Person Page - 1

Ernest Frederick Shaw, son of Frederick George Shaw and Edith Florence Gray, was born on 2 June 1915 at 64 Glebe Road, Letchworth.^3,4,5

Circa 1940 Ernest and Ruth were photographed. He is wearing his RAF uniform with Ruth on his arm.⁶

Ernest Frederick Shaw married Ruth Grace Pickard, daughter of Ralph Henry Pickard and Eleanor Grace Blanks, on 26 October 1940 at St Nicholas' Church, Norton, Letchworth.^3,4

He was a Sergeant on 2 July 1943. His service number was 960746.⁷ Ernest was an Engineer Rate Fixer on 2 July 1943.⁷

Ernest Frederick Shaw lived at 15 Cashio Lane, Letchworth, on 2 July 1943.⁷

Ernest Frederick Shaw was present at the death of Frederick George Shaw on 6 October 1948 at 123 Norton Way, Letchworth; aged 62 years from cerebral haemorrhage and arterio sclerosis.^2,8

Ernest Frederick Shaw lived at 101 Common View, Letchworth, between 12 October 1948 and 31 January 1949.^8,9

On 31 January 1949 Ernest Frederick Shaw and Joan Katharine Varley entered into a Deed of Family Arrangement with their mother making herthe sole beneficiary.⁹

Ernest Frederick Shaw lived at 24 Cashio Lane, Letchworth, Hertfordshire, on 26 March 1959.¹⁰ Estimator (an unknown value) on 30 October 1965.¹ Ernest was promoted to Engineering Manager on 1970.¹¹

Ernie celebrated 50 year's service with ICL in 1979. An account of the occassion appeared in a local newspaper together with a photo of Ernie and Ruth. The article read:

THIS IS ERNIE'S LIFE
Manager Ernie Shaw's 50 years in ICL were the subject of a This Is Your Life style party last week.
Workmates arranged the get-together in the dining room of ICL's 1/3 factory in Letchworth where Ernie is management co-ordinator.
A detailed account of Ernie's past was revealed - where he was born, his school days and his service with the Royal Air Force.
One of the guests was his first foreman at International Computers and Tabulators (the forerunner of ICL).
A former Football Association referee Ernie, 64, of Cashio Lane, Letchworth, worked as the divisional secretary of Herts Football Association until three years ago. In all he worked on the administration side of football in the county for 30 years.
During the evening he was presented with a cheque and a music centre.
He is married with two children and four grandchildren.¹²

Ernest was a retired Engineer circa 1980.⁴

Ernest Frederick Shaw died at home from a heart attack. on 4 April 1998 at age 82.¹³ His body was cremated at Luton Crematorium and his ashes laid to rest in the Garden of Remembrance. A copy of the Squadron Badge of 255 Squadron, which he served in during the war, was included in the entry in the Book of Remembrance.¹³

In 1971, Ernest Frederick Shaw appeared in a photograph taken at the Graduation and Passing Out Parade of Anthony George Patrick Mooney from RAF OCTU, RAF Henlow. Ruth Grace Pickard, David Arthur Drury, Eleanor Grace Blanks, Ralph Henry Pickard and Joan Katharine Shaw also appeared in the photograph.¹⁴

Patrick was known as Paddy Mooney throughout his life.⁵ Paddy, son of Patrick Joseph Mooney and Mary Josephine Kennedy, was born on 5 January 1910 at 13 Gladstone Street, Waterford; In 2002 the street consisted mainly of shops and business premises. The buildings were numbered consecutively down both sides of the street.^3,6,7

Gladstone Street was originally laid down as Little George's Street after George I (1714-27) and was later renamed to honour William Gladstone MP who played such a decisive role in getting Home Rule for Ireland.^6,8,9

By 15 September 1915 his mother was living in South Street, New Ross, and it is assumed that he was living there with her.¹⁰ Little is known about his time growing up in New Ross but he may have had an apprenticeship during which he was learning shorthand.^11,12 He ran away to sea when he was sixteen years old and travelled around the world before ending up in Hull. He left home because he couldn't get on with his mother and father. It was said of him that he was was small and fat and tough faced - not at all devious or cunning like his step-brother Jack.

He often talked about his travels. His eldest son, Tony, recalls:

When I was growing up in Dublin I can remember him making objects out of knotted string and he seemed quite good at it producing a whole variety of different shapes and sizes. He would tell me stories of his travels while he worked the string but I can't remember many of them. One that comes to mind was about his teeth which were sensitive and often troubled him. As I remember his story, he visited a dentist in the Far East to have some work done and the dentist stripped all the enamel off his teeth whilst he was doing it. Dad also suffered from shaking fits which would affect him for days at a time. Apparently, it was the result of having had malaria at one time during his travels.^13,11

His daughter Maureen remembers:

I can remember Dad talking about going whaling a lot from Hull in the period before 1932. He would go for months at a time and was accompanied by a factory ship. Hull has a strong tradition of whaling and there is much to see about it in the Hull Maritime Museum. He often talked about going to Germany.^14,15

Paddy used to lodge with Miriam's brother Arthur who also had a fish and chip restaurant in Goole. It was here he met his future wife Miriam who worked there for her brother. Apparently Paddy didn't know she was only sixteen. He was five years older and on one early occasion took her out to a dance but Arthur and two of his brothers came and got me back.^16,17,18,15 A photo of Paddy was taken about this time.¹⁹

Paddy's future wife Miriam recalled

I met Paddy when he was working in Hull. Later there was very little work and he joined the Reserve. He was eventually called up and went away and spent a lot of time down south. He was on the Arctic Convoys but as a civilian. When he was in the Navy his job was to be a lookout at the top of a tall tower watching for Hitler - they built him a place up in the sky. He got the job because he was good at heights. He was at Dunkirk too.¹⁶

Paddy was unemployed on 22 March 1932²⁰ and didn't find employment until he sailed with the Marengo out of Hull on 23 October 1932.²⁰ In the meantime he joined the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) as an Able Seaman on 21 July 1932 declaring his father in Ireland as his next of kin²⁰ and giving his religion as Roman Catholic.²⁰

Note: NAVAL RESERVE FORCE

The Naval Reserve Force came into operation in January 1860 under the supervision of the Board of Trade. Any British subject, not over 35 years of age, free from incapacitating disease or infirmity, having within 10 years previous to his joining the Reserve been 5 years at sea, one of those years as an able-bodied seaman, was qualified to join. The inducements were: the sum of 8-pounds per year, payable quarterly, and a pension of not less than 12-pounds per year whenever he became incapacitated from earning his livelihood or having attained the age of 60. In consideration of those rewards he was called upon to attend drill during 28 days in the year and that, if he was employed in his own business or in the merchant service, the time and place of such drill would, as far as public necessity would allow, be at times and in places most convenient to himself. If he desired to take a voyage likely to occupy a period of longer than 6 months, special permission had to be obtained for that purpose. He was to report himself to a shipping master at a port in Great Britain or Ireland once every 6 months unless he had permission to stay abroad for a longer time. During the 28 day period of drill, the volunteer would receive the same pay, victualling and allowances as a seaman of the fleet, besides travelling expenses to and from the place of drill. Should war have arisen, or any prospect of the Reserve being called-out, each seaman previously enrolled would have reveived the same pay, allowance and victualling, and the same prospects of promotion and prize-money as a continuous seaman of the Fleet. On joining his ship he would receive the same clothing, bedding and mess-traps. If wounded or injured in actual service he would receive the same pension as a regular seaman of the Navy, of the same rating, and would have been eligible for all the advantages of the Coastguard Service and of Greenwich hospital. P& O invited their seamen to join, as did other large shipping companies.²¹

He was living at 1 Holyrood Villas, Williamson Street, Hull, when he enlisted.²⁰ Nine months later he was living at 35 All Saints Street, Hull, (5 April 1934)²⁰ and eighteen months after that, when he got married, he lived at 268 North Road, Hull.³

He married Miriam Hodgson, daughter of George Hodgson and Miriam Osbourne, on 4 September 1935 at the Register Office, Sculcoates, Hull, Yorkshire. The witnesses were her brother Stanley and her step-sister Lilian. It is possible that they also had a church wedding as Miriam told her eldest son that when his mother heard that they had married in a register office, she travelled over from New Ross and made them get married properly in a Catholic church in Goole. She also said that they were married in Goole by special licence.^{22,3,23,24,25,26,27}

Paddy and Miriam appeared in a photograph on their wedding day with Doris Hodgson, Joseph Hodgson, Hannah Hodgson, Arthur L Hodgson, Alice Mabel Hodgson, Grace Bowman, Stanley Hodgson, Mona Binnington, Geoff Hodgson, Miriam Hodgson, Rita Hodgson, Norman Osborne Hodgson, Colin Stanley Hodgson and Mr (?) Petman. There are other people in the photo as well.

The photo was taken in what is now known as Old Goole at the corner of Cottingham Street and Heber Street. Miriam's brother Arthur lived there and his house had a back way which led to Herber Street. Three of the children in the photo, Geoff, Miriam and Rita, still remembered the wedding in 2003. Miriam and Rita thought the marriage took place at the Catholic church in Old Goole and that the reception was at Arthur's house. Miriam said: they definitely married in Old Goole. Yorkshire people and the Hodgsons were clannish and they would have come out of the house with the chairs and set them up for the photo.^{28,24,29,30,31} There is also an enlargement taken from this photo produced by Maureen and Tony Burton.³² Another photo from their wedding day shows them standing together with arms linked. It appears to have been taken in the same place.^33,34

He re-enrolled in the RNR on 29 July 1937 when his 5 year engagement ended. This time he gave his wife as his next of kin and said that they were²⁰

Whilst he was in the RNR he continued to go to sea as a Merchant Seaman with very little time off except for a week or two between voyages and the time he had to devote to his RNR training. For details of his service in the RNR and the MN see the attached exhibits.^20,35 His final voyage as a Merchant Seaman ended at Hull when the Castro docked on 19 October 1937^20,36 and he told the RNR in November 1937 that he was now an Insurance Agent.^37,20 Was still an Insurance Agent (an unknown value) on September 1939.²⁰ At some point he ran a bonded warehouse in the Hull area after he stopped going to sea. Miriam was especially proud of the fact that the warehouse had to carry a large amount of fidelity insurance on him. It is not clear if he was at the warehouse before he became an Insurance Agent or if he did both jobs at the same time¹⁴ living at 7 Roland Avenue, Arthur Street, Hull. They were still at this address when their daughter Maureen was born on 20 March 1938.³⁷

Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939 and two days later Britain and France declared war on Germany.. On 16 September 1939 Paddy was called-up for service in the Royal Navy (RN). He was ordered to be despatched forthwith to A.O. Chatham, Naval Depot Mobilising Port, and he was paid 1s 6d travelling expenses. He arrived there the next day.^20,38 His wife remembered: When he joined the Navy he spent a lot of time down south.¹⁶ His daughter Maureen said: At one time he was on one of only two ships patrolling the Channel. Another time he was shipwrecked in the Channel for about a week to ten days.³⁹ For details of his RN service see the attached exhibit.^{20,40,41,42,43}

Miriam was about 5 months pregnant with her second child when Paddy was called-up at the outbreak of war on 29 September 1939 and she was evacuated to 10 Innsville, Mablethorpe.^{44,45,46,47,48} At some point the ward sister sent for Paddy as she was so worried about his wife. He asked for leave to go to Louth but was told if my own wife was dying I couldn't ask for leave. He was granted a 48 hour pass instead which was too short for him to make the return journey but he went anyway, became absent-without-leave, and gave himself up afterwards.^49,44,45

Paddy Mooney lived at HMS Marshall Soult, GPO, London, in January 1940. HMS Marshall Soult was a Monitor which was used as training ship at Chatam from 1928 and converted to a depot ship in 1940. It is likely that Paddy was billetted on her.^50,51,52 She was quite ill with high blood pressure during her pregnancy and probably had eclampsia.⁴⁵

Miriam eventually gave birth on 18 January 1940 after being in labour for almost nine hours.. Her first son weighed 6 lbs 10 oz.^53,54,55 Whatever the cause, she was admitted at Maternity Home at Mablethorpe on 16 December 1939.^1,54,55 Two weeks later on 30 December 1939 she was transferred to Holmcroft, Louth, and admitted to the maternity ward.^1,54,55 This probably happened because she had developed toxaemia but, if not, she was suffering from it by the time she gave birth on 18 January 1940 to her first son Anthong George Patrick who was known as Tony.⁴⁴ The address given on the birth certifiate was 95 Francis Street, Hull.⁵³ Miriam apparently discharged herself from hospital on 17 February 1940^54,50 Miriam Hodgson in all likelihood, returned to Mablethorpe soon afterwards⁵⁶ collect Maureen and her possessions. At some point afterwards the family returned to Hull.⁵⁶

There was a lot of bombing in Hull and much destruction in 1940-41. During the raids Miriam used to shelter with her children under the stairs as it was too far to get to the air raid shelters quickly enough. The family home wasn't hit but Miriam was told to leave along with everyone else. Apparently, her husband's parents sent a telegram from Ireland which was delivered to the empty house and it lay there unopened until one of her Miriam's brothers went to the house three weeks later and found it.^57,15 It would seem that soom after returning to Hull, Miriam moved to 141 Pasture Road, Goole, with her children where they lived in a small house with a hairdressers shop on the ground floor at the front. It may be that the accommodation was arranged for her by a 'rich aunt', possibly her uncle Pawson's wife Miriam made it into a home for when her husband would return from the war.^58,59,60

Hetty Hodgson remembers the house very well:

It shared the ground floor with a hairdressers shop and had rooms upstairs too. The entrance was round the side in the lane and there was an upstairs window which overlooked the shop front.

