Missing ancestor

[KC83]

Hello there,
Could anyone help me find this man!!

William Sheehy 1857 he was born in Ireland, but came to Wales before 1882, story goes he came of the boat and met his wife Maria O'Connell whom he married on 1 May 1883 in St Davids Church, Cardiff, i can pick up his wife and children in the 1891, 1901 and 1911 census for aberavon, but he is missing from all of these, i was wondering where could he be? He died 27 April 1928 in Aberavon, also his wife and children, have appeared in the census's as Shea/Sheely.

Any info on where he could be or why he is not in the census's would be greatly appreciated
Thanks

[avm228]

Welcome to Rootschat

What was his occupation?  Mariners in particular are often absent from census returns.

[avm228]

Also, do you have his precise place of death and cause of death, from his death certificate?  I see that Maria was calling herself Head of household from at least 1901, so wonder if William was in a hospital or other institution somewhere.

Marital estrangement is another possibility, though would not explain why William can't be found even apart from the family.

[KC83]

Hi AVM 228

He is a labourer according to his marriage certificate and also his daughters birth certificate

[KC83]

He died at 20 picton street, aberavon and cause of death was heart failure due to myocardial degeneration.

I did find a newspaper article from 1906, that he was brought up on remand for failing to comply with a maintenance order, which was granted to his wife. The order was granted in march 1904, is there any place i can find more info on this?

[avm228]

That does look like marital estrangement then.

Can you give details of the family in 1891?  I'm not finding them.

Possibly of interest - school admission registers for Glynneath Junior School:

30.01.1890  Bridget Shea born 12.12.84
30.01.1890  Kate Shea born 09.11.83

Parent or guardian (for both): Wm Ryan, White Hart Row.

[avm228]

I see that they were indeed calling themselves Ryan in 1891:

8 Vaughan Terrace, Neath

William RYAN Head Mar 40 Gen labourer brickworks, born Ireland
Maria do Wife Mar 35 Glamorgan, Neath
Ellen do Daur 10 Aberdare
Catherine do Daur 7 Aberavon
Bright [Bridget] do Daur 6 Aberavon
Mary do Daur 4 Breconshire
Alice do Daur 2 Breconshire

[plus 2 lodgers]

[KC83]

Sorry i thought i had the 1891 census, perhaps i was mistaken there,  Ryan is william's mothers maiden name i did not think to check under that, Family legend has it that William was on the run from Ireland for an incident with the 'black and tans' maybe there is truth to this legend, is there any way to find out more on this?

[avm228]

I don't know how you'd find out about a run-in with the Black & Tans, but it would be worth posting the question on the Ireland board here (with a link to this thread so that Rootschatters can see the info you already have on the family).