McGrath Family New Zealand

[BegClonrode ....]

Hello Lucy...

Just some further info. None of it verified, nor possibly of any use :-)

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The 22 Mar 1874 Margaret McGRATH baptism possibly relates to the following BDM NZ Births entry...

BDM NZ Births 1874/29131 - McGRATH, Margaret - mother: Margaret  father:Patrick   d.o.b 19 Mar 1874

BDM NZ Search
https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search/

There is a Patrick McGRATH and a Margaret McGRATH buried in adjacent graves at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch. Possibly the above mentioned father and mother. Or not.

Margaret McGRATH - d.o.d 28 July 1923 - Block 45, Plot 256 Linwood Cemetery
http://librarydata.christchurch.org.nz/Cemeteries/interment.asp?id=93739

Patrick McGRATH - d.o.d 16 Nov 1927 - Block 45 Plot 257 Linwood Cemetery
http://librarydata.christchurch.org.nz/Cemeteries/interment.asp?id=97023

There is a mention of Doyleston in Margaret's burial record. Lincoln is about twelve miles up the road so I'd guess that Doyleston is well within the Lincoln registration district..

EDIT:
PapersPast - Obituary of Patrick McGRATH
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0s2y/

Possible probates
McGRATH Patrick- West Oxford & Christchurch - Widow - 1927
http://archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=20183057

MCGRATH Margaret (R23089583) - 1923 - 1923 Doyleston - Married woman
http://archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=23089583

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The only 1877 McGRATH birth in Rangiora that I could find was for Peter Stephen McGRATH.

BDM NZ Births 1877/4578 - McGRATH, Peter Stephen - mother: Margaret  father: Peter   d.o.b 8 Apr 1877

which corresponds to ....

BDM NZ Births Microfiche - 1877/1454- McGRATH, Peter Stephen - Rangiora - Q2

April 1877 plus nine months gives January 1878 so the December 1877 baptism is more than likely not for a younger sibling to this Peter Stephen McGRATH.

Peter Stephen McGRATH died in late December 1946. His remains are in the Church of England Cemetery at Rookwood, Sydney, Australia so he's unlikely to be on the Catholic Diocese Baptism CD anyway. Or not.

Trove - 2 Jan 1947 - Page 16 The Sydney Morning Herald (bottom of third column)
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18019131

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The only other 1877 Christchurch birth for a McGRATH that I could find was the following...

BDM NZ Births 1877/13122 - McGRATH, Mary Margaret - mother: Kate   father: James   d.o.b 14 Aug 1877

which corresponds to ....

BDM NZ Births Microfiche - McGRATH, Mary Margaret - 1877/2561 - Christchurch - Q3

She may have married Herbert SEWELL in 1912.

BDM NZ Marriages - 1912/8183 - Mary Margaret McGRATH to Herbert SEWELL

According to her age at death and date of death Mary Margaret SEWELL was born c.1877

Timaru Cemetery
http://www.timaru.govt.nz/services/cemetery/plot/16820

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Citing the December 1877 baptism record you wrote...

"McGRATH [alias TURNER] - Margaret"

Is this the child's name or does this refer to the mother "Mrs Peter McGRATH"


Regards
Beg

[Lucy2]

Hi Sandy

... back from an over-long lunch break.   

Much of the info Beg has just posted, relates to persons I've already been able to eliminate (but which I haven't to date mentioned, because at this stage, I tend to think it creates a lot of confusion.)  I will though go over that info and add further to it.   

I look forward to your next post regarding Peter. I wonder where the Vincent comes in ?

 I wonder why Margaret called her mother Harwitts Burns and her death cert said Turner?

Mmm ... sorry, I think perhaps only Margaret (or one of her children) would have had the answers to those questions.   I could though offer all sorts of speculation. 

I wonder also, why it was that son Thomas gave the surname of TURNER ... and whether he may have actually known his grandmother ?
[For my "money", I tend to think the baptism record (1877) at Rangiora relating to McGRATH, Margaret (Mrs Peter MCGrath), holds the key to finding out more. ] 

   ~   Lu
 
           

 

[BegClonrode ....]

Hi again Lucy...

Totally agree that the 1877 baptism record you found needs to be looked into. So far it's the only piece of info which links so many of the names/dates mentioned in the thread. Well worth a $5 speculator by Sandy.

...I tend to think it creates a lot of confusion. I will though go over that info and add further to it.

Don't feel you need to add to my previous post if it adds to the confusion. Happy to edit my post down if that helps. Just tell me where to snip.

Regards
Beg

[Lucy2]

Hi Beg

No, leave your post intact.      

