Widows Pension

[johnnyjumpup]

I am hoping that someone may be able to tell me  when the Widow's Pension was introduced to Ireland. My grandmother became a widow in 1939 and I am wondering if she might have applied for a Widow's Pension. Are Widow's Pension application records available for research. I am trying to find a birth cert/baptism cert for my grandmother but as I think she was illegitimate it is proving very difficult. She was born around 1883 and died in 1951 so would not have been eligible for the Old Age Pension as she was not 70. I am hoping that if she was in receipt of a widow's pension there may be a clue on her application regarding her age, parents or where she was born.

Hope someone can help, I would really appreciate it.

[CaroleW]

Hi

Lots of answers re Irish pensions if you use Google

[Sinann]

There is a Widows and Orphans' Pensions Act 1935 so it must have existed in 1939
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1935/act/29/enacted/en/html
No idea if it would be possible to see the records.

[aghadowey]

Have you found her in 1901 and 1911 census? Did she ever marry?

[Maggsie]

Hi Johnnyjumpup,
Her name would help and her name at death.
1883 -1951 would be aged 68, there are a few.

Sinann, thanks for the link.

Maggsie

[johnnyjumpup]

Thank you all for taking the time to reply. it is very much appreciated. To answer some of your questions, yes I found her in the Census Returns. In 1901 her name was Johanna Phelan, 18 years old , born in Kilkenny. By 1911 she had married, She was Johanna Cowman aged 26, born in co Waterford. According to her marriage in 1906 her father's name was Matthew Phelan/whelan.

Thanks again

[dathai]

Well she married in 1908 as Johanna Phelan emphasising that her father is still alive
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1906/10129/5685509.pdf

by 1911 she has 3 children of whom only 2 appear to be registered
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Waterford/Islandikane/Ballyadam/668821/

William born illigitimate to Johanna Whelan 1906
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1906/01748/1690040.pdf

and according to Daniels death cert she named one of her son's Matthew
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1939/04739/4268378.pdf

Matthews marriage 1940
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1940/08851/5200948.pdf

[johnnyjumpup]

Hi Dahai,

Thank you for your reply. You certainly have the correct person. I just cannot find a birth/baptismal cert. She mentions on the marriage cert her mother's name was Casey/Carey but I have tried searching using her mother's name but again without success!!