The shop ceased to be a hairdressers by 1943.⁶¹

His record of RN service shows that he served at Chatham Kent on three seperate occasions interspersed with postings to HMS Brilliant (20 Mar 1940 - 30 Sep 1940) which was based at Dover, HMS Legion (9 Dec 1940 - 10 Mar 1941) and HMS Curacoa (15 Jun 1941 - 13 Aug 1941) from which he deserted. HMS Brilliant and HMS Legion were Destroyers and HMS Curacoa was a light Light Cruiser.^20,36

On 15 June 1941 Paddy was transferred from Pembroke to HMS Curacoa.²⁰ Two months later, on 14 August 1941, he deserted but it is not known why^{44,16,49,57,62,63,64,61} but it may be he had a confrontation with a superior during which Paddy was called an Irish ***. Paddy struck him and then felt he had to desert.^{44,16,49,45,57}

Whilst he was on the run and living at 141 Pasture Road, Goole, he had some lucky escapes from capture. On one occasion he heard the police coming and quickly got out onto the roof and lay there quietly while the police looked for him in the house below. Luckily he wasn't discovered. On another occasion when the the police came he escaped through the upstairs window and lay on a ledge above the shop window below. The police looked out of the window for him but didn't see him. Another time the police found him at home, questioned him and then arrested him. He said he would go with them and said he would get his coat. Usng this as a distraction he quickly escaped through a window and ran away.^63,61

His wife's nephews and nieces, who knew him at the time, believe that he had a hard time in his 20 month's war service. Some say that he was shipwrecked three times; others say that he was torpedoed seven times, he was ill with depression and a man so ill should not have been treated as he was. Miriam Wilson and her sister Rita Holroyd both believe that he was depressed when he deserted and that he wasn't simply taking the easy way out as he wasn't the type.^63,64,65,61

During the time Paddy was on the run in Goole the family was visited many times by Miriam's relatives.^{66,67,68,29,64} Thelma Hodgson recalled: We visited them and I played with her on limited occasions. The visits were restricted by my mother because of police surveillance.^66,67,68,29 The visits were always clandestine and my uncle was never there. This pleased my mother who was always afraid that I would see him and tell people about him being there. Thelma believed the police were looking for him.^68,29 Rita described how she used to go round to visit when he was on the run. She was about nine years old at the time but can remember that when she knocked on the door she would hear scrabbling which was soon followed by it's only Rita at which she'd be let in. Miriam recalled: Mrs Hawksworth, a good friend of my mother's used to hide my uncle Paddy at her place when it got too dangerous for him to remain at home. Clearly Paddy and Miriam's relatives visited many times with their children who were told not to talk about Paddy for fear of giving him away.^64,65

It is not known what work he did whilst he was on the run but he was the sort of man who would want to support his family. It is known that he was on the Arctic convoys, which started soon after his desertion, during the war as a civilian so it is likely that this is how he supported them.^16,69 His son, Tony, recalled: I can remember it was always said that Dad was on the convoys during the war and that he said it was very cold where he went. Once he showed me a photo of ice on the rigging of a ship and told me the crew had to go outside and get the ice off the rigging to prevent the ship capsizing. Paddy, his other son, also remembers that he was on the Archangel convoys during the war and he too remembers him talking about the ice on the rigging.^13,70

Eventually, he decided to return to Ireland where he would be free from detection. He got to Ireland viaHeysham in Lancashire where he made contact with some Irish crewmen who took him aboard their ship with them and he passed the voyage in the ship's bilges.^44,71

Miriam followed him.^{49,45,70,72,61}

About October 1943 Paddy bought an insurance book for £150 from a man named Murphy who lived at 98 Cannon Street, Waterford. The purchase would only become effective when he obtained a residence in the city. James P Coghlan, his father's solicitor, wrote a personal letter to a James Aylward Esq of Messrs Carroll and Co asking him to use his influence with the City Manager in Paddy's favour, as he, James Coghlan, was a good friend of his father whom he had known for more than 20 years. The letter included the phrase Mr Mooney has two young children getting on for school age.⁷³ It seems clear that he wasn't looked on favourably by the City Manager as there was never any mention in the family of living in Waterford.⁶⁰ Paddy and his family, which now included a second son, moved, to Dublin, after living in New Ross for about a year, at 127 Lower Baggot Street in the basement flat of a Georgian townhouse which had previously been a small theatre.⁶⁰

Patrick Joseph Mooney was recorded in the electoral rolls at 127 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin, Ireland, for the years, 1949-50,1950-51,1954-55, 1955-56 and 1956-57.⁷⁴ This became the family home and where his children grew up.⁷⁵ His father made him an advance of £150 and furniture to help get him started.⁷⁶ Paddy bought a Royal Liver insurance book and became an insurance agent again. He and his wife settled down, Paddy and brought up their three children together in the city. Later.⁶⁰ He used to visit Charleville Cottage, Enniskerry, He would take her to visit his Uncle, Andrew Mooney and his family, with Maureen on the back of his motorbike. He would also take Maureen to see an aunt, probably Hannagh Mooney (nee Harding), somewhere in Dublin. A special treat was to take Maureen out to Howth where he liked to watch the boats going past. He would point them out to her and tell stories about his travels. She thinks he told her about whaling, the Norwegian fjiords and what a wonderful sight the midnight sun was.^15,77

Life as an insurance agent must have been hard for him as his only means of getting around to make his weekly collections was a push-bike. His busiest day was Saturday when he would leave home early in all weathers and return late in the day with his pockets full of coins. Tony remembers that he looked so tired when he got home and had difficulty walking because of the weight of the money he was carrying. Later, about 1951, he was able to afford a 125 cc motorbike and Tony became the proud owner of the push-bike.⁶⁰

Making his collections were now much easier but having the motorbike opened up new horizons for him.⁶⁰ Paddy bought a Royal Liver insurance book for £3000 and became an Insurance Agentagain. He and his wife settled down and brought up their three children together in the city. Laterwho was able to improve his income by selling clothes and shoes to his insurance clients. Tony recalled:

He kept his stock in the big sideboard and his customers used to call at the flat to make a purchase.⁶⁰ He also visited his cousin Sr Colette (Lila Mooney) in Tullow on at least one occasion.⁷⁷

On 29 May 1954 Paddy was admitted to the Royal City of Dublin Hospital with an enlarged liver, jaundice, hardened arteries, heart trouble and a number of other ailments. For some months before he went to the doctor, he had difficulty sleeping at night due to shortness of breath. He would get up and sit in the front doorway to take the night air and relieve his breathing. He eventually went to the doctor who wouldn't let him return home but sent him straight to the hospital. It was said the doctor wanted him out of his surgery before he dropped dead.

He was in hospital for about three months and was still quite unwell when he came home. He was told that he had three months to live and that he would not be able to work again. It was decided by the family that it would be best for him to move into the living room him in the living room.

Tony recalled:

We made a bed up for him in the front room so that he wasn't isolated in the bedroom and so that he could easily have visitors. He wasn't supposed to smoke anymore and he didn't for a while. He eventually announced that he simply had to smoke and would ration himself to one Woodbine a day.

Whilst he was ill he paid someone to make his insurance collections for him so there was some money coming in to support his family. It is not known exactly how long he was in bed but after a few months he went looking for other work as he could no longer make his insurance rounds. He seemed to try everywhere but no-one would take him on. He said it was because they all knew how ill he was.^{4,78,79,45,80,81,82}

As he was being rebuffed so much a very determined Paddy left for England in late summer of 1954 to find work. He may have been influenced in his decision to go by the amnesty for deserters which was declared by the British Government earlier that year. His service recors shows that he was discharged fron the Royal Navy 'as from' 27 July 1954.^79,20,60,82 He found work as a porter at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Bletchley.⁴⁵ By 4 September 1955 Patrick was at the Dagenham Hospital, Dagenham, and ; He later worked⁸³ later he was at the Neithrop Hospital in Banbury.⁸³ Eventually, Paddy found work for himself and Miriam at an old people's home called the Redfield House near Winslow where they were the Assistant Warden and Assistant Matron. Redfield House was the first Old Peoples Hostel that Bucks County Council had set up and turned out to be just about the largest that ever existed in England. The elderly people who lived there tended to be the ones who had no relatives at all and they could often be resident for up to 20 years! The result was that as time progressed the average age of the residents got older; they needed more care; and consequently greater numbers of staff. Staff numbers increased from six in the mid 1960s to more than 40 in 1976! Redfield's maintenance swallowed huge amounts of County Council funds but it was finally the fear of what would happen in the event of a fire that closed the Welfare Home down. A false alarm one night led to the alarm bells ringing continuously for 45 minutes but in that time only one elderly resident got up to see what was happening! The news of the proposed closure was broken to Grace Billson - the last Matron - just before Christmas of 1975 and the Welfare Home was run down over the following months, finally closing in June 1976.

Paddy and Miriam seemed to have landed on their feet and were delighted that a new two bedroom bungalow went with their jobs and^45,84,85 Tony and an unknown person and his brother, Paddy, joined them soon after Christmas 5 June 1956.

Tony recalled:

Dad got the sack for stealing groceries from the House. Our bungalow was in the grounds and I can remember Dad coming home sometimes carrying a tray covered with a tea cloth. I imagine that's how he did the stealing.⁴⁵

Tony recalled: I remember Dad getting the sack for stealing groceries from the House. We lived in a brand-new bungalow in the grounds and I can remember Dad coming home sometimes carrying a tray covered with a tea cloth. I imagine that's how he did the stealing.⁴⁵ About 5 June 1956 Paddy quickly found accommodation for the family and they all went to live in a flat at Brook Hall in the nearby village of Winslow and Tony joined the RAF from there.⁵⁷

On 10 September 1956, he signed an RAF form giving his consent for his son Tony to accept an aircraft apprenticeship. He gave his address as his gave his address as Dagenham Hospital, Dagenham, Essex.⁸⁶

It is not known what Paddy did next but⁶⁰ when Maureen returned to England after her Grandfather's shop was sold she joined her mother and brother Pat at Beechlands, 42 Alderton Hill, Loughton^45,57,87 where her mother worked as an Assistant Warden. Paddy had work elsewhere and used to visit when he could.^45,88,89,90

Paddy had left Ireland in poor health and his health was patchy as he worked to support his family. Two of Maureen's letters which survived bear this out. In one she said Daddy is not very strong just now and in the other Daddy is getting better all the while.⁹¹ He fell ill again and must have attended the London Chest Hospital.^60,82 They sent him to their to their county hospital called The Three Counties Hospital Arlesey, Hertfordshire where stayed for an unknown period of time. His daughter Maureen was told at the hospital that he was dying and she had to tell her mother. She felt he didn't to know as he talked to her about things he was going to do.⁸² When he was released as the hospital could do no more for him and he went home to 50 Empress Avenue, Wanstead, where he now lived with Miriam and Pat. His health was still not good and he soon needed an oxygen supply to help him breathe.^92,60,82

Paddy died at 50 Empress Avenue on 6 May 1959 at age 49. The death certificate gives the cause of death as bronchial carcinoma. Maureen recalls that he died on the 6th the day after his birthday. His headsone bears this out although the burial gives the 5th.^93,94,82 He was buried on 12 May 1959 in St Patrick's Catholic Cemetery, Langthorne Road, Leytonstone, London E11. The entry in the burial register was:

1959 May 12 Line 439
Patrick Mooney aged 49 of 50 Empress Avenue Wanstead
B Plot 17 Sec 1 No 472
Signed by the Rev RA Hayes
£21 Died 5 May 1959

The lady Superintendent, who showed Tony Mooney the record on 17 March 1988, checked against another record book to confirm the section and found it was section 2 and not section 1 and he actually found the grave in section 2. It was a private grave.


The Headstone inscription was: Patrick Joseph Mooney Died 6 May 1959 aged 48 which is obviously in error by one day.^95,96 His occupation was given as an Attendant (Old Peoples Home.)⁹³

Little has survived to attest to what Patrick was like as a person. It is said that he was short stocky and tough faced. On his RNR records he is described as having a 36 in chest, dark brown hair, brown eyes and a fresh complexion. The records also show that he was 5 ft 7 in tall. Tony recalled: I can remember that Mum always wore flat heels because she was a little bit taller than Dad which bears this out. Maureen said of him he was a lovely man and I loved him a lot.^20,45,11 Johnnie Bailey, who was said in 1995 to be the last surviving member of his generation still living in in South Street, New Ross recalled: he was short and stocky, small, fat, tough faced and not at all devious or cunning like his brother Jack.¹¹ Rita, his niece who knew him very well Goole said he was a lovely man and I had a soft spot for him. I especially liked sitting on his knee.⁶⁴

Ruth Grace Pickard, daughter of Ralph Henry Pickard and Eleanor Grace Blanks, was born on 28 May 1917 at 96 Highbury Road, Luton. She only lived there about a month before moving to Letchworth with her parents.^2,1,3

Ruth Grace Pickard lived at 32 The Crescent, Letchworth, in June 1917.³

Ruth Pickard may have been Edith Blank's bridesmaid according to Ernie Shaw.⁴

Ruth Grace Pickard lived at Crofton, Cashio Lane, Letchworth, on 16 July 1938.⁵

Circa 1940 Ruth and Ernest were photographed. He is wearing his RAF uniform with Ruth on his arm.⁶

Ruth Grace Pickard married Ernest Frederick Shaw, son of Frederick George Shaw and Edith Florence Gray, on 26 October 1940 at St Nicholas' Church, Norton, Letchworth.^2,7

In 1941 Ruth Grace Pickard was the owner of a prayer book inscribed To Ruth from Mum and Dad for a happy Easter April 1941.⁸

Ruth Grace Pickard lived with Ernest Frederick Shaw on 2 July 1943 at 15 Cashio Lane, Letchworth.⁹

Ruth Grace Pickard was a Housewife circa 1980.⁷

Ruth Grace Pickard died on 2 January 1991 at age 73. Ruth was admitted to the Lister Hospital, Stevenage with cancer and didn't recover.¹⁰ Her body was cremated at the Luton Crematorium and her ashes were laid to rest in the Garden of Remembrance.¹⁰

Note: Sometime ago, after Ernie, her father died, Di told me that all Ruth's research papers were given to Simon who was interested in the family history.¹¹

In 1971, Ruth Grace Pickard appeared in a photograph taken at the Graduation and Passing Out Parade of Anthony George Patrick Mooney from RAF OCTU, RAF Henlow. Ernest Frederick Shaw, David Arthur Drury, Eleanor Grace Blanks, Ralph Henry Pickard and Joan Katharine Shaw also appeared in the photograph.¹²

Miriam Hodgson was born on 7 August 1915 at Hedon, Yorkshire.^2,5,6 Her family lived at 6 Sunnybank at the time.⁴ About 3 weeks later, on 1 September 1915, she was baptised in Hedon as a Primitive Methodist.⁴

Little is known about her early life but she is said to have had lots of ginger hair just like her sister Bessie who was born three years later during World War II.⁷ Their mother died soon after Bessie was born. She was found dead in bed according to Miriam. Apparently, she went into Hull on a Saturday in 1918 on the local horse and trap, the only means of public transport, and caught the plague ('flu) from which she died. She was suffering from starvation and malnutrition as she fed what little food she could get to her children and her condition probably contributed to her death. She had gone to Hull to buy butter to sell in a shop but it is not known if it was her own shop. The death certificate gives her age as 38 and that she died from influenza and pneumonia. The death was registered by her husband George who was present when she died.^{8,9,10,11,12,13}

Miriam and her brothers and sisters were now looked after by Ellen, the wife of her father's best friend. She sent them all to a dressmaker to have clothes made and used to send them to Sunday School three times each Sunday.⁹ Miriam used to look after her sister Bessie and the two of them lived in the loft together. They used to spend the money they were given for the Sunday School collection and not go but they were careful to arrive home at the proper time. Eventually their step-mother found out and gave them hell.¹⁴ Miriam used to sing in a choir.⁹

Miriam recalled: I was top girl at school. The head wanted me to go to Grammar School but my mother sent me out to work instead. My first job was as a skivvy and I hated it. I was offered a scholarship to go to art college.^8,15

Her brother Arthur took a fish and chip restaurant in Goole in the late 1920s and she left Hull to work for him waiting on his customers. It was here that she met her future husband Paddy who lodged with her brother Apparently, he didn't know she was only sixteen. He was five years older, and on one early occasion took her out to a dance but Arthur and two of his brothers came and got me back.^16,17,18,15

She recalled

I met Paddy when he was working in Hull. Later there was very little work and he joined the Reserve. He was eventually called up and went away and spent a lot of time down south. He was on the Arctic Convoys but as a civilian. When he was in the Navy his job was to be a lookout at the top of a tall tower watching for Hitler - they built him a place up in the sky. He got the job because he was good at heights. He was at Dunkirk too.¹⁶

Miriam Hodgson married Paddy Mooney, son of Patrick Joseph Mooney and Mary Josephine Kennedy, on 4 September 1935 at the Register Office, Sculcoates, Hull, Yorkshire. The witnesses were her brother Stanley and her step-sister Lilian. It is possible that they also had a church wedding as Miriam told her eldest son that when her mother-in-law heard that they had married in a register office, she travelled over from New Ross and made them get married properly in a Catholic church in Goole. She also said that they were married in Goole by special licence.^{14,3,19,20,21,22,23} Miriam lived at 6 Myrtle Avenue, Williamson Street, Hull, when she married.³

Miriam and Paddy appeared in a photograph on their wedding day with Doris Hodgson, Joseph Hodgson, Hannah Hodgson, Arthur L Hodgson, Alice Mabel Hodgson, Grace Bowman, Stanley Hodgson, Mona Binnington, Geoff Hodgson, Miriam Hodgson, Rita Hodgson, Norman Osborne Hodgson, Colin Stanley Hodgson and Mr (?) Petman. There are other people in the photo as well.

