Bernard McGrath

[JimMcG]

I would like to find any information about my Great Grandfather, Bernard McGrath who according to the censuses of 1881 lived in Liverpool, aged 27 and born in Boyle, Roscommon in 1853, or 1854. He then moved to Birkenhead and is listed in the 1891 and 1901 censuses as having a family of whom my Grandfather, also Bernard, was born in 1897.
Bernard died in 1906 and in the various censuses he is listed as a tailor.
His marriage certificate dated 1895 lists his age as 40, he is a widower, and his father was Thomas McGrath, a labourer and presumably he lived in Boyle.
Any information would be most appreciated.
Jim McGrath

[mosiefish]

Was he always consistant with his age on the census?

There is this entry:
Name: Bernardum Mcgrath
Gender: Male
Baptism Date: 16 Nov 1851
Baptism Place: Roman Catholic, Boyle, Roscommon, Ireland
Father's Name: Thomae Mcgrath
Mother's Name: Mariae Mccabe
FHL Film Number: 989743

Mo

[JimMcG]

Age given in the census, usually April in each case, 1881, 26; in 1891, 37: marriage in June 1895, 40: 1901, 47 and death in 1906 as 52. All seem to point to 1854 but no earlier than 1853.
Jim

[garstonite]

I would like to find any information about my Great Grandfather, Bernard McGrath who according to the censuses of 1881 lived in Liverpool, aged 27 and born in Boyle, Roscommon in 1853, or 1854. He then moved to Birkenhead and is listed in the 1891 and 1901 censuses as having a family of whom my Grandfather, also Bernard, was born in 1897.
Bernard died in 1906 and in the various censuses he is listed as a tailor.
His marriage certificate dated 1895 lists his age as 40, he is a widower, and his father was Thomas McGrath, a labourer and presumably he lived in Boyle.
Any information would be most appreciated.
Jim McGrath

Hiya Jim....you say when he married in 1895 he was a widower...do you have his first wifes name ?
www.liverpoolhistoryprojects.co.uk  then click on Roman Catholic Marriages
1882 at St Phillip Neri - Bernard McGrath to Catherine Jones  ...could this be his first marriage
allan

[garstonite]

If it may be your Bernard
same site
click on Roman Catholic Baptisms

1884 at Sacred Heart - Mary Emma McGrath - father Bernard McGrath /mother Catherine Jones
no more children up to 1895 ....

allan

[JimMcG]

Thank you, Allan.
Tantalising information!
Bernard was living as a lodger in the house of Francis Jones in the 1881 census in Liverpool.
If he married Catherine Jones it could be a relative of Francis. His child Mary Emma was born and died in Dec 1884.
In 1891 Bernard is living in Birkenhead with Louisa, listed as his wife, although they did not marry until 1895, and her two children, surname JONES. Louisa (Bird) was the widow of William James JONES who died in 1888. When Bernard married in 1895 he had twins with Louisa, one named Kathleen and the other, MARY EMMA.
The connections are surely more than coincidence but I cannot find a death of his first wife, Catherine, after the birth of Mary Emma in 1884 in any of the databases on ancestry.co.uk or bmd sites.
Any ideas?
Many thanks,
Jim

[garstonite]

Do you know where Catherine Jones / McGrath was born ??...she may well have gone home to die ...maybe she was irish too ??

1881 census says Bernard b 1855
Francis Jones b wales
Sarah Jones b Ireland .....maybe Sarah was from Boyle and Bernard knew the family ?