Kennedy Family

[lizdb]

I wonder if this is him in 1881

3 Back Compton Street, Liverpool
Emily Marion Kennedy 26 married dressmaker bn Limerick Ireland
Mary something 8 dtr bn Dublin
William squiggle Kennedy (undexed as Re... but I reckon it says Stewart) son 4  bn Liverpool

Dad not at home!

[Millmoor]

A William S Kennedy age 25 and born Somersetshire is showing in the 1901 Ireland census at The Curragh. He is in the army, a fitter ... and showing as married.

(Think Stewart and Charlotte Kennedy can also be identified in the 1901 Ireland census).

William

[Millmoor]

There is actually a service record for William Stewart Kennedy - states he was born in Bath and was in the Imperial Yeomanry.He married Hannah Henderson in Belfast 29 March 1898 - witnesses Stewart Kennedy and Samuel Henderson.He was discharged in 1902,address given as 52 Jocelyn Avenue, Belfast. I note that on the discharge doc. his trade is given as engineer. It might be worth looking at this service record and, for example,compare with other signatures you have if only to rule him out as being your man.

(He is showing in the index as William Kennedy b 1876 Bath, Somerset, England).

William

[lizdb]

If the Bath William Stewart (parents Stewart and Charlotte) married Hannah Henderson in Ireland in 1898 -  then either:

1) it is a different William Stewart/Joseph who marries Kate Pickering  - possibly the one I found bn Liverpool
OR
2) He was actually widowed and not a bachelor when marrying Kate, plus gave ficticious fathers name
OR
3) Marriage to Kate was bigamous, maybe thats why he gave false info.

(1) is probably the most likely. Just how to prove it!  I guess could get that birth cert and see fathers name - that would confirm or rule out the West Derby birth? 

[Millmoor]

I totally see your reasoning, Lizdb. It was the reference in the discharge documents to his trade being "engineer" that made me wonder!

The Bath William Stewart Kennedy appears to have had a sister, recorded as Charlotte in the 1881 census but seemingly born and baptized as Mary Elizabeth Charlotte Stewart Kennedy.

There is a marriage of Charlotte Maude Stewart Kennedy 8 Oct 1896 in Belfast - father Stewart Kennedy- to David Brisby. The address is given as 52 Jocelyn Street, the same address as given on the  marriage of William Stewart Kennedy to Hannah Henderson and where Stewart and Charlotte  Kennedy are recorded in the 1901 Ireland census.

David and Charlotte Brisby can be seen in the 1901 Ireland census transcribed as Brisley. In 1911 they are transcribed as Brisby, although they seem to have "lost" a number of years agewise. In 1901 Charlotte is recorded as born Somersetshire and in 1911 as born Bath. The Brisby's emigrated to the USA (New York) in 1913/4.

I mention all of the above as it would appear that Charlotte's name and age has been somewhat changeable, the only Kennedy birth showing in Bath which seems to fit being the one for Mary Elizabeth Charlotte Stewart

There are also a number of articles in January 1908 regarding the death of Charlotte Kennedy. I do not have access to Irish newspapers and so can only report from the index. They indicate that she died as a result of taking laudanum, her husband having having died the previous November. One article shows that there was an inquest and refers to her daughter Mrs Brisby.

William

[GemmaL]

I'm glad you guys found the same Bath family as me I was starting to think I had lost the plot.

The name change may make sense as W.J/S may have been ashamed of how his mother died?

Thank you all so much for your help, I'll get back to you all if I manage to order some more certificates