St. Helens Funeral-Kezia McConville (nee Allen), December 1918

[johneowens]

Hi Brian

We seem to have lost touch. I have just seen that I did not pick up on you having Cassie's her records book from her time as a midwife at a Lying-In Hospital in London. Could you please send me details of which London hospital, over what period, and what was her status. I know she qualified as a midwife in August 1918, 4 months before she died.

Best

John

Hi John
Kezia & Mark were the parents of James Roye McConville who was my grandfather. The Roye is taken from Marks mother's maiden name, Alice Roye. My family have some information about Kezia, including access to a portrait of her & her records book from her time as a midwife at a Lying-In Hospital in London. The painting suggests she was a redhead, as was my grandfather. There is also something else relating to her parents.
There are family stories about the Allens and the McConvilles not getting on and that Kezia was supposed to have married beneath herself. Would you be able to shed any light on this at all? James was born 4 months after the marriage so that may have been a factor as well. We don't really know who brought up James but we suspect it was an aunt from Crossley St in Warrington as his marriage cert gives that address for him and he definitely had family at that address on a previous census.
I know very little about Alice except that she was born in Ancoats in 1847, seems to have been the 3rd wife of John McConville and died 18 Oct 1914 in Warrington. No info about her parents. John McConville's father Edward was born in Ireland, possibly Co Down, in 1811. I think his wife was also originally from Co Down but cannot confirm that.
Also, thank you for posting the info on Lives of the First World War. It filled a few gaps for us.
Kind Regards
Brian