Henry Corr

munchies09

I am looking for my great great grandfather Henry Alfred Corr.
He was married to Adelaide Crolly (daughter of Patrick Crolly of Abbey lodge then Cabra lodge in Blanchardstown). They were married in a chapel in Blanchardstown in 1885.
I have the marriage certificate, it lists Luke Corr as Henry's father but it seems he was already dead at the time of the marriage. Both Henry and Adelaide didn't work at the time, were listed as "lady" and "gentleman". I have done some research and it seems Luke Corr was from Roscommon, he owned a considerable amount of land.
Henry and Adelaide had 3 children; Alice Corr, Alan Corr and Valentine Corr. Valentine is my great grandfather. He was born in 1890, at which time Henry Alfred is listed to be working as a collector for the gas company and they lived in Rathmines park terrace. It's interesting that Henry would go from gentleman to gas collector within a few short years.
The story in my family is that Henry was a doctor and Adelaide had very expensive taste so he went to a "new world" to make more money and was never heard from again. I have checked immigration records, birth records, death records etc etc and I can't find anything on him except his marriage record which tells me his profession/address etc. Adelaide was listed as a widow in 1901 and had valentine in 1890 so he went away within that time.
I have a photograph of Adelaide and the children from around that time. Adelaide died in Elsinore Villa, Bray which I believe was a holiday home we owned. On her death cert it says "widow of accountant" which i find very confusing.
I've reached a dead end now and would appreciate any help anyone could give me. I want to know what happened to Henry Alfred Corr.

Thanks!

pinkypinky

I had a quick look at the directories on Origins.
There's no suitable aged Henry Corr listed but (possibly the same man) a Henry Corr is listed in Pigots 1824 and Slaters 1846 at Durham in Roscommon - in the gentry section. Might be Luke's father? Same named person listed in Roxborough in Roscommon on Griffiths Valuation. I realise that's all backwards though.

Have you looked in newspapers?

Hermy

In my family there is an Alan Henry Corr who married a Mary Moore of Beechwood Avenue, Ranelagh September 20th 1928. He died July 19th 1938 although that date isn't certain for some reason. His residence on his marriage cert is Newtownsmith, Galway so probably no connection but perhaps as the names are similar it's worth a mention.

munchies09

That's interesting. My family goes:
Henry Valentine Corr Born. 1890 (lived in Dublin, died in dublin)
Henry Alfred Corr Married. 1885 (Lived in Dublin, grew up in roscommon/galway)
Luke Corr Died. 1876 at the age of 70 in Ballyleague, Roscommon
We found a Henry Corr baptised in Roscommon in 1835, think it's Henry Alfred. That would make him considerably older than his wife Adelaide (if it;s the right one).

It seems Henry Alfred and Luke both had children quite late in their lives or one was very late and one was normal age.

I know Luke owned a lot of land around Galway/Roscommon and my theory is is that his father again is called Henry.

munchies09

PinkyPinky - Yes I think that is Luke's father, we found those land records and a letter written by Luke's father (we think) - Henry Corr
Also I couldn't find anything in newspapers.

Hermy

I'm surprised there's only one Alan Corr listed in the 1901/1911 census returns.

Coolnabacky1873

If there is an eqivalent of Burke's Peerage and Landed Gentry for some of the Old Empire countries (South Africa, Kenya etc) then it might be worth searching those for the name to see if any come up.

He might have traveled to where a family member lived and who had a business opportunity.

Hermy

Firstly, I mentioned earlier Newtownsmith being in Galway but there is also a Newtownsmith near Glasthule on the southside of Dubllin which makes more sense.

munchies09 wrote: »

I have a photograph of Adelaide and the children from around that time. Adelaide died in Elsinore Villa, Bray which I believe was a holiday home we owned. On her death cert it says "widow of accountant" which i find very confusing.

Just been speaking to my mother who says Elsinore rings a bell - she thinks her mother, Alan's sister-in-law, would have holidayed there back in the day.
Also, on their marriage cert. Alan's father is Henry and his occupation is accountant.


So I'm wondering would it be possible to see that photo if maybe you could post it here perhaps?

munchies09

That's very interesting. I'm not sure which house is Elsinore on the seafront but I've been told it's red brick with turrets.
I've uploaded a photograph of Adelaide, Alan, Alice and Henry. The little boy at the front is Henry so the other is Alan. Is it the same person?
I've also attached a picture of Henry Valentine as an adult (ignore the title 1872, it's Henry Valentine).

munchies09

on that marriage cert you sent me, Henry's profession is listed as accountant but there is some text beside that cut off. What does it say? Henry should be dead at this point.

