From Dungannon, Tyrone to Chicago via Glasgow and Other Distractions

Two weeks ago I began the almost futile search for some or any Irish records of my relatives.  I started with my Murphy side. 

I initially found two of the seven children’s baptisms. Yay.. we come from Gortgonnis, Dungannan, Tyrone. It is described in Irish parish records as being in the Diocese of Armagh. Dungannan is in the south East of County Tyrone in Northern Ireland.  It had a population of 3800 in the 1840s and was known for its agriculture and linen production. Dungannon comes from the Irish Dun Geanainn meaning Geannann’s stronghold.  2/3 of the population was catholic. Gortgannis town is 1.44  km square. 

Dungannon in Northern Ireland

This is quite a breakthrough finding the family cross matched with the name McConville (Convill in all its forms). We also know the deceased father James Murphy is a farmer.  I can't find him listed as the main tenant on the Griffith valuations. It is highly likely they 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.

Based on matching the family with various residential records we know that the Murphys came to Glasgow before 1851. Quite possibly their father James died before they arrived in Glasgow. Their widowed mother is Hannah McConville and she with daughter (possibly step daughter) Elizabeth and sons Michael, John, Joseph, James, Patrick are living in a crowded tenement in 53 Greater Hamilton St in the 1851 census. It is important to note that these are illiterate agricultural people originally - the dates of birth are all over the place. 

Hannah and family in 1851 Scottish census

The family continues to make their new life finding work in Glasgow, marrying, starting families etc. Michael the older son married Catherine Sorley and later Elizabeth McNamara. His family line has been documented in my great grandmother Mary Ann Murphy’s story. http://robynandthegenies.blogspot.com/search/label/Murphy%20Family%20history Basically a few years after coming to Glasgow he had married, had a child Hannah with Catherine and 8 children with Elizabeth McNamara. Several died in infancy, some are traced and the rest are a work in progress (everyone is called Murphy!!)

I had already managed to flesh out the trees of brother James who married Ann Dunion. He was the rag trader and metal broker with nine children. His family has been quite well researched and details can be easily cross referenced to prove his mother is Hannah and brother was Michael.

John, another brother, married Elizabeth Moffitt in 1872 and the couple had two children – Lizzie (step daughter) and John Francis. He was an iron molder and later a spirit merchant. Research shows him living with his mother in the 1861 and 1871 census and witness at his brother’s second marriage to Elizabeth McNamara.

A few Ancestry hints sent me off to investigate Elizabeth who may have married Patrick McDevitt and had five children. DNA may prove this one day. Her marriage record appears to be missing so this is still under speculation. There are 4 Elizabeth Murphys in this story!

Patrick and his life in Glasgow is still to be found. I had no leads on Joseph until a relative made contact via Ancestry. This distracts me from my Irish research.

This delightfully quirky Chicago relative, Susie, reached out for some insight into the daughter of Joseph Murphy or rather the German son-in-law. She’d seen I had made some progress on the Murphy tree. I got waylaid with the German side of her story. However she kindly provided me with details of Joseph’s marriage to Elizabeth McAuley and there was a resulting three children- Catherine, John and Joseph. I do admit I did get a little side tracked when one of the sons, James turned up as an army deserter from the 1st Lanark corps in 4/3/1878. Some kind people on a Genealogy Facebook page supplied me with the necessary document and a description of the lad.

I went exploring the German/ Scottish marriage of Joseph’s daughter Catherine to Theodore Bloch AKA Block and their subsequent immigration to Chicago. Catherine, a mill worker had married a recently emigrated German cabinetmaker possibly from Berlin or Baumberg. Theodore had anglicised his name to Block. They married on 29 December 1876 in Cathcart not in a Catholic or Lutheran Church but in the United Presbyterian Church. Many Irish families at the time tried to hide their Catholic backgrounds and blended in with Scottish protestant churches.

Catherine Murphy marries Theodore Block 1876

What was Block doing in Glasgow and what was his background?  I threw a few questions around Strictly Scottish Genealogy Facebook page and speculation about Theodore and his parents was rife that he may have indeed have had a Jewish or Polish background based on his mother’s name of Blasinski. What was he doing in Scotland??? After their marriage Catherine and Theodore had two children- Alena Elizabeth b 1877 and Catherine b 1881 in  Scotland before heading off to Chicago in 1883. Being able to link the family to Ireland, Germany, Scotland and then USA was gold.  So often unknown details of immigration and/or place of origin is the brick wall for completing many trees.

Many emails later I extracted more details from Susie. They ended up in Illinois where Alice was born in 1883 followed by Josephine 1885, William Theodore 1888, Minnie 1892, John 1893, Charles 1894 and George in 1897.

