Donohue Family Page
I have been researching the Donohue family for over 20 years but had only very little success until recently and the results from my
DNA analysis led to matches with other descendants of the Donohues. I knew from my father
that his mother's maiden name was Alice DONOHUE and that the family were of Irish descent
and Roman Catholic. Alice died when my father was just 4 years old so I don't think he ever really knew that much about her or her family.
The Donohue Family
Alice Donoghue Top of page
Alice Maud O'DONOHUE was born on 22nd April 1880 at 19 Union Buildings in Cardiff. My first thoughts were that Union Buildings meant that she was born in the workhouse but apparantly Union Buildings stood where the Morgan Arcade now stands and was where some of the earliest Irish immigrants to Cardiff made their homes. Alice was the daughter of William O'DONOHUE and Catherine MURPHY.
In 1903 Alice was working as a cleaner for the Cardiff Grain company in Collingdon Road when a fire broke out. Alice had a narrow escape from the burning building.
On 12th March 1904 Alice DONOGHUE married Arthur David Alexander DEANS in St David's Cathedral, Cardiff. Alice was 22 years old and of no known occupation but her father's occupation is given as labourer. She was living at 22 Rodney Street, Cardiff (where St David's Centre now stands).The witnesses to the marriage were P. BRITT (Alice's brother-in-law, Patrick, married to her sister Mary) and K. Deans (Arthur's sister Catherine known as Kitty).
Shortly after the marriage, on 30th April 1904 their daughter Catherine (Kitty) was born in Port Talbot, Glamorgan. Alice and Arthur had four more children: Violet Mary Jane, Lily May and Eileen were born in Cardiff and appear on the 1911 census living at 8 Helen Street and Arthur is working as a Railway Servant. William Bernard (known as Bernard) was born in Cardiff in 1914.
In 1913 Arthur had joined the Army. For most of his service career he was stationed near Milford Haven and Pembroke Dock guarding the defence emplacements. It is likely that Alice and the children remained in Cardiff during this time and on Arthur's service documents she is given as NOK living at 8 Helen Street. Arthur had initially enlisted in the Army for a period of 4 years but of course WWI intervened and Arthur remained with his unit until after the war. He was granted a medical discharge early in 1919 but before this could take place Alice succumbed to the terrible "flu" epidemic that was sweeping the country and died, at 8 Helen Street, Cardiff, on 29th October 1918 from acute pneumonia.
William Donoghue & Family Top of page
Because of the various ways DONOGHUE has been spelled by enumerators or recorders I have some difficulty in verifying the research into this family. I have come across Donaghue, Donoghue, O'Donohue, Donahue, and Donough. As can be seen above Alice's birth certificate states O'Donohue and her marriage cerificate Donoghue. The birth certificate for David John shows the family still living at 19 Union Buildings, William is a labourer but the name is spelled as Donohue.
We know Alice's father to be William O'Donohue (Donoghue) and her mother to be Catherine Murphy. We also know from these certificates that they had lived in Union Buildings and Rodney Street in Cardiff. The 1901 census shows the family at 33 Tredegar Street. It tells us that William is 62 years old, a labourer and born in Cork, Ireland. Catherine is 61 and comes from Tipperary, Ireland. The children listed are William, Charles, David John and Alice Maud. The name is spelled as Donough
Go back 10 years to 1891 and the family are listed at 34 Tredegar Street, Cardiff. William and Catherine's ages are listed as 53 and 51 respectively and both are born in Ireland, William's occupation is given as labourer. Children named as William (1872), Mary (1873), Charles (1877), Ellen (1878-1893), Alice M (1880) and David John (1884), all born in Cardiff. The name is spelled as Donohue.
I haven't been able to positively identify the family on the 1881 census. There is a family called MacDonald living at the house in Tredegar Street and they do have a daughter named "Allis" born in 1880. Perhaps the family went back to Ireland for a time or just got missed off the 1881 census or they were recorded as the enumerator interpreted them. I really wish I could find them on this census to positively tie them into the family I find on the 1871 census.
In 1871 the family of a William and Catherine Donohue are living at 12 Herbert Street with their children: Johanna (1861), Catherine (1863), Jeremiah (1865), Cornelius (1867) and Margaret(1869). William is described as a general labourer and it just gives the birthplace for him and Catherine as Ireland. Their age range is correct from what we know from the later census, William 34 and Catherine 32.
There is a marriage record for William Donohue and Catherine Murphy in Cardiff in 1860 and they can be found together in 1861 census living in Millicent Street. It states that William is 27 and a labourer and Catherine is age 22 both born in Ireland. There is an entry for a Catherine Murphy in the 1851 census.