The photo was taken in what is now known as Old Goole at the corner of Cottingham Street and Heber Street. Miriam's brother Arthur lived there and his house had a back way which led to Herber Street. Three of the children in the photo, Geoff, Miriam and Rita, still remembered the wedding in 2003. Miriam and Rita thought the marriage took place at the Catholic church in Old Goole and that the reception was at Arthur's house. Miriam said: they definitely married in Old Goole. Yorkshire people and the Hodgsons were clannish and they would have come out of the house with the chairs and set them up for the photo.^{24,20,25,26,27} There is also an enlargement taken from this photo produced by Maureen and Tony Burton.²⁸ Another photo from their wedding day shows them standing together with arms linked. It appears to have been taken in the same place.^29,30

Stanley, who had been the best man at her wedding, used to stay with his sister Miriam to look after her when Paddy was away.³¹ Her brother was clearly very fond of her because she remarked in later life that he used to take me everywhere.⁹

On 20 March 1938 her daughter, Maureen, was born in Hull^32,33,34 and soon afterwards a photo was taken of them both outside her sister-in-law, Grace's house at 67 Rutland Road, Goole, with Doris Hodgson, Thelma Hodgson, Grace Hodgson, Valerie Hodgson, Miriam Hodgson and Rita Hodgson.^35,36 Miriam and Paddy were living at 7 Roland Avenue, Arthur Street, Hull, at the time.³⁷

Miriam was about 5 months pregnant with her second child when Paddy was called-up at the outbreak of war on 29 September 1939 and she was evacuated to 10 Innsville, Mablethorpe, on account of it but she didn't like it there because of the soldiers and the preparations for the expected invasion by Hitler.^{9,38,39,40,41}

At some point the ward sister sent for Paddy as she was so worried about Miriam. He asked for leave to go to Louth but was told if my own wife was dying I couldn't ask for leave. He was granted a 48 hour pass instead which was too short for him to make the return journey but he went anyway, became absent-without-leave, and gave himself up afterwards.^42,9,38 Miriam was quite ill with high blood pressure during her pregnancy and probably had eclampsia³⁸

Miriam eventually gave birth on 18 January 1940 after being in labour for almost nine hours.. Her first son weighed 6 lbs 10 oz^1,43,44 and was admitted to the Maternity Home at Mablethorpe on 16 December 1939.^45,43,44 Two weeks later, on 30 December 1939, she was transferred to Holmcroft, Louth, and admitted to the maternity ward.^45,43,44 This probably happened because she had developed toxaemia but, if not, she was suffering from it by the time she gave birth on 18 January 1940 to her first son Anthong George Patrick who was known as Tony.⁹

Miriam liked the nurse who looked after her and they became friends. Apparently the nurse didn't like the names she chose for her son so Miriam altered them to please her. The Ward Record Book shows his name as Patrick Anthony but the birth was registered as Anthony George Patrick two weeks later. It was always said that he was called Anthony after the nurse, George after his English grandfather and Patrick after his Irish grandfather.^{46,1,43,44,47} The address given on the birth certifiate was 95 Francis Street, Hull.¹ Miriam was discharged herself on 17 February 1940 but it is not known why she did so.^43,48 Miriam in all likelihood returned to Mablethorpe soon afterwards⁴⁹ collect Maureen and her possessions. At some point afterwards the family returned to Hull.⁴⁹

There was a lot of bombing in Hull and much destruction in 1940-41. During the raids Miriam used to shelter with her children under the stairs as it was too far to get to the air raid shelters quickly enough. The family home wasn't hit but Miriam was told to leave along with everyone else. Apparently, her husband's parents sent a telegram from Ireland which was delivered to the empty house and it lay there unopened until one of her her brothers went to the house three weeks later and found it.^31,15

It would seem that soom after returning to Hull Miriam moved to 141 Pasture Road, Goole, with her children where they lived in a small house with a hairdressers shop on the ground floor at the front. It may be that the accommodation was arranged for her by a 'rich aunt', possibly her uncle Pawson's wife. Miriam made it into a home for when her husband would return from the war.^50,51,52 Hetty Hodgson remembers the house very well:

It shared the ground floor with a hairdressers shop and had rooms upstairs too. The entrance was round the side in the lane and there was an upstairs window which overlooked the shop front.

The shop ceased to be a hairdressers by 1943.⁵³ Miriam was good friends with her sister-in-law, Mabel, when she lived in Goole.⁷

During the time Paddy was on the run in Goole the family was visited many times by Miriam's relatives.^{6,54,55,25,56} Thelma Hodgson recalled: my father, Joe, liked Miriam a lot and was very good to her. We visited them and I played with her on limited occasions. The visits were restricted by my mother because of police surveillance.^6,54,55,25 The visits were always clandestine and my uncle was never there. This pleased my mother who was always afraid that I would see him and tell people about him being there. Thelma believed the police were looking for him.^55,25

Rita described how she used to go round to visit when he was on the run. She was about nine years old at the time but can remember that when she knocked on the door she would hear scrabbling which was soon followed by it's only Rita at which she'd be let in. Miriam recalled: Mrs Hawksworth, a good friend of my mother's used to hide my uncle Paddy at her place when it got too dangerous for him to remain at home. Clearly Paddy and Miriam's relatives visited many times with their children who were told not to talk about Paddy for fear of giving him away.^56,57 Eventually, Paddy decided to return to Ireland where he would be free from detection. He got to Ireland via Heysham in Lancashire where he made contact with some Irish crewmen who took him aboard their ship with them and he passed the voyage in the ship's bilges.^9,58

Miriam followed him.^{42,38,59,60,53}

Miriam said in later life: I hated it in New Ross and went back to England soon after I arrived.^42,61 It is not known why she returned to New Ross but she clearly did go back as the whole family lived there together for about a year.⁵² During that time she became a Roman Catholic and was baptised. She also made her first communion and was confirmed.⁸

Paddy tried to establish himself as an insurance agent in Waterford but it fell through when he couldn't get accomodation in the city.⁶²

Shortly after her son, Pat, was born she was photographed in the garden at 9 South Street. Soon after he was born in May 1944 with her three children, Maureen, Tony and Pat.⁶³ Another similar photo was also taken.^64,65,31,66 Miriam was also photographed with her son, Tony, and a nun believed to be Sister Theresa from the convent school at the end of South Street where Tony went to school in New Ross.^67,68,61

Moved with her family to Dublin moved with her family where they lived at 127 Lower Baggot Street in the basement flat of a Georgian townhouse which had previously been a small theatre.⁵² This became the family home and where her children grew up.⁶⁹ Paddy bought a Royal Liver insurance book and became an insurance agent again. He and his wife settled down, Paddy and brought up their three children together in the city. Later improved his income by selling clothes and shoes to his insurance clients. Tony recalled:

He kept his stock in the big sideboard and his customers used to call at the flat to make a purchase.⁵²

Tony also recalled: Mum used to sing to us all the time. My favourite was 'Three Little Fishies.⁷⁰' Paddy bought a Royal Liver insurance book for £3000 and became an Insurance Agentagain. He and his wife settled down and brought up their three children together in the city. Laterwho was able to improve his income by selling clothes and shoes to his insurance clients. Tony recalled:

He kept his stock in the big sideboard and his customers used to call at the flat to make a purchase.⁵²

On 29 May 1954 Paddy was admitted to the Royal City of Dublin Hospital with an enlarged liver, jaundice, hardened arteries, heart trouble and a number of other ailments. For some months before he went to the doctor, he had difficulty sleeping at night due to shortness of breath. He would get up and sit in the front doorway to take the night air and relieve his breathing. He eventually went to the doctor who wouldn't let him return home but sent him straight to the hospital. It was said the doctor wanted him out of his surgery before he dropped dead.

He was in hospital for about three months and was still quite unwell when he came home. He was told that he had three months to live and that he would not be able to work again. It was decided by the family that it would be best for him to move into the living room him in the living room.

Tony recalled:

We made a bed up for him in the front room so that he wasn't isolated in the bedroom and so that he could easily have visitors. He wasn't supposed to smoke anymore and he didn't for a while. He eventually announced that he simply had to smoke and would ration himself to one Woodbine a day.

Whilst he was ill he paid someone to make his insurance collections for him so there was some money coming in to support his family. It is not known exactly how long he was in bed but after a few months he went looking for other work as he could no longer make his insurance rounds. He seemed to try everywhere but no-one would take him on. He said it was because they all knew how ill he was.^{71,72,46,38,73,74,75}

In 1954 her niece from England, Thelma Hodgson, visited for a holiday and took eight photographs. They show Thelma and Maureen away on holiday in Ireland and Thelma, Tony and Pat in the Dublin Mountains near Lambs Cross.^54,76,77

As he was being rebuffed so much a very determined Paddy left for England in late summer of 1954 to find work. He may have been influenced in his decision to go by the amnesty for deserters which was declared by the British Government earlier that year. His service recors shows that he was discharged fron the Royal Navy 'as from' 27 July 1954.^46,78,52,75 With Paddy working in England, Miriam^46,52 He found work as a porter at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Bletchley.³⁸ He later worked at Dagenham and³³ Banbury; later he was.³³ Eventually, Paddy found work for himself and Miriam at an old people's home called the Redfield House near Winslow where they were the Assistant Warden and Assistant Matron. Redfield House was the first Old Peoples Hostel that Bucks County Council had set up and turned out to be just about the largest that ever existed in England. The elderly people who lived there tended to be the ones who had no relatives at all and they could often be resident for up to 20 years! The result was that as time progressed the average age of the residents got older; they needed more care; and consequently greater numbers of staff. Staff numbers increased from six in the mid 1960s to more than 40 in 1976! Redfield's maintenance swallowed huge amounts of County Council funds but it was finally the fear of what would happen in the event of a fire that closed the Welfare Home down. A false alarm one night led to the alarm bells ringing continuously for 45 minutes but in that time only one elderly resident got up to see what was happening! The news of the proposed closure was broken to Grace Billson - the last Matron - just before Christmas of 1975 and the Welfare Home was run down over the following months, finally closing in June 1976.

Paddy and Miriam seemed to have landed on their feet and were delighted that a new two bedroom bungalow went with their jobs and^38,79,80 Tony and and his brother, Paddy, joined them soon after Christmas 5 June 1956.

Tony recalled:

Dad got the sack for stealing groceries from the House. Our bungalow was in the grounds and I can remember Dad coming home sometimes carrying a tray covered with a tea cloth. I imagine that's how he did the stealing.³⁸ About 5 June 1956 Paddy quickly found accommodation for the family and they all went to live in a flat at Brook Hall in the nearby village of Winslow and Tony joined the RAF from there.³¹

It is not known what Paddy did next but⁵² on 28 December 1956Miriam lived in a flat above the stables at Beechlands, 42 Alderton Hill, Loughton, Essex, with Pat. She worked there as an Assistant Warden at the time. Paddy had work elsewhere and used to visit when he could.^38,81,82,83 On 6 January 1957 Miriam attended her father's funeral in Hull.⁸⁴

Paddy had left Ireland in poor health and his health was patchy as he worked to support his family. Two of Maureen's letters which survived bear this out. In one she said Daddy is not very strong just now and in the other Daddy is getting better all the while.⁸⁵ He fell ill again and must have attended at the London Chest Hospital.^52,75 He They sent him to their to their county hospital at the Three Counties Hospital, Arlesey, Hertfordshire.⁷⁵ When he was released as the hospital could do no more for him and he went home to 50 Empress Avenue, Wanstead, where he now lived with Miriam and Pat. His health was still not good and he soon needed an oxygen supply to help him breathe.^86,52,75

Paddy died there on 6 May 1959 at age 49. The death certificate gives the cause of death as bronchial carcinoma. Maureen recalls that he died on the 6th the day after his birthday. His headsone bears this out although the burial gives the 5th.^87,88,75 Miriam buried him on 12 May 1959 in St Patrick's Catholic Cemetery Leytonstone; The entry in the burial register was:

1959 May 12 Line 439
Patrick Mooney aged 49 of 50 Empress Avenue Wanstead
B Plot 17 Sec 1 No 472
Signed by the Rev RA Hayes
£21 Died 5 May 1959

The lady Superintendent, who showed Tony Mooney the record on 17 March 1988, checked against another record book to confirm the section and found it was section 2 and not section 1 and he actually found the grave in section 2. It was a private grave.


The Headstone inscription was: Patrick Joseph Mooney Died 6 May 1959 aged 48 which is obviously in error by one day.^89,9038,91
Soon afterwards, she moved with her son to 1 Coleridge Avenue, Manor Park, East Ham, London, E12, She had a job at a nearby hospital, probably Whipps Cross, and was very unhappy.^38,49

Maureen was still at the Lister Hospital in Hitchin when she finally received her inheritance from her grandfather's estate.^38,31 Maureen Mooney used it to buy a caravan at the Wilbury Caravan Site in Letchworth and her mother moved there to live^38,31 and got a job working on the wards at Fairfield Hospital, Stotfold.⁵² His mother moved to live in Letchworth but Pat stayed on in London and lived with his girlfriend's family.^38,31 He soon got an engineering apprenticeship at Kings in Stevenage^38,31 and moved to Letchworth to live with his mother.^38,31 By this time Maureen was finding it too difficult to travel to Hitchin working split shifts so^38,31 she got a job at the London Chest Hospital at Arlesey near Letchworth where her father had been a patient,³⁸ and she too went to live with her mother in Letchworth.^38,31

On 5 December 1964 Miriam married Frederick William Garrard, son of Henry Garrard and Agnes Crack, at The Register Office, Hitchin, Hertfordshire. The witnesses were N Titmuss and MJ Thompson.⁹² Her was described as a Hospital Nurse on the marriage certificate was described as a Hospital Nurse on the marriage certificate on 5 December 1964.⁹² Miriam now moved to 64b Icknield Way, Letchworth where she lived for many years.^93,94,95,96 She continued to work at Fairfield Hospital successfully completing her studies and was enrolled as a Nurse by the General Nursing Council on 3 August 1965.⁹⁷

In late 1971 she visited her son Pat (who was now known as Paddy) in Australia for about three months. Before she went she had^98,99,52 to obtain a passport⁹⁸ and be vacinated against cholera.¹⁰⁰ Her husband, Fred, died in Southampton while she was on her journey home but it was felt that she shouldn't be told about until she was met by Tony at the airport.^98,99 She stayed on in the family home after Fred was buried but soon moved to a smaller place a few streets away.^8,52

A few years later Miriam married Thomas Frederick Albert Reed, son of Thomas George Reed and Louisa Morris, on 8 December 1973 at The Register Office, Hitchin.^5,101,94 She moved to 53 Leaves Spring, Stevenagewhere she lived happily with Tom for over twentytwo years.^5,102,103,52

Christina May Woodhouse, her sister Doris's married daughter, visited Miriam and Tom in Stevenage in 1983.⁵⁶

In 1983 or 1984 Miriam sent a Christmas card to Doris and Joe. It said:

Hope you are keeping well. Tom and myself are OK. I went over the New Bridge in the summer; went to see Bessie and Bill. Bessie is just the same as ever, never goes out and seems to live in her dressing gown, also went to see Arthur and Grace. Met most of their family. Norman's wife died.

We had a lovely time 'swigging' Arthur's home made wine. Maureen took me over for my birthday. Best birthday I have ever had. Old Goole is just the same as ever.

Love from Tom & Miri^104,56

She wrote to her brother, Arthur and his wife on 21 June 1986 The letter read:

Dear Arthur and Mabel,

I have been having a chat with Bessie, over the phone, and we would like to meet up in Goole, if you can manage to sleep us for a night or two. I will travel tho' to Goole and from there to Hull for Bessie.

We have a longing to see you as Bessie had a phone call from Arthur Loft's wife about no-one going to see you, so we are making the effort. I don't phone because Bessie says you find it an effort to get to the phone (you get breathless). Just a card will do if it's OK.