Drawing a blank with Susie’s request for more information on the husband’s German birth I promise to put the details on my online tree and watch for hints. Ever curious I wondered why the Blocks chose to go to Chicago in the 1880s. A google search discovered that Scottish and German migrants to Chicago were plentiful in the late 1800s.  The 1900 Census showed 15.8% of people in the Chicago surrounds had German Ancestry. In fact Germans are the largest ethnic group in 80% of Chicago's suburbs. Research also showed that a large percentage of the German immigrants were Catholic with Protestant and Jewish numbers being much smaller. So possibly Theodore wasn't of Jewish background. 

As to the Scottish immigration it seems transatlantic crossings were possible because of the regular services by ships between Scotland and USA. At the time they left Scotland, Chicago was a flourishing economy seeking skilled workers in high paying jobs in housing and new industries. There should have been plenty of work for Theodore with his carpentry skills. 

Most immigrants located to the north east of Illinois on the south west shores of Lake Michigan. The early censuses show new towns and neighbourhoods populated with the immigrants and the ancestry records show many intermarriages between German families. Some of them Anglicised their names. Interestingly the Blocks are sometimes known as Bloch and the Catherines have changed their name from a “C” to a “K”.

To add a new disruption into the mix I was fiddling with my DNA matches while I got my head around these “Murphys”. High up on my list is a girl named Sharon who had a 100 centremorgan with six segments DNA match. I had previously discounted her as her smallish tree only had German names which didn’t fit with my mostly Irish, Scottish and English. This time I saw that her small tree featured the name Bloch. What previously seemed too hard now seemed like I could be close. She was from one of the Block daughters born in Scotland. She was a second cousin of Susie into the bargain. I found she had some knowledge of the Murphy background but she admitted she was unsure of how to put a tree together.

Distracted, preoccupied or engrossed- call it what you will- I decided to do it myself. Clearly limited by the UK plus ancestry package I subscribe to I made notes about what USA records to follow up using the free Ancestry Worldwide subscription at my Council library. Too many notes later I gave up and researched how much would cost me to upgrade to Worldwide membership. Having negotiated a good price I start to work on this now American Block family.

I discovered lots about the family with a whirl through the very detailed census documents the USA has taken over the years. Often they were found living with a sibling or the extended family. This is particularly so as two of the daughters became widowed and lived with their single brothers. As usual the “cookies” tracking my research began throwing up hints. Catherine and Theodore  died in the 1924. I am able to find records for marriages, births, deaths for children and grandchildren.

Theodore Block and Family in US 1910 census

A few things that pop up in the hints are the World War I and ll Draft documents. Then I’m distracted again- Susie had told me about William. You already know I’m interested in vaudeville and the stage because it’s the Block’s second cousins who have been involved in Music Hall in England and Scotland. Also I had been told that William Block suffered from dwarfism. So when I found a World War I and II draft registration document for him I was intrigued as to whether he was signing up ( only to be discharged because of his disability), being assigned for special duties or if he  was an entertainer for the troops. I knew he had been in the circus and I was intrigued to see how someone with dwarfism fared in the early part of the century. The WWI record just shows he was of short stature single and a performer. He declares he has no disability.  Go William! He does however show his employer and place of employment.

 

William T Block WWI draft  

I did a little side research…. His employer was quite a powerful person in the entertainment industry. William worked for Marcus Loew in the Putman Building in New York. He had founded Loew's Theatrical Enterprises, New York City, 1910, and acquired Metro Pictures Corporation, Hollywood in1919 later opening the 3500-seat flagship Loew's State Theater in Times Square, New York City in 1921. He later acquired and merged Goldwyn Pictures Corporation, Louis B. Mayer Productions and Metro to create Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). So in appears William was working for a huge entertainment company which grew from a New York City theatre circuit presenting vaudeville and early moving pictures into one of Hollywood's most successful integrated film corporations.

William had married and divorced and he was living with his brother in the 1930s -occupation actor. Apparently though when the depression began a period of out of work actors began. This would have been tough times for a person with dwarfism. As a follower of Keynesian economics I liked what came next.

The World War II draft card  gives his physical statistics and shows him working for The Works Projects Administration (WPA) which was established by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935 as part of the New Deal attempt to combat the Depression. This included the Federal Theatre Project (FTP) which is noted on William’s form. This Project was an attempt to offer work to theatrical professionals and to boost the economy. Over a thousand theatre productions took place in twenty-two different states. Many of these were given free in schools and community centres. Although performers were only paid $22.73 a week, the FWP employed some of America's most talented artists. Arthur Miller explained in his autobiography, Timebends - A Life (1987): "To join the WPA Theatre Project it was necessary to get on the welfare rolls first, in effect to be homeless and all but penniless... and conniving to get myself a twenty-three-dollar-a-week job." William obviously qualified by 1939.

