Gt Grandmother in Cork Workhouse

[Leofric]

I was surprised and saddened to see on the new 1901 census that my Gt Grandmother, Maria Myles, aged 66, was listed in Cork City workhouse. Surprised because family lore had it that the Myles' were relatively well-off. But obviously not.

Given that she had pneumonia, and that her condition is described as decrepit, it seems likely that she died in the workhouse - but there is no record of her death on the FamilySearch Pilot records of 1845-1958. I can understand how birth records are sometimes not registered because the responsibily lies with the parents, but I'd have thought that the workhouse, with lots of deaths to register would have been meticulous in this matter.

But I wonder, could it be that the workhouse staff did register the death with the Cork City Registrar, but that a copy was not sent to Dublin? And if so, would it be possible for a visitor to browse the records (indexes) in Cork City rather than Dublin?

If any Cork City native knows if the local Registrar permits searches by the public I'd be pleased to hear from them.

And finally, would anyone be able to tell me where those from the workhouse would be buried? (Parish of St Nicholas). Not that I'm expecting a headstone of course, but I'd just like to know.

Thanks
Leofric

[agho]

Leofric
It is possible to view the registers in Adelaide Court, Cork. You have to pre-book (just ring them) but be warned the waiting list is very long, up to 12 months.
You need to know what registration district she died in so that they can retrieve the correct books for you. There is a fee of €20 for a day's searching but you can ask for as many records as you can view between 10 am & 4 pm.

[agho]

Also take a look at the Cork Archives website www.corkarchives.ie they have registers of deaths in the Cork Union Workhouse. You can view these records also, just ring for an appointment.
As to burials from the workhouse, I'd suspect St. Joseph's Cemetery, Ballyphehane but am open to correction. Try ringing the office there - look up online phonebook for number.

Also with regard to death record for Maria Myles on LDS civil records she could be listed as Mary & there is a death for a Mary Myers in 1905?
Was she dead by 1911?

[Leofric]

Thanks for your replies Agho.

Twelve months is rather long to look at the indexes, so I think the best bet is your second suggestion, the workhouse records themselves - thanks for that.

It did cross my mind that she might be recorded as Mary, but as they knew her name was Maria I'd have thought she'd have been recorded as such.

There is no trace of her in the 1911, so I'm fairly sure she'd have died within that decade and probably not long after the 1901 census. I'll have another browse of Mary Myles deaths in the Cork City registration district.

Thanks again - Leofric

[agho]

just to clarify, it's not the index you get to see in the Cork Registrar's Office, Adelaide Court it's the original books with the full information that you'd get on a cert.

[MINCA]

In researching my great grandmother who was from Waterford, I came to the conclusion that she might have grown up in a workhouse during the famine years just prior to coming to America at age 16. The clue was she came alone and children were released from the workhouse at 16 and given passage to America.  In reading on workhouses, at least during the famine, I discovered that births, marriages, and deaths were not recorded in the church registers at that time, and there was no civil registration until 1864, but they were recorded in the Minutes of the meetings of the Trustees of the Workhouse, which were either monthly or weekly.  Further, the information I found said that Workhouse records are not indexed, not digitalized and not available on line.  If you type Irish Workhouses into your browser you should get the information I  found.  I was told by an Irish genealogy research company that you can go and read the workhouse records, or hire someone to do it, but i can't remember where the records are held.

[Leofric]

Minca,

Thanks for that. In my case, the records are held in Cork City, the address for which is shown in the link provided by Agho.

It'll be a while before I see them for I live in England, but I will get there within a few months.

Leofric

[Dan O Man]

Hello Leofric

Having looked at the 1901 census records it shows a Maria Myles and a Mary Myles living in Cork, With reference to Maria owing to her health she more than likely died in the workhouse and as such would more than possible was buried in a paupers grave. Having been round the graveyards in Cork including the Blackrock area, we have found no headstones with the name Myles on it. John Myles gave his mothers name as Maria when he first enlisted in 1898 and his army record when he enlisted in 1914 show her name as Mary.

Dan o man

[Leofric]

Dan o Man,

I think that your Myles family and my own are probably not the same. If son John Myles re-enlisted in 1914 he would not have recorded his mother as next-of-kin if she was dead, as the Maria Myles in question almost certainly was.

Also, you stated that John was married before he enlisted in 1898 (in another thread) and if this was the case, then his wife and not his mother would be recorded as NoK. I have a copy of his army records and there is no mention of his being married.

For these reasons, I'm fairly sure we are discussing different families.

Regards Leofric