Love to you both

Miri

I will look after myself, don't go to any trouble.¹⁰⁵

When her brother Arthur died in 1993, his son Geoff made all the arrangements. He phoned Mum. Tom spoke to him and told him that Mum now had dementia and would not be able to speak with him about her father's funeral.²²

Miriam was ill with Her dementia gradually worsened and she had two or three spells in the Lister Hospital for respite for Tom and assessment of her condition. It was all a great strain on Tom and despite all the help he was getting it was eventually necessary to find a suitable home to care for Mum. Tony recalled: Two choices emerged - one in nearby Knebworth which Tom could get to quite easily on the bus and another in Stevenage, further away and without public transport, which Maureen favoured because it was much more modern and well-appointed. The family couldn't reach a decision so a conference was called by Social Services which Maureen, Tony, Tom and others attended. The meeting agreed that Mum should be admitted to the home in Knebworth. Maureen remembers that Tom phoned her on a Friday to say that Mum was being admitted on Tuesday, 18 July 1995 to Dale Villa, Park Lane, Knebworth. Maureen was going on holiday that next day but she diverted to have a look at the place and to visit Mum and Tom. Tony took his mother to Dale Villa when she was admitted accompanied by Tom and the social worker.^106,52

Tony recalls:


Miriam Hodgson died on 6 November 1995 at age 80 at Stevenage, Hertfordshire, in the ambulance taking her to the Lister Hospital, Stevenage. She died from empyema of the left lung, bronchopneumonia, pulmonary oedema and biventricular failure. The cause was certified by the coroner of Hitchin District of Hertfordshire after post mortem without inquest. Tom always said afterwards how very proud he was to have been with her for 21 happy years.^5,101 She was cremated on 17 November 1995 at Luton Crematorium The funeral and cremation were arranged by W Austin and Sons (Stevenage) Ltd, who retained her ashes until they received instructions to have them interred in the Garden of Remembrance at Weston Road Cemetery, Weston Road, Stevenage, SG1 3RP.

The plot is a double one and is located in the Orange section. It is so called because each plot in that section is marked by a single rose plant with orange flowers. The Ashes Register says that she was interred on 12 December 1995 from 53 Leaves Spring, Stevenage.¹⁰⁸

Jayne Falvey who was unable to attend the funeral wrote:

I will be thinking of you all with love and affection for Miriam. I was always so grateful for the fun and love she brought into my father's life in his last few years. I shall remember, among other things, her lovely red hair, her intense interest in people and her concern for the welfare of others.¹⁰⁹

Miriam Hodgson was a Nurse in 6 November 1995.⁵

On 23 December 1933 Miriam was photographed with Frederick George Wilson and Edna Loft on their wedding day. Arthur Loft, Olga Hodgson and Lilian Loft also appeared in the photo. Jimmy Eastwood was also with them.^{11054,98111112113114102115116117}

Two postcards and two airletters sent during her trip to visit Pat in Australia.^{1181191201211221231241258}

Michael Cox was godfather to Neville Shaw Mooney on 30 November 1975 at St Peter's, East Bridgeford.¹

Robert Nicholas Klÿn was an Upholsterer.¹

Robert Nicholas Klÿn married Patricia Anne (?)¹

Patricia Anne (?) married Robert Nicholas Klÿn.¹

Patricia Anne (?) attended the wedding of Neville Shaw Mooney and Rebecca Anne Klÿn on 21 May 1999 at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Potton, Bedfordshire.¹

Patricia Anne (?) died on 1 August 2004 in hospital.²

Patrick Joseph Mooney was born on 11 February 1875 at Drumboat, Inishkeen, Co Monaghan, where his father was stationed with the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC.)^6,5,7,8,9 Patrick Joseph Mooney was known as Paddy Mooney throughout his life.⁵ His father retired on pension from the RIC in 1882 and returned to live in Attanagh^{6,5,7,10,11,9} where Paddy grew up.⁵

Nothing is known of his formative years except that he would have attended the National School in Ballyouskill where his aunt was Principal. Under her tutelage he would have received an excellent contemporary education.¹² At the age of 18 years and 5 months, following in his father's footsteps, he joined the RIC. His record of service shows that he joined on 16 June 1893 from County Laois giving Monaghan as his county of origin. He was recommended by DI O'Hara who was at Abbeyleix at the time. Paddy was described as 5 feet 9 1/2 inches tall and was given the service number 55872.^13,14,15,16 Life in Ireland presented few opportunities in his youth and he and all the other Mooneys who joined the RIC would almost certainly have done so as there was no other occupation open to them except work on the land.¹⁷

After completing his training in Dublin he was transferred to County Limerick on 17 January 1894.¹⁴ There he remained for sixteen months before he was posted to County Kilkenny on 12 May 1895.¹⁴ He served there for eighteen months and was then posted to Wicklow on 1 November 1897 where it is likely that he met Sarah Gaffney who would become his first wife.¹⁴ After two years and two months in Wicklow he was transferred to the Reserve at the RIC Depot on 23 January 1900.¹⁴

Paddy married Sarah Giffney, daughter of Michael Giffney and Ellen Nugent, on 5 September 1900 at the Roman Catholic Chapel, Ballinahinch, Ashford, Co Wicklow. The witnessess were Andrew Martin Mooney, the groom's brother, and Sarah Byrne the bride's cousin.^14,3,4,16 Paddy gave his address as the Constabulary Barracks, Phoenix Park, Dublin.^3,4 After 10 months on the Reserve he was transferredr to Wexford on 1 November 1900.¹⁴

Sarah died on 12 July 1901 from cardiac thrombosis only two and a half weeks after her only son, John, was born.^13,18,19,20

In 1904 Paddy was again placed on the Reserve, this time only for a month,¹⁴ He then spent about three years in Co Wexford and probably spent some time in charge of the RIC station in Rosbercon on the other side of the river and only a short walk from New Ross.^14,21 He returned to Waterford.¹⁴

Paddy married Mary Josephine Kennedy, daughter of Patrick Kennedy and Mary Kehoe, on 8 August 1907 at the Roman Catholic Church, Aughrim Street, Dublin, the marriage being celebrated by Francis Farrington CC. Paddy and his wife were both described as of full age; he was a widower and she was a spinster. The witnesses were John Ffrench and Johanna Doyle.^{14,22,2,23,16} Paddy gave his address as Peter's Lane, Waterford.²³

Paddy was transferred to County Tipperary SR on 1 April 1908¹⁴ where he appears to have been stationed at Clonmel.²⁴ He was promoted to Acting Sergeant on 1 March 1911¹⁴ and to Sergeant 20 months later.¹⁴ He was placed on the Reserve in 1913¹⁴ and transferred again to the RIC Depot on 1 September 1916.¹⁴ He was a probably a drill sergeant during this spell at the RIC Depot.^14,25 After almost a year Paddy was transferred to Queen's County on 15 August 1917¹⁴ and promoted to Head Constable on 1 January 1921^14,1,26 but he was erroneously described as a Constabulary Inspector (Retired) on his son, Paddy's, marriage certificate on 4 September 1935.^1,26

His police service ended on 3 April 1922 in Queen's County when he was disbanded from the RIC as the new Irish Free State was coming into being. He was awarded a pension of £236 13s 4d to start the next day. During his time in the RIC he received one Caution (1902) and one 3rd Favourable Record (1909). He was 47 years old when he was disbanded and could have expected to serve for 41 years to receive a full pension.^14,27,16,28 Little else is known about Paddy's activities in the RIC. Michael Mooney, his great grandson remembers being told: He was always trying to capture a well known IRA leader probably known as Black Eye Jim.²⁹ He was mentioned twice in the RIC Magazine dated 5 March 1916. The first entry was: Sergeant PJ Mooney and a party of seven constables who were on special duty at the Pigeon House Fort during the past three months returned to depot on 5 February.³⁰ The second entry read: Sergeant PJ Mooney no. 3 Company has been appointed Librarian at Depot for the half-year commencing 01 March 1916.³⁰

There is a passage in Dermot Dorgan's book about the history of Ballyouskill that refers to a local man called Hugh Toole who was also in the RIC and remembers the Mooneys:

He often spoke of the men from his native locality who served with him, men like the Mooneys of Lower Grennan, of whom all four sons joined the force in which their father and an uncle had served before them. He was fortunate in his 'Depot days' that Paddy Mooney was a Head Constable there at the time, and to Hugh's benefit the spirit of neighbourliness transcended the strict Victorian regimentation which separated the ranks.

A similar situation applied when he served with Andrew Mooney later during the stirring days in Clare. Andrew, who received all his education in Ballouskill N.S. where his Aunt was Principal, rose to the full commissioned rank of Divisional (sic) Inspector. This he achieved by educational success, winning in the process the coveted police award of the Queen's Gold Watch.³¹

On disbandment from the RIC he was paid an advance of £15 and began to receive regular monthly payments from September 1922. His pension record shows that the months of May and June were paid in Leicester in December and that July and August were paid to him in January the following year in Derby. This bears out the story that his wife was warned by the IRA that he should leave the country for a couple of years to avoid reprisal.^32,33

It is not known when Paddy returned from England but it is clear from his early pension payments that he went to England. The first mention of him being in Ireland again is a note in a file by James P Coghlan his solicitor about paying him a visit on 6 December 1926 in connection with his income tax.^34,35

It is not known why but in February 1931 his wife tried to sell her premises. Paddy acted for her giving instructions to Coghlans to sell them by private treaty and the premises were put up for auction.³⁶ In the published Particulars and Conditions of Sale the auction was to be in three lots:

     Lot 1 was the Seven-day licensed General Grocery premises containing Shop with Bar, Tap-room, Kitchen, Drawing room, Dining room, seven bedrooms with extensive premises at rear held under lease dated 1 July 1901 from Patrick to Mary Kennedy for 41 years from 25 March 1901 at the yearly rent of £25.

     Lot 2 was the plot of ground and houses in the Irishtown held under lease from William Jeffares to Patrick Mooney dated 8 October 1878 for a term of 81 years from 29 September 1878 at the yearly rent of £3 5s 0d. Details of the four tenants and their rents are given.

     Lot 3 was the garden situate at Barrack Lane containing half an acre with piggeries held in yearly tenancy at a rent of 5s.

THis was undoubtedly the premises and shop I knew in my childhood which was known as The Orchard, 9 South Street, New Ross, Co Wexford.^36,37,38

Offers didn't reach the reserve price of £500 and a sale didn't take place. Now an attempt was made to sell the shop premises and the license separately for £350 and £150 respectively. Some difficulty arose over the plans for selling the license necessitating the solicitor going to see Superintendant Buggy to explain the position. Apparently Superintendant Buggy was agreeable to the plan.³⁶

About 18 months later another agreement was signed between his wife and P O'Donnell t/a The Southern Fruit Suppliers, a Fruit Merchant, for The shop in the dwelling house of the Landlord at a quarterly rent of £10.^39,40

In 1936Paddy took up the lease on the garden at Barrack Lane at a rent of £2 per annum. He was presumably taking up all the leases on his wife's properties as they became due for renewal. His grandson Tony recalled: I can remember the garden very well. Uncle Jack used to take us there often during our visits to feed slops to the two pigs he kept and to dig potatoes and other crops which he grew to sell in the shop.^41,42,34,43

Paddy had a draft agreement made up to purchase the shop stock and fittings from P O'Donnell who now carried out the business of Fruit Merchant from the premises. They agreed on the sum of £65 to be adjusted for outstanding amounts and a deposit of £20 was paid. It was arranged for Mr O'Donnell to surrender his tenancy and Mrs Mooney endorsed the original Agreement to this effect. It is clear from the solicitor's correspondence in this matter that Paddy had been running the business for Mr O'Donnell as his General Manager. The new lease from Mr O'Donnell took effect from 1 September 1940. It is clear from the solicitor's file that the premises were now becoming known as The Orchard and the full address was 9 South Street, New Ross, Co Wexford.^44,40,45

Paddy Mooney signed a 41 year lease from 25 March 1942 with the Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland and Captain Robert Garnier Tottenham. The premises are clearly defined and are those at 9 South Street, New Ross which his wife had previously leased. The reason for the change in tenency is not known but the deed contains his signature Patk. J Mooney. The rent to be paid was £25 per annum. The lease was signed on 16 October 1942.⁴⁶

The New Ross Urban District Council wanted to obtain the property in Barrack Lane under the Acquisition of Derelict Sites Act 1940. Paddy soon told them that the site wasn't derelict at all but laid out and maintained as a garden. Grandad attempted to sell them the lease because they wanted the garden for a Public Park. It was necessary to put a price on the property so Paddy calculated how much it had cost him to maintain the garden and attempted to use this, through his solicitor, to obtain compensation amounting to £500 which he later reduced to £250. It is mentioned in the correspondence after 21 September 1944 that Mr Coghlan had a meeting with the County Manager in which he said that his powers enabled him to acquire the land in 48 hours subject to compensation. Mr Coghlan replied that it might be to the advantage of all if the matter could be agreed upon instead. It would seem that the acquisition didn't go ahead as Paddy tried some time later to sell the land.

The garden wasn't a garden at all in the modern sense used in England but more like a small-holding or an allotment. It was used to grow vegetables and there was a pigsty just inside the entrance gates on 28 October 1943.^47,38

In 1944 Paddy visited Attanagh and stayed with his cousin John William Dorgan. The visit was still remembered by Dermot Dorgan, John's grandson, in 2002 who said that his brother was born on 24 Dec 1944, a few month's after the visit, and was named after my granduncle Patrick.^47,48

He followed WWII right through and had a map at the back of the shop in South Street showing the movements and dispositions of the British; other people kept maps of the German forces.⁴⁹

About 1945 Mary Stafford came to live at The Orchard for three years whilst she attended secondary school in New Ross. In 1995 she recalled in a letter to Tony Mooney I knew them both very well but I didn't know where the relationship was. I did know your grandmother was related to my Dad.^50,51

Paddy made a will on 24 July 1945 leaving everything to his son Jack and made him the sole executor. His wife was happy with the will as she would have a small pension of her own of about £45 per annum and an income of £20 per annum from the Irishtown houses as well. The will required his son Jack to maintain her and also left her a cash sum of £100. It was specifically mentioned in the will that he was making no provision for his other son, Paddy, as he had already advanced him £150 and furnished his house. The estate was estimated at £200 cash plus the premises in South Street.⁵²

According to Dermot Dorgan in 2002, Paddy was a favourite son and was always in the wings whatever was going on. It is likely that he had a hand in drawing up the deed of assignment of his father's farm to John Dorgan.

