Patrick McDonald

[Maiden Stone]

Emigration continued to be high after the worst of the famine years. There was construction work for Irish labourers in England as well as work on farms and in factories.

The MacDonald family in Kirkby Fleetham may have moved there for railway construction work.
Bedale -Leyburn railway line
Wensleydale Railway to Bedale, Leyburn and Hawes
North Eastern Railway

There were many railway companies formed to construct lines and stations. Some amalgamated later.

[Maiden Stone]

I think Grandma Sarah was a different woman to the wife of Walter on 1861 census in which case Florence is a red herring. That's assuming I'm correct the Walter & Sarah with sons Patrick, Edward & John on 1861 census was the same Walter & Sarah couple with son Joseph on 1871 census. 20thC population of the village of Kirkby Fleetham is around 500.

Do you think so? That’s disappointing.

Deaths
Edward 30 yrs 1878
Walter 70 yrs 1878
James 43 yrs 1891
Sarah 84 yrs 1907

You may be right that she was the same Sarah. She was a widow by 1881. I was mixing up censuses in my reply#35.

[heywood]

The MacDonald family in Kirkby Fleetham may have moved there for railway construction work.
Bedale -Leyburn railway line
Wensleydale Railway to Bedale, Leyburn and Hawes
North Eastern Railway

There were many railway companies formed to construct lines and stations. Some amalgamated later.

In 1861, Walter was a Bricksetter’s Labourer.
Sarah and the older boys were employed in agriculture.

There is also Joseph, transcribed as ‘Mackroweld’ 17 yrs employed as a Ploughboy elsewhere in the district.

[Maiden Stone]

In 1861, Walter was a Bricksetter’s Labourer.
Sarah and the older boys were employed in agriculture.

There is also Joseph, transcribed as ‘Mackroweld’ 17 yrs employed as a Ploughboy elsewhere in the district.

Joseph was still an ag lab in 1871. (Reply #29) He was a stone mason later. There was increased mechanisation of farming in late 19thC.

[Maiden Stone]

Deaths
Edward 30 yrs 1878
Walter 70 yrs 1878

Death registrations of Walter and Edward are on the same page. Perhaps they died around the same time.
1878 December quarter Bedale district volume 09D page 419.

[groat]

Trying to make sense of all your responses has led me to wonder whether my grandfather John McDonald 1878-1950 and my grandmother Flora Marie Dorette Sophie McDonald 1876-1915 were first cousins, both grandchildren of Walter McDonald and Sarah McMahon

Flora Marie Dorette Sophie McDonald was my grandmother. She died on February 12th 1915 aged 37.

She was the wife of John McDonald born 1878 in Matra, India. They were married 6th September 1905 in Kensington. Her address was given as St John’s Wood Park and her parents listed as Mr John and Mrs McDonald of Scarborough. In the BMD index she appears as Mary Dorette S F McDonald.

Parents of Flora Marie Dorette Sophie McDonald

According to her Birth Certificate (September 1876) she was born Dorette Maria Sophia MacDonald on 8th September 1876 in Paddington Workhouse. Her father is listed as John MacDonald (although the cert is not signed by him), occupation Butler. 
Her mother is listed as Lucy Leonora MacDonald formerly Feldmann and signs herself LL MacDonald

According to her Marriage Certificate (September 1905) her father is John McDonald (although signed by him John Macdonald), occupation  Butler. In the Wedding report (apparently intended for a local newspaper) the Bride’s parents are listed as John and Mrs McDonald of Scarborough.

In 1901 there is a John Macdonald, aged 45, b. Bedale, Yorkshire, widower, living at 19 Seymour Mews, London (St. Marylebone district), occupation Domestic Butler.

In 1891 there is a John Macdonald, aged 34, b. Catterick, Yorkshire, said to be single, living at Cadwell Hall, Lincolnshire, occupation Butler.

Apart from the Lucy Leonora MacDonald appearing on the BC, I can find no references identifiable as the Lucy Feldmann/Macdonald/MacDonald/McDonald who was my great-grandmother. My suspicion is that Lucy Feldmann and John McDonald were not married and that Lucy had another family. This could explain why Flora/Florence was living with her McDonald/Macdonald grandmother in 1881/91 (if indeed this is "my" Flora!).

Reading this thread which has brought me from Castlebar to North Yorkshire, there seems to be a  possibility that my grandfather's father Patrick McDonald and my grandmother's father John McDonald/Macdonald were both sons of Walter McDonald and Sarah McMahon, although I have never heard that suggestion in my family’s oral history.


"1881
Aiskew, Yorks
Sarah MacDonald widow Lodging House Keeper b Ireland
Flora  -do- Granddr 5 yrs b Yorks, Bradford

1891
Scruton, Yorks
Sarah MacDonald 67 yrs b Ireland
Florance Mary -do- granddaur  13 yrs b London

I had seen an earlier marriage which I thought might fit with a birth I had seen but as you can see the details differ so not sure where/when Florence was born."

Could these could be Sarah McMahon and my grandmother? Or am I just jumping to unjustified conclusions?

Thanks again for all your help.

[heywood]

That sounds very plausible. Much, if not all of it fits.

[heywood]

In 1871 There is a Lucy Feldmann, transcribed as Felman, 20 yrs b Germany and living as a housemaid in Leeds with a family called Dolby.

There is a death for Lucy Felchman, 28 yrs in 1878 in St Olave, Southwark.

I wonder if these are connected?

[heywood]

1871 4560/53/15

With Lucy in 1871, there is a Sophia Shutter, 45 yrs, housekeeper and William Shutter, 17 yrs her son, they are both born Germany too. It might be a coincidence re the name Sophia but just to note.