Re: Mary Emma McGrath

[Mandy4234]

I am looking for information about my great grandmother Mary Emma McGrath, she had one child Harley with Arley Turner of Aston Birmingham. Mary Emma was born in 1895 and died in Birmingham Workhouse in 1919, she had a twin sister Kathleen who adopted my grandfather after the death of her twin sister.

Any information no matter how small would be appreciated.

Mandy

[Maiden Stone]

Mandy, you're more likely to receive relevant answers if your enquiry about Mary Emma is on a different board. This thread is about Bernard McGrath in Lancashire.
I'll ask a moderator to create a new topic for you on an appropriate board.
Added. I've asked a mod.

[sarah]

Topic has now been split and moved

Regards

Sarah

[Maiden Stone]

For the attention of anyone helping. There are other threads about a Harley/Arley Turner family in Birmingham which may be relevant.
Have you found Mary Emma and Kathleen on censuses? Any idea where they were born?  Kathleen should be on 1921 census.
Is there any information about Mary Emma's marriage? Did Kathleen marry?
Do you know names of their parents?

[Sumi]

Mary Emma and Kathleen’s births were Register in Birkenhead in the Sept art of 1895 volume 8a page 524, mother’s maiden name BIRD.

On 3 June 1895 Bernard McGRATH widower age 40 son of Thomas married Louisa JONES widow age 33 daughter of Thomas BIRD registered Liverpool.

[ciderdrinker]

Hello
Lets see what we can find
1901 census 35 William St Birkenhead
Bernard Mcgrath 47 Tailor journeyman Cheshire West Kirby
Lavinia 40 wife same
Ernest Jones 14 stepson Librarian assistant Liverpool
Mary Jones 11 step daughter Liverpool
Kathleen Mc Grath daughter 5 Birkenhead
Mary Emma  5 twin of above
Bernard 3 Birkenhead

I gather we are supposed to not give the 1911 for copyright reasons but I think it's ok to say they are in the same street and Bernard has died.

Mary Emma marries as Emma Mcgrath in june qtr 1914 at Aston.Son  Harley born 13.6.1914.
She dies there March qtr 1919. She is buried at Witton Cemetery in Birmingham.
There is a probate but it is not your Mary Emma.

There is a lovely photo of her and her husband on a tree on Ancestry .

Her husband was in the Royal Field Artillery 22.5.1915 and served in France.Regimental no 83919 and recieved the Military Medal.Rose from Gunner to Corporal.

She and her twin sister were born 4th August 1895.
2 siblings who died by 1911  William Bernard born and died Mar qtr 1893 and Louisa Agnes born june qtr 1900,died Dec qtr 1900.
 Just for the record Bernard her brother went to see was 5ft 101/2 inches ,hazel eyes ,brown hair and a tatoo of a woman on his right arm. He died 1943 at Birkenhead.

I can't spot a reason why she went to Birmingham.

Ciderdrinker

[Mandy4234]

Thank you again for all the research, you’ve been so helpful and I really am very grateful, I’d like to try and find that photo of Mary Emma and Arley/Harley so that I can show my mum as she has no photos of her grandfather. Mary Emma died in the Birmingham workhouse in 1919 but not sure how she ended up there, only thing we have come up with is that when her husband Arley went off to war she couldn’t financially look after herself and young son ( my grandfather) so had no choice but to enter a workhouse, where she died aged 24, and leaving my grandfather to be raised by her twin sister Kathleen in Birkenhead.

Mandy

[ciderdrinker]

Hi
Have you considered that 1919 was the year of the Spanish flu.
I don't know what Mary Emma McGrath died of but if there was a huge outbreak then it may be all those efected were sent to the Workhouse Infirmary were a specialist team could have coped with the large numbers.
For people who couldn't afford the private Doctor then the Workhouse Infirmary provided free proffesional care.I don't know whether she ahd Harley junior were living with any body else but if she was suddenly taken sick ,then with no 999 to call a neighbour or friend might have whipped her off there.

Just a thought
Ciderdrinker

[Maiden Stone]

Mary Emma died in the Birmingham workhouse in 1919 but not sure how she ended up there, only thing we have come up with is that when her husband Arley went off to war she couldn’t financially look after herself and young son ( my grandfather) so had no choice but to enter a workhouse, where she died aged 24,

Wives of soldiers received a separation allowance.
The allowances were increased March 1915. Allowance for a private's wife was 12 shillings; wife + 1 child 17s. 6d.
https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/28448

         "Separation Allowance
  Increased Grants to Soldiers' Dependants"
            7th Nov. 1918
https://www.voicesofwarandpeace.org/2018/11/07/on-this-day-7-november-1918/

Did Mary Emma's son go into the workhouse with her? If he didn't, I incline to agree with ciderdrinker that Mary Ellen was admitted to the infirmary at the workhouse.
A lot of people who died from "Spanish Flu" were young adults. My grandmother, same age as Mary Emma, was very ill with it but recovered. Her 2 young children were OK, as far as I know, or had a mild bout. My GM would have had support of her father + in-laws to care for her & children when she was ill. My GF was away in army. Mary Emma, living far away from her family, may have had no one to call on. People who caught Spanish Flu  could deteriorate rapidly.