He was described by Johnnie Bailey in 1995 as:

A tall distinguished man of military bearing. He was generous, well-dressed with a gold chain and a good touch well-known to the lads from the Irishtown. He was an important man because of his position running the RIC station in Rosbercon.^53,49

He again tried to sell the lease for the garden in Barrack Lane to the Urban District Council but nothing came of it. In the end it was sold to William and James Doyle of John Street, New Ross for £100 and the £5 auctioneer's fee. The sale included all the growing crops and was concluded on 16 January 1952.^41,42,34

His wife Mary died on 29 May 1954 making him a widower.^22,54,55 Mary Stafford, now known as Sister Killian, said of her in a letter to her cousin Jack Mooney later that year:

... sudden departure to the land of happiness of my dear kind and much respected cousin your mother. I was grieved to hear the sad news of her death but was glad to know that she wasn't left suffering too long. God was merciful to take her so quickly. Needless to say I prayed long and fervently for the repose of her dear soul for to her in part I owe some of the thanks for my holy vocation. She was kind and considerate to me in my school days and so was your good father.⁵⁶

In December 1954 his solicitor prepared a codicil to his will and he repeated that, as he had actually given his son Paddy £150 cash and furniture to the value of £200 and, as he no longer had any money to distribute, he was not making any further contribution to him.⁵⁷ On 4 April 1955 a telegram arrived from Waterford addressed to The Orchard. It read: Ciss dead funeral Wednesday. Tell Michael Breen. It is not clear who Ciss was.⁵⁸

His son Jack died on 24 September 1955 and from a ruptured appendix and Paddy now had nobody to look after him.^{54,57,59,60,61}

Maureen had been nursing at the Lister for six months when she came home on holiday in September 1955. Trainee nurses weren't allowed home until they had completed six months training. When she was at home in Dublin her father sent for her mother to join him in England at Stoke Mandeville. To Maureen's dismay her mother used the return half of her ticket to travel to England. Now that Grandad was on his own and virtually bed-ridden it was expected that Maureen care for him but she didn't want to leave Tony and Paddy on their own in Dublin. However, she did stay to look after her grandfather and returned twice to see how her brothers were getting on and to wind-up the flat. Maureen desperately wanted to return to the Lister Hospital in Hitchin to continue her training but felt obliged to meet the family's wishes to look after her grandfather.^62,63,64,61

With his son Jack dead and Maureen caring for him, Paddy now changed his will leaving everything to her. He appointed Art Fitzpatrick, a nephew by marriage, as his executor and residual legatee. The witnesses were James P Coghlan, his solicitor, and James Nolan a good friend of 63 South Street, New Ross. In discussing the will with his solicitor he again referred to his son Paddy: I don't want Paddy or his wife to have anything to do with anything I have. By this time the estate did not include any cash; there was only the South Street premises and the Irishtown houses. A copy of the will was sent to the executor.^65,66

In the letter to Art telling him that he had been appointed as executer, James Coghlan, Solicitor, said ... holds you in the highest esteem and affection.⁵⁷ Arthur replied saying he wasn't happy about being the residual legatee. He said: What about his son Patrick and his wife and, I understand he has two sons, brothers of Maureen. I certainly would relinquish all claim to any part of the estate if any of them were alive as in all fairness, apparently my Uncle has forgotten about them - and I would legally relinquish my claim in their favour.^67,57

Further correspondence confirms that Maureen stayed on in New Ross and looked after her grandfather. This starts some other correspondence with the Paymaster General who pay his RIC pension. He believed that he had obtained a separate allowance for Jack when he looked after him and he wanted this allowance transferred to Maureen. In the end it was arranged for Maureen to submit a claim form and his pension became £2 11s 11d. Later correspondence shows that the pension was £312 on 7 October 1955.^57,68

Paddy had his solicitor write to his surviving son Paddy saying that his father: ... is considering selling the shop and premises but before he finally decides he would like to let yourself and Mrs Mooney know, lest you both might wish to come and take up the business, on terms to be arranged.

His son replied almost at once, both direct to his father and separately to Mr Coghlan to offer his father a home in Dublin. He asked Mr Coghlan if he would use his influence to get his father to agree on 17 October 1955.⁵⁷

He now tried to dispose of his assets. Mr Coghlan tried to find out if the lessor, Miss Williams would like to buy the leasehold of the houses in the Irishtown. She quickly declined.⁵⁷

He also attempted to sell the premises in South Street. He gave instruction to Coghlans who prepared advertisements and conducted negotiations with a small number of prospective buyers. He set a price much higher the property was worth and eventually had to reduce the asking price from £3000 to £750. In the event the premises did not sell. He said he wanted to give £300 from the proceeds to his grandchildren.

The only hope seemed to be an offer from a company in Dublin called Imco who wanted to rent the shop as a Cleaners but he didn't want to rent and they refused his approach to buy the premises.⁵⁷

Paddy was clearly in some financial difficulty and was unable to pay his tax. Considerable correspondence took place between Coghlans and the Tax Collector. On 13 Apr 1956 James Coghlan, in a private note to his friend the Collector, said: ... he is in a shocking state financially. His price (for selling the shop) was ridiculous.^57,69

Paddy wasn't very well whilst Maureen looked after him. In the solictor's file there are many examples of his handwriting up until his death and it obviously deteriorated with time. There are some references to his health not being good and to him being confined to bed most of the time and getting worse. The only bright moment was in October 1955 when he came downstairs and seemed to be improving. Later, he is described as having been seriously ill. A good sum of money was owed to his doctor and pharmacist when he died.^57,70

Paddy died on 4 August 1956 at age 81 in New Ross, Co Wexford, Ireland, aged 81 years.^{65,54,71,55,16} Paddy was buried on 8 August 1956 at St Stephen's Cemetery, New Ross. The undertakers placed death notices in two newspapers.^72,57

A draft affidavit was prepared by Coghlans on 18 October 1956 for Estate Duty matters which valued Paddy's estate at £1026 19s 9d.⁷¹ The probate was extracted by Coghlans on 20 October 1956⁶⁵ and the will was probated four days later giving authority to Art Fitzpatrick, the executor, to administer the estate.⁷³ On 8 April 1957 Coghlans prepared the executor's account for Art Fitzpatrick. The total income to the estate was £1035 11s 3d and the costs were £649 12s 5d. A cheque for £385 18s 10d was sent to him.⁷⁴ A final account was prepared on 26 July 1957 showing that a further £37 1s 11d was received which after expenses came to £21 2s 2d.⁷⁵





His grandaughter Maureen wrote him and Jack a letter in March 1955. She sent news and gossip about her father getting better all the while, her employers entering lorries in the St Patrick's Day parade, Stess's baby Mary, Pat's confirmation and also mentions Mrs Byrne, Mrs Quinn and Hazel Hempenstall.⁷⁹



A few days later another chatty letter arrived from Maureen who was now at the Lister Hospital in Hitchin, Hertfordshire in which she talked about being there six weeks tomorrow, settling in very well, Mrs Quinn, Pat's birthday, Betty Kennedy, and Mollie Meehan going to Canada.⁸⁰

George Hodgson was born on 6 February 1876 at Hedon, Yorkshire. His father registered his birth three days later.^3,6

George Hodgson married Miriam Osbourne, daughter of John Osborne and Decephas Houghton, on 22 January 1898 at the Parish Church, Hedon, Yorkshire, The marriage was solemnized after Banns according to the rites and ceremonies of the Established Church by Edwd. Birt Kay, Vicar of Marfleet. The witnesses were William Clarke and Matilda Lummiss. George was described as a bachelor aged 21 and Miriam as a spinster aged 18.^7,3

His father transferred ownership of the keel George to him on 16 June 1899.⁸ George Hodgson was a Keelman^1,9 at the time. He was associated with keels all his life and he was recorded as a Master in 1901 at the age of 25 so he must have qualified in the ten years from 1891 when he was recorded as a 'Boy'. Later he was referred to as a Mariner, a Lightermen, a keel owner and a barge owner but the most apt title for him is Keelman which is what his daughter, Miriam, always called him.^{1,7,10,11,12,2,13,14,15,16}

At one time he also owned three other keels, the Whim, the Radiant and the Reliant transporting wheat to Timm's Flour Mill in Goole.^17,18,19,20 Thelma James said that her grandfather kept barges on the Humber. They would take cargo, unloaded in Hull, up the river Hull to the flour mill. Miriam, Thelma's aunt, also said that he had barges and that he had to sell them to the Government during the second World War to be filled with concrete and used as obstructions against the enemy.^21,22 According to Sheila Morton he carried flour on his barge from a Timms' Mill in Goole downriver but she didn't know exactly where to but she did remember that he was still doing it when she was a child. Geoff Hodgson said that his granddfather carried grain to Timms' flour mill in Goole as did other Hodgsons before him in the previous century. George arranged for someone who worked at Timms to be a partner in the barge with him so that he would always have a steady supply of work.^23,24,25 He was one of the first keelmen to get engines fitted to a keel. He had them fitted because he worked for the Government at the time.²⁶

George Hodgson and Miriam Osbourne lived at Hedon, Yorkshire, on 8 August 1900.²⁷

The family were always on the move up and down the canals and they would often travel to Knottingley with a cargo of coal.^2,28

He disposed of the George to a William Hill of 44 The Calls, Leeds on 21 November 1906. The keel, which had been in the family for three generations, was renamed Harriet on 8 August 1907.⁸

George Hodgson and Miriam Hodgson lived at 6 Sunnybank, Hull Road, Hedon, on 1 September 1915.⁷

George Hodgson married Ellen Loft, daughter of Robert Eastwood and Annie M Eastwood, on 19 November 1921 at the Register Office, Sculcoates, York E.R. and Kingston-upon-Hull CB, by certificate in the presence of Robert M Loft and Sarah E Loft. George was described as a widower aged 46 and Ellen as a widow aged 42. Ellen's first husband, Edward, and George had been good friends and he had always told Ellen that if anything should happen to him she should marry George as he was a good man and would always look after her.^{29,30,12,23,31,32} George Hodgson and Ellen Loft lived at 6 Myrtle Avenue, Williamson Street, Hull, on 19 November 1921.^31,33

They had six children each which made for a lot of people in a single house. Percy slept on the floor and later left home to join the Black and Tans and Arthur slept on the barges. Miriam and her sister Bessie slept in the loft.^34,35

On 11 December 1930 , whilst being towed, the Whim collided with the New South Pier in Goole Harbour causing considerable damage to the shutterwork and piling. The accident report by the Harbour Master recorded:

"the tug Ouse had come up from Hull with two keels, the Maxwell and the Whim in tow, turned round and was 'dropping up' the west side of Goole Reach with the intention of picking up the keel Sisters (which had been passed out of the barge lock and lying alongside the South Run) and towing her to York. The tug's tow was blown into the mouth of the Dutch River and in trying to get them out, the Whim fouled the New South Pier end(?) and did damage. At the time there was a very strong SE wind and the Goole Reach was full of ships".³⁶ It was said that he wanted his daughter Olga to marry her half-brother, Stanley, but she wasn't interested.³⁷

George Hodgson was well known by Sheila Morton who said of him in 2002 he was a card and I loved him. She also said that he was a settled, comical man. Geoff Hodgson and his sisters said they knew their grandfather as a tough man and they did not think he was a nice man like Sheila did. They recalled asking him for money when they were young and they said he either gave them harsh repayment terms or refused to let them have it. They also said that he was hard on the boys who worked for him and that each in his turn wanted to have his own barge to get away from him. Miriam Wilson remembered him Grandad was a quiet introvert, the kind of personality that went well with the life on barges.^23,38,39,26

Sheila Morton said that he used to visit her and stay overnight a lot when his wife was ill and that as a result she knew him quite well. He would spend 5 days each week away at sea and come home to be with his wife at weekends.²³

George Hodgson lived with Ellen Eastwood on 30 January 1949 at 442 Southcoates Lane, Hull, although.¹²

George Hodgson was present at the death of Ellen Eastwood on 30 January 1949 at 7 Orpington Villas, Rensburg Street, Hull; aged 69 from carcinomatosis. This was her daughter, Edna's, home where Ellen lived in her final years.^{12,40,41,32,33}

He was said by Sheila to have retired only about two years before he died. George really wanted Edna to move in to look after him but there wasn't room enough for all her family. Percy and Arthur came instead but soon each in his turn returned to Goole.⁴² In the end Harold Loft and Ivy Loft moved in and stayed to look after him. They lived there with him for the rest of his life.^14,43

George Hodgson died on 5 January 1957 at age 80 at the Kingston General Hospital, Hull, Yorkshire, from carcinoma prostate. His death was reported by his step-son H Loft.^29,14,10 He was buried at Eastern Cemetery, Hull, with his wife. The inscription on the headstone is: In Loving Memory of ELLEN the beloved wife of George Hodgson passed away Jan. 30th. 1949 aged 69 years. Until we meet again. Also the above named George passed away Jan 5th 1957 aged 80 years. Reunited. The reference number on the headstone is 856093. George chose the plot which, at the time, was separated from the rest of the cemetery.^44,45,46 He left a will. It is likely that Harold and his wife inherited the estate.⁴⁷

Photos:
In 2003 Geoff Hodgson had a photo of his grandfather George Hodgson bringing the Radiant out of King George Dock to go up-river. George is standing on the port side with Arthur steering. Geoff Hodgson identified it as the Radiant from the hatches which were lighter than usually found on that type of barge.⁴⁸
Geoff had another photo of the Reliant in drydock for routine maintenance in 1930. Marlene Hodgson said that she had gone to London once to find the Reliant which had been sold as a houseboat and shortened to get it through the Thames locks. She went with her daughter but they didn't find it.⁴⁹
There is another photo owned by Geoff of the Radiant sailing up the river to Hedon Haven.⁵⁰
On 15 April 1933 George Hodgson was photographed with Joseph Hodgson and Doris Hodgson on their wedding day. Edna Loft, Arthur Loft, Bessie Hodgson and Mary Hodgson also appeared in the photo.⁵¹
On 15 April 1933 George Hodgson was photographed with Joseph Hodgson and Doris Hodgson on their wedding day. Arthur Loft also appeared in the photo.⁵²
On circa 1936 George Hodgson was photographed with Joseph Hodgson and Doris Hodgson. This was another wedding group. Ellen Eastwood and Hannah Wilbe also appeared in the photo.⁵³
On 21 December 1946 George Hodgson was photographed with Kenneth Oglesby and Olga Hodgson. The photo was taken on their wedding day.. Ellen Eastwood, Sheila Wilson and Pamela Gladys Loft also appeared in the photo.⁵⁴
About 1940 George was photographed with Edna Loft, Olga Hodgson, Sheila Wilson and Bertha Loft. The photo was probably taken at Colin Wilson's birthday party.⁵⁵
1940 George was photographed with Colin Wilson at a birthday party. Was it his own birthday?⁵⁶
Circa 1948 George and Ellen were photographed outside their home in Southcoates Lane, Hull.⁵⁷
George's headstone was photographed in February 2003. The details carved on the headstone were still clearly visible.^58,46

Miriam Osbourne was born on 23 March 1881 at Island, Knottingley, Yorkshire.^5,6

Miriam Osbourne lived at Island, Knottingley, on 16 April 1881.⁶

Miriam Osbourne married George Hodgson, son of Robert Hodgson and Susannah Pawson, on 22 January 1898 at the Parish Church, Hedon, Yorkshire, The marriage was solemnized after Banns according to the rites and ceremonies of the Established Church by Edwd. Birt Kay, Vicar of Marfleet. The witnesses were William Clarke and Matilda Lummiss. George was described as a bachelor aged 21 and Miriam as a spinster aged 18.^1,5

Miriam Osbourne and George Hodgson lived at Hedon, Yorkshire, on 8 August 1900.⁸ Had a shop in which she sold butter and probably other things. The shop was on the road into Hedon from Hull near the supermarket (2006) in the premises which became the bicycle shop. The Lofts lived in the house next door. (an unknown value.)^9,10

Miriam Hodgson and George Hodgson lived at 6 Sunnybank, Hull Road, Hedon, on 1 September 1915.¹

Used to set her daughters' hair, wound round rags to make long ringlets, with sugar and water.¹¹

Miriam Osbourne died on 14 July 1918 at 6 Sunny Bank, Preston RD, Yorkshire, soon after her daughter Bessie was born. She was found dead in bed according to Miriam. Apparently, she went into Hull on a Saturday in 1918 on the local horse and trap, the only means of public transport, and caught the plague ('flu) from which she died. She was suffering from starvation and malnutrition as she fed what little food she could get to her children and her condition probably contributed to her death. She had gone to Hull to buy butter to sell in a shop but it is not known if it was her own shop. The death certificate gives her age as 38 and that she died from influenza and pneumonia. The death was registered by her husband George who was present when she died.^{12,13,14,15,16,17}

I have a photocopy of a photo of her standing beside a table.¹⁸

I have another photocopy of a photo of her too which seems to have been taken later.¹⁹

About 1914 Miriam Osbourne was photographed with Arthur L Hodgson outside 6 Sunnybank which has a bay window. Doris Hodgson, Arthur Loft, Stanley Hodgson and Edward Shaw Loft also appeared in the photo.^20,21

