Edward Monaghan

[arthurk]

Edward was born illegitimate and his surname was registered as Monaghan on his birth cert. For his mother, Ann, to have changed it to Goulden in 1871, and by 1881 to have changed it back to Monaghan seems unlikely. At the age of 11 Edward seems too young to have insisted on the change.

It's not uncommon for illegitimate children to be known sometimes by one surname and sometimes by another. In this case, perhaps in 1871 they were trying to show they all belonged together in one family with the same name, but possibly by 1881 it had been pointed out that strictly speaking Edward's surname would be Monaghan. I don't really see it as a problem in itself.

Secondly there are some additional facts. When Edward signed up to the army in 1886, he gave his next of kin as Ann Goulding, Ashton under Lyne. When he married Sarah Darcy in Dublin in 1890, on the marriage cert, he gave his father's name as Edward Monaghan (deceased)...
As he married in a Catholic church in Ireland was he reluctant to admit to the priest or possibly his wife's parents, that he was illegitimate. So he made up a name and declaring he had died explained his absence at the wedding.

Alternatively i wondered if Edward (and wife) had adopted Edward at birth or soon after. This was why I was searching for him in the 1871 census records. The records for Ann Goulden don't support this.

Things aren't helped by a 1901 Census record from Whittington, Staffordshire.
While Edward was serving in South Africa in the Boer war, his wife Sarah (Darcy) was at the Regimental barracks with all her children,

Sarah Monaghan    37   Head
John Monaghan      7
William Monaghan   5
Alfred Monaghan     3
Kathleen Monaghan  1
Susan MORAGHAN    51  Mother-in-law.

RG 13 Piece 2656 Folio 174 Page 19.

So did Sarah assume Susan was Edward's mother or did she know about Ann Monaghan?

Was Susan, Edward (senior's) wife, or did Edward make up the name on his marriage cert to avoid embarrassment.

I don't have time to do it myself just now, but it would be worth looking further into this Susan and her possible husband Edward. What can you find out about them from earlier censuses - ages, where from etc? Any other children?

[redclover]

Thanks arthurk for the suggestions. After hitting, a temporary brickwall I hope, with Ann Monaghan, the two areas I intend to pursue are 1) Ann's father Thomas, from her wedding to James Goulden and 2) who was the 'mother-in-law' Susan and was her husband actually Edward? Keep you posted if I find anything.

[cath151]

There is a Militia Attestation June 30th 1886 at Preston
Edward Monaghan aged 18 from Ashton under Lyne
N. Lancs Regiment no 1014 (Ithink)
Address of residence 71 Fleet Street
No details of next of kin or service.
Usual first page and 2nd page description etc.
Cathy

[rosie99]

Firstly my reasoning is as follows:
Edward was born illegitimate and his surname was registered as Monaghan on his birth cert. For his mother, Ann, to have changed it to Goulden in 1871, and by 1881 to have changed it back to Monaghan seems unlikely. At the age of 11 Edward seems too young to have insisted on the change.

You can call yourself what you like without changing it legally unless it is for fraudulent purposes. 

ADDED I may have missed this but who were the witnesses to James and Ann's wedding

[redclover]

Rosie99, i agree with your comment about name changes, I just wondered how James Goulden would view his wife's illegitimate child. I wonder if the child's surname would depend on who actually filled out the census forms, his mother or his step-father?

As regards the witnesses to the wedding, according to the LOPClerk project they were Jacobus Murry? Fleet Street and Maria Kelly, Fleet Street.

[redclover]

cath151, yes that would be our Edward Monaghan. Rechecking his discharge papers, he indicated that prior to joining the Kings Own Lancashire regiment in Dec 1866, he was in the Loyal North Lancs regiment (presumably the Militia).

It is interesting that he gave his address, in June 1866, as 71 Fleet Street, just next door to 69 Fleet Street quoted in the 1881 census record for 'Edward Monogue'. The odd thing is that he then gave the address of Ann 'Goulding' as next of kin in his enlistment in December as 81 Church Street. If his mother had moved from Fleet Street to Church Street in the previous six months then he must have been living at home or in contact with his mother.

So when did the Step-parents Edward and Susan come on the scene?

Added: I meant to ask, where did the Militia Record come from?

[cath151]

It is available on Findmypast.
Cathy

[heywood]

Where were the family in 1911? I can’t see them and have looked for a possible death for Susan/Ann but nothing yet.

There are a couple of things to consider:

Edward’s marriage shows Sarah Darcy’s father as John, a Porter
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1890/10717/5907010.pdf

This may be her birth (not named) but parents as John (Porter) and Susan

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1870/03361/2232567.pdf

Here is her baptism

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01op7/


I wonder if Susan has been wrongly named in 1901. Sarah’s mother was Susan - Edward’s mother was Monaghan 

[heywood]

Just to add another couple of references:

Ancestry records Lancashire Quarter Sessions records February 1864 show
Ann Monahan, Servant, Ashton under Lyne as a witness. There is no other information but it might be worth noting.
I have tried looking for any other information in newspaper snippets on FindMyPast but can see nothing.
There is however, a marriage notice of her marriage to James Goulden. I have no access but doubt that there is much more.

Lastly, there is this entry in 1861 2980/100/11

Onney Monahan, 23yrs b Ireland.
She is boarding in Fleet Street A u L.
Onney is usually short for Honora which is also often Hanora and Ann is a version.