[I've spent several days sifting through and sorting the various McGRATHs - and there is nothing to indicate at this point, that they had a connection to Peter McGRATH. ]

The exception is - Peter Stephen McGRATH (birth reg'd. 1877) who I've put aside for the time being.   [There is a Christchurch Catholic baptism record available for him - baptised at the Cathedral - 13 May 1877.  ]
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My take on the 1877 baptism record for Margaret McGRATH at Rangiora is that this was an "adult" baptism.   Margaret McGRATH (the "wife" of Peter McGRATH), "formerly" or, "also known as", TURNER.

[And if it were me purchasing a copy of that baptism, then for the meagre price of $5, I'd also be ordering the Margaret McGRATH - baptised 22 March 1874 at Lincoln. ] 

   ~   Lu   

[sandy feet]

Thanks Lucy & beg,

I will order a copy of the baptism and post the info. The 22nd of march was only calculated from the death cert and may easily be incorrect however the 1877 seems like a better chance but I have just read your new post and will order both.

 In the mean time I will look into Peter and Margaret.

Just as a side issue Neil from my Australian post has found a Margaret Burns who immigrated in 1884 but I cannot find any marriage to a McGrath so it is probably not my Margaret however I will attach the post below.

"On NZ imgration there is one for a Margaret Burns aged 24? arrived 1874 these are guesses normally. So I checked England Census 1851, 1861 and 1871 and found same Margaret I think Father Thomas with Mother Mary Burns.

Her age varies throughout the census from 1852 to 1856 same parents but Thomas has died prior to 1871. On this census Mary is living with the children and her Brother Thomas HEWERLAY. This could be a mistranscription from Harwitts. By the way they all (Parents) come from Ireland.
They have lived in Birminham Warwickshire England since before 1851.
Thomas Hewerlay was born c1811 Mary c1810 and Thomas Burns c 1795"

Hope this doesn't confuse.

Thanks Again Sandy  

[Lucy2]

Hi Sandy

... just digressing slightly ...  

From what I've found to date, I tend to think that the Margarets (wife & daughter) left NZ around mid-1884 and that Peter McGRATH possibly left at the end of that year or early 1885 [- still have some records to re-check].

Of course it's odd that Margaret named her father as Vincent, and there's every possibility that she was estranged from him at the time of her marriage.

I haven't managed to find a lot that's helpful so far, in Australian records or newspapers (nothing that leads to a Vincent McGRATH who might be a candidate).

There was however a Peter McGRATH showing up in Electoral rolls around Townsville for a few years (from 1903).

And I also came across this death (in which "Ingham" is mentioned) ?

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/home

"The Brisbane Courier" - 15 February 1912 - page 4

"Townsville .... the body of an elderly man named Peter McGRATH was found floating in Ross Creek, opposite the gas works.    Deceased had been employed on the Ingham Railway construction.... "

Of course it may be totally unrelated ... and this poor man might simply have been just a labourer on the construction project ?   Adding in case you'd like to check it out further (there may have been an inquest too ) ?

   ~  Lu

[BegClonrode ....]

And I also came across this death (in which "Ingham" is mentioned) ?

"The Brisbane Courier" - 15 February 1912 - page 4

"Townsville .... the body of an elderly man named Peter McGRATH was found floating in Ross Creek, opposite the gas works.    Deceased had been employed on the Ingham Railway construction.... "

Hi Lucy...

BDM Queensland says...

1912/C4734 - Peter McGRATH - ** born Ireland aged 46 years d.o.d 13 Feb 1912

...which gives a year of birth of c.1866. So possibly not the father of Margaret Beatrice b.1877 assuming he is the Peter McGRATH mentioned in Trove

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My take on the 1877 baptism record for Margaret McGRATH at Rangiora is that this was an "adult" baptism.   Margaret McGRATH (the "wife" of Peter McGRATH), "formerly" or, "also known as", TURNER.

So should we be looking for a Vincent TURNER...

Regards
Beg

[sandy feet]

Hello Lucy,

Just wondering where you found the immigration info on Margaret x2 and peter as I would like to know where they first landed in Australia so I can look for records in that city.

Thanks also for clarifying things on the Aussie link.

I don't know how long the Baptism records hopefully they will answer a few questions.

Regards Sandy

[sandy feet]

Hello All,
I have just received the 2 Baptism documents in the mail. The first
ID Code :    20603

McGRATH [alias TURNER] - Margaret   [Mrs Peter McGRATH ]

Date of Baptism :   14 December 1877

Parish Name :   Rangiora

Parish ID :  39
It does note that this was a “ Convert “ baptism and therefore this Margaret was an adult at the time. It also states that she was born Wednesday, 1st January 1800 which rules out both Margaret’s mother and daughter.
The second was more promising-
ID Code :   12417

McGRATH - Margaret

Date of Baptism :   22 March* 1874

Parish Name :  Lincoln

Parish ID :  30
The parents name were Margaret Burns and Patrick Mcgrath. The child was born Thursday the 12th of March 1874. The sponsors were James Burns and his wife. I assume Margaret’s brother or father.
I have found several James Burns on electoral roles in NZ around his time but hard too make a connection

Regards Sandy