Halpins of Co. Wicklow, Portarlington and Dublin City - Part 2

[mkent]

As a child I remember meeting cousin Gertie Kennedy, a very old lady in a whicker bath chair! (I was about 11 or 12, so I suppose anyone over the age of 50 would seen very old), she had a nephew called Frank, somhow I have finished up with a copy of her will so I will try and find it among all the bits of paper I have.  Thanks Bill for the info on James Halpin, Marie

[BillW]

From the 1911 Census, at 17 in Main Street Rathdrum, who might have been:
ROBERT JAMES HALPIN, head, 38, born Louth, national teacher; wife ALICE 35, born Kilkenny, national teacher; children SAMUEL JAMES HALPIN, 6;  ROBERT GEORGE HALPIN, 3; HENRY GRATTAN HALPIN, new born, all Church of Ireland.  It was the name GRATTAN that attracted me to this family.
(It is possible that a family in Drogheda, Louth in the 1901 Census headed by Samuel Halpin, 54, Mill-Wright, born Co Wicklow, could be the same family.  http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Louth/Drogheda_Town/Chord_Road/1566380/)

[BillW]

She was indeed quite old.  Gertrude was 44 in the 1911 Census.  I can now add more to this family, more daughters of Louisa Halpin and William Hugh Harris Kennedy, from the census, living at 6 Wentworth Street Wicklow(http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Wicklow/Wicklow_Urban/Wentworth_Street/899016/).
LYDIA KENNEDY, aged 43 (b. 1868), head of the family; FRANCES, 41 (see above); GERTRUDE KENNEDY, 40 (b. 1871); one domestic servant.  I wonder what happened to their young brother Robert Charles Halpin Kennedy.  By your family's naming habits, Marie, he was probably called anything but Robert.  In fact, from the 1901 census I see that Gertrude's proper names were Louisa Gertrude.  Also listed in 1901 is that their father was a Clerk of Petty Sessions, born Limerick City.
A FRANCIS KENNEDY, solicitor, is listed at 6 Church Street, Wicklow, age not shown but his wife Winifred was aged 31.

As a child I remember meeting cousin Gertie Kennedy, a very old lady in a whicker bath chair! (I was about 11 or 12, so I suppose anyone over the age of 50 would seen very old), she had a nephew called Frank, somhow I have finished up with a copy of her will so I will try and find it among all the bits of paper I have.  Thanks Bill for the info on James Halpin, Marie

[Shanachai]

     Hi Bill - Samuel Halpin was Robert Wellington Halpin's eldest son.  He settled in Drogheda, where he seems to have worked - for a time at least - as a carpenter.  He passed away in about 1915 if I remember correctly (I'm away from my desk at the moment, so I can't vouch for the accuracy of my dates). 
     
     I believe Robert James Halpin was Samuel's son (the port town of Drogheda, where Samuel settled, is in County Louth). 

     Samuel had two brothers - Robert and Edwin (my great grandfather).  Robert Halpin was born in about 1852, so by the time of the 1911 census he would have been in his late 50s.  After Robert Wellington Halpin died in 1883, Robert (jnr) took over his father's responsibilities as Town Clerk.  The appointment didn't last long, however, and he practically vanishes from the record after that, resurfacing only twice in a couple of press clippings, which describe him saving a drunken man from drowning (a feat of local 'heroism' that Edwin was to emulate), and some time later as being horribly disfigured in a dockside brawl with another merchant seaman.  So it seems Robert took to the sea soon after his father died, while his nephew - Robert James Halpin - became a teacher. 

     On a final note, Henry Grattan Halpin ended up a Second World War hero for some reason.  Will get back to you on that.

     As for the actual duties of a "Teller of Stamps" - one of the reasons I posted the document was in the hope that someone might shed light on the sorts of things a Teller of Stamps did to earn a crust.  I wonder if an email to the Dept. of Revenue in England would help.  Maybe they'd have info on the Halpin mentioned.

[mkent]

I don't know if this is of any interest but I have found Gertrude Kennedy's will.  Her nephew was Frank Robert Barnard Howard Kennedy of Wootton Bridge Isle of Wight,, she also had a nephew Terence William Kennedy and Niece Noreem Sim.

