The Brick Wall Of Brick Walls

[GJJW_1988]

Yes! It was her that started this hunt off in all honesty! She would tell my grandmother stories about Russian ancestors etc. and yet we never got the full story hence me looking for it all but when I found Mary Agnes Muluskie born 1894 (and it fit roughly with her reported age at date of death) and she had the same initials and I never knew she had a sister that died I just guessed I'd got the right one...I mean, you would wouldn't you if the information all fit! Oh wow! This changes things!

[Spidermonkey]

To be honest you were given an extra hindrance with the M**** surname (that we've all given up trying to spell  )

I would look to get the 1900 marriage cert for Vincent, because our conclusions kind of hinge on that one being the same one who married Catherine Clinton.

Mary Alice's birth cert will still say dau of Catherine Clinton and Vincent M****, so I guess you would have to go down the route of DNA testing to see whether the father was really Vincent or actually Michael.

[GJJW_1988]

Well! This is all amazing! Yes, that's the 10th version of his name that I have come across now! OK, so it would seem that getting that marriage certificate is going to be the next step! And her birth certificate! Hmm - I am hoping that Vincent is the father! How do you mean about the DNA? Like from a relative or one of these DNA testing type things?

[Spidermonkey]

Well! This is all amazing! Yes, that's the 10th version of his name that I have come across now! OK, so it would seem that getting that marriage certificate is going to be the next step! And her birth certificate! Hmm - I am hoping that Vincent is the father! How do you mean about the DNA? Like from a relative or one of these DNA testing type things?

I am 99.9% certain that Mary Alice's birth cert will name Vincent as the father - but because you don't know when Vincent disappeared, you don't know whether he really is the father or just named as such (I think there was a presumption of husband being the father with regard to a married woman). 

As for DNA - I am not the most au fait with DNA testing, but I would imagine that it could be possible to compare the DNA of a descendant of Michael and Bridget with a descendant of Mary Alice (i.e. you!) to see whether there is any shared links - which might indicate whether Mary Alice was Michael's daughter or Vincent's (it's all a bit Jeremy Kyle - who's the father!!)

[GJJW_1988]

I am 99.9% certain that Vincent is the father...but of course there is that 00.1%. That's kind of put a downer on it now, our family have always been enthralled by this Russian link that we are supposed to have and then to find out that actually it might all be a lie...

Hmm, well I don't actually know any of the relatives! To be honest we had absolutely no idea that Brannan even existed! No-one in our family had a clue that he existed! We have always just been told about Vincent!

I am trying to find maybe a baptism record to see if Vincent was present at the baptism...any ideas?

[GJJW_1988]

Sorry I should clarify that we are extremely proud of our Irish heritage - Catherine herself was Irish and more Irish people exist in our family too. I just meant it was all a bit...shocking to find that there is a very large possibility that everything we had been told was in fact...a lie, or just a mistake.

[Spidermonkey]

What might be a good plan, would be to see the birth cert of Mary Alice.  That should give you an address, and you might then be able to trace electoral rolls to see if Vincent and Catherine are living together.

[GJJW_1988]

Ah of course! Brannan was living on Gould Street! If the birth certificate says Frederick Place then it's more likely to be Vincent! Even if he did run off! The complete rotter! OK. And then you recommend getting a hold of the marriage certificate from London? Do you think it's quite likely to be him?

[Spidermonkey]

Also if Bridget dies in Jun qtr 1896, Mary Alice is born in Mar qtr 1897 - that is very, very tight in Michael and Catherine getting together and 'doing the do' that would get Mary Alice born 9 months later. 

Personally, I would get the London marriage - you would know whether you have the answer or whether it is back to the drawing board!