Thomas Frederick Albert Reed, son of Thomas George Reed and Louisa Morris, was born on 25 August 1914 at 32 Ashdown Street, Kentish Town, London.^4,2 His family moved to 3 Jamestown Road, Camden Town, London, circa September 1917.^2,5 He had rickets as a child and was cared for at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Because of the ricketts, he didn't start school until he was 6 years old.² When he was 15 or 16 years old his family moved to Paddington.⁵ Later he served in the Army.²

In 1946 Thomas Frederick Albert Reed married Dorothy May Connor.^2,6 They took the top floor at his mother-in-law's house at 266 Kilburn Lane, Paddington, London. His wife, Dorothy, wasn't happy there because the old range smoked all the time. He tried for work in Crawley but couldn't get there in time each day so he went with a contracting firm who had work in Stevenage. Tom said he helped build the town and eventually qualified for housing there² and they moved to 53 Leaves Spring, Shephall, Stevenage, Hertfordshire.⁷

A few years later Miriam married Miriam Hodgson, daughter of George Hodgson and Miriam Osbourne, on 8 December 1973 at The Register Office, Hitchin.^1,8,3 Thomas Frederick Albert Reed was a Cable Jointer with the Electricity Board at the time.³

In 1979, when Tom retired and had a party to celebrate, a short article appeared in a local newspaper which read:

Jointer Tom Goes
Jointer Tom Reed of St Albans retired in August after 16 years service. He was presented with a mixer/blender by Reg Carpenter, the distribution engineer at St Albans.^9,10

His wife Miriam died on 6 November 1995. Tom always said afterwards how very proud he was to have been with her for 21 happy years.^1,8 Tom stayed on at his house in Stevenage but moved to his own flat in a care home in July 2002. His new address was 9 Lime Tree House, 48 High Street, Whitwell, Hitchin, Hertfordshire.^3,11 Thomas Frederick Albert Reed died on 29 December 2004 at age 90 after a short stay in hospital where he was being treated for a chest infection which he'd had for a few weeks.¹²¹³¹⁴

Mary Josephine Kennedy, daughter of Patrick Kennedy and Mary Kehoe, was born on 24 March 1877 in South Street, New Ross, Co Wexford, where her parents lived. Her birth certificate records her name as Mary Joseph although she was known as Mary Josephine throughout her life.² Little is known about her early life but it is likely that she grew up in New Ross and came from a well respected family. Those that knew her say that she had a fine soprano voice. Her reputation as a singer and her dedication to the church choir was such that mention was made if it in her obituary. She was known as a kind and considerate person.^4,5,6

On 8 August 1907she married Paddy Mooney, son of John Mooney and Elizabeth McCabe, at the Roman Catholic Church, Aughrim Street, Dublin, the marriage being celebrated by Francis Farrington CC. Paddy and his wife were both described as of full age; he was a widower and she was a spinster. The witnesses were John Ffrench and Johanna Doyle.^7,1,3,8,9 She said she was living at 9 South Street, New Ross, Co Wexford, Ireland.⁸ Her son Paddy was born on the premises in 1910.^10,11,12

Her husband was in the RIC in Waterford and it is likely that she moved there to be with him and his son as she was running a small hotel and restaurant there by 1909. The business started sometime after 1906 and ended before 1913.^13,14,15

Gladstone Street was originally laid down as Little George's Street after George I (1714-27) and was later renamed to honour William Gladstone MP who played such a decisive role in getting Home Rule for Ireland.^11,16,17 By 1915 she had returned to live at South Street, New Ross, where she stayed for the rest of her life.¹⁸ She was the sole executor of her mother's estate who died in 1919 The probate was completed in 1920.^18,19,20

Mary Josephine Kennedy was a Grocer and Provision Merchant in 1930.²¹

On 29 September 1930 solicitors for the representatives of a Mrs Williams wrote to James P Coghlan, her solicitor, to have her pay two years rent which seemed to be outstanding.²²

She was not liked by Johnnie Bailey who lived in South Street. He made it plain in 1995 that whilst he liked her husband he did not like her. This was because she told Johnnie's cousin that Johnnie's parents, who were fostering him, that they weren't his parents as he believed. This caused some consternation amongst the Baileys and Johnnie could not like her afterwards. Johnnie siad she had acid and vitriol in her.²³


It is not known why but in February 1931 she tried to sell her premises. Her husband, Paddy, acted for her giving instructions to Coghlans to sell them by private treaty and the premises were put up for auction.²⁴ In the published Particulars and Conditions of Sale the auction was to be in three lots:

     Lot 1 was the Seven-day licensed General Grocery premises containing Shop with Bar, Tap-room, Kitchen, Drawing room, Dining room, seven bedrooms with extensive premises at rear held under lease dated 1 July 1901 from Patrick to Mary Kennedy for 41 years from 25 March 1901 at the yearly rent of £25.

     Lot 2 was the plot of ground and houses in the Irishtown held under lease from William Jeffares to Patrick Mooney dated 8 October 1878 for a term of 81 years from 29 September 1878 at the yearly rent of £3 5s 0d. Details of the four tenants and their rents are given.

     Lot 3 was the garden situate at Barrack Lane containing half an acre with piggeries held in yearly tenancy at a rent of 5s.

THis was undoubtedly the premises and shop I knew in my childhood which was known as The Orchard, 9 South Street, New Ross, Co Wexford.^24,19,25

Offers didn't reach the reserve price of £500 and a sale didn't take place. Now an attempt was made to sell the shop premises and the license separately for £350 and £150 respectively. Some difficulty arose over the plans for selling the license necessitating the solicitor going to see Superintendant Buggy to explain the position. Apparently Superintendant Buggy was agreeable to the plan.²⁴

Later that year an agreement was made between Mary Josephine Mooney and Customs and Excise to rent them a ground floor room, 40ft x 15ft, at a yearly rent of £48. The deed contains her own signature and that of Johanna O'Hanlon, her good friend and cousin, who lived opposite at 62 South Street, a Milliner. Maureen Burton recalled; we used to provide the fuel for the fire and I used to have to light the fire every day. A further agreement between them exchanged the ground floor room for one on the first floor at the same rent and subject to carrying out certain works. The signatures were the same as on the original agreement.^26,27

About 18 months later another agreement was signed between his wife and P O'Donnell t/a The Southern Fruit Suppliers, a Fruit Merchant, for The shop in the dwelling house of the Landlord at a quarterly rent of £10.^28,29

The shop was listed in the Grocers, Wine and Spirit Merchants section of Thom's Directory in 1938. The entry was: Mooney, Mary, 9 South Street.³⁰

In 1939, three of the houses which she owned in the Irishtown required considerable renovation to make them fit for habitation. She agreed to some of the necessary repairs but nothing seemed to get done and demolition orders were served.³¹

On 17 January 1942 she drew up an Agreement with the tenant Patrick Cleere of Irishtown New Ross to give him a 4 year period rent and rates free if he would take down that portion remaining of one gable end of house No. 63, Irishtown, New Ross, and erect a new concrete and stone gable thereto. It appears the gable end had partly collapsed damaging the tenant's personal property. The Agreement also required him to forgo any claim for the damage. Her step-son witnessed the deed signing his name Jack M Mooney.³² The repairs weren't done quickly enough and she had to write to the tenant requiring him to carry out the work. It is clear from the correpondence that Mr Cleere's contractor had simply been busy on other work and the matter was soon cleared up.³³

Her husband, Paddy, signed a 41 year lease from 25 March 1942 with the Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland and Captain Robert Garnier Tottenham. The premises are clearly defined and are those at 9 South Street, New Ross which his wife had previously leased. The reason for the change in tenency is not known but the deed contains his signature Patk. J Mooney. The rent to be paid was £25 per annum. The lease was signed on 16 October 1942.³⁴

About 1945 Mary Stafford came to live at The Orchard for three years whilst she attended secondary school in New Ross. In 1995 she recalled in a letter to Tony Mooney I knew them both very well but I didn't know where the relationship was. I did know your grandmother was related to my Dad.^35,36

Mary Josephine Kennedy died on 29 May 1954 at age 77 in New Ross ; making him a widower^1,37,38 and was buried in St Stephen's Cemetery in the family grave three days later on 1 June 1954.^39,40 Her memorial card reads:

Mary Josephine Mooney
The Orchard New Ross
29th May 1954
St Stephen's Cemetery^41,42

Her obituary, which appeared in the New Ross Standard on 4 June 1954, said:

The death of Mrs. J. Mooney, South Street, New Ross, which occurred on Saturday, is deeply and widely regretted. She came from a highly esteemed and widely connected family. She was sister of the late Rev. John F. Kennedy C.C. a popular priest in Wexford during his time, and who died greatly lamented, on February 17th 1907. To show their appreciation of Fr. Kennedy the parishioners of Wexford subscribed generously to erect a monument over his grave in the grounds of the Church of the Assumption. The monument took the form of a Celtic Cross, with an inscription in Irish and English. The late Mrs. Mooney, like her brother Fr. Kennedy, took a prominent part in the early days of the Gaelic League movement, and she was a competitor in the soprano competition at the first Co. Feis held at Enniscorthy in 1902. At the same Feis she was a member of the New Ross parish choir that participated in the choral competition. She sang with the same choir on the occasion of the Solemn High Mass at the opening of the new parish church, New Ross, in 1902, and had the happiness, two years ago, of being present at the Golden Jubilee celebrations at the same church. All her contemporaries of the old choir have passed away with the exception of Mr. Patrick J. Dunne, Smith St. who is still hale and hearty. Mrs. Mooney was a sister of the late James Kennedy, shipping agent, New Ross, who, in his time, was prominently associated with theatricals in the town. Of a most kindly disposition she was deservedly held in high personal regard, and the deepest sympathy is extended to her husband and two sons in their bereavement. The funeral to St. Stephen's Cemetery on Monday was of a very representative character. The chief mourners were Messrs. P. Mooney (husband), and John and Patrick Mooney (sons). R.I.P.⁴

She died intestate, the leasehold properties being her sole property, and her estate passed to her husband.³⁸

After her death seven rates demand notes were issued in her name and another one in her husband's name in respect of various properties. There were four for properties in the Irishtown (Kathleen O'Sullivan, Bridget Brambley, Mrs Hannah Magee and Patrick Cleere), two in Barrack Lane and one in South Street in her name and the other one is in his name for the property in South Street. It would seem that there was some land attached to one of the houses in the Irishtown. Clearly, the rates office had yet to amend all its records that she had died.⁴³

Mary Stafford, now known as Sister Killian, said of her in a letter to her cousin Jack Mooney later that year:

... sudden departure to the land of happiness of my dear kind and much respected cousin your mother. I was grieved to hear the sad news of her death but was glad to know that she wasn't left suffering too long. God was merciful to take her so quickly. Needless to say I prayed long and fervently for the repose of her dear soul for to her in part I owe some of the thanks for my holy vocation. She was kind and considerate to me in my school days and so was your good father.⁶

Patrick Kennedy was born circa 1846.¹ By 1869 he was a shopkeeper^5,4,6,7,8 in New Ross, Co Wexford, Ireland.⁴ He married Mary Kehoe, daughter of Thomas Kehoe and (?) McGrath, on 19 October 1869 at Galbally, Clonroche, Co Wexford. The marriage was solemnised at the Roman Catholic Chapel of Galbally according to the rites and ceremonies of the Roman Catholic church by John Scallon. Both Patrick and Mary signed their names in the presence of Patrick McGrath and Ellen Keogh.^1,2,9,4 By 1874 they had made their home at 9 South Street, New Ross, Co Wexford, Ireland, and remained there all their lives.^10,11,12,13

On 8 October 1878 Patrick was the lessee of premises in the Irishtown, consisting of a plot of land and an occupied dwelling house. He leased the property from William Jeffares, a merchant, for 91 years at £3 5s 0d per annum.⁵

He was a well known and most familiar figure of the community and was described as an active and intelligent man at the time of his unfortunate death. At various times he was and Urban Councillor, Secretary to the Harbour Commissioners, Vice-president of the Catholic Workingmen's Club, Member and Chairman of the Board of Guardians and it would appear that he held many of these positions at the same time. His business interests were extensive having property in the Irishtown, premises in South Street where he had a shop and public bar and a cork-cutting business employing at least one person.

He was regarded as a staunch Nationalist and had his own yacht which he sailed on the River Barrow and Waterford Harbour.

It was said of him ... in the public sphere no better Irishman ... no one rejoiced more in the success of every national movement.¹⁴ He was listed in Egan's Waterford Directory in 1894 as a Juror for the New Ross Union Bantry in the county of Wexford. His address was given as South Street, New Ross.¹⁵

Patrick Kennedy died on 22 August 1900 at Stonewall Bay, Templetown, Co Wexford, The entry in the New Ross Standard read:

KENNEDY - 22nd August, Patrick Kennedy, New Ross (father of the Rev. J Kennedy, C.C. (Kiltealy)), aged 53 years; deeply regretted by family and a large circle of friends. R.I.P. American papers, please copy.

Just over two weeks later on 8 September a further entry appeared in the Acknowledgements section of the People:

Mrs Kennedy and family beg to tender through your widely circulated colums their thanks to their many friends and the public bodies with which her late Mr Kennedy was connected for their kind messages of sympathy in their bereavement.

His death entry records that he was Found dead twenty second August 1900 strand of Waterford Harbour at Stone Wall Bay. He was aged 53 and died from accidental drowning. The death record shows that a certificate was received from Joseph R Cardiff MD, Coroner for South Wexford and that the inquest was held on 25 August 1900.^1,16,17,18,9

He had been on his holidays for a week or so cruising on his yacht in Waterford Harbour. On the Monday before he died he sailed with three friends who were using his boat for herring fishing; they stayed out all night and put into Duncannon on Tuesday morning. Patrick had not been herring fishing before and found he did not like it one bit. Not feeling at all well he went to bed and ate breakfast when he woke up. he was now feeling quite well and in the afternoon joined the yawl of his friend the Harbour Master for New Ross. The boat left Duncannon about five o'clock in the evening and was in sight for about half an hour. Nothing is really known about what happened to cause his death but the most widely reported assumption was that the yawl was cut down by a steamer. A local clergyman was said to have seen it happen but he later denied the reports attributed to him.¹⁴

The body was placed in the old chapel at Templetown overnight after the inquest. The funeral left Templetown on the day after the inquest at 11 a.m. 24 Aug for St Stephen's Cemetery in New Ross. It was probably the largest funeral to cross south Wexford ever. The cortege, which included several clergymen, reached New Ross at 3 p.m.¹⁴ He was buried on 24 August 1900 in St Stephen's Cemetery, Co Wexford. The headstone looks like marble and incorporates a large anchor. The inscriptions on the memorial are:

Front
Of your charity pray for the repose of the
soul of Patrick Kennedy of New Ross who
died 22nd Aug 1900 aged 53 years. Also
his son James P Kennedy who died 29th Sep 1911
aged 40 years.
Reqt in pace

Right side
And of Mary Kennedy his wife who died
19th Nov 1919 aged 74 years

Left side
And of Patrick Mc.Grath who died 25th Dec
1900 aged 56 years.^19,14

After his body was found there was a great deal of press interest in his death and the circumstances which led up to it. An inquest was held and many accounts of it all appeared in various local papers.^{20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31}

Note: I tried to get to Stonewall bay when I was in Ireland in September 2007 with Judith. It was only accessible from a lane next to the ruined church according to local people but when we reached the bottom of the fields beyond the end of the lane our way was blocked by a number of barbed wire fences and we coluld find no way to reach the small beach we could see about fifty metres away. The only other way to reach Stonewall Bay was by boat but we didn't have time to arrange to do that.³²