Hermy

Thanks very much for posting the photos.:)

I've just checked my copy of that cert and all I can see are the letters cle - could be Clerk perhaps?

My mother says she remembers very little about Alan Corr other than that he died of pneumonia supposedly from going to football matches in all sorts of weather.
I can confirm his death was 1938 - here's the proof:

July 23/38
Dear Mrs Corr,

A note to express my sorrow for your great bereavment. I had no idea Corr’s illness would have this result. It shows the uncertainty of life.
I have written our works and reported all the circumstances to them, and will write you as soon as I hear from them. There is a commission due for last month, and on my return next week I will send you this after we adjust all matters.

Yours sincerely,
S. J. Home

munchies09

Thanks for the letter, that's fantastic.

Does your mother remember hearing about Henry disappearing? He left after 1890(when Henry Valentine was born). Adelaide was listed as a widow by 1901 so it was within that window he left. My great aunt was told he went off to make more money because Adelaide was an expensive woman to keep but I can't find any record of him leaving or any record of him around the world. I thought maybe he went down with a ship but I can't find records of anything.

I think the text on the cert says dead because he had to have been by then.

There's also Alice - the daughter - I think I've found her birth cert, I'm going to collect it soon.

Hermy

Unfortunately my mother knows nothing of the Corr's. Mary Moore is her mothers sister. There's a chance my mothers brother who lives in England may know something. The next time he's in touch I'll certainly ask him on the off-chance he may know a thing or two.

munchies09

Thanks, i'd love to hear anything you can tell me about Henry.

pedroeibar1

munchies09 wrote: »

That's very interesting. I'm not sure which house is Elsinore on the seafront but I've been told it's red brick with turrets.

Newtownsmith is a few terraces of houses that fronts onto the sea between Glasthule and Dunlaoghaire - from the monument (Link Road) to Dun Laoghaire baths. The park/green area in front of it was reclaimed from the sea in the mid 1900's (I think it was to give employment post WW2). All the houses of that era in Newtownsmith were rendered, none were red brick, nor did any have turrets.
There is a house in Dalkey, also on the sea, Coliemore Road, called Elsinore. It had a recording studio in it at one time, U2 recorded one of their albums there.

munchies09

Alan Corr lived in Newtownsmith. Elsinore is a holiday home (supposedly belonging to the corrs) on Strand road in Bray. Adelaide died there. That's the place that's redbrick with turrets I believe.
Interesting to know that about Newtownsmith though, thanks.

shanew

the description of that building sounds a lot like the Esplanade Hotel - see google street view : http://goo.gl/XWXJe

In 1927 the proprietress is a Miss McFarland


Shane

Hermy

munchies09 wrote: »

Thanks, i'd love to hear anything you can tell me about Henry.

Well my mum was in touch with her brother last night and I'm afraid he knew nothing about Alan Corr.:(

munchies09

That's a shame, thanks for asking though!

munchies09

Recent developments:
I found that my great great great grandfather Henry Corr (father of Luke, Maurice and Henry Corr) lived in Durham House, Co. Roscommon in about 1877. Could anyone shed any light on this Durham House or on any of the Corrs who resided there?

pinkypinky

I looked up Durham House in Mark Bence-Jones "Burke's Guide to Country Houses" and Durham is not in it. I also checked a few other books about big houses (and those which are now ruins) and it's not mentioned, so it must have been a relatively small house. Bence-Jones is particularly comprehensive. Perhaps it was a rectory or something?

Coolnabacky1873

The Landed Estates database at NUI Galway has some relevant information under Derrane House.

And this is the Corr family offering from the same database.

More generally, this site is very good for Munster and Connaught estates.

pedroeibar1

pinkypinky wrote: »

I looked up Durham House in Mark Bence-Jones "Burke's Guide to Country Houses" and Durham is not in it. ..........Bence-Jones is particularly comprehensive. Perhaps it was a rectory or something?