[BillW]

According to FreeBMD, Gertie’s young brother Robert Charles Halpin Kennedy married on the Isle of Wight in the September quarter of 1903.  He would have been 30 years old. His wife could have been Clara Gerson or Nora Florence Clarke.  Without getting a certificate I cannot tell.
Frank Bernard (sic) H Kennedy is listed born Sep 1905.  Noreen Kennedy Sep 1907.  Terrence William F Kennedy Sep 1909.
Robert C H Kennedy dies Sep 1927 age given 53.  Noreen Kennedy marries Thomas Sim Sep 1928.  Frank R B H Kennedy marries Janet R Gardiner Mar 1932
There is an unexpectedly large number of Kennedy registrations for the Isle of Wight.  I suspect that Robert may have gone there to join a Kennedy relation.  But his spinster sisters back in Wicklow did not join him.

[kenneth cooke]

I've checked back and I'm fairly sure that these have not appeared before.
These are all the Halpin headstones at Mt. Jerome Cemetery Dublin. There are also photos of all the headstones on their site.
No.384
WILLIAM OSWALD HALPIN | The Laurels | Foxrock, Co. Dublin | born 14th March 1840 died 22nd Dec. 1908 | Fondly loved and deeply mourned |
“Him that cometh to me I will in no wise | cast out” John VI. 37. | also of his son | Capt. WILLIAM OSWALD HALPIN | M.D.  R.A.M.C | (Attd 4th Hussars) | who died of wounds received in action | Nr Caix in France | 10th August 1918 | laid to rest in Amien’s Military Cemetery | “I have done my duty” | also of his wife | ANNA MARIA HALPIN | born 10th June 1848 died 4th February 1933
No.230      
Erected | by RICHARD F. B. HALPIN M.R.C.S. etc | in ever loving memory of | his devoted  wife | FRANCES ELIZABETH (BESSIE) | who entered her heavenly rest | 22nd Decr. 1896 | “God is our refuges and strength, | a very present help in trouble” | Psalm XLVI. 1. | also of the above |RICHARD F. B. HALPIN | who died the 19th Oct 1903, aged 45 | “Trusting in Jesus”
No.1297
Beneath lie the remains of | ELIZABETH | wife of GEORGE HALPIN of the North Wall. | She died 3rd July 1850 aged 65 years
No.1298
Back of number 1297:-  Sacred to the Memory of | GEORGE HALPIN C.E. North Wall|who died (-)th July 1854 aged 75 years. | “To be with Christ which is far better”  Phil. 1.2.3.
No.1561
Erected | by his widow in memory of | GEORGE HALPIN C.E. | Rathgar, County Dublin | who died 4th June 1869 | aged 65 years | also of their daughter MARGARET | died 3rd Octr. 1849, aged 10 months | and their son ALFRED | died 1st April 1855, aged 4 years | He was a most affectionate |husband and father and a true friend |
JULIA widow of GEORGE HALPIN C.E. | died 6th October 1889 aged 74 years |and also In Loving memory of | their youngest daughter | LOUISA HALPIN | died 26th October 1934

[pacobirdcr]

Ray,
Donnybrook Fair was an occasion when more security than usual was needed.
I believe that a 'peace officer' was recruited for that specific occasion.
Over the centuries Donnybrook Fair in South Dublin had become notorious for its riots and fights. The saying, ‘It was a regular Donnybrook’ meant ‘a scene of uproar, or free fight’. An item in ‘Pue’s Occurrences’ of 29 August 1758 describes the efforts made to keep the peace:
"Sunday 27th Dublin-  This and the preceding day the Rt.Hon.the Lord Mayor, Alderman Thos Meade, and High Sheriffs Messrs Michael Sweny and Wm. Forbes, attended by the High and Petty Constables and a party of the Army, went to Donnybrook fair and staid there till night each day, by which means His Lordship preserved the peace, and prevented the many riots and disorders which frequently happen at said fair, to the great terror of the inhabitants and other persons who resort thereto."
The Donnybrook Fair was finally banned in 1855. Alderman Michael Sweny was
the uncle of Eugene who married Eliz Halpen.
Ken

[pacobirdcr]

For those who may be interested;
...Alderman Thos Meade was married to Harriet Brownrigg, daughter of Henry Brownrigg of Wingfield, Co. Wexford who died in 1723.