Mary Ann Keating

[Norfolk Nan]

This is a real conundrum and any help will be gratefully recieved.

Mary Keating is the mother of Henry Keating of the service card. Mary died in 1902 so Henry nominated his aunt, Caroline Lee nee Murray as his next of kin. Caroline had a sister, Mary Ann Murray born 1856 so I assumed this was Henry's mum. Trying to fill in gaps it was noticeable that Mary Ann was missing from the record and I've discovered that the child died in 1857 of measles and pneumonia - I have her death certificate and she is Caroline's sister. So who is Mary Keating and how is she related to Caroline?

I know she isn't one of Caroline's later siblings - they are all accounted for and no replacement Mary Ann appears in the census. However, within the shared matches on Ancestry between me and Henry's grandson there are a handful of matches that are related to Caroline's younger sisters suggesting that there is a DNA link with the Murray family and rules out the slight chance that Mary was a sister-in-law to Caroline.

Henry is missing from the GRO record and I've not found his mother in the census with or without him, or with the inferred father James Keating. Mary and Henry enter the Islington workhouse in 1896 when Henry is 3 and the boy bounces back and forth into one poor law institute or another until 1912 when he heads for Canada. Mary is with him in the early days but then dies of TB in 1902 - her death was notified by the workhouse superintendent but her home address is 97 Durham Road, Holloway where Caroline (and John) Lee were also living until 1903. In addition, I haven't found a marriage of a Murray to a Keating/Keeting. It is very possible that James Keating is a common-law husband/step-father of course.

So, the problem is I have a Mary Keating who is somehow connected to Caroline Lee nee Murray, is the same age as her dead sister, and lived at the same address but I can't find a birth registration for a Mary Keating/Keeting or Murray nor a marriage of a Murray to a Keating, nor a birth reg for Henry Murray or Keating, nor are any of them anywhere in the census. Any suggestions?

[meekhcs]

Who were Caroline's parents and what was her Father's profession?

Have you found her in the early census records with her parents or parent?

[Norfolk Nan]

The Murray parents are James Murray b 1833 in Islington and Eliza Summerfield b1829 in Islington. The couple moved around the north London area, probably in search of work because James is recorded doing a range of different jobs but basically labouring. I've got them through the census and Mary doesn't feature in any, wiping out the possibility that they named a second child Mary. The only one of their remaining children who is absent from the census after 1881 is the eldest, Eliza b1853 - she is the only one of the seven to be registered as Summerfield despite the couple having four more children, all registered Murray, before they got round to marrying.

[jonwarrn]

Hi
James is Murray rather than Keating in the Islington workhouse records (lots of entries for him) Henry and Mary with him as Murray in the early ones.
So was James the father of Caroline? Ages are similar. The mysterious Mary then might be a Keating and they were not married?

When did James' wife Eliza die? They seem to have married in 1863.

[jonwarrn]

I think Mo has made reference to the Murrays in the workhouse register
Discharge of Henry Keating, 3, to workhouse schools on 26 May 1896
He seems to have originally been included with the Murrays discharged the same day, but Murray crossed out and he was re-entered as Keating.
James Murray, 63, Mary Murray, 39, William Murray 1 4/12
Free this weekend on ancestry
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/ ... 3933-00539

On their admission, same day, Mary, Henry and Wm are Keating! Previous image.

[jonwarrn]

They had all come in on the 22nd May 1896 as Murray. Henry gone to workhouse schools as Murray same day.
But how have Mary and William come back as Keating on the 26th? Is there a discharge? All very confusing at the moment.

[jonwarrn]

Ah, Andover Childrens Home, Islington.
Admission and Discharge Register, 1895-1897
Henry Murray born 1893 admitted 22 May 1896. Parents in workhouse.
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/ ... 1385-00226

Does not mention a discharge before the 26th. Argh!
But anyway, admitted on the 26 May 1896
Henry Murray, Properly Keating born 1893
Parents in Workhouse St John's Road
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/ ... 1385-00228

Next image has discharge of Henry Murray, age 3. To Workhouse St John's Road for discharge.

[Norfolk Nan]

I think the penny has dropped. Caroline is half-sister, not aunt. Now I need to adjust my tree again!

Thank you again

[VALLMO9]

I think Mo has made reference to the Murrays in the workhouse register

That's right...I did. And also mentioned the 1892 birth reg for a Henry Murray in Islington, which might just be a coincidence.

So, when did Eliza Murray die? And when did Mary Keating come on the scene? And what happened to baby William Murray after 1896?
Isn't James Murray living with the Lee family in 1911? Where is he in the 1891 and 1901 census? Could be a clue there, if mystery Mary Keating is around.

Henry's with the Salvation Army Colony in 1911 (Essex). One 1912 workhouse record indicates his emigration to Canada. Henry was also sent to the Woking Boys Home a few years earlier.

[Norfolk Nan]

In my defence I looked through over 60 workhouse docs for Henry Keating and didn't see those three docs and I looked twice!

Eliza died in 1891. James was in Stamford Hill in 1891, no idea for 1901, yes with Caroline in 110 Alexander Road in 1911.

It seems William Keating died september quarter, 1896 in Islington, age 1.

I'm grateful for the help to make the connection - Henry was part of a DNA match's tree and now I know how the match and I are linked. Question answered. Thank you folks