Thursday 24 March 2011

The death of Tasmania Fitzhenry's husband

We're back. Thanks to all those who wrote in asking me where I'd got to.
All is well.

Here's a cheerful post to get us going again.
A couple of years ago, I wrote about Tasmania Palfrey from Newport, South Wales, who married John Joseph Fitzhenry in Monmouth in 1882 (said to be the son of William Fitzhenry, master mariner). Unfortunately I hadn't found where John Joseph ended up, and in 1884 Tasmania married Christopher Hendley declaring herself a widow.

John Joseph's death didn't show up in the ordinary death indexes at the GRO, but I did find him in the Board of Trade series held at the National Archives (BT/ 157/7/57). His death was reported under the Merchant Shipping Act 1854.

John Fitzhenry, male, aged 21
Death at sea reported May 1883
Vessel "Lizzie" official no. 13996, vessel missing since 30 September 1882
Boatswain (crew) - supposed drowned
Nationality - Waterford
Last abode 34 Raglan Street, Newport.

So this nicely places John Joseph's birth in Ireland in 1861 - unfortunately before the Irish birth registrations start. But there were not many Fitzhenrys around Waterford according to the Irish GRO indexes and none by the time of the 1901 census.
The search continues.

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