Pte John Maguire 27899

[Peter Bennett]

3 minutes ago, Ivor Anderson said:

The plot thickens! 

The 'grandmother' Mary McGuire appears to have died in Halifax aged 64 in Q1 1895 (9a 335): https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=8914&h=22759390&tid=&pid=&queryId=3b3ba717cd1fab9197118c4e05817005&usePUB=true&_phsrc=AHE9246&_phstart=successSource

So, Thomas Maguire had an older sister Bridget who may be James Henry's mother? 1871 census for 2 Bankside, Halifax (off Ancestry):

 

 

Good find Ivor. I think Thomas's wife Bridget is the red herring and his sister Bridget is the mother of John Henry. If in fact she married Michael Flaherty in 1886 did they move away from Halifax or died she die. He was probably close to Thomas and his wife but why would he not name his mother as beneficiary in his Soldiers Will unless they were estranged

 

[Peter Bennett]

21 hours ago, Ivor Anderson said:

It is always sad to see a CWGC entry with no listed next of kin, although the late identification of his remains did not help.

A John Maguire was released from HMP Wakefield on 19 July 1913 after serving a 1 month sentence. He was then 33 and born in Halifax (c.1880?):

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/5085/images/41238_1831109388_2432-00282?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=8283b91409aa2df35f8eb5a8d91d44ce&usePUB=true&_phsrc=AHE9184&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=71776

Ivor, try as I might, I cannot decipher the handwriting for the offence for which he was committed and where, it seems to read "Dewsboro" (sic) which would tie up with him moving to live in the town.

 

Thank you

 

Edited 10 February , 2021 by Peter Bennett
duplication

[Ivor Anderson]

2 hours ago, Peter Bennett said:

If in fact she married Michael Flaherty in 1886 did they move away from Halifax or died she die. He was probably close to Thomas and his wife but why would he not name his mother as beneficiary in his Soldiers Will unless they were estranged

She may have died or even emigrated. I don't have Ancestry International membership, but I see a link that may be Bridget and her sister Honora (9 on the 1871 census) emigrating to the USA? We are now reasonably sure that Thomas was his uncle.

 

1 hour ago, Peter Bennett said:

Ivor, try as I might, I cannot decipher the handwriting for the offence for which he was committed and where, it seems to read "Dewsboro" (sic) which would tie up with him moving to live in the town.

I can't read the offence either Peter ('DROC'?), but someone else may be able to. Though I think it's 'Hfx Boro' for Halifax: 

Edited 10 February , 2021 by Ivor Anderson

[Peter Bennett]

I have found Bridget on a family tree on Ancestry. She had two children to a Martin Mullin and took his surname but they never married. He died in 1895 and she became involved with a Joseph Barnett with whom her children lived in Burnley in 1911. She died in 1905 under the name Mullins.

 

That would explain why Thomas was the beneficiary

 

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/44137013/person/250192297683/facts

[Ivor Anderson]

Good detective work Peter! I can never understand why people do jigsaws, crosswords or suduko when you can do genealogy! 

So Thomas was John Henry's blood uncle, and this is Bridget's death in Q2 1905 aged 46: https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=8914&h=24127775&tid=&pid=&queryId=a1dd5d5d6d0ee235f85aad76356b490d&usePUB=true&_phsrc=AHE9338&_phstart=successSource

 

She must have got involved with Martin Mullins c.1892, for her son Michael Mullins was born 23 Mar 1893 in Keighley district near Bradford.

Peter's hunch that she was lodging in Bradford at the time of the 1891 Census means this must be her under McGuire for the last time:

 https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/6598/images/WRYRG12_3642_3644-0285?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=e50951be63461b5ebac5432211f9fd8d&usePUB=true&_phsrc=AHE9353&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=5923183 (Image attached).

We have now confirmed his next of kin. I wonder if his Nov. 1905 discharge was in anyway connected with the knowledge of his mother's death?

 

Edited 11 February , 2021 by Ivor Anderson

[PRC]

@Ivor Anderson - it would probably help me and Peter B. keep track if you could change your name to Peter A. for the duration of the exercise 

 

38 minutes ago, Ivor Anderson said:

Good detective work Peter! I can never understand why people do jigsaws, crosswords or suduko when you can do genealogy!

 

Bagsy the Captain Hastings role - that's about my level.

 

Hopefully, (touch wood), the birth certificate will be confirmation rather than sending us back to the drawing board.

 

Cheers,

Peter C.

 

 

[Ivor Anderson]

For 'Pete's sake' I certainly hope it does! 

[Peter Bennett]

Received the birth cert today.

 

John was born at Beacon Parade, Southowram, Halifax on 18^th November 1879; his birth name was recorded as John Henry McGuire. His mother was recorded as Bridget McGuire.

 

Just waiting for her death certificate now

[Ivor Anderson]

No father named then? No Child Support Agency back then! It appears to confirm that Thomas was his blood uncle and that John Henry viewed his aunt Bridget of '6 Beacon Parade, Halifax' as his mother, at least from his natural mother Bridget's death in Q2 1905, as stated at the time of his enlistment in Nov. 1905.

Hopefully her DC will confirm our suspicion. 

Edited 16 February , 2021 by Ivor Anderson
Additional information

[Peter Bennett]

Death Certificate confirms Bridget's death, seemingly in the Workhouse. Thomas was the informant. Her daughter Anna was born on 19th January 1896 with no father's name given. Martin Mullin died in the second Qtr of 1895 so he still could have been the father although Joseph Barnett could come into the equation.