McGrath Family New Zealand

[Lucy2]

Peter McGRATH ... continued

So if Peter McGRATH was repaying his creditors (from Sydney) it would seem that he was working in that location.   
[Note:  After he absconded from Wellington in March 1884, McGRATH said he'd been involved with two contracts (roading ?) in Sydney - namely at Woolloomooloo and Balmain. ]

Having searched long and hard in Australian papers (and also e/rolls), I didn't find anything that indicated Peter McGRATH's presence.

So, did Peter McGRATH maybe die shortly after returning to Australia ?

You may like to check further on the following deaths which appeared in NSW newspapers ? :  [see TROVE website ]

Funeral Notices - both "Sydney Morning Herald" :

- 17 June 1885 - page 16  "The friends of the late Peter McGRATH  ... funeral to move from St. Vincent's Hospital ... "

- 7 September 1885 - page 14

"... The friends of the lately deceased Peter McGRATH, are invited to attend his son (Thomas's) funeral to leave 32 Weymss Street (off Goulburn Street)  ...
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[Note:  The son, Thomas McGRATH is shown on NSW Death Index as having parents named "Peter and Margaret McGRATH".      
Can see nothing further which gives an indication to ages of this Peter and Thomas - nor a birth record for a Thomas in NSW. ]









 

[Lucy2]

Margaret McGRATH

As previously mentioned, the wife of the publican Peter McGRATH (who is also the former "contractor") is to be found identified only as Mrs McGRATH.

Except for this article > "Star" (Christchurch) - 3 June 1882 - Local and General

  ... which talks about "Mrs Peter McGRATH of Rangiora" who organised a Catholic Church Bazaar fundraiser.

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[sandy feet]

Hello Lucy,

Thanks so much for all of this information. Sorry about my late reply but have been offline for a couple of weeks. I will follow up these leads and try to work out what happened to th etwo margarets and other siblings. I notice that one childs name was Thomas which was also the name of Margaret Beatrice's son, which may be just a coincidence or not. It is a shame that none of the documents of Peter mentioned a second name or initial.

Thanks again. I will post anything I find.

Regards Sandy

[Juliannet]

Hello Family Researchers of Peter McGrath,
I too have been searching for Peter McGrath (my second great grandfather) born 1838 in Waterford Ireland.
A few things come to light after reading your posts.
1. Peter married Matilda McCloy (a widow, formally Turner) in Hokitika 1866 at the registry office- the Turner name continues to appear in your posts. I have purchased this marriage certificate from BDM NZ.
2. Peter's occupation is noted on the marriage certificate as a miner.
3. They had a son that same year, Maurice (my great grandfather).
4. I have purchased Maurice's birth certificate, Peter's occupation is recorded on it as a contractor - which fits with your posts re contractor.
5. I have Peter leaving Wellington and arriving in Australia, on his own, aboard the Wakatipu, on 22 March 1878 - which fits with your posts re leaving NZ following bankruptcy solo.
6. I have his death as, Sydney 17 June 1885, aged 47
7. All events outside of those noted above are unknown to me.
I trust, given the years past since these posts were made, you have solved this mystery, if not I hope this information will help, not confuse.
Warm regards - Juliannet

[sandy feet]

Hello Juliannet,

Thanks so much for adding your information to the post. No unfortunately I have not progressed on the mystery of Peter and Margaret since my last post and am happy you have reignited the search. Although your Peter McGrath seems to have some similarities have you any info to confirm they are the same person ? The wife's surname alias Turner does seem to be more than a coincidence. As suggested by another post i do think the Turner vs Burns discrepancy can be put down to hand writting interpretation with the URN in both names suggesting that it is indeed Turner all along.
I wonder however about the Matilda McCloy vs Margaret Turner ? McGrath. Have you any suggestions? Also my Peter and Margaret were married in Rangiora not Hokitika which is some distance away in another parish. Also not sure about the date I will go back and check.
Also you have found your Great Grandfather Maurice . Do you have his death certificate and does it have any siblings listed.

