RootsChat.Com

Hi Lynette

My grandfather Francis Burke was born at 145 Hope Street, St Martin's, Birmingham in 1885 (2 years after TFB's 2nd marriage), and I know he lived there at least until 1888. The Irish Nationalist MPs Tim Healy, Michael Davitt and "Long" John O'connor visited the family home frequently. ie. separately during electioneering campaigns. One of the MPs and several members of the Irish club with TFB would go back to the house after closing hours and play cards half the night. My grandfather remembers Michael Davitt nursing him on his knee. He had one arm and a black beard. LSA thought Tim Healy a "charming man", and he later became the first Governer-general of Irish Free State. I understand that the marriage between TF and LSA Burke broke up in 1909. Family tales say that TFB was work shy and he drank. Perhaps we shall never know for sure.

All the best
Graham

Hi Lynette

Yes, my great-grandfather was Thomas Francis Burke, father of Francis Burke. However, we have a little confusion. TFB was born Oct 11th 1853 in Coventry and married LSA Davies in Leamington Priors on Oct 29th 1883. His father was Peter Burke, born c1813-1815 in County Mayo, Ireland. An aunt and myself have come to a similar finding whilst researching the family, that Thomas Burke added the middle name Francis at the time of his marriage to LSAD. A possible reason for this emerged only this week upon my finding a note tucked away in an old book in my uncle's house. It appears that our Thomas had an uncle, Thomas Francis Burke (presumably Peter's brother) who sailed from Westport, Co Mayo, to the USA when the family was young. He became quite famous as General Thomas Francis Burke in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War, but later went to Ireland in (1875?) to join with the great uprising. He was sentenced to death for his part in this, but later this sentence was revoked. Having such a close prestigious relative, I suspect he added the Francis to impress his new wife. So although you have found Francis and Rosa, I'm not sure which Thomas Francis Burke you have as you give their marriage date as Aug 11th 1859. Graham