister Jessie
had been living in Sydney since about 1913, and his half brother was in NZ
training horses. James’ step mother, half sister Agnes and half brother Thomas
(Tommy) left for Australia on the Largs
Bay on 8/7/1924 bring with them Agnes daughter Agnes and his half brother
Francis’ young child James Francis Kerr. Jane (Jeannie), Maryanne’s sister had
married and moved to Australia in approx 1904 and was living in Melbourne with
her husband.
James Snr departing on 2/10/1924 on SS
Berrima was next to leave. He arrived in
Sydney 48 years old and looking for work. Mary Ann and the others were to
follow.
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| James Cross Kerr 1925 |
Their
son, James, was next to arrive in Australia. James left in 1925 on the Largs Bay. James wrote back to Lavinia
his fiancée of the difficulties in finding a job as a labourer and even described
applying for one as Scottish comedian.
A short
while later Alf, a cranes man, Frank, a chauffeur and Mary Ann left Scotland in May 1926 on the Ormond. James’ fiancée Lavinia
accompanied them after working for 10 years in Glasgow as an ovens woman at
MacFarlane Lang biscuits. Lavinia’s
ticket shows her travelling as a Third Class passenger. Her ticket cost 33
pounds and the cabin was capable of holding twelve berths probably one of which
was occupied by her future mother-in-law.
Mary Ann
did not stay in Australia for long. It may have been homesickness or perhaps
she was feeling unwell as she had an abscess on her lung. She returned to Scotland in 1927 via South
Africa with her son Frank.
She returned to live in Glasgow
with her cousin Anne McConnachie who nursed her through her illness. She died on
11 Aug 1927 of a tumour on the left lung at the McConnachie's house shortly
after returning and is buried with Catherine and Francis at St Peter's Cemetery
Dalbeth 1246 section 13 N.
The
McConnachies were lifelong friends and relatives of the Kerr boys. Ann McNamara
was Mary Ann’s aunt. She married John Blackwood. One of their children Anne (Mary
Ann’s cousin) married David McConnachie. Their children became the second
cousin’s of the Kerr boys. The surviving children William, Annie and John never
married and the Kerrs and the McConnachies were extremely close. William was
both groomsman at Frank’s marriage and informant at his death. Mary Ann’s
cousin therefore nursed her when she returned from Australia until her death
within the year.
Frank continued to live with the McConnachies
until his marriage and then after his premature death in 1956 John and Annie
cared for Catherine, his wife when she died in 1957
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| John and Annie McConnachie -also "Irish cousins" |
Back in Australia Mary Ann’s husband and
sons, James and Alf worked in a variety of jobs. James and Lavinia had married early in 1927
and settled at Neutral Bay. Alf and James senior were living with them and a
couple of years later their young daughter Jean came along. Sadly Lavinia and
James’ first child Jean died of diphtheria in December 1932 but nine months
after in September 1933 Alfred (Alfie) Jnr was born followed by William
(Billie) in 1935.
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| James Kerr and his sons- "the little Greek boys" because of their complexion |
Alf was initially sorry he came to Australia
- they had left good jobs and it was difficult to get work in Australia. Their
initial difficulty finding work had taken the shine off immigrating to
Australia as did the sadness
over the death of their mother back in Glasgow. The Great Depression was beginning
to loom.
Craig
Grellman summed up the times in his eulogy for Alf in 2001.
“Not
long after arriving they found work in the construction of the Sydney Harbour
Bridge. So Alf was the bloke who built the Harbour Bridge with his brother,
James, helping him. It's a little corny but it’s neat to say that you know a
bloke who built the Harbour Bridge.
During
the Great depression Alf and James made a living selling fruit from a cart they
pushed around the lower North shore. Thrift and hard work soon saw them
sporting a horse and cart. Hard work paid off soon they had a V8 utility which
Alf boasted was one of the very few motor vehicles on the North shore at the
time.”
The
horse called Jean was parked at Birches Bakery down the road from their place
at the cnr Military Rd and Ben Boyd Rd at Neutral Bay. Billie, James’ son
elaborated on the beginnings of the Fruit and vegetable run. To get the
business started they originally bought one case of tomatoes for say 2/6d and
sold them at a profit. Then bought 5s worth the next day and eventually
expanded to fruit and vegetable horse and cart delivery.
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| Jean the horse- another relative is following up on a gypsy angle |
Mary
Ann’s husband James Cross Kerr died on 17 Jul 1937. He had lived at 35 Park Ave
with his sons and grandchildren until his death at 61. He is buried at Northern
Suburbs Catholic Cemetery. (Macquarie Park Cemetery Vaug RC Lwn row 45 0090)
After
his death the boys continued the delivery business buying the V8 Utility in
1939.
