My maternal Great Grandmother was the younger sister of Mary Eliza Dunscomb O'Shea - having previously had a business as a Merchant in Algoa Bay, South Africa, James O'Shea emigrated to New Zealand in early 1865, where he and Mary married in Wellington, New Zealand on 25 February, 1868.
A possibility has emerged that James O'Shea may have been previously married and had a son Nicholas O'Shea from that earlier union - it is known that Nicholas O'Shea died in Lower Hutt, New Zealand on 24 September, 1885 aged 27/28 years (location of birth 1857/1858 not known) and was a son of "...Mr James O'Shea, a merchant of Old Customhouse Street, Wellington, New Zealand." (as was written in article relating to the death of a grandaughter of Mr. James O'Shea, which appeared in the Hutt News of 30 March, 1938).
An article in the Star Newspaper of 12 October, 1896 under the Headline 'Death of an Ex-New Zealander' recorded "...the death of Mr James O'Shea, an old and much-esteemed erstwhile Wellington resident, which took place at Port Elizabeth (South Africa) on August 25..." - the article further reads "...about seven years ago he left with his family for Buenos Ayres to commence life anew in the Argentine. He was but a very short time there when the revolution broke out...Soon after the cessation of actual hostilities, Mr O'Shea, not being familiar with or relishing these interruptions to business, left the Argentine for Port Elizabeth, where he had, prior to his settlement in New Zealand, carried on an extensive business as a wool merchant..."
A daughter Marie Marguerita O'Shea born in Wellington, New Zealand in 1873 passed away in Pretoria, South Africa on 9 March, 1922 - it seems likely she had been twice married to Frederick Arthur Allen firstly, then latterly to Henry Gray.
What is presently unknown by the writer is the location or date of the passing of Mary Eliza Dunscombe O'Shea, and enlightenment accordingly would be appreciated...
Similarly any information relating to the aforementioned O'Shea family members, or contact with living relatives of same would be very much welcomed...
Kind Regards
