Genealogy research by Mark Humphrys.
Genealogy research by Mark Humphrys.
Blennerhassett Cashel,
Worked for GSWR 1866-1911:
Blen worked for
Great Southern and Western Railway
(GSWR)
for 45 years (1866 to 1911).
His brother
William Henry
also worked for GSWR.
Blennerhassett was
appointed to GSWR on 23 Apr 1866
[GSWR record],
age 17.
Father still living Bagenalstown, Co.Carlow, at this point.
He "had very little of the world's goods .. but he envied no man"
[PAT/12, p.16-17].
See all the stations he was based at.
He was
based at Mallow, Co.Cork, 1869 to 1872.
Listed as "clerk", living Mallow, at mar 1869.
Blen
mar 1stly, 30 Sept 1869, Cork,
to Maria Agnes Lyons [born 1846].
He went to USA in 1870
to find his brother Edward.
He
had to resign from railway 9 Mar 1870
[GSWR record]
in order to take the leave.
Was in New York as at June-July 1870.
Came back to Ireland.
Reappointed to railway 4 Aug 1870
[GSWR record].
His job at Mallow was clearly kept for him.
Living Main St, Mallow
(see map)
at dau Agnes' birth and bapt, Dec 1870.
Listed as "clerk", living Main St, Mallow,
when he registered Agnes' birth with [GROI] on 5 Jan 1871.
Living Landscape Terrace, Mallow, at dau's bapt, May 1872
(near Market Place, this is same place as New St and New Road).
At dau's birth, May 1872, he is listed as "railway clerk", living New St, Mallow.
He
appeared as a witness
in a case involving GSWR at the Petty Sessions at
Aghern, Co.Cork
(see map)
on
25 Nov 1872.
The case was about a man travelling without a ticket on 21 Oct 1872.
Blen was a witness.
The defendant had to pay a sum to the GSWR.
See image.
Blen sp bapt of his niece
Mary Agnes Sheahan
in July 1873.
He was
station master at Banteer, Co.Cork, 1873 to 1874.
Listed as
"station master" in Banteer
at Eileen's birth and bapt, Aug 1873,
and Annie's birth and bapt 1874.
He was
station master at Newbridge, Co.Kildare, 1875 to 1877.
Listed as
"station master" at
Railway Station, Newbridge,
at Willie's birth and bapt 1875.
He gave evidence in a March 1876 court case about the theft of coal from a load in Feb 1876 at Newbridge.
He is station master at Newbridge.
See part of article in
Leinster Express,
March 25, 1876.
Listed as
"station master" at
Railway Station, Newbridge,
at John's birth and bapt 1877.
|
Station master at Parsonstown, 1877-78:
Blen was station master at Parsonstown (now Birr), Co.Offaly, 1877 to 1878. He became station master at Parsonstown 1877, taking over from his brother William Henry. See item in Freeman's Journal, 10 Aug 1877 (also here). This reports William Henry's move from the railway station at Parsonstown to Carlow, and his replacement at Parsonstown by his brother Blennerhassett, late of Newbridge. See item in Irish Times, 10 August 1877. Listed as "station master" in Seefin (at or near Parsonstown station), Birr par, Co.Offaly, at Alice's birth July 1878 through Eileen's death Dec 1878.
The death of 4 of their children in 1878:
|
Blen is listed in
Midland Counties Advertiser, 26 December 1878,
as donating for the poor of Parsonstown.
He is "B H Cashel, Station Master".
He was
station master at Thurles, Co.Tipperary,
1879 to 1880.
They had another baby, Blennerhassett,
who also died.
Blen is
listed as
"station master",
Great Southern and Western Railway (GSWR),
living Railway Station, Thurles, Co.Tipperary,
at Blennerhassett's birth 1879
through Blennerhassett's death 1880.
|
GSWR head at Limerick, 1881-1893:
Blen was station master (for GSWR only) at Limerick station Feb 1881 to 1893. Limerick station was shared among multiple rail companies, and he was GSWR head at Limerick, but not the head of the whole station. Cork and Limerick Direct Railway was part of GSWR, and this was its Limerick end. GSWR mainly did goods at Limerick at this time. [GSWR record] lists him as "station master". His father died in June 1882.
