Does anyone have access to old NY telephone directories?

[Beezy4]

I have spent the past three years trying to trace my great-aunt, who emigrated to New York in 1949, and have hit a brick wall with official records. As a last resort, I was wondering if anyone has access to telephone directories for any New York boroughs for the years 1955-65, and whether they might be able to look her up for me.

Her name was Mary Angela Dolan but she went by Angela, so she may be listed under M. Dolan or A. Dolan.

The areas I'm interested in are Brooklyn, the Bronx, Yonkers, Queens and Long Island.

I have managed to access a 1960 directory for Brooklyn and there's a Mary Dolan in that whose address I'm going to investigate, but it would be useful to know if there are any other leads I need to pursue.

If no one has access to old phone books, could you possibly tell me where I might go in New York to obtain them?

[*Sandra*]

Could your Great Aunt have married in that time frame ?  There was a Mary A Dolan born 1929 who travelled Liverpool to New York - arrived New York 24 September 1949 - on the Parthia.  Going to
51 Fairfax Road. Worcester Massachusetts. Do we rule her in or out 


Sandra

[Beezy4]

Thanks for your suggestions, Sandra.

She could have married, but there doesn't appear to be a marriage record for her. The Child Migrants Trust, the charity working on behalf of Angela's son, have carried out searches on a state-by-state basis over the past three years and they can't come up with anything. Same with naturalisation and death records. It's like she disappeared into thin air!

I'm afraid the Mary A. Dolan born in 1929 isn't her - Angela was born in County Fermanagh in 1918. Her name appears on the passenger list of a ship called the Britannic travelling from Liverpool to New York in 1949 and she gives a Belfast address, so we're assuming that's her.

As far as we know she went to Yonkers first but we have no idea what happened to her after that. Rumour has it that she was spotted working as a waitress in a New York cafe/restaurant in 1964, but we don't know whereabouts that was. I had been investigating the possibility that she worked at a branch of Schrafft's because I know they employed Irish waitresses, but wasn't able to make any headway on that.

Anyone who would like to read more about the search and suggest ways to help can check out our Facebook page, Find Angela Dolan:
https://www.facebook.com/findangeladolan/

[*Sandra*]

An exact date of birth might help the search  ? Chances are the trail could have gone cold if she married.

Have you got the parents names ? Was there any other siblings or relative in the USA ?

Sandra

[Beezy4]

Her date of birth is 05/06/1918 (we already have her baptismal certificate) and her parents were William James and Bridget Dolan.

She is believed to have gone to stay with her aunt and uncle in Yonkers, Susan and Hugh O'Dare. They ran a restaurant there called O'Dares. I have Hugh's obituary and some photos of the restaurant, but there's no mention of Angela anywhere. The rumour is that she had a fight with her aunt shortly after arriving and left, but we have no idea where she went. The CMT have chased up descendants of the O'Dares but they had never heard of Angela, so that seems to be a dead end.

[shellyesq]

Was Bridget's maiden name Dolan?  Is Mary's date of birth May 6 or June 5?

Public libraries typically have city directories and telephone books.

[Beezy4]

Thanks Shelley.

Bridget's maiden name was McGowan and Angela did use the alias Mary McGowan when she had her baby in Ireland, so there's a chance she may have used that name in the States too, although she seems to have traveled under her real name of Dolan.

Her date of birth was the 5th June; I think the birth was registered on the 6th in the town of Ballyshannon.