Genealogy research by Mark Humphrys.
John Morris,
Letter from Jim O'Leary to Richard Rahilly, 7 Apr 1868,
disapproves of him:
"As to Dear Marianne, I am quite tired from advising her.
If she marries Mr. Morris ... she is sure to be in poverty, and by no means happy".
He is surprised Morris had the nerve to propose:
"He must be encouraged when he presumed to ask her".
But Marianne's brother
Richard Rahilly
is in favour.
O'Leary says:
"I was surprised when Marianne told me that you and Aunts were for Mr. Morris.
All I say is of no use.
...
Their minds are unsuited
...
I am surprised that you and Aunts do not advise her".
In fact,
Robert Morris witnessed Richard Rahilly's own marriage on 13 June 1868
[GROI].
Robert
mar 6 Oct 1868, Ballylongford, to
Marianne Rahilly
[born 1838-43].
At son's birth 1869 he is listed as "Excise Officer", living Listowel.
He is listed in
[Slater's directory, 1870]
as Inland Revenue Officer for Listowel,
living William St.
It was thought they maybe lived at one time in Waterford, but this may be confusion with Wexford below.
At children's births 1875-77 he is listed as "Excise Officer", living
Parsonstown (Birr),
King's County (Co.Offaly).
Marianne's aunt
Margaret Rahilly (died 1877)
left her her house in Ballylongford in her will.
Still in Parsonstown (Birr) in 1880.
[Slater's, 1881]
lists Robert as one of the officers of the Excise Office in
Parsonstown (Birr).
He is listed at death 1881 as Inland Revenue Officer, late of Birr.
He died Sun 25 Dec 1881,
Dr Steevens' Hospital,
Dublin,
age 45 yrs.
He died of
"phthisis" (TB).
See death cert
from here.
Robert's will was pr 23 Feb 1882 at the Principal Registry, Dublin,
by William Potter of Listowel, executor, effects £866
[NAI].
Will apparently burnt in 1922.
Marianne goes to Australia, 1888:
Marianne left Ireland and went to Australia in 1888. She left her children in Ireland. She wrote letter of Sat 29 Dec 1888 to her brother Richard, from the S.S. Liguria off Naples bound for Australia. They will be going through the Suez Canal. "Here I am at last on the blue waters of the Mediterranean and in a perfect floating palace". She says there was a storm in the Bay of Biscay on Sat night (Sat 22 Dec 1888). She says to Richard: "I can never forget all your goodwill to me, and beg of you again for the sake of the past not to forget my dear little children." She says her address will be City Rd, Melbourne (see map).
Marianne went to
Australia,
went to
University of Melbourne.
(To work at some job there?
Maybe teaching French. She was fluent.)
|
She came back to Ireland.
Her son Charles emigrated to US 1891-92.
She
sailed to America in Feb 1892 with her other children.
She soon returned to Ireland.
She went to live in the
Convent of St.John of God, Wexford.
Apparently there by 1893.
Her brother Richard (died 1896)
made provision in his will (dated 1893)
to pay from his estate
the (tiny) sum of
£30 per annum
to the
Convent of St.John of God, Wexford,
to support her,
so long as she remained a boarder at the convent.
[P106/26]
is a payment from Richard Rahilly's widow
in 1900 for Mrs. Morris
for a half year's maintenance at "St.Joseph's Home" (same place as Convent of St.John of God, Wexford).
She is listed
as "Mary Morris", age 63 (born 1838)
in
Convent of St.John of God, Wexford,
in 1901 census.
She and other women there are listed as:
"No occupation, supported by friends".
Richard charged his daughter Anno to look after his sister,
and she did, as long as Marianne lived.
She is listed
as "Mary Jane Morris", age 70 (born 1841)
in
Convent of St.John of God, Wexford,
in 1911 census.
1916 letter
from Nell
says she was
"down to see Aunt Morris"
recently.
(todo) See letter of c.1918 in
[P106/441]
referring to "Aunt M."
in Wexford.
[Aodogán O'Rahilly]
said:
"My aunt Anno was paying a small annuity to her Aunt Morris in the 1920s
or maybe even later".
Anno said "Never undertake to pay an annuity to anybody
because if you do they never die".
She died 21 Mar 1921, Rockfield, Wexford
[GROI],
age 78-83 yrs.
Robert and Marianne
had issue:
Robert Morris listed in
[Slater's directory, 1870]
as Inland Revenue Officer for Listowel, Co.Kerry.
Robert Morris and his son Charles (born 1869).
Must be shortly before Robert died in 1881.
See full size.
Picture courtesy of Morris Ryan.
Dr Steevens' Hospital, Dublin.
From here.
See
street view.
Convent of St.John of God, Newtown Rd, Wexford, on
1887 to 1913 map.
Marianne apparently living there by 1893.
She was living there 1900-1911.
See modern street view.
The City of Chicago.
Image from Norway Heritage.
It was "Wrecked off southern Ireland" later in 1892.
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