William Martin Murphy's sons?

[Jervis]

William Martin Murphy was a very prominent Dublin businessman during the war years, he is best known for his leadership of the city's employers during the bitter and protracted industrial dispute known as the Dublin lockout (1913). 

 

I read in a book on the lockout (by Padraig Yeates) that Murphy's final years were blighted by the death of his son in the war. There is no reference or further information. I have not been able  to find any information relating to a son dying/killed in the war. I am wondering if Yeates is mistaken. 

 

I have read Murphy had ten children, this web site names only 9 children. 

I know one son William Lombard Murphy served as Surgeon with the RAMC. But he survived the war and became his father's successor.  Another son John Fitzgerald died before the war. Which leaves Edward, Denis or possibly another unidentified son.  But I have not identified a good candidate. I am of course assuming that his  son would be an officer.  

 

If a prominent figure like Martin Murphy lost a son in the war, I would expect it to appear in the Our heroes publication but there appears to be no obvious candidate. 

 

I am merely curious, but if anyone has any information I would be grateful. 

 

Thanks in advance. 

Jervis.

 

 

Edited 24 January , 2021 by Jervis

[doyle3]

Missing from the list is Christopher Joseph Murphy, b1886. He was executor of WMM's will along with William Lombard Murphy. Gerald gets a mention as beneficiaries of the will along with the 3 daughters. Denis William Murphy and Edward Martin Murphy don't get a mention. The son who died in 1903 was James Fitzgerald Murphy.

 

Gerald and Christopher had a claim in after the Easter Rising

http://centenaries.nationalarchives.ie/reels/plic/PLIC_1_4054.pdf

 

as did William Lombard Murphy

http://centenaries.nationalarchives.ie/reels/plic/PLIC_1_2534.pdf

 

Edward Martin Murphy died in Surrey in 1917. At the time MD of the Irish Independent.

 

EDIT : Denis Murphy died in Davos, Switzerland in 1895

 

 

Edited 29 January , 2021 by doyle3
added info re Denis Murphy death

[Jervis]

Thanks John. 

So based on that information, none of Murphy’s sons died/killed in the war. 
Three sons survived the war, two died pre-war and one died during the war (but was not in military service). 

Thanks for clearing that up. 
 

[doyle3]

seems so. Plus 1 daughter died young, 3 living after the war. None died during the war.

 

Edward Murphy appears to have had pulmonary consumption and moved to England for his health. He does appear to have been a member of the local Volunteer Training Corps (VTC) and members of the VTC attended his funeral in Farnham.

 

Denis Murphy appears to have suffered effects of pneumonia and gone to Switzerland to recuperate; killed in a toboggan accident.

[Airshipped]

And although John Fitzgerald died of scarlet fever in 1903 it was nothing to do with the Boer wars. He was either a solicitor or a barrister, with no military service. Apparently a case of local infection and death. 

[doyle3]

I did wonder if it might have been a grandson killed in WW1 but it looks like the 3 children of his eldest daughter were at the funeral.

 

The father of the 3 grandchildren died in Dublin in March 1919 and does not look to have been in the military.

 

 

[Jervis]

Well It appears the Author has made a mistake. 

 

The statement is (paraphrasing): ‘Murphy’s final years were overshadowed by the death of his son at the front - this in turn influenced his newspapers (viz. Irish Independent and others) increasingly bitter attitude towards the war, the British Government and the Irish parliamentary party’. 

 

 He did not have a son die at the front, so this is incorrect and even if the Irish Independent did move to a anti-war position it was influenced by other factors.  

 

Pity, because I really like the author and think his book are generally outstandingly well researched. 

 

[Jervis]

On 29/01/2021 at 19:15, doyle3 said:

 

Gerald and Christopher had a claim in after the Easter Rising

http://centenaries.nationalarchives.ie/reels/plic/PLIC_1_4054.pdf

 

as did William Lombard Murphy

http://centenaries.nationalarchives.ie/reels/plic/PLIC_1_2534.pdf

 

 

I think William Martin Murphy must have made significant compensation claims himself. As as I am sure you know, the Citizen Army took great glee in taking retribution on his property during the rising. He had newspaper offices and hotels destroyed amongst others. 

Murphy in turn, through the Irish Independent was very vocal in calling for James Connolly’s execution post-Rising. 

Edited 31 January , 2021 by Jervis

[doyle3]

Christopher made another claim. and William Lombard Murphy made a claim re property in Clery's.

 

Not sure William Martin Murphy put any claims in himself but a couple of his business interests did

 

http://centenaries.nationalarchives.ie/reels/plic/PLIC_1_1784.pdf

 

http://centenaries.nationalarchives.ie/reels/plic/PLIC_1_2337.pdf

 

http://centenaries.nationalarchives.ie/reels/plic/PLIC_1_2432.pdf

 

Clerys used the Irish Independent address on it's claim form (Carlisle Building, D'Olier St). The building was raided by the British a number of times during the WoI.

 

The wife's Gt Grandfather (proof reader), grandfather (compositor) and grand uncle (editor and managing editor) were all employees at the Irish Independent.