Michael's Lane, Dublin (between 1880-1900)

Photo: Courtesy of the National Library of Ireland

Case Study John Purcell

JOHN PURCELL was born in Dublin on May 29, 1902. That civil birth index entry tells us that his mother's maiden name was Kent, so we can immediately search for any Purcell/Kent marriages in the Dublin church records on IrishGenealogy.ie. Only one record looks likely, the marriage of a Thomas Purcell to Ellen Kent in June 1901 in the Pro-Cathedral in Dublin.

How do we confirm that this is the right couple? Good evidence would be to find a John aged 9, the son of Thomas and Ellen in the 1911 census. There are six Johns around the right age in Dublin in 1911. Only one has parents Thomas and Ellen. His family is one of eight living in a tenement in Lower Gardiner Street. This is certainly the right family.

The 1911 return tells us a great deal about the family. John's father, Thomas, was born in Kerry. His mother Ellen was born in India. His younger sister Jane was born in Patricroft, Manchester in 1904/05 and his younger brother Michael was born in Liverpool in 1907/08. Clearly the family were moving around, almost certainly so that Thomas could find work. He was a "General Labourer", and so undoubtedly poor.

Another sister, Mary, was born just a month after the census was taken.

At the time, King's Inns Street and Jervis Street were full of near-derelict tenements. Both of John's parents were poor.

The marriage of Thomas Purcell to Ellen Kent in 1901.

Image: Church Records at www.irishgenealogy.ie

In 1911 John Kent, a proud pensioner, includes details of his regiment.

Image: The National Archives of Ireland, Census of Ireland 1911

Parents and grandparents

Look at that marriage entry again. The full record image contains more information than the summary. It tells us that Thomas was living at 20 King's Inns Street and that his parents were John (Purcell) and Ellen, living in Tralee in Kerry. Ellen was living at 57 Jervis Street in Dublin and her parents were John (Kent) and Jane. The witnesses are James O'Grady and Catherine Purcell, both of 20 King's Inns Street.

At the time, King's Inns Street and Jervis Street were full of near-derelict tenements. Both of John's parents were poor.

Where were Thomas and Ellen in the 1901 census, just three months before their marriage? Thomas was at 20 King's Inns Street, with his sisters Kate and Bridget, young John's soon-to-be aunts, and seven boarders. Kate was a witness to his marriage in June, along with the only Kerry lodger in the house, Jeremiah O'Grady. Ellen was living at 57 Jervis Street, with her parents John and Jane, brothers Charles and Bertram, and sister Florence. This return also tells us that her father John was an army pensioner aged 56, born in New Ross, and that Ellen's siblings were born in Aldershot, Edinburgh and Manchester, almost certainly as their father moved army postings.

It's always a good idea to check sources that may not be directly relevant - so where were Ellen and Thomas' families in 1911? Ellen's father John, now a widower, was living in Lower Gardiner Street, a neighbour to his married daughter and Purcell grandchildren. Look at the original record image - it shows much more than the search summary, particularly that John Kent served in the Royal Irish Regiment, while also confirming that he was born in New Ross.

The only way to find out is to see Thomas' birth or baptismal record. According to the 1901 and 1911 returns, Thomas was born about 1872 or 1873 (recorded ages in the censuses are very rarely accurate).

Paternal grandparents, aunts and uncles

What about his Purcell grandparents, John and Ellen, shown in the 1901 marriage record to be living in Tralee? A search for a John Purcell in 1901 in Tralee finds four. Only one is of an age to be Thomas' father. And indeed his wife's name is Ellen. This is good evidence that these are young John's soon-to-be grandparents.

What was Ellen's maiden name? The only way to find out is to see Thomas' birth or baptismal record. According to the 1901 and 1911 returns, Thomas was born about 1872 or 1873 (recorded ages in the censuses are very rarely accurate). We know he was born in Kerry, so we can search the transcripts of Kerry baptisms to see is there is a match. It's always a good idea to cast the net as wide as possible to begin with, so let's just search for all Kerry Purcell baptisms with a John Purcell as father and Ellen as mother. Only one Thomas is listed among them, to a John Purcell and Ellen Shea of Derrymore townland, baptised on November 25th 1875 in Tralee Catholic parish.

The (partial) transcript of the original birth record of Catherine, daughter of John and Ellen Purcell

Image: FamilySearch.org

Is this the right person? From the 1901 return, we know he had sisters Bridget, born c. 1887/8 and Kate, born c. 1869/1870. A Bridget is listed as baptised to the couple, in Strand Street in 1887, but no Kate or Catherine appears to be recorded. There are transcripts of early civil birth (as opposed to church baptism) records on FamilySearch.org, and a search there shows a Catherine, daughter of John Purcell and Ellen Shea born on Decemer 19 1869. This is pretty conclusive evidence that they are the right couple.

What else can we find out about this family from these records? Apart from Bridget and Kate, Thomas had six other brothers and sisters, Patrick (1867), Mary (1874), John (1876), Margaret (1878), Ellen (1881) and Michael (1885). The family also appear to have moved around in the Tralee area: the eldest children's baptisms record the home as in Derrymore, then from 1874 to 1876 the family appear to be in Clasheen, and finally after 1883 they appear in Strand Street, where they are recorded in 1901.