Over the years his occupation was decribed in various ways. In 1885 he is shown in one entry as Grocer, Wine and Spirit Dealer in the Wexford County Directory and Guide. Another entry shows him as a Cork Cutter and a further entry descibes him as a Grocer who was licensed to sell wines and spirits.^33,34 About ten years later an entry appeared in the New Ross section of Slater's National Commercial Directory of Ireland describing him as a Publican³⁵ and he was described as a Publican and Grocer on his death record in 1900.⁹ His daughter Mary described him as a Shopkeeper at the time of her marriage in 1907. It is possible that he was all of these things at the same time so he is recorded here as³⁶ a Shopkeeper and Corkcutter.^36,33

Mary Kehoe was born circa 1845.⁴ Mary lived at Ballyhogue, Bree, Enniscorthy, at the time.^5,3 She married Patrick Kennedy, son of James Kennedy and Mary (?), on 19 October 1869 at Galbally, Clonroche, Co Wexford. The marriage was solemnised at the Roman Catholic Chapel of Galbally according to the rites and ceremonies of the Roman Catholic church by John Scallon. Both Patrick and Mary signed their names in the presence of Patrick McGrath and Ellen Keogh.^1,2,6,3 By 1874 they had made their home at 9 South Street, New Ross, Co Wexford, Ireland, and remained there all their lives.^7,8,9,10

Her husband died on 22 August 1900 in a tragic drowning accident near Stonewall Bay, Templetown, Co Wexford.^1,11,12,13,6 She took the news of his death very badly and collapsed when the news first reached New Ross.¹⁴ She attended the burial of her husband on 24 August 1900 at St Stephen's Cemetery, New Ross, Co Wexford, Ireland; and was present the next day when his father was buried.^15,14 His will was probated on 25 July 1901. The costs in obtaining the grant of administration for her husband's estate were £11 5s 4d and the value of the estate was £456 9s 11d. The solicitors were Evans, Boyd & Greene of New Ross.¹⁶

On 20 September 1915 Mary made a will in which she left ... all my property of every kind to Mary Josephine Kennedy ... now residing with me.^4,17

In 1918 there were 73 public houses in New Ross. They were all listed in a Public House Register which includes an entry for Mary Kennedy at 9 South Street who was the landlord and had a seven day licence.¹⁸

Mary Kehoe died on 19 November 1919 in South Street, New Ross, Co Wexford, aged 74.^{1,19,15,4,17,20}

A death notice read:

KENNEDY - November 19th 1919. Mary widow of the late Patrick Kennedy, South Street, New Ross. May she rest in peace. Office and High Mass on the 24th inst.

An acknowledgement in the same paper read:

Kennedy - Mr. and Mrs. Mooney, South Street, New Ross, wish to return their sincere thanks for the numerous letters and messages of sympathy in their bereavement, and trust this acknowledgement will be accepted, as it would be impossible to reply individually.²⁰

A memorial card reads:

Mary Kennedy
9 South St. New Ross
19th November 1919
Aged 54.¹⁵

She was the sole executor of her mother's estate who died in 1919. The probabte was completed in 1920.^4,17,21

James Kennedy, son of Patrick Kennedy and Mary Kehoe, was born on 14 November 1870 in South Street, New Ross, Co Wexford.^3,1 Only his birth certificate records him as James, all the other places that his name appears give it as James P Kennedy.^4,1

He was prominently associated with theatricals in the town. In 2002, the Theatre Tavern, New Ross, Co Wexford, which is almost directly opposite the theatre, had on display on its walls an old program for The Poor Gentleman, that mentions a Mr James Kennedy playing the part of Sir Robert Bramble. The play took place on 21^st and 23^rd February 1892. He is also shown on the program playing the part of Chops (a journeyman butcher) in John Mopps.^5,6

On 23 August 1900 James Kennedy was called as a witness to identify his father's body at the inquest into his drowning⁷ and was present the next day when his father was buried in St Stephen's Cemetery, New Ross.^8,7

James married Hannagh O'Shea, daughter of (?) (?); the marriage was without issue.^4,9

James Kennedy died on 29 September 1911, aged 40, in South Street from fatty degeneration of the heart, 6 months vascular disease and albuminurea certified. Hannah, his widow, who was present when he died, registered his death on 11 October 1911.^2,8,10 A notice of his death appeared in local newspapers on Wednesday 4 October, Friday 6 October and Saturday 7 October 1911.

The notice read:

KENNEDY - September 29 1911. Mr James P. Kennedy, Merchant, South Street, New Ross, brother of the late Rev. J. F. Kennedy, C.C., Wexford, aged 40, fortified by rites of the Holy Catholic Church; deeply and deservedly regretted. R.I.P. American papers please copy.¹¹ His obituary appeared in The Wexford People and the New Ross Standard a few days later. It said:

Mr. James. P. Kennedy
New Ross

The death occurred on Friday 20th September, at his residence, South Street, New Ross, of one of the most popular and well-known residents of the town, Mr. James P. Kennedy, merchant. To say that Mr. Kennedy was popular would be a mild way of putting it - he was extremely popular and beloved by all classes in the community, and it is no wonder, because he possessed a personality that was truly magnetic, generous, good hearted, sociable, manly and upright in every way - a friend to everybody and everybody's friend in return. The charitableness of both he and the members of his family is well attested to by the warm tributes of the poor people and their manifest regret at his death. He had been ailing for some time past, and although at times he showed signs of complete recovery yet he was resigned to whatever God's will was, and his illness was borne with a spirit of true Christian resignation, and he calmly passed away fortified by the rites of the Holy Catholic Church at the early age of 40 years. Of him it can be said he was the worthy and popular son of a worthy and popular father, and like his father, he was passionately fond of yachting and boating - in fact, it was his hobby. He was a well-known and popular member of the New Ross Dramatic Club, and whenever he appeared on stage he was able to "bring down the house", so to speak by his humorous talent, wit and raciness. In this capacity he never spared himself in giving his talent for every charitable and worthy social object, and often seriously inconvenienced himself by doing so, but he left no personal interest or comfort stand in the way whenever his services were required for any good and deserving project. No wonder he was popular with all classes. He belonged to an old and very popular family which has been associated with the town for years, as well as with the country districts and was brother to the late Rev. J. F. Kennedy, C.C., who was so very popular that when he died in Wexford the people of the town built a beautiful monument to his memory although Wexford was practically his first mission after being ordained. The late Mr. Kennedy was a member of St. Thomas's Catholic Association, which body sent a splendid wreath to the grave. The committee also at a special meeting passed a vote of deep regret at his death and a vote of condolence with his family and friends. The deepest sympathy is publicly felt for his wife, mother, sister and relatives in their bereavement. The funeral to St. Stephen's Cemetery on Sunday was most respectable and representative of the business people and merchants of the town, a number of the professional men, members of the town public bodies and the officials and the public in general, many being present from Wexford, as well as the counties of Kilkenny and Carlow, which were marked evidence of the popularity of Mr. Kennedy and his family and friends. The Rev. T. Quigley, C.C. and the Rev. A. O'Brien, C.C. read the prayers at the graveside. A large number of beautiful wreaths were sent from different people along with messages of sympathy. The chief mourners were - Mrs. M. Mooney, Waterford: Mr. J. Kehoe, Ballybo (uncle). Mrs. Cloney, Killoughran (aunt). Mr. Shea, Butler(sic) Bridge, Co Kilkenny (father-in-law). Mr T. Shea (brother-in-law)
At the High Mass and Office on Saturday the Right Rev. the Dean of Ferns presided; celebrant, Rev. A. McCormack, C.C; chanters, Rev. D Bolger, C.C., Ballyanne, and Rev. Father White, C.C., Rosbercon; deacon, Rev. W. J. Harpur, C.C., Whitchurch; subdeacon, Rev. John O'Connor, C.C., Templeudigan; master of ceremonies, Rev. T. Quigley, C.C. In the choir were - The Very Rev. Canon Holohan, V.F., P.P., Rosbercon; Rev. Prior Heavey, O.S.A., New Ross; Rev. J. Furlong, ex-Provincial, O.S.A., do; Rev. Father Frost, O.S.A.¹²


James Kennedy was a Shipping Agent⁵ although he was described as a shopkeeper when his death was registered on 29 September 1911.¹⁰

John Francis Kennedy, son of Patrick Kennedy and Mary Kehoe, was born on 1 September 1874 at South Street, New Ross, Co Wexford,^1,2,3,7,4,5 John Francis Kennedy went to the Christian Brothers School in New Ross.⁴ When he was 15 years old he went to St Peter's College which catered for students for the priesthood.⁴ In 1893 he moved to St Patrick's College, Maynooth the principal seminary in Ireland.⁴ He was ordained on 5 November 1899 back at St Peter's College together with Aidan McCormack.^4,8

John Francis Kennedy was appointed Curate at Kiltealy on 10 November 1899.^4,8 After only two years he was moved to the city of Wexford on 5 November 1901 where he served as the Catholic Curate at the Church of the Assumption.^4,7

John Francis Kennedy attended the funeral of his father Patrick Kennedy on 24 August 1900 at St Stephen's Cemetery, New Ross, Co Wexford, Ireland, and recited the last prayers at the graveside^9,8 and about three weeks later, on 18 September 1900, he celebrated High Mass in memory of his father.⁸

John Francis Kennedy was a great supporter of the Gaelic League and the Temperance Movement. He took a prominent part in the early days of the movement.^4,10

In February 1907 John Francis Kennedy contracted an infection while attending the sick during a period of widespread illness in the town.⁴ After a few days he seemed to be recovering when he worsened on the Sunday afternoon. Later in the day it was announced to the parishioners at matins in two churches that he was at his last and he died just as his mother arrived. He died at 11.30 in the evening on 17 February 1907 at age 32 at the Presbytery, Waterloo Road(?), Wexford, of influenza pneumonia certified. His remains were taken to the Church of the Assumption on the next day, Monday at 5 p.m. and the funeral took place at 11 a.m. on the Tuesday.

He was the only curate to die in Wexford town for 87 years. The last was Fr Michael Murphy in 1820. It was a saying among the senior clergy that a Wexford curate never got his shroud or his parish in the town, for it was never known that a Wexford curate was ever appointed Parish Priest of the town Parish. The local newspaper, The County Wexford Independent, carried a number of articles about him on 23 February 1907.^{1,4,7,2,11,12,13,14,15} He was buried on 23 February 1907 in the church grounds in a pretty little railed-in plot fronting the main entrance. (the railings were no longer there in 2002). To show their appreciation of Fr Kennedy the parishioners of Wexford subscribed generously to erect a monument over his grave in the grounds of the Church of the Assumption. The monument took the form of a Celtic Cross, with an inscription in Irish and English.

The English inscription reads:

God be merciful to
the
Soul of the
Rev. John F Kennedy C.C.
Wexford
Died February 17th 1907
Aged 33 years

RIP

The Irish version of this text appears on the other side of the monument.^3,4,10,12,16

The week after his obituary appeared in the paper, The Wexford People published a supplement of a photo of the Rev. Kennedy which is displayed at the top of this narrative.¹² A memorial card reads:

Rev John F Kennedy CC
Wexford

17th February 1907
Aged 33 the eight year of his ministry.⁹

John Francis Kennedy was a Roman Catholic Priest.¹

John Francis Kennedy was given a silver tea pot by his parishioners about 1901, probably when he left Kiltealy, which in 1998 was owned by his grandniece Maureen Burton but it was stolen when her home was burgled. The tea pot had an inscription but what it was no-one can remember.¹⁷ He also owned a silver plated coffee pot with an inscription:

"Reverend J. F. Kennedy CC
Xmas 1904"

which passed to his grandniece who still had it in 2010.^17,18

His headstone was photographed on 29 June 2002.¹⁹

John Michael Mooney, son of Patrick Joseph Mooney and Sarah Giffney, was born on 24 June 1901 at 7 Clifford Street, Wexford, Ireland. In 2002 Clifford Street was a short street with a row of terraced cottages down one side and the backs of premises down the other. There was a small school too and a community building which had been converted to a rape crisis centre.^4,5,6 John Michael Mooney was commonly known as Jack Mooney.⁷

He used to take early morning walks with Jim Stacey. He would always take his nephews and niece along when they were on holiday each year from Dublin. Sadly, Jim Stacey died a short while before 2002.^8,9

He was described by Johnnie Bailey in 1995 as:

anti, cunning, devious and fond of the women but only for the garden. This meant not to marry but for company. He used to take a woman who worked at French and Haydn for walks.¹⁰ Jack used to visit the Dorgans at Attanagh a lot.¹¹

On 15 August 1954 Jack wrote a letter to Art Fitzpatrick. The letter reads:

At long last I am replying to your kind letter of sympathy received at the death of my mother - in all senses of the word she was that to me. God rest her. We have had very great trouble since, the morning of her funeral my father collapsed and had to be carted off at 10 am to hospital. he gave two weeks there. He is very slowly picking up and to crown all this trouble my brother went to hospital in Dublin the morning of his mother's death with liver, heart and lung trouble occasioned by his use of a motor bike. All the winter and spring he got his death of cold. Motor bikes, a bad business. But thank God he is getting alright again. His daughter came down to see us through. She arrived a half-hour before her Grannie died. She is 16 years old and a very competent little girl but she has gone back to her home in Dublin a month ago. They have two boys as well.

Needless to say we miss her company and are very, very lonely now (I mean of course my mother). She was a most likeable person and beloved by all and sundry from the highest to the lowest people in Ross. I am sending you the 'Standard' with the account of her funeral. I keep posted about your well-being frequently by Mr Foskin (sp?) a very nice chap by the way.

Well, I hope you are all doing well and prospering, also all your friends and relations. I hope my Aunt, your mother is hale and hearty. Give her my regards. I thought I'd get to see you all this summer but the knockabout put me off. Maybe next year I'll get a run up p(lease) God and see you all. My mother often spoke of you, Olahan and Donovan. She took to you that day you were here. Donovan chatted to her all the evening while you and Olahan chatted with my father. Believe me she was no bad judge of peoples' character. I had a chap in yesterday a customer of yours AJ Crotty, Technical Instructor and he sang your praises loud and long.

Well I think I have no more to relate of any interest to you so I conclude for the moment trusting to hear from you sometime.

