Thomas & Joseph Mervyn

[Martin M]

I do not want to presume anything but it seems very likely this is the same Thomas Mervyn who lived in Murdocks Street in Belfast and had an only son William Joseph. It is the only record I have. There is oddly another family of Mervyns from Slate Street in Belfast. They originate from Dublin. Although teachers at school always ask me if I was related, I never thought I was remotely related. However I may be remotely related somewhere alon the line. Are you able to confirm this is the same Thomas Mervyn. Please! Thank you.

[daisymershum]

Hi Martin,

Dave Mervyn is my name - Daisymershum comes from not being able to pronounce my name when I was a toddler! I'm from Dublin.

My great grandfather was William Mervyn, a brother of your Thomas Mervyn. Their father was William Mervyn (born circa 1827, possibly in England).

William Mervyn senior married Bridget Dunne in Dublin and had, by my estimations, 10 or 11 children. I have records for the following children:

William Mervyn (my great grandfather) married Catherine Power, Dublin. 1862-1901

Thomas Mervyn (your great grandfather) (living in Innisfallen Parade, Dublin at time of marriage) married Margaret Broderick (Prussia Street), Dublin. 1860?-1902. I have records for three of the four children they had - Thomas Joseph Mervyn born 1891 (was he born in Dublin? I had a birth/baptism cert for him from Belfast),  Mary Brigid Mervyn (1892) and William Joseph Mervyn (?).

William and Thomas' brothers and sisters were: Margaret, Anne Marie or Maria, John, Christopher, Bridget, Ellen, Josephine (there was no Joseph!) Mary and Catherine (Kate). All were born between 1860 and 1876. I actually think Bridget (Dunne) might have died giving birth to Bridget in 1876.

Most of these settled in Dublin in the 1880s/1890s after the family had spent a fair time in Celbridge, Co. Kildare while William snr worked as a lodge keeper. Shoemaking or bootmaking was the family trade.

William snr and his sons were all bootmakers and worked in various premises in Dublin. Mostly Innisfallen Parade, Berkely Road and the north inner city.

Some of the girls were teachers in Celbridge and elsewhere, Ellen and Kate. The Belfast link is interesting because Kate married a Vallely and moved to Belfast and Thomas and Margaret (Broderick) also moved to Belfast.

William snr, your great great grandfather, died in Dublin in 1891, aged 64. He was living at 13 Innisfallen Parade at the time. He is down as a bootmaker and widower. He is buried in an unmarked grave in Glasnevin cemetery, the cause of death was 'debility'.

Unfortunately, with living in tenements and te poor conditions/spread of diseases, some of William and Thomas' sibilings died at a young age. Maria died a few months before William snr in 1891, aged 19. Ellen died in 1894, aged 34. Both are buried with William snr in Glasnevin.

My own great grandfather, William jnr, died of phthisis in 1901 in Dublin, aged 39. He was a bootmaker at the time in Berkely Road. He had three sons, William (stone carver), Patrick (clerk, Captain in Irish Army) and Michael (electrical engineer, Trade Union President and Irish Citizen Army member from 1916 Easter Rising). Michael was father to my own dad, Michael.

Of what I've looked into regarding the Mervyns who moved north, these are my census links:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Falls/Murdocks_Street/951955/
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Smithfield/Albert_Street/972482/

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Falls__Belfast_/Elizabeth_Street/180817/
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Smithfield/Albert_Street/184986/

[daisymershum]

Martin,

Are those other Mervyns in Slate Street definitely from Dublin? The census records for 1911 has their birthplaces as Belfast city.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Falls__Belfast_/Slate_Street/181919/

If there were other Mervyns from Dublin in Belfast, that might explain why a couple of the siblings moved there. As you can see, William and Thomas are names that continued through the generations.

Actually, my own grandfather was called Michael Thomas Mervyn and he's down as Thomas in the 1901 census: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Dublin/Inns_Quay/Berkely_Road/1323892/

[Martin M]

Dave,
I have got your message and very excited about what you have told me.Extremely excited. I am at work now but will be in touch soon. It goes without saying that I would like to meet you! Martin

[daisymershum]

James Mervyn, a wood turner in George Street, is down in the 1877 directory for Belfast.

http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/alphanames1877m.htm

Thomas Mervyn, a bootmaker at 4 Murdock Street, is there in the 1901 directory for Belfast.

http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/alphanames1901M.htm

John Vallely, Kate Mervyn's husband, is down as a preparing master at 81 Albert Street in 1907.

http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/acomplete1907.htm

Margaret Mervyn, 46 Elizabeth Street.

http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/ecomplete1907.htm

Margaret Mervyn, 46 Elizabeth Street.

http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/ecomplete1910.htm

Margaret Mervyn, 46 Elizabeth Street.

http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/ecomplete1918.htm

[Martin M]

Dave,
I am still at work but I am very grateful for all your help. It would nice to meet you one day. My dad William grandson of Thomas Mervyn died recently and for the first time we are exploring our roots. It is extremely helpful to talk to you. At the funeral we had a long discussion about our roots. There is supposedly a Welsh connection which given the name is logical. We are yet to get that far. No doubt I will be in touch to fill in the cracks. Will speak soon. Martin

[daisymershum]

Sorry for your loss Martin.

Sometimes it takes something like a bereavement or a family member moving away to spark interest in family history and roots.

Ideally, I'd like to go back beyond the original William Mervyn and as you said, the name suggests Welsh or English origin.

Did you dad have any photos of his grandfather? That's what we're really lacking for the Dublin Mervyns. Their photos have all been lost or thrown out. I have photos of my grandfather Michael, but nobody earlier than him.

[Martin M]

Dave, My brother has some old photos that may shed some light on Dublin Mervyns. He has a suitcase of old photos that may shed some light on the past. I He is due to sort them out soon. We have become a big clan of Mervyn's in Belfast. I will ask my uncles and aunts and see if they have any old photos. Oddly enough there are several different big clans of Mervyns in Belfast. We are 'not related'. Somewhere along the line we must be related! Mervyn is not a very common name especially when we research how many there were in previous centurys. There is a Mervyn clan in Canada. David I would love to speak to you and meet in Dublin. We are proposing a trip there at some time but firstly we are frantically putting together the family tree when is taking shape and fast! Catch up soon! Martin

[Martin M]

Thomas Mervyn (your great grandfather) (living in Innisfallen Parade, Dublin at time of marriage) married Margaret Broderick (Prussia Street), Dublin. 1860?-1902. I have records for three of the four children they had - Thomas Joseph Mervyn born 1891 (was he born in Dublin? I had a birth/baptism cert for him from Belfast),  Mary Brigid Mervyn (1892) and William Joseph Mervyn (?).

David, this is a tall order. If you have family details of my great father and especially his 3 children I would appreciate a scanned copy if you are able to do this or let me know where I can get some of these details. Much appreciatedd your help so far.

Martin M