Thanks Sandy Feet

[Juliannet]

Hi Sandy,

I have located the death certificates for Peter, Matilda & Maurice McGrath.
They will take 4 weeks to be received by me from the BDM NSW.
I'll let you know the outcome.

   Type      Registration Number      Name(s)
   1      Certificate      1260/1885      PETER MCGRATH
   2      Certificate      1216/1882      MATILDA MCGRATH
   3      Certificate      19786/1945      MAURICE MCGRATH

Although both Peter McGrath's run parallel, Matilda doesn't fit.
I don't know if Peter and Matilda had other children, have to wait for death certificate.
I do know Matilda was pregnant when they married, so more children later is possible.
However they were married in the Hokitika registry office, so I think this rules my Peter out of your search.

Unless I can correlate my Peter to the bankruptcy without question, then everything is back on the table!

Warms regards
Julie

[Juliannet]

Hi Sandy,

Further to my last post, I have noticed Lucy suggested ...

So, did Peter McGRATH maybe die shortly after returning to Australia ?

If it's the same Peter McGrath. Yes. This is his death notice in the SMH July 1885.

THE FRIENDS of the late Mr. PETER McGRATH are respectfully invited to attend his Funeral ; to move from   St. Vincent's Hospital THIS (Wednesday) AFTERNOON, at a quarter past 1 o'clock, to Necropolis. H. KINSELA, Under- taker, George-street, opposite Christ Church ; and Sussex-street South.   

Lucy also suggested there is another son born in NZ to Peter and Margaret, Thomas who's death notice is also in trove a few months later September 1885

THE FRIENDS of the lately deceased PETER McGRATH are respectfully invited to attend his SON   (Thomas's) Funeral ; to leave 32, Weymss-street, off Goulburn- street, at 2 p.m., TO-DAY.

I have found the following birth notice (the only birth to fit Peter/Margaret/time) for a Thomas McGrath born in 1873 (which would make Thomas 12yrs old at the time of his death)

BIRTH OF THOMAS IN NZ...
Registration Number Family Name  Given Name   Mothers Given Name  Father's Given Name
1873/31817          McGrath      Thomas           Margaret Jane           Peter   

DEATH OF THOMAS IN NSW...
Registration Number    Last Name Given Name Father's Given Name Mother's Given Name District
1806/1885                   MCGRATH    THOMAS      PETER                     MARGARET    SYDNEY

All died in Sydney  -  The order of death, Matilda (Margaret), Peter, Thomas, Maurice (my ggrand father )

I'm not sure any of this fits, however it my help you to include/exclude

Warm regards
Julie

[sandy feet]

Thanks Julie, I hope we can establish the link to this Peter. As yet I have not been able to trace the family prior to N.Z so I am glad that you found your Peter, at least, is from Ireland. I am also interested in how the family oved from sydney to North Queensland? If you have not come across my post in the Australian Rootschat it is http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=620317.0.
Looking forward to the info in the death certs. Thanks .
Regards Sandy

[Juliannet]

"... The friends of the lately deceased Peter McGRATH, are invited to attend his son (Thomas's) funeral to leave 32 Weymss Street (off Goulburn Street)  ...
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[Note:  The son, Thomas McGRATH is shown on NSW Death Index as having parents named "Peter and Margaret McGRATH".      
Can see nothing further which gives an indication to ages of this Peter and Thomas - nor a birth record for a Thomas in NSW. ]

More information below for interested parties re the above post...

Thomas was born in NZ he was 12 years old when he died in Sydney on the 7 September 1885,  about 3 months after his father Peter who was 47 when he died 17 June 1885.

Name:   Thomas McGrath
Birth Date:   Jul-Aug-Sep 1873
Folio Number:   1115
Source Information:
Ancestry.com. New Zealand Birth Index, 1840-1950 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.
Original data: New Zealand Birth Index, 1840–1950. Microfiche.