new ross workhouse burials

[tomahern]

Hi,
I am trying to locate a gravesite for my great great grandfather Luke Waddy who died in the workhouse at New Ross in 1901. I have a death certificate signed by the responsible person at the workhouse. I have tried Wexford County Council archives but they are unable to offer any help as to where the grave might be.They did promise to look at the records to see if maybe a coffin or a shroud might have been purchased at the time but no information came from the enquiry.
I asked if there was a paupers gravesite where people from the workhouse might have been buried but the response to this was also negative. I wonder if anyone out there has any information that might be useful in my search.I live in hope.
Tom Ahern

[Summerhill]

Try new Ross borough Council, The Tholsel.  New Ross They keep records for St. Stephens Cemtery ,New Ross. I understnad that they have been digitised lately and they may have a record for your ancestor.

Also St. Marys Church of Ireland cemetery was commonly used by both catholic and protestants up to when St. Stephens cemetery was opened.  The rector of St. Marys may have a burial record.

Also the protestant rector was usually on the  work house board of guardians .
 Hope this helps.

[tomahern]

message to Summerhill.

Thank you for that information. I will try all of the places that you suggested. I should add that I have already visited the St mary's Parish Office in New Ross and they are also trying to find information on the Waddy family for me.
Regards  Tom

[tomahern]

I tried the New Ross Council Website and emailed the Town Clerk. He was most helpful. The town council do not have any records of burials from the workhouse but he sent on my enquiry to the JFK Project at Dunbrody and I am awaiting a reply from them. It seems that they are doing some research which might be relevant to my line of enquiry.
Tom.

[Summerhill]

Great to see you are getting somewhere at last.  The Dunbrody are very good at historical research.  Also New Ross historical society might be able to help you as well. Contact New Ross Library via the Wexford County Council website and they should be able to put you in contact with New Ross Historical Society.

Best wishes,

Summerhill

[tomahern]

to Summerhill,
Many thanks for your reply and help. really appreciated. I actually went to the New Ross Library in February and they gave me a copy of the 1901 and 1911 census for New Ross, including all the business census as well. I have been in touch with Grainne Doran at the Wexford County Council Archives and they were not able to supply anything that I could use. I have been to Wexford twice now and think that I may never get to the end of the Waddy family. I have been to see the Parish Priest at St James Ramsgrange and the St Marys Parish office ( they are helpful and still looking for me).
I visited the old cemetery at Ballyhack and read all the gravestones ( the ones that were readable)
I asked people living in the house adjoining the cemetery and even people who were attending graves in the cemetery. The reason I visited ballyhack is that my gg grandmother died there  and death recorded in Arthurstown nearby. She was wife of Luke Waddy and I had hoped that if I found her burial place, that maybe just maybe,Luke would also be buried there.
I am doing this for myself and some new found 2nd cousins in USA and S.A.
I will persevere and hopefully get to the bottom of it,
Best Regards
Tom.

[Kath nee Greene]

Hi
I read with interest your post on St Stephens.  My gt grandmother, once in the workhouse in New Ross, apparently is buried in one of the unmarked graves just as you go into St Stephen's on the left hand side near the road.  I have tried New Ross CC and Wexford CC and nobody is able to tell me who is in the grave.  My gt grandmother died in 1952 and is buried there with her daughter who died in 1924 (family information). Unfortunately, as I do not know which of the two unmarked graves are my family we are not able to erect a stone there.  I am surprised nobody can tell us where they are buried exactly. One of my ancestors relations Martin Reddie use to tend the graves there but unfortunately, he died many years ago.  However, I do know that a Nellie Brewer of Irishtown use to keep a book of all the burials from 1924.  I did meet Nellie a long time ago but at that time I was not aware of the 'unfound grave' !!  I also understand there were pauper's graves in St Stephens but now not traceable.  It could be that these are now other family plots and the paupers are lost to time.  Unfortunately, you may never know where they were buried.  But as I said because there were paupers graves in St Stephens it would seem likely anyone from the Workhouse would be there unless their family could pay for their burial and retrieve the body.  My family were Bridget Green/e and Elizabeth Greene.  My other relations in New Ross were the Rossiter, Browne and Roche families.  Good luck with your search you have better luck than I did.

[tomahern]

Hi Kath,
many thanks for your reply to my enquiry. I have not looked at the site for a while as all info seemed to have dried up and I have not logged on for a while. I never got any further than all that I have previously written. As I said my GG Grandfather Luke Waddy was removed from the workhouse and buried in 1901 and I have not been able to trace any record of the burial. Incidentally you mentioned that there were Roches in your family...Well Luke Waddy's wife was named mary Roche and I am fairly sure that they were married in 1841 at St Aidans Church in Poulfur. That is near to Fethard on Sea. All the children were baptised at St Aidans. They must have moved later to Ballyhack as that is where mary died in 1871. I have not been able to locate where she was buried. I sometimes wonder if in fact Luke was buried with her as he still had sons and daughters living in 1901. I would love to get to the bottom of the mystery but regretfully, I might never do so.
I thank you for your interest and help
Regards  Tom

[Kath nee Greene]

Have you tried the local undertakers as  they keep records.  I know you said they were from the workhouse but they body would have had to be taken to the church and then the graveyard.

We too have an unmarked grave in St Stephen's graveyard and after years of trying to find the information we still have nothing and this was in 1952! The Council do not seem to have any information.

I did hear a rumour that paupers were buried in the same grave. Wherever that is!

However, there was a Nellie Brewer of Irishtown, now sadly dead who use to keep records in a book. Would love to know where this book went.

Sorry I cannot be of much help