Children of Willliam & Catherine Top of page
Johanna - 1861. There is a birth registration for a Joanne Donohue in Cardiff in 1961 and an entry in a school register for a Johanna Donoughue in 1873. She was admitted to St Patrick's Catholic School, Grangetown on 31.3.1873, her father's name was a labourer living in Rosemary Street. Johanna was aged 8 years and 9 months on admission. of the two entries for a Johanna Donoghue in the 1881 census one is the daughter of Thomas Donohue, the other was a charwoman whose birthplace was given as Ireland. In 1883 a Johanna Donoghue married Edward Morrisey but a look on the 1891 census tells us that this Johanna was born in Monmouthshire. In fact Johannah married William Philip JOHN in Cardiff in 1884.Her name was recorded as Hannah Donohue. William was a butcher and by 1891 he and Johanna were living at Porthkerry Road, Merthyrdovan and have a son William P and a daughter Beatrice M. In 1901 Johanna is recorded as Hannah and she and William, now a farm labourer are living at 28 Penypeel Road, Canton with their daughter Beatrice. In 1911 William is recorded as a Gentleman's Groom. He and Johanna have been married 28 years and had 2 children, both still living. With them at this address is their daughter Beatrice, now married to Charles RODERICK. Charles is absent, a note at the bottom of the census states that he is away from home. Beatrice and Charles have a daughter, also named Beatrice who is with her mother and is aged 1 year 8 months. William and Johanna both died in Cardiff, William in 1929 and Johanna in 1930.
Catherine - 1863:There is a birth registration for a Catherine Donoghue in Cardiff in 1863. In 1882 Catherine married John J CORCORAN in Cardiff. John and Catherine had seven children: Timothy, William, Blanche, John, James, Catherine and Charles. John and James both served in the Royal Navy. James' son James Ernest Bertram Corcoran was killed in Italy in 1945 and buried at Argenta Gap War Cemetery IV.B.21. The CWGC records him as the son of James and Alice Corcoran and husband of Joan (Foreman). Other service documents state that he was born in Cardiff and baptism record shows he was son of James and Mabel Florence (Powderhill). Timothy's daughter Mary Theresa married into the GUY family and there may well be a link there to the GUY family of Ann HORNABROOK from Cornwall
Jeremiah - 1865: There is a birth registration for a Jeremiah Donoghue in Cardiff in 1865 and a registration of death in 1929. Jeremiah married Bridget Coleman in Cardiff in 1886, Bridget was considerably older than Jeremiah and there were no children from this marriage. There are census entries for the couple living at 10 Pendoylan Street in 1891, 6 Tyndall Street in 1901 and still at Tyndall Street in 1911.
Cornelius - 1867: There is a birth registration for a Cornelius O'Donohue in 1867 and a death in 1914. Cornelius seems to be the black sheep of the family! In 1888 he was involved in an affray and charged with stealing a coat. He was sentenced to 18 calendar months hard labour. Later a petition was sent to the Home secretary because it was felt the sentence was too harsh. In 1891 he is a dock labourer boarding at 23 Havelock St, he gets involved with a charge of embezzlement at a cinema in Newport. In 1894 there is an entry for Cornelius in the Dreadnought Seaman's Mission at Greenwich, it states that he was a coal trimmer on the Lady Salisbury. He married in 1896 but I am not sure if he married Mabel Casper or Annie Rowlands. In 1898 he was fined £10 and costs for illicitly trading in beer (shebeening). In 1901 he was sentenced to 5 months imprisonment - 2 months for assault and 3 months for his immoral course of life (living on prostitution). In 1903 he is listed as deserting the SS Rowanmore. He signed on as a crewman on 2/6/1903 having previously been signed on the Ulstermore, and deserted on 11/7/1903. I cannot make out the port it could be a abbreviation for Baltimore. His home address is given as 52 Silvestre Street. There are several records of A Cornelius Donague on Crewlists for ships out of Liverpool for the years 1902 - 1904 but although the birth year corresponds the place of birth is given as Liverpool In 1906 he was remanded in custody for unlawfully attempting, by means of false pretences to obtain the sum of £1 15s 6d from the Great Western Railway Company. He was sent to trial on the 13th April, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 1 month hard labour. In 1911 he is boarding with the Shanly family at Eisteddfod Street and working as a nightwatchman at a skating rink. Cornelius died in 1914.
Margaret - 1869: There is a birth registration for Margaret Donoghue in Cardiffin 1869. In 1892 Margaret married James Brennan in Cardiff in 1892. There were no children from this marriage. In 1911 Margaret and James are living in Pellet Street. Margaret appears to have been a bit light fingered and was sent to prison on two occassions for stealing clothing. Margaret died in 1944 in Cardiff.