Always
remembering their Scottish roots the Kerrs celebrated New Years Eve in the
Scottish way (singing and dancing) at James and Lavinia’s home at 35 Park Ave,
Neutral Bay. At midnight everyone went
outside and stranger with the lump of coal was greeted. The Scottish Hogmanay tradition is that the arrival of your first guest on New Year’s Day must be a tall,
dark male bearing various gifts. It is said to bring good fortune to a house;
fair-haired males and females are traditionally considered unlucky. Children
were given small gifts. Three children who came to the house for New Year were
the children of James workmate Hughie Campbell. They remember Lavinia’s
exquisite Shortbread and receiving a one pound note each as they left.
On other occasions they frequented the
Scottish Burns Club in Sydney.
In the following years Alf and James got
more stable and better paying jobs. Alf was a welder/driller and James worked
on the Railways.
Alf
married Mary (Mollie) Buckley in 1944 moving to Rose Bay where they started a
family and remained for the next 18 years. They then moved to Bondi where they lived
with Auntie Jessie and children Mary, Mark and Anne. The house at Rose Bay gave
him particular pride - there he was, a labourer, with his own home in Rose Bay.
People would not believe him when he
told them where he lived.
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| Alf and Mollies marriage |
James
began working as a porter and station assistant at Central Station with the NSW
Railways where he remained for 22 years. He and Lavinia were proud of their
boys who were great athletes and footballers. Lavinia spent a lot of time
helping the nuns out at the convent. The family was so highly respected in the
St Josephs Neutral Bay catholic community that when Lavinia died of breast
cancer in 1960 the nuns organised a guard of honour by the school children at
her funeral.
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| Another shot highlighting the dark "Irish "complexions of the Kerrs |
Frank having returned to Scotland continued
to live with the McConnachies- Annie McConnachie and children Annie, William
and John. William was Frank’s groomsman
at his wedding to Catherine Toland in 1930.
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| Frank and his "Irish second Cousin" William at his marriage |
Frank was working as a Chauffeur at time of his
marriage. Because of his love of the theatre he becomes a Cinema/ Theatre
manager. There are some interesting photos of him on stage with artists
promoting movies.
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| Frank is centre stage |
He met an early death on Christmas Day 1953
dying of a fractured skull subdural haemorrhage as a result of accident at
theatre. William McConnachie, his second cousin was his witness at wedding and
informant for his death.
Returning
to Scotland to revisit the roots
As children we always heard Uncle Alf and
James our Grandfather talk of streets in Glasgow and their childhood. The
McConnachies and their cousins the McBrides were always mentioned- despite the
distance and time away they were always remembered fondly. The Kerr boys never
forgot the generosity of the McConnachies- firstly Ann nee Blackwood McConnachie with their mother, then providing
board for Frank until his marriage. Finally Annie and John’s support of
Catherine Toland Kerr when she died.
James, when he retired in 1966 planned a
trip to Scotland. He had three ambitions. Firstly he wanted to return to
Glasgow. His second ambition was to see
the McConnachies to thank them and give them something in reward for their
generosity. Thirdly he wanted to put
flowers on the graves of his mother, Frank and Catherine. They are all buried
together under the one tombstone.
He
wrote of his disappointment in Glasgow. He felt a little ashamed of his
treasured hometown. While there he spent time with the McConnachies and visited
the graves. He also managed to contact his cousins the McBrides who also hailed from the Irish roots of his mother.
Alf too returned to Scotland for holidays
when he retired. He never lost his accent and excitement over his Scottish
roots in Glasgow. When the solicitors were trying to trace possible recipients
under the will of John McConnachie, Alf was able to provide a run down of
addresses and stage names for the remaining McBrides and Australian Kerr
relatives believing them to be the closest relatives and most likely
beneficiaries.
Alf’s daughter, Anne lived in Glasgow for a
time relishing in seeing the names of streets regularly spoken about. She also
visited the grave and took the grave photo .
My husband and I visited Glasgow
and Ireland in 2014. After extensive research of
the Kerrs and Murphys we are not much further with the Irish roots. Census records tell us they are no more than
2 generations Scottish but surviving Irish records are hard to come by.
Even Lavinia’s background has been revealed
to come from the English. She was only third generation Scottish on her
father’s Strelley side. I laughed when one of the Glasgow relatives exclaimed
“don’t tell me we are British!” Lavinia’s relatives were royalists dating back
to William the Conqueror in 1066.
But you know what – I still feel more
Scottish than Irish and English. For three days during my trip to Scotland I tried
to channel the Murphys, McBrides, McNamaras and the McConvilles by visiting and
photographing pubs, tenements, addresses and saluting the Celtic Club as we
drove by.
I
too visited Mary Ann’s grave- a few more lichen adorn the grave stone and I
intend to add the photos to an online grave website for posterity. Her pictures reproduced in this story are both
haunting and treasured. I think it would
be great to explore the Irish heritage further to find the story of her parents
and grandparents.
I wonder what James and Alf would make of
the news that they were more Irish than Scottish and I’m hoping they will send
me a few hints! Perhaps there is an explanation for the olive skin and dark
hair and the “black Irish side” of us will become less of a myth. I’ve some ideas for more research and think it
involves a trip to Northern Ireland. Watch this space.
Post Script :
My DNA ethnicity with a big chunk of Irish - I also have a small percentage Iberian Peninsula
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