Giving evidence in London, 1882:
He is
listed as
"station master", GSWR, living Railway Cottage, South Henry St (later Carey's Rd), Limerick,
at Madeline's birth, 23 July 1882.
His brother William commits suicide:
|
GSWR goods head at Cork, 1893 to 1911:
Blen was
goods superintendant (for GSWR only)
at
Cork station
from 1893 to 1911.
He moved in 1893
to Cork
as goods superintendant for GSWR.
The new railway station at Glanmire Rd, Cork,
opened 1 Feb 1893, replacing earlier buildings
[Creedon, 1985].
Cork station served multiple railway companies.
He was
GSWR goods head at Cork.
[GSWR record]
lists him as Goods Agent, Cork Goods station.
"B.H. Cashel" is listed
among the mourners at funeral of
James Haran, JP and bank manager, Limerick.
See funeral list in Limerick Chronicle,
7 Sept 1893.
Also here.
(todo) Go through full list.
See transcript of
letter of 2 Oct 1893
from him
to Catholic Institute, Limerick,
written from GSWR, Cork.
His future son-in-law
James O'Mara
writes on 2 Nov 1893
that "Mr. Cashel is very sick, more ill than Agnes ever remembers him before."
But clearly he recovered.
He is listed in
[Slater's Directory, 1894]
as "Goods Manager" for GSWR at the new Glanmire Rd station, Cork.
Lived
52 Lower Glanmire Rd, Cork,
right beside the new railway station.
He is listed as
"goods agent",
living
52 Lower Glanmire Rd, Cork, as at Agnes' mar, April 1895.
Maria Agnes dies, 1896:
Maria Agnes died Fri 10th Jan 1896, 52 Lr Glanmire Rd, age 49 yrs [GROI].
Funeral Sun 12th Jan,
bur St.Joseph's cemetery, Cork.
Blen bought this plot on 12 Jan.
Blen and Maria Agnes had issue:
Blen went to public lectures in Cork organised by the Cork Catholic Young Men's Society. This seems to have been a society not just for young men, but to organise interesting guest speakers for the general public.
He mar 2ndly, 26 Oct 1898 [him age 50, her apparently age 35],
to Marion McSwiney [apparently bapt 1 May 1863].
There was a fatal accident at the GSWR goods store at Cork in Feb 1899.
See article
part one
and two
in
Cork Daily Herald, 23 February 1899.
He is at funeral of James O'Mara Apr 1899.
He is described as "goods manager" at Helen's birth, Oct 1899.
He is listed
in the Cork Examiner, 11 February 1901,
at the annual general meeting of the Cork Catholic Young Men's Society.
Blen and Marion are
listed
in 1901 census
at
52 Lower Glanmire Rd, Cork.
He is "goods superintendant, GSWR".
They have 1 servant living with them.
Letter of
20 Jan 1904
says that Mr. Cashel is going to London to see his dau Agnes.
Listed as
"superintendant", GSWR, living 52 Lower Glanmire Rd,
at Kathleen's mar, Apr 1904.
"B.H. Cashel (Cork)"
was
at funeral of
Nan O'Mara
1905.
Despite his giving evidence against subversives in the 1880s,
he later
approved of his daughters' Sinn Fein beliefs.
He wrote
letter of 17 Dec 1907
to his son-in-law James O'Mara
(who had resigned from the Home Rule party in June 1907 to join Sinn Fein).
He says:
"Al and Dot have developed into great Sinn Feiners - your teaching."
Blen and Marion are
listed
in Apr 1911 census
at
52 Lower Glanmire Rd, Cork.
He is "goods superintendant, GSWR".
He retired Oct 1911.
He left 52 Lower Glanmire Rd,
must be at retirement 1911
(it was railway property, came with the job).