It's also a good idea to check for any other records of the event, because they may contain more information. There are transcripts of early civil marriage (as opposed to church) records on FamilySearch.org, and a search there shows a partial transcript of the marriage record.

The marriage of John Purcell to Ellen Shea in Tralee in 1867

Image: The National Library of Ireland, Catholic Parish Registers

Paternal great-grandparents

Can we go back further on this line? John and Ellen's eldest child, Patrick, was born in December 1867, which means their marriage probably took place shortly before then. And indeed, the marriage is recorded in Tralee parish in September 1867, with the fathers named as Patrick Purcell and John Shea.

It's always a good idea to check the original record if you can, because all transcriptions have errors and omissions. The original 1867 marriage registers for Tralee are imaged online, and do record more information than the transcript: they show that John's father Patrick was living in Buttevant at the time of the marriage, and that Ellen's father John was living in Derrymore.

It's also a good idea to check for any other records of the event, because they may contain more information. There are transcripts of early civil marriage (as opposed to church) records on FamilySearch.org, and a search there shows a partial transcript of the marriage record. It confirms the fathers' names, but also gives the ages that John and Ellen supplied: John was 25 and Ellen 20.

Both were born the start of civil registration in 1864, so baptismal records are the only sources of more information on them. A search for Ellen, daughter of John (O')Shea, born around 1846/1847 shows an Ellen of Derrymore, baptised on May 20, 1845, with mother's maiden name Catherine Dillane. This is clearly the baptism of our John Purcell's paternal grandmother. A search of the baptismal records for all children of John (O')Shea and Catherine Dillane turns up eight more children, with the eldest, Patrick, born in 1825, almost twenty years before Ellen; she was evidently the baby of the family.

Earlier paternal Shea generations

Ellen's parents, John and Catherine were married in 1825. You can see the original record image here. Unfortunately, the record does not give their fathers' names.

Can we go back? The 1825 marriage means they were probably born some time between about 1795 and 1809. Five John (O')Sheas are baptised in Tralee parish alone between these years. John named his eldest son Patrick in 1825, so there is a good chance that his own father was Patrick - it was a very strong tradition in rural Ireland to call the eldest son after his paternal grandfather. And only one of the five, the John baptised in 1804 has a father called Patrick. But it is just not possible to be sure that this is the right person.

We have a similar problem with Catherine Dillane. Two children of that name are baptised in Tralee parish over the period, one in 1795 and the other in 1805. And of course, we have no way to be certain that Tralee was the birthplace of John and Catherine.

Purcell Family Tree

Earlier paternal Purcells

According to the 1867 civil marriage, John was 25 in that year, and his father was called Patrick. But a search for a John Purcell, son of a Patrick, born between 1838 and 1842, turns up no results. However, searching for a John P*r*l, son of Patrick, finds a transcript of a John 'Purtel' in Causeway parish in 1842. The age is almost precisely right, and Purtel is a recognised variant of Purcell, so it is worthwhile checking the original image of this baptism. It shows a surname that could very well be 'Purcell'. Given the age, this is a good candidate to be the right record. But it is not possible to be absolutely sure.

Maternal grandparents, aunts and uncles

John's mother Ellen (née Kent) recorded herself as born in India in both 1901 and 1911. Is there an online source for the right years, around 1877/1878? FamilySearch has some records from nineteenth-century India, and they're free, so why not try them? And there is a transcript of Ellen's birth, in August 1877 in Pianeetchet, Bengal. If her birth is there, perhaps her parents' marriage might also be listed: and indeed it is. John Kent married Jane 'Both' on August 24 1871 in Cawnpore, Bengal. He was 28 and she was 16. Their parents were Simon and Ellen Kent and William and Bridget 'Both'.

'Both' is problematic. No such surname appears to exist, so it is very likely a mistranscription. Is there any way to correct it? The 1911 census shows 'Jennie' Kent, the couple's youngest daughter was born in Dublin c. 1892/3. Maybe her baptism will resolve it: the record appears in St. Andrew's in 1893 and gives the mother's maiden surname as 'Burke'. Evidently, whoever was transcribing the marriage record was not familiar with Irish surnames.

The only Simon Kent in Ireland, in Tellarought in 1853

Image: www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation

In the censuses, John gives his birthplace as New Ross, Co. Wexford, with his reported age putting his year of birth around 1842/43 and Jane records her birthplace as Limerick, with a year of birth around 1854/55. A check of New Ross baptisms 1842-43 (imaged online at registers.nli.ie) shows no trace of John's baptism. A check of the only mid-nineteenth-century census substitute, Griffith's Valuation, suggests a reason why. The only Simon Kent recorded is in the civil parish of Tellarought, part of the Catholic parish of Old Ross. And the Old Ross baptismal register between 1831 and 1850 is missing.

On the Burke side, the only searchable transcripts of Catholic registers for Limerick are on subscription sites. However, a search of Griffith's shows only a small number of William Burkes recorded, so the chances of getting further back are quite good.