The Kennedys of Northumberland

[Lomo]

I'm descended from a John Kennedy in Newcastle. He's nothing to do with your Kennedys as far as I know though. Mine was born in Stirling and was in the army for 25 years. He transferred whilst in India from the  59th Foot to the 5th Foot and returned with the regiment to the barracks in newcastle about 1881. Married an Annabella Coffey in 1884 and when he left the army he opened a Fried Fish shop in Walker.
I have a Kennedy mystery though and would appreciate any info you come across that might solve it.
My John Kennedy appears to have a sister, Elizabeth Theresa Kennedy b 25/10/1861, who I know nothing of until she appears in Newcastle, getting baptised at St Mary's Cathedral  in 1887 at the age of 25? She's definitely the sister of my John (same parents on the register). My John's mother, a Margaret O'Neil, remarried in 1867 in Glasgow to a John Appleford from the 59th Foot Reg. At the  1871
Census Margaret is in Dublin but no details found re Elizabeth yet. 1881 Census has Margaret living in Woolwich and my GG Gfather John staying the night (on his way back from India I think), but no mention of an Elizabeth Kennedy. I can't find Elizabeth on the 1891 census and can't find any marriage around her baptism (in case she was getting baptised so she could marry a catholic)

[Phodgetts]

I just posted a photo of my Kennedy relatives circa 1955. Have a peek and see if you recognise any of them. The photo was taken roughly mid 50s somewhere up in Northumberland not all that far away from Whittingham.

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=579511.new#new

Philip

[murielmary]

i do not know how far you have got with your search for the kennedy family.
i am the granddaughter of sarah born at 41 oldgate morpeth .i have all my grannys memoirs of her sister mary who died in para .also marys daughter sarah who died when her daughter was 2years old .
i you think this is the same family i would be happy to hear from you.

[DJH]

Dear Muriel,
Thank you for your information. I am not sure where they fit in without some dates but I can give you some recent (!) ones to see if you recognise any:
William Kennedy (b Morpeth1858-1906) married Jane Anderson (b 1864 N'castle) in 1887. He was a market gardener in Gateshead. They had Sarah Jane (b1889Dunston d1973), Dossie (1891Dunston), Flossie(1895 Dunston), George (1896 Dunston), Harry (1899 Haydon) and William (1899 Haydon) twins.
Do you recognise any of these?
Regards,
David

[murielmary]

Hi thanks for your quick reply. I will get back to you in a couple of days when I have all the dates in front of me . this is the right family, my question is why did mary go to Para? and what did she do.

[murielmary]

Hello David,    As i have not done the family tree on my maternal side of the Kennedy family, I do have birth and death dates I have the large travel trunk/chest and photoes etc, they were brought back to England in 1902 by James Hislop. I remember lots of stories told to me by granny and mother about the family.    First i would like to know who and wh ;)ere you fit in   the Kennedy family?   Muriel

[DJH]

Hello,
William Kennedy was my Grandfather's father. I am also a twin! My father met him in Newcastle (or it might have been Gateshead) He was struck immediately by the similarity to his own father. He did not want to talk about what had been a sensitive time for him and the illegitimate birth of son. However, Sarah was very happy to talk to , and correspond, with my father. We took the family name of Grandad's mother. Grandad was christened John WILLIAM and later added Kennedy to a document when he was asked for his full name, although he never used it in real life.
My main aim has been to try and find out about my Grandmother, about whom we know very little, particularly where she came from. I would have liked to know whether William met her in Shropshire or whether she was in Newcastle when she met him.
Best wishes,
David

[murielmary]

do you have christian name for her? i have a John and Emma   @  awilliam and Mary Lots of newspaper cuttings if you have a date for your grandfather birth or death.       My great grandfather William and 2 of his sons had market gardens in Dunston .

[murielmary]

william@jane are my great grandparents.garden house cemetery Dunston is were they are burried.