See a simple
"will"
he made, 13 Sept 1913, leaving everything to his wife.
And
reverse side.
He lived at Slievnamon,
Little Island, Cork.
There from at least 1914 until 1915.
Madeline
is living Little Island at mar, July 1914.
Blen is listed as "agent".
Blen is living
Slievnamon, Little Island,
when George
joined the army in Jan 1915.
At death in Oct 1915,
Blen was living "Knocknacool", College Rd, Cork.
Must have only just moved there.
|
Blen dies, 1915:
He died at his residence, "Knocknacool", Thur 21 Oct 1915, age 67 yrs, "railway superintendant" [GROI]. See obituary in Cork Examiner, October 22, 1915. Listed as "goods agent" at Cork for GSWR. Death notice in The Evening Echo, Cork, 22 Oct 1915. Funeral Sat 23 Oct 1915, bur St.Joseph's cemetery, Cork. Funeral list in [The Evening Echo, Cork, Sat 23 Oct 1915]. See funeral list part one and two in Cork Examiner, Mon 25 Oct 1915. See death notice in Irish Times, October 30, 1915. Admin of estate granted at Cork, 20 Dec 1915, to Marion. Admin survives in [NAI], no will. He is listed as "railway agent" and "goods agent", GSWR. See administration cover and top and bottom. Listed (after death) as "Railway Manager" at Helen's marriage. |
Marion and dau Helen
lived near Carrigaline
(near Cork) for a time.
Helen was living 5 Eldred Terrace, South Douglas Rd, Cork, at mar, 1926.
Marion was living 17 Knockrea park, Douglas Rd, Cork,
with Helen and family
at time of death 1940.
Her
will dated 26 Feb 1940, at Mercy Hospital, Cork,
very short, all property to dau Helen.
She
died 4th [grave]
or 5th
[NAI]
or 6th
[GROI]
of
Apr 1940, Mercy Hospital, Cork,
age apparently 76 yrs.
She was
bur St.Joseph's cemetery, Cork.
Admin of estate (with will) granted 28 Oct 1940 at Cork
to dau Helen
[NAI].
Blen and Marion
had issue:
Baptism of Agnes Cashel, 22 Dec 1870, Mallow RC par records.
From here.
See other image.
From
here.
Blennerhassett Cashel
is listed at the funeral in March 1895 of
Mrs. Richard McCoy
of Curramore, Co.Limerick.
We know "B H Cashel"
is Blennerhassett Cashel
because he was friends with these McCoys.
[PAT/30]
says that at Agnes' wedding in April 1895 in Dublin,
the Cashel family stayed at Barry's Hotel.
"Mrs. Barry was a friend."
Mrs. Barry was
Kate McCoy,
dau of Mrs. Richard McCoy.
Blennerhassett Cashel presumably met the McCoys through Limerick and the O'Maras:
Extract from
letter of 17 Dec 1907
from Blen to his son-in-law James O'Mara.
"Al and Dot have developed into great Sinn Feiners - your teaching."
See full size.
Notepaper of Blennerhassett Cashel shortly before retirement 1911
is made out as "B.H. Cashel"
and he signs it "B.H. Cashel".
He may be using the style "Blenner Hassett Cashel".
See larger
and full size.
Clock given to Blennerhassett Cashel
by GSWR at retirement, Oct 1911.
Photo 2011.
See larger
and full size.
See other shot.
Inscription on the clock shows it is presented to "Mr. B.H. Cashel" (would stand for "Blenner Hassett").
Photo 2011.
See larger
and full size.
See other shot.
The funeral list for Blen in 1915
only includes males among "the chief mourners".
Thus bizarrely excluding all of his children
in favour of people who are only in-laws.
(George is away serving in the war.)
From Cork Examiner,
Mon 25 Oct 1915.
AI animation of photo of Maria Agnes Lyons.
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![[Family record]](McGrath/IMG_2600.JPG){kind=link}