Kind regards to you and yours from us both. Very sincerely yours Jack.⁷

Shortly after 21 October 1954 Mary Stafford, now known as Sister Killian,wrote a letter from Australia to him in New Ross offering her condolences on the death of his mother. Sister Killian referred to her as her cousin and suggests to Jack that he would be very welcome should he visit Tinnecarrig (sp?). She also referred to Patrick Joseph, Jack's father, being ill in hospital. In the letter she also says

... sudden departure to the land of happiness of my dear kind and much respected cousin your mother. I was grieved to hear the sad news of her death but was glad to know that she wasn't left suffering too long. God was merciful to take her so quickly. Needless to say I prayed long and fervently for the repose of her dear soul for to her in part I owe some of the thanks for my holy vocation. She was kind and considerate to me in my school days and so was your good father.¹²

Jack and his father received a letter from Marie of Broomlands, Enniscorthy, dated 20 December 1954. As well as thanking Jack for looking after them so well on their visit to Ross she mentioned her father.¹³

In 1955 his name was included in the Electors list of 1955/56. at South Street.¹⁴

Jack died on 24 September 1955 at age 54 at the Waterford from a ruptured appendix. Maypark Nursing Home It was still going strong in 2002 although it had changed its name to Maypark House and was said to be very expensive. Bessie Keller, a resident, and the staff said that in 1954 it was run by the Sisters of St John of God. They had difficulty keeping it open and it closed down. A few years later it was bought by the current owners who run it as an approved nursing home.^{15,16,17,18,19} His home address was The Orchard, South Street, New Ross.¹⁷ He was buried on 28 September 1955 at St Stephen's Cemetery, New Ross, Co Wexford, Ireland.²⁰ His obituary appeared in the New Ross Standard:

MR J MOONEY, THE ORCHARD, NEW ROSS

The news of the death of Mr. Jack Mooney, The Orchard, New Ross, which occurred on Saturday, was received with widespread regret. He was in his fifty-fourth year. He was of a gentle, courteous disposition, and was held in high esteem. He was a devout Catholic. The late Mr. Mooney was a member of the Lease-Holders' Association and represented the local branch at a national convention of that organisation in Dublin. His many lovable traits of character will make him remembered by his many friends. To his bereaved father sympathy is extended. The remains were removed on Sunday to the SS, Michael and Mary's Church, New Ross. The funeral took place to St. Stephen's Cemetery on Monday. Chief mourners were Maureen Mooney, Dublin (niece); Colonel the Very Rev. Ed. Dowling, P.P., Commons, Ossory; Miss K. Walsh, Slieverue; Mrs Phelan, do; Mrs S. Cloney, Newtown, Enniscorthy; Miss M. Browne, Broomlands, Enniscorthy; Art Fitzgerald, Wicklow; M. Holohan, do; Miss B. Dowling, Slieverue. - R.I.P.²¹ A memorial card reads:

In loving memory of
John Michael Mooney
"The Orchard" New Ross
who died 24th September 1955
Aged 54 years
RIP²²

In 2002 Phil O'Kennedy (no relation), whose father kept Kennedys the pub near The Orchard, related how, as a boy, he would often get a plum or some other piece of fruit from Jack. He found it amusing that he would have to cut off one of the curls from his hair and give it to Jack to pay for the fruit. Phil also remembered that Jack used to go everywhere on a bike. It was an old bike, even in the early 1950s, which he used to keep in the hallway beside the shop. Phil also also said that Jack used to wear a brown shop coat all the time.⁹

On 31 October 1954 he received a letter from his niece, Maureen, about all sorts of things.. In it she says:

Tony's aquarium is getting more and more interesting, and has now got a cave and a gnome, not to mention a castle. The cave is made from a little wine-glass laid on its side and covered with pebbles and shells. He has a set of darts and is endeavouring to become a champion darts player.²³


He and his father received another letter from Maureen dated 6 March 1955. She sent news and gossip about her father getting better all the while, her employers entering lorries in the St Patrick's Day parade, Stess's baby Mary, Pat's confirmation and also mentions Mrs Byrne, Mrs Quinn and Hazel Hempenstall.²⁴

A few days later another chatty letter arrived from Maureen who was now at the Lister Hospital in Hitchin, Hertfordshire in which she talked about being there six weeks tomorrow, settling in very well, Mrs Quinn, Pat's birthday, Betty Kennedy, and Mollie Meehan going to Canada.²⁵

Andrew Martin Mooney, son of John Mooney and Elizabeth McCabe, was born on 11 November 1879 at Inniskeen, County Monaghan, Ireland.^{5,7,8,9,10,6,11} Andrew Martin Mooney joined the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) on the recommendation of DI O'Hara from Abbeyleix on 16 January 1899. He was Roman Catholic, 5 feet 8 and 3/4 inches tall and joined from Queen's County (later County Laois) giving County Monaghan as his place of origin. He was allocated the service number 58675. He was appointed at the age of 19 years and 2 months and was trasferred to Galway E.R. on 15 July 1899 and promoted to Constable on the following day.

Thus began a distiguished career which wasn't to end until the RIC disbanded in 1922. He served in Galway at Clonfert, Ballynew Hut, Ballinasloe, Portumna, Loughrea, Loughrea Square, Kilreecle [spelling?], Boosteen, Craughwell, Craughwell Hut and Athenry.^{12,3,10,13,14,15,16}

He was a witness at the wedding of his brother, Paddy Mooney, to Sarah Giffney on 5 September 1900 at the Roman Catholic Chapel, Ballinahinch, Ashford, Co Wicklow. Sarah Byrne, the bride's cousin, was also a witness.^17,2,18,19

The RIC Circular for 9 December 1904 records him as coming first in the examinations from Constable to Sergeant with 881 marks. His total marks in Literary Subjects being 587. He was promoted to Acting Sergeant on 1 April 1905 and to Sergeant almost two years later on 1 February 1907.

On 19 February 1911 another circular shows him gaining first place in the examinations from Sergeant to Head Constable which led to him becoming a Head Constable on 22 May 1911.

In 1911, presumably as a consequence of his promotion, he was placed on the Reserve for about 21 months in charge of No 1 Company RIC Depot and performed duty in, amongst other places, Dublin City (Strikes), Wexford (Strikes), Creggagh, County Down (Carson's Meetings), Castledawson County Derry, Magherafelt, Moneymore. He was then transferred to Ballinasloe, Galway E.R. again on 19 March 1913.

Almost two years later, on 19 January 1915 he was promulgated in a circular as coming first in the examinations from Head Constable to District Inspector.^3,20,21,22 This clearly led to much excitement for him and his family and he sent a telegram from Ballinasloe addressed to Buckley at 15 Ardmore Ave on 26 January 1915 which read: First on circular.²³ The next day he sent another telegram saying Reach Ardmore eight tonight. Perhaps he was going there to celebrate or maybe to make his wedding arragements.²⁴ He didn't have long to wait as his promotion to 3rd District Inspector (DI) took place 15 February 1915 at the age of 35 years and 4 months. He was now allocated to Ballinrobe, Co Mayo.^10,25,26,22 The next day on 16 February 1915 he sent a further telegram from Ballinasloe to Ardmore Ave saying Going to Ballinrobe tomorrow.²⁷

Andrew arrived at the Depot on 19 March 1915 for the usual course for an officer newly promoted from Head Constable.²⁸ How long this course lasted is not known but he gave his address as the Depot, Phoenix Park, when he married²⁹ Catherine Mary Buckley, daughter of John Buckley and Mary Allen, on 19 April 1915 at the Church of the Holy Family, Aughrim Street, Dublin. The service was conducted by the Rev J Hoey CC. The witnesses were Thomas Joseph Oates and Margaret Mary Buckley. The event was described in the RIC magazine soon afterwards:

A very pretty wedding was solemnized on 19th April at the Church of the Holy Family, Aughrim Street, Dublin between Andrew M Mooney Esq, DI and Catherine (Kitty) Buckley daughter of the late Mr. Buckley RIC Depot and Mrs Buckley, Ardmore Ave. NCR Dublin.

The bride was given away by her uncle D Buckley Esq. Valuation Office Ely Place Dublin. The ceremony was witnessed by many friends of both the bride and bridegroom. The service was fully choral.

Mr Mooney had the distinction of being the youngest officer in the Force who rose from the ranks by competition having secured first place in all his examinations; and his many friends throughout the Force wish both Mrs Mooney and himself many years of happiness in the position he so deservedly earned.^{30,31,32,29,28,33}

Catherine's address at the time was 15 Ardmore Avenue, Dublin.³⁴ He and his wife lived at Mile Hill House, Ballinrobe, until 12 May 1917^31,35,36 and later at Weir Cottage, a large house on the Corrib, in Galway.^35,37 Their first residence after the disbandment of the RIC was 153 Strand Road, Merrion, County Dublin, on 13 May 1922.^38,39

After another year he was promoted to 2nd DI on 23 May 1916 but he remained at Ballinrobe until he was sent to Ennistymon in Co Clare on 15 Mar 1920. After four months in Clare, which Dermot Dorgan, local historian for Andrew's home town and a cousin as well, described as a rough place, he was alllocated Dublin Castle on 19 Jume 1920. From there he went to the Depot on 15 July 1920 for duty in the Crime Branch Headquarters. His position on the seniority list was 48th in 1920. However, on 1 October 1920 he was promoted to District Inspector 1st Class and was appointed Chief Police Instructor at the Depot.

On 11 February 1921 he was appointed to the staff of the Divisional Commission in Galway and following that he was made the Acting County Inspector for County Carlow on 6 February 1922 and handed over Carlow RIC Barracks to Captain McEvoy of the Free State Troopers on 8 March 1922. From there he went to the Dublin Castle Clerical Company and was disbanded o 19 July 1922.

At some point he was Secretary to the Deputy Inspector General but exactly when is not known.^{10,25,40,41,42,22,43}

As an RIC officer, DI Mooney was involved in 'the Irish troubles' especially in Co Galway where he was stationed much of the time. There is a story told about a priest, Father Griffin, who was killed or murdered by the RIC which he was involved with.^44,41 By 1920 he was certain that he would not survive 'the troubles' and, if the following story is anything to go by, he became anxious to settle his own burial arrangements. According to the story passed down by Dermot Dorgan's father, Andy came to Ballyouskill in 1920 to make the arrangements. In those difficult times apparently, an RIC officer could not travel without an escort so he arrived one day in Ballyouskilll with a body of armed police officers. Whilst he was inside the church making the arrangements the escort was outside marching to and fro and it made such an impression on the locals that it is still talked about today according to Dermot. He arranged with neighbours to dig his grave and he entertained them in the pub afterwards with his escort standing guard outside. He also arranged his own burial and had some form of service carried out before he left the area.^45,46

Andrew Martin Mooney ended his police service when the RIC was disbanded due to the creation of the Irish Free State. The last two remarks on his record of service show that he was paid up to on 17 July 1922 and discharged to pension on disbandment of the RIC and that he was awarded a compensation allowance of £433 6s 8p p.a. with effect from 18 July 1922. It is also recorded that he or his wife had 'near relatives' in Queens, Armagh, Dublin, Cork ER and Wexford. He retired as a 1st Class District Inspector with the temporary Acting rank of County Inspector. His establishment/pension no. was 24310. By any standards he not only had an outstanding career but he was also well thought of and respected by his peers and superiors.^{47,48,10,49,50}

Before he was commissioned he received 8 Favourable Awards, one of them in connection with the Craughwell Murder of 1909.^3,20 He received another Favourable Record after he was commissioned for Good Police Duty in connection with agrarian agitation which was authorised to be noted on his file on 9 September 1919.^10,28

His career was also distinguished by his success in promotion exams. He took three first places at three examinations for promotion to higher ranks and first place on Professional and first place on Literary subjects. This feat was not accomplished by anyone else in the RIC.⁵¹ The acting Assistant Inspector General of the RIC gave him a reference in glowing terms on 11 August 1922. To see the reference click on the icon.⁴⁸ There is a passage in Dermot Dorgan's book about the history of Ballyouskill that refers to a local man called Hugh Toole who was also in the RIC and remembers the Mooneys:

He often spoke of the men from his native locality who served with him, men like the Mooneys of Lower Grennan, of whom all four sons joined the force in which their father and an uncle had served before them. He was fortunate in his 'Depot days' that Paddy Mooney was a Head Constable there at the time, and to Hugh's benefit the spirit of neighbourliness transcended the strict Victorian regimentation which separated the ranks.

A similar situation applied when he served with Andrew Mooney later during the stirring days in Clare. Andrew, who received all his education in Ballouskill N.S. where his Aunt was Principal, rose to the full commissioned rank of Divisional (sic) Inspector. This he achieved by educational success, winning in the process the coveted police award of the Queen's Gold Watch.⁵² He was also given a reference by the Deputy Inspector General of the RIC who thought very highly of him. To see the reference click on the icon.⁵³

After leaving the RIC he worked for a solicitor and lived at the Strand, Sandymount. According to his daughter Lila Mooney, her mother didn't get on with the sight of the sea and used to get headaches. This led to them moving and Andrew getting the job at^54,47 at Powerscourt.⁵⁵

They later moved to Charleville Cottage, Ballyorney, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, which they eventually bought with the balance of the purchase money being paid soon after he died. on 7 August 1937.^{56,57,58,38,59,43}

He was admitted to Baggot Street Hospital on 24 August 1959 and was in a public ward until 30 August 1959.⁶⁰ He died there on 4 September 1959 at age 79 at 11:45 a.m. from carcinomatosis.^{5,61,58,62,63,64,65,66} He was buried on 6 September 1959 in the family grave at St Mochanog Church, Kilmacanogue, County Wicklow. Sarah Linnane of Galway, who was the family housekeeper for many years, was also buried in the family grave in Kilmacanogue when she died in 1979.^67,7,63,65

It would appear that a number of policies on his life were paid out amounting to approximately £775 circa September 1959.⁶⁸

In 2003 Andrew James Mooney arranged for a new headstone to be erected over the family grave at Kilmacanogue to record all five people who were buried there together with Frank Mooney who was buried in London. Later, Elizabeth Mary Mooney (Sr Colette) and John Mooney were added. Andrew Martin Mooney is commemorated on the headstone together with Catherine Mary Mooney, Andrew Martin Mooney, Joseph Francis Mooney, May Mooney, Sarah Linnane, Elizabeth Mary Mooney and Jack Mooney.^69,70 He and his wife had a housekeeper for many years called Sarah Linnane.⁷¹

In 2002 his daughter Lila Mooney gave me some family papers, photos and memorabilia including a number of RIC buttons which used to belong to her father and a briefcase which belonged to her brother Frank.^72,73 Some of the items clearly belonged to Andrew himself. There is a small atlas of the Counties of Ireland with various inscriptions and handwritten notes. It also has many places underlined in different colours and crosses marked on the maps. There is too much to note here but the main points are:

1. Inscribed Andrew Martin Mooney DI Ballinrobe Co. Mayo
2. Inscribed N Buckley 15 Ardmore Av NC Road Dublin
3. Inscribed JJ Mooney
4. Inscribed Mrs Mooney

Other comments:

1. K Smithes Straduff Fenagh Carlow or similar
2. Crosses near Antrim, Ballymea, Ballymoney, Bessbrook, Newtown Hamilton, Cullohill Sta Monaghan, Swanlimber, Cavan, Ballyjamesduff, Baililborough, Kilcor, Boultipatrick, Falcurragh, Clogham, Clonmany, Newry, Crosmaglen noted 'McCabe' (2 marks).
3. Circles near Crom Cas., Cullaville, Borrisokane, Birr, Roscrea.
4. Notes in the margins:

a Between Ckmacross (sic) and Crossmaglen there are more rogues than honest men.
b Parish of Creggan, Tullyard, Clarebawn and Drumgoose.
c Various RIC style references.
d. Father Mooney born Iniskeen on 11 November 1879.
e. Pop born here.
f. Mother's native place, Drumgoose Crossmaglen Co. Armagh Bessie McCabe.
g. Rathowen.
h. Various routes inked in.^74,41

Also included in the papers is a calling card inscribed: Mr A M Mooney DI Ballinrobe⁷⁵ and a beautiful small Xmas card inscribed from Mother to Katie, Andy and family. It has an embroidered insert and looks handmade.⁷⁶ There is a postcard showing a photo of a house on a river in Galway sent by Lila Mooney to her mother. In the message she refers to 'Weir Cottage' which she said was where her family lived when her father was in the RIC in Galway. There is also a colour printout of the same cottage.^77,78,79

There are five photos in which he was identified by his daughter Llla in 2002. One of them shows Andrew in uniform with another man, also in uniform.^80,81 There is also a torn-off section from another photo which shows him sitting in a group RIC members.^82,83

A good photo shows him in a very smart uniform. He is wearing spurs and carrying a sword and appears to have two emblems on his shoulders. Jim Herlihy, an author of many books about the RIC, has identified the uniform as that of a second class District Inspector and says the photo was taken outside the RIC Officers' Mess in the Phoenix Park, Dublin which is now (2002) the Garda Officers' Club.^84,85 The fourth photo is of a group of seven RIC officers showing Andrew on the right of the front row.^86,87,42

The last photo is annotated 'Departure of the Auxiliaries from Galway 19 January 1922.^88,89,42 His notebook, in which he wrote about his life, was found after his daughter, May, died. Lila Mooney gave it to her brother, Jack, in Chicago to be copied but it was not returned to her. It came to light again after Jack died when his son Andrew was going through is papers. Andrew sent a copy of the note book and other papers to Tony Mooney.^7,90