Author Topic: 17 Wives - Arthur Conalty  (Read 1152 times)

Offline GailB

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17 Wives - Arthur Conalty
« on: Monday 22 January 18 05:25 GMT (UK) »
This also involves the Cheshire board but I am posting it to the Lancashire Board.

The following newspaper article ran in numerous newspapers around the country in late November / early December 1837. These articles appeared first in the Liverpool Mercury. I have taken it from the London Courier and Evening Gazette dated 30 November 1837.

PROVINCIAL
A PERSEVERING BENEDICT – Startling and perfectly unparalleled in any state of society in which man is confined to one mate at a time, the following statement may be, we are assured by one of the inspectors of registration, &c. that it is strictly and perfectly true. A man named Arthur Conalty, residing in Grayson Street, Liverpool, 79 years of age, has had seventeen wives, having been married nine times in St Peter’s Church, and eight times in Wallasey Church. He has been the father of 36 children, and is now “open for another match,” as sporting people term it. – Liverpool Mercury.


I know Arthur is most likely connected to my tree but proving it is proving difficult since the surname is spelt a multitude of different ways – Conalty, Conulty, Conolty, Canolty, Knolty, Kenalty, Kenaulty, Kenotty to name but a few as well as McNulty.

I thought Arthur was the brother of my possible 4x great grandfather Daniel Conalty, however, after finding the above newspaper article earlier today he may be Daniel’s father.

What I do know is my 3x great grandmother (have not found baptism) was born about 1809 in Liverpool. She was the widowed Elizabeth Williams when she married Henry McDonald on 1 October 1830 at St Nicholas, Liverpool – the witnesses were Edward Green and Anne Conalty. My 2x great grandfather Henry McDonald’s birth certificate (1846) states his mother’s maiden name was Conalty. Other children of Henry McD and Elizabeth were two Daniels and a Martha, Ann and Sarah.

Elizabeth “Knolty” married William Williams on 9 March 1826 at St Peter’s, Liverpool – church wardens were witnesses.

Daniel “Kenotty” married Martha Rowlands on 1 February 1802 at St Peter’s, Liverpool and they had a daughter Ann “Kenalty” baptised on 6 October 1811 at St Anthony, Vauxhall (RC) – godparents Arthur “Kenalty” and Ann “Kenalty”. This is why I think Daniel and Martha are my Elizabeth’s parents.

I think they missed one of Arthur’s marriages when checking the registrations - I have only found two – one at St Peters on 29 December 1802 to Elizabeth Hill, but the other was at St Anne’s, Liverpool on 16 December 1804 to Esther Hill (Elizabeth’s sister perhaps?). So, I am only missing 15 or 16 marriages.

Also, I only have two definite baptisms, one for William Conalty (1805) and Joseph Conalty (1806), both being sons of Arthur and Esther.

Arthur’s age is also a problem. The newspaper article of 1837 states he was 79. He died in 1843 and his age on GRO index is 75. I think I have him on the 1841 Census as Arthur “Kenaulty” and on that he is 65.

Anyone up for a challenge?

Gail
Armitage, Atherton, Barton, Beck, Bradshaw, Brumfitt, Chetwin, Conalty, Connolly, Connor(s), Davidson, Hilton, Hoey, Johnson, Jones, Knight, Lester, McDonald, Molyneux, Morris, Pownall, Rushton, Spark, Stanley, Tunstall, Welsby, West, Wharton, Williams, Wilson, Windridge, Windstandley

Offline chempat

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Re: 17 Wives - Arthur Conalty
« Reply #1 on: Monday 22 January 18 06:40 GMT (UK) »
If he married in church 17 times then is the paper suggesting that 16 wives pre-deceased him?

If that was the case, someone should be investigating the deaths of all those wives.

Offline GailB

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Re: 17 Wives - Arthur Conalty
« Reply #2 on: Monday 22 January 18 06:45 GMT (UK) »
Yes I agree with you, but because of the multitude of name spellings it is very difficult.
Armitage, Atherton, Barton, Beck, Bradshaw, Brumfitt, Chetwin, Conalty, Connolly, Connor(s), Davidson, Hilton, Hoey, Johnson, Jones, Knight, Lester, McDonald, Molyneux, Morris, Pownall, Rushton, Spark, Stanley, Tunstall, Welsby, West, Wharton, Williams, Wilson, Windridge, Windstandley

Offline GailB

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Re: 17 Wives - Arthur Conalty
« Reply #3 on: Monday 22 January 18 12:29 GMT (UK) »
I'm beginning to think that the newspaper article was "fake news". I have checked FindMyPast for all marriages for an "Arthur" in Wallasey. The first is 1626 which is before he was born and the next is after he died. Likewise I have searched Ancestry's "Liverpool, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1659-1812" dataset and there are only the two marriages that I already knew about.

So why was this news article issued? Unless there is some truth in it and maybe Arthur went by different Christian names which I will probably never know about.
Armitage, Atherton, Barton, Beck, Bradshaw, Brumfitt, Chetwin, Conalty, Connolly, Connor(s), Davidson, Hilton, Hoey, Johnson, Jones, Knight, Lester, McDonald, Molyneux, Morris, Pownall, Rushton, Spark, Stanley, Tunstall, Welsby, West, Wharton, Williams, Wilson, Windridge, Windstandley


Offline mazi

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Re: 17 Wives - Arthur Conalty
« Reply #4 on: Monday 22 January 18 14:48 GMT (UK) »
I think the clue is in the date,

In late 1837 “ one of the inspectors of registration” would have been in the job 2 months, maybe he was trying to justify his job with a few wild inaccuracies, remember he was paid for each registration.

Mike

Offline Janelle

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Re: 17 Wives - Arthur Conalty
« Reply #5 on: Monday 22 January 18 23:01 GMT (UK) »
Hate that phrase - f n - so horrible of that man to malign the hand that feeds

1841 census for Arthur, born in Ireland, has him with a younger couple Alexander Patterson also born in Ireland and Elizabeth both 45 and their kids. Dau and son in law? Have you found him in Ireland?

Your guy is RC. If he was a serial marrier - does this behaviour have a name 😂- what would the priest have to say !!

Offline GailB

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Re: 17 Wives - Arthur Conalty
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 23 January 18 02:10 GMT (UK) »
Thanks for your replies.

Mike it didn’t click with me that registration had only just began, how silly of me.

Janelle, I can see Alexander Patterson but it says he was born in Scotland and his wife in Liverpool. Their family is spread across page 19 and 20 of that particular piece and Arthur is on page 21 so not the same household.

Regards
Gail
Armitage, Atherton, Barton, Beck, Bradshaw, Brumfitt, Chetwin, Conalty, Connolly, Connor(s), Davidson, Hilton, Hoey, Johnson, Jones, Knight, Lester, McDonald, Molyneux, Morris, Pownall, Rushton, Spark, Stanley, Tunstall, Welsby, West, Wharton, Williams, Wilson, Windridge, Windstandley