William T Block -WWII draft

After this his story dries up. A death record certificate shows him dying in 1962 in Massachusetts. I presume he had been on the road again with his acting and performing. Hopefully this blog will “bait” a little bit of information a photos or a bit of film.  I’m most intrigued by WT as it is his cousins the McBrides who I have previously written about.

Yes, this journey takes me from country to country, through American  entertainment history, American immigration and connects me through DNA. It’s been a collective effort and Susie has given me a run for my money- checking and querying research. She’s found a Chicago cousin or two. But it’s quite journey. As I explained to Susie at the outset, Americans often find it difficult to connect back to British and Scottish roots. Often Aussies have little chance to find the immigration patterns of our Scottish, Irish or English relatives to a vast country like America or Canada. If you are an Aussie like me you also need big maps. There’s still unanswered questions but the answers may come with collaboration, more research and those delicious “cookies”. I love to share what I know and appreciate the collaboration and assistance given by specialist Facebook groups. Space precludes me from giving all the details of the Murphy and Block families but here’s a link to my online tree .    Contact me if you have more to add.   

Hint of the week:

Doing genealogy research you never know how knowledgeable you’ll be by the end of the journey. I started in Ireland and discovered the Murphy roots. Disappointingly there is little to go on to go back any further. I move to Scotland and I discovered the Scottish German journey to Chicago and a place I knew little about. My knowledge of immigration patterns is improving. Moving on I get to follow the story of the Blocks and in the process discover another music hall actor/ Performer for my collection. Distraction at its best.

You may think I am my father‘s daughter but “by prevailing over the obstacles and distractions one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination” – Christopher Columbus

Achieved:

ü   ONE “extremely high confidence” DNA match to a fourth cousin

ü   Expanded Murphy tree with links to America

ü   Found the birthplace of the Murphys back in Ireland- I’ll go to Dungannon on the next holiday

ü   One more vaudeville actor performer

 The rest is as always a work in progress.........

If you are interested here are previous blogs on the Scottish vaudeville relatives http://robynandthegenies.blogspot.com.au/2015/11/treading-boards-scottish-music-hall-and.html part 1

http://robynandthegenies.blogspot.com.au/2015/11/mcbride-siblings-greasepaint-in-their.html  part2

http://robynandthegenies.blogspot.com.au/2015/11/mcbride-siblings-greasepaint-in-their.html part 3

http://robynandthegenies.blogspot.com.au/search/label/Scottish%20Music%20Hall part 4

Mary Ann Murphy 1874-1927 -Irish Roots, Australian and Scottish branches....

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 21^st 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.

Mary Ann's grave with that of her son and daughter in law

 Mary Ann’s Irish background

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.

The 1881 census (IGI) record shows   Michael a widower, living at 84 Henrietta St Glasgow and working as a Cab Proprietor. Hannah aged 26 is a steam loom weaver, James 17 is a Stable boy, Lizzie 15 is also a Steam Loom weaver and Mary Ann aged 6 is still at school.  Margaret, Mary and Annie have died. Margaret died when she was 9 months old of Diarrhoea and Mary and Annie died in 1874 a few weeks apart from Scarlet Fever only a few weeks before Mary Ann was born. There had been a severe Scarlatina epidemic in 1874 throughout the British Isles.  Mary Ann’s name is a combination of the names of the two deceased daughters. 

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?

Mary Ann looks so olive skinned and darked eyed here

The term "Black Irish" has been used in reference to Irish emigrants and their descendants for centuries. It is a term used to describe those of Irish origins who have dark features, black hair, a dark complexion and dark eyes who have immigrated to other parts. They may originally have come from descendants of Spanish traders who settled in Ireland and even descendants of the few Spanish sailors who were washed up on the west coast of Ireland after the disaster of the Spanish Armada of 1588. http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/who-were-the-black-irish-92376439-237784721.html

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.

Mary Ann bears these features. Her boys, in turn had olive complexions and very dark hair and her grandsons were known as “the little Greek boys” when they were growing up in North Sydney in the thirties.   Of course on her husband’s paternal side there was also Irish heritage.

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?

MURPHY is Irish from the Gaelic Ó Murchadha, which means "descendent of MURCHADH" or sea warrior.

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.

James Cross Kerr and Mary Ann during the war years

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”.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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