I have the 1978 edition which was superseded by a new edition in the late 1980’s. I’ve never compared the two, but the first one is great for really large houses and good for big ones; in my opinion it is not very comprehensive on the mid-size & smaller ones and has several omissions. However it is fascinating because of its anecdotes and genealogical snippets (on the lines of 'Formerly the home of Mr. XX who in 1899 had the unique distinction of playing for Ireland at Rugby, cricket and tennis.') His book Twilight of the Ascendancy is a great read also. MJB died about 2 years ago.

pinkypinky

Interesting - I also have a few others that probably cover the smaller ones (vanishing houses, Irish houses of the middle size, lost demesnes, etc). I've got the 1978 edition here.

munchies09

I think Durham house is also known as Derrane house which is on the osi viewer map but is in ruins in the late 19th century. I'm thinking maybe Derrane house was a large farmhouse rather than something spectacular seeing as there's nothing about it online.
We found this yesterday..

pedroeibar1

munchies09 wrote: »

I think Durham house is also known as Derrane house which is on the osi viewer map but is in ruins in the late 19th century. I'm thinking maybe Derrane house was a large farmhouse rather than something spectacular seeing as there's nothing about it online.
We found this yesterday..

Seems correct. It does not feature in Burke's Guide under Durham, Derrane or Garvoher.

historyn

Hi Munchies09,

Just came across your postings today -- I'm searching for info on a Henry Corr of Durham, too. The one I'm searching for was living at Durham House/Durham Lodge in the late 18th century and was still there in the 1820s. More specifically, I'd like to find info on his immediate family; I'm trying to locate the parents of three sisters Julia, Eleanor, and Esmy who all enrolled in school at the Bar Convent in York in 1797. I believe that the 18th c Henry is either their father or brother, and I'm guessing he is also the ancestor of your Henry A.

Do you have anything on these later relatives?

By the way, I've found the Corr's "Durham" also spelled as Derham, Darham, and Derm; unfortunately, I haven't found anything more about the property.

Cheers!

munchies09

Hi

Thanks for your post, it's great to hear from somebody researching the same thing!
You've seen the land records haven't you? http://landedestates.nuigalway.ie:8080/LandedEstates/jsp/estate-show.jsp?id=1585
I also found this (attached) about henry's son Maurice Corr, it gives some info about Henry. What connections have you found? How do you know these three women connect back to henry of Durham?

historyn

Thanks so much for the obit!

Yes, I have seen the entry for the family at the NUI landed estates database--it was one of the first items I came across. In fact, I rely on that site to give me leads for many of the families I'm researching.

To explain my hunch about Henry and the girls: In 1797, the sisters enrolled in school at the Bar Convent in York. One of them Esmy, eventually chose to enter religious life and took vows with those nuns. As a result, her vitals were entered into the convents records, including the notation that she was born at her "family place" of Durham in Co Roscommon. So, that was my starting point; from there I looked at the database and found the estate listing and then started looking for individuals with ties to the location about the same time. Two men surfaced that seemed to offer potential connections for the time frame: Edmond Corr (d. 1794) and Henry (living there in 1809). So that's why I'm chasing down info on Henry. He's seems to be of an appropriate age and location to be related to the sisters in some way. I keep hoping I'll turn up something to confirm my suspicions that he is their brother, and that Edmond (I think) is probably their father. Of course, it could be that Henry is their father, but I can't say since I don't have a birthdate for either of the men; its also why I'm trying to figure out the members of their immediate family since they could be the daughters of a different male relative.

So, there you have it (as best I can condense it down). The girls are actually three of hundreds of students that I am researching for my doctoral project on Catholic family networks involving the convent school. The Irish components have proven challenging simply because of limited public access (especially on-line), consequently I rely on relatives to help me make the connections. In return, I am more than happy to share anything I turn up that will help my fellow researchers.

Hope we can help each other with the mysteries surrounding our pursuit of Henry and his relatives.

Hermy

@munchies09
Do you by any chance have a date of birth for Adelaide's son Alan Henry Corr.
Also to add, Alan Henry Corr and his wife Mary Moore had no children.

munchies09

Alan Corr was born on the 20th September 1887. 16 Northumberland Avenue.

Hermy

That's superb munchies - thanks for your trouble.:)

Hermy

Hi munchies, Here's the obit. for Mary Emmanuel Moore, Alan Corr's wife.

babaduck

munchies09 wrote: »

Alan Corr lived in Newtownsmith. Elsinore is a holiday home (supposedly belonging to the corrs) on Strand road in Bray. Adelaide died there. That's the place that's redbrick with turrets I believe.
Interesting to know that about Newtownsmith though, thanks.

Elsinore was built in the 1850's by Sir William Wilde (Oscar's father) and is now known as the Strand Hotel, beside the Esplanade Hotel on Bray's seafront.

Hermy

That's excellent babaduck. Can I ask where you came by this info?