William - 1872: There is a birth registration for William Donoghue in Cardiff in 1872. William never married and died in Cardiff in 1941. In 1911 he is living with his sister Mary (Mary Lindsay) in Springfield Place, Canton.
Mary - 1873: There is a birth registration for Mary Donoghue in Cardiff in 1873. Mary was married three times but there were no children from any of the marriages. Mary married Patrick Britt in 1895 in Cardiff. I cannot find them on the 1901 census but Patrick Britt signs his name as a witness to the marriage of Alice Donoghue to Arthur Deans in 1904. Patrick died in Cardiff in 1908. Mary next married George Samuel Lindsay in Cardiff in 1910. The 1911 census records Mary at Springfield Place, Canton as married but George is not on the census, It is not known where George was the night of the census, perhaps he was a mariner or in the army and may have died overseas as no death record can be found for him in Cardiff. Mary's brother William is living with her at Springfield Place. In 1921 Mary is living at 9 Helen Street and is recorded as Mary Lindsey, widow aged 47. living with her is her brother W.P.DONOGHUE aged 49, single, working in the timber trade. Her niece Eileen DEANS aged 10, attending St peter's school. Eileen's parents are recorded as NK (not known) but are in fact Arthur David Alexander DEANS (now living at the White Swann, Shakespeare Street with his second wife and Eileen's three sisters Catherine (Kitty), Violet and Lily.)and Alice DONOGHUE who had died in 1918. James and Margaret BRENNANare also recorded at 9 Helen Street with Mary. Margaret aged 51 is Mary's sister and the one thing that ties the Donoghue eldest children with the younger family. Margaret's husband James was born in Hartlepool and is working as a donkeyman. Mary married for the third time in 1925, this time to John M. HAUSEY, John died in 1935. In 1939 Mary is still living at 9 Helen Street she is incapacitated and bedridden and being cared for by her niece Eileen. Eileen is now married to Patrick SULLIVAN and they have a daughter Patricia. Mary died in Cardiff in 1943.
Charles - 1877: There is a birth record for Charles Donohue in Cardiff in 1877. In 1898 Charles takes part in a prize fight against Dick Murphy. The following year (1899) Charles was charged with disorderly conduct and using obscene language at Rhymney Railway Station. The fight lasted for 3/4 hour with Murphy winning in the 9th round. Charles joined the army, he attested for the RMRC on 5th May 1904. On the attestation papers he names two addresses, he states that he was residing in Rodney Street and in the previous twelve month he had also resided at GlebeStreet, Penarth. He states that he was a plumber by trade and had been an apprentice and a date of 11th November 1903 and his previous employer was S R Williams of Cardiff. Charles' father is named as William of 1 Rodney Street, off Bute Terrace, Cardiff. He was declared fit for the Militia at Monmouth on 9th May 1904. Unfortunately Charles didn't last long in the army, he was discharged on 16th June 1906 on conviction of a felony. His character while in the military is stated as good. In 1907 Charles and another man were fined for unlawful gaming at Cowbridge Races. Charles died in Cardiff in 1913.
Ellen - 1878: There is a birth recorded for Ellen Donoghue in Cardiff in 1878 and a death in 1893.
Alice - 1880 : go to Alice Donohue
David John - 1884: There is a birth recorded for David John Donohue in 1884 in Cardiff. It is known that David left Cardiff and settled elsewhere, I believe in Scotland. I can remember meeting an Uncle David John Donohue when I was quite young, at Barry Island. Uncle David John Donohue had returned to Cardiff for a family visit. There is a record for David John O'Donoghue marrying Ellen Lynch at St Andrew Edinburgh in 1907. Electoral Rolls for Edinburgh show a David and Ellen O'Donoghue living at 11 Downfield Place, Edinburgh from 1945 through to 1965. I cannot find a death record for David John but Ellen O'Donoghue died in 1968 aged 92 years the death recorded in the Haymarket District of Edinburgh. As far as I know there were no children from this marriage.
Gallery Top of page
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Alice with, Catherine (Kitty), Violet, Lily, Eileen and William (Bernard) |
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A photoshopped version. The occasion was William Bernard's Baptism. |
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Alice as a young girl |
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Catherine Donoghue |
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Uncle David John O'Donoghue. (c) P. Newman |
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Catherine with Alice (seated) Children unknown. |
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Union Buildings, Cardiff, where Alice was born. (Photograph courtesy of Kim Judd) |
