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There have been several mentions of Mary Anne Isabella (Bella) Halpin who was the daughter of Nicholas John Halpin of the Customs Office.  Bella married the Dublin solicitor, William David Bradley and Bella and William are my great-grandparents.  My great-aunt, Doris Bradley, who I knew well, was the youngest daughter of Bella and William Bradley, who both died in 1897 when my great-aunt Doris was only three years old.  When Doris died two photos were found in a trunk she kept under her bed.  On the back of the photos the photographer had written ‘The late Mrs Bradley 1897’ and so they were taken very shortly before Bella died.  One of the photos shows Bella with my great-aunt Doris.  Doris must have treasured these photos of Bella Halpin, the mother she never knew.

Hi Argent, welcome - it would help if you had info on where these people were born/christened/married/died etc.  If you have such info I and others could look at the Spratt data we have collected - the Spratt family we are talking about came from Wingham and surroundings. Regards Tompion

Dear Bill,

I know this 1901 census entry as Rebecca Halpin was my great-great grandmother, and the entry is certainly confusing.  Firstly, the scan of the original census page shows Charles W Carleton, grandson, age 10, but the scan of his birth certificate shows clearly that he was baptised Cyril Wellesley Carleton. Secondly, Dora E Carleton appears to be listed as a niece, which is highly unlikely given she would be 60 years younger than Rebecca, but it appears to have been modified to Gniece, where great niece makes more sense.

I have two further children of Rebecca Halpin.  Edward Conrad Hilton, born 1870 and died the same year, and Elizabeth G Halpin born 1871. I haven't found a second Carleton marriage. Maybe the census numerator was having a bad day, or the 70 year old Rebecca was a bit senile and gave him incorrect data!

Interestingly to me, as a widow, Rebecca's family were living in Somerville House, Greystones, Co. Wicklow in the 1901 census, where my maternal grandparents lived when they married in 1908, and where my mother was born in 1911!  My grandmother was the daughter of Mary Anne  Isabella  (Bella) Halpin.

Yours Brian

Thanks Ray for the amazing amount of information that you have provided on the Halpin families.  Very much appreciated.

I was confused by the obituary of General Halpine as it states (as we know) that his father was the Rev Nicholas John Halpin and (accepting the error in the obit) it states that his grandfather was a farmer.  This seems odd as I thought the Rev NJH's father was paymaster William Henry Halpin?  Any thoughts? Yours Brian