Lives of the First World War

1868 - 1918

1868: there is a birth record for James Connor on 27 September in Quarry Lane, Boyle from Thomas and Sara Cheeky with sponsors Patrick Mahon and Mar Curregan. [Source Roots and nli] This record does not appear in Irish Genealogy. We are quite sure that this is his heritage as it is born out by DNA matches with various cousins. 1899: Rosanna and James O'Connor marry on 21 October. James is listed as a carpenter at 108 Bride Street. Father is Thomas O'C who is a car owner (presumably in Roscommon). Michael Healy is a shop keeper at 99 Bride Street (whether that is the shop address or where he lives is not clear). Rosanna listed as a "minor" meaning under 21. Her sister Lizzie Healy is a witness. 1900: Michael was born on 20th July in Coombs Hospital for woman and children in Dublin South. His parents James and Rosanna were living at 108 Bride Street at the time where James was managing the tenement. 1901: in the survey the O'Connor family occupied a Lodging House in 108 Bride Street. James has the whole of the house and was the lodge house keeper. 6 rooms: 1 for the family of three and 5 for the other 13 lodgers. Looks like these buildings were purpose built around 1900 by the Cavendish Trust as numbers 110 -113 were still in the process of being built.It is said 36 thousand people migrated to Dublin around that time. His occupation listed as a carpenter. Michael was 11 months old at time of survey. 109 Bride Street was a shop and 104 Bride Street was a public house. 1903: on the 11 July 1903, Sarah (we call her Sara Elder) was born in the Rotunda Hospital Dublin North (just off O'Connell Street). Her birth certificate took some finding as it does not give a christian name (just a blank). However paents and address at 108 Bride street are correct - so it is her. 1904: Likewise James (Seamus) was born with no christain name on 15 December of this year again in the Rotunda. 1906: at time of Rosie's (my mother Rosanna O'Connor) birth the family are living in 4 Mercer Street Upper. 1910: Rosanna Healy dies of tuberculosis in a bed in the corner of a room in 34 Bride street. James is present at the death. 1911: in the survey it states that the O'Connor family lived in 34 Bride Street in a tenement house with 10 rooms and with 47 people living in it. James' portion was 34.2 Bride Street which was 2 rooms - probably one for the family and the other for 4 lodgers and a visitor. Again these were custom built late Victorian with plumbing and probably lighting. He has registered his name to Oconnor. He is registered as a shopkeeper. His age is either 40 or 41. There was a public House next door. The family consists of James: Michael, Seamus, Sara and Rose with Mother Rosanna having died. 1911: We now have a marriage certificate for James O'C and an Annie O'Toole on 8 Nov 1911 where they were resident in 34 Bride Street and he was a widower - So we can be reasonably sure that the soldier boy is our James Senior. On the marriage certificate it states Annie as being a minor (maybe this is under 21), so she would be 6 or 7 years older that Mum, which jives with the stories. On the marriage certificate with Annie O'Toole: James' father is Thomas who was a coachman and is deceased. Annie's father is James O'Toole who was a labourer. 1914: James and Annie O'Toole give birth to Sarah O'Connor on 22 February. He is a general dealer and they live at 32 Lower Bridge Street. 1916: They give birth to Mary on 4 May. He is a boarding House Keeper and still at 32 Lower Bridge Street. He has not yet joined the army. 1918: There is James O'Connor dies on 11 Jan 1918 and had military records. He is buried in Grangegorman military cemetery in Dublin. He is stated as born in Boyle Roscommon which rings true but in 1875. Service number quoted as 330981 and grave number 549. We visited the grave and took some pictures included in the Gallery. He leaves a widow Annie O'Connor at 35 Bride Street where she later marries and lives with Edward Moore. One of Annie O'Toole's grandchildren was later proved by DNA to be my first cousin and lives in Fingass Dublin North.

Created by: , June107711