Michael (Connors) O'Connor (1872 - 1949)

Born 6 May 1872 in Sporthouse Cross Roads, County Waterford, Ireland

Ancestors

Husband of Anne Murphy — married 26 Apr 1894 in Ferrybank, Waterford, Ireland

Died 8 Apr 1949 at age 76 in Ballybricken, County Waterford, Ireland

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Fionnuala O'Connor [send private message]

Biography

Mike (Connors) O'Connor was born in Ireland.

This profile is part of the Sporthouse, Waterford One Place Study.

Michael Connors was born on 6th May 1872 at Sporthouse, Co. Waterford, Ireland. He is the third child and eldest son of James Connors (a groom) and Catherine Power.^[1][2][3] He was called after his paternal grandfather. Michael was baptised in Ballybricken church on 7th May 1872. His sponsors were Robert Power (his mother's uncle) and Maria Hahelly. ^[4][5]

On 26th April 1894 Michael married Annie Murphy, an English-born woman of Irish parents at Ferrybank church, on the north side of the river Suir at Waterford City. At the time of his marriage, Michael was employed as a "Guard" and living at Sally Park, Waterford. ^[6][7][8]

Michael and Annie had no children. In 1901 they were living at Ballybricken, Waterford and Michael was employed as a general labourer. Annie's father Thomas (a widower) and her teenage brother John were living with them. ^{[9][10] [11]}

In 1911, Michael and Annie were still living at the same house in Ballybricken and Michael's employment was now given as a "Toll Collector on Ferry". This was most likely the ferry that operated over and back across the river Suir at Waterford City at that time. ^[12][13][14]

Sometime after 1911, Michael began working for the Metropole Laundry in Waterford as an agent. It is not known how long he worked in this employment but at his death he is registered as a "retired Laundry Agent".

Annie died at their home in Ballybricken in 1944 after an illness suffered for six weeks. ^[15] In 1948, Michael's nephew Seamus O'Connor was sitting civil service exams in Waterford city, and visited Michael for lunch each day. ^[16]

Michael lived five years as a widower after his wife's death until he died at his home, 8 Ballybricken, Waterford city, on 8th April 1949. He was 76 years old. The cause of death was certified as myocarditis, pneumonia and cardiac failure.^[17][18]

Research Notes

Birth surname spelling:
Most of this family are recorded at birth and in pre-1900 records with the surname "Connors" but later they seem to mostly use "O'Connor" in preference.

Employment history:
It may be possible to research further about Michael's employment as a Ferry Toll Collector, or at the Metropole Laundry.

Waterford City Ferry:
There is an interesting article about the history of the Waterford ferry here: https://tidesandtales.ie/waterford-city-ferry/

Burial location:
Michael's burial location is currently unknown and needs to be researched. His wife is known to be buried in Ferrybank, and he is possibly with her. Records have not yet been sourced for Ferrybank cemetery in the 1940's.

Sources

1. ↑ "Ireland Civil Registration, 1845-1913," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGYH-3BXY : 20 March 2023), Michael Connors, 6 May 1872; Birth; County Waterford, Ireland; citing General Register Office, Southern Ireland; FHL microfilm 255,854.
2. ↑ Irish Births 1864-1958 Waterford, Kilkenny & Waterford, Ireland First name(s) Michael Last name Connors Registration year 1872 Registration quarter & year 1872 District Waterford County Kilkenny, Waterford Country Ireland Volume 9 Page 974 Record set Irish Births 1864-1958 Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records Subcategory Civil Births Collections from Ireland
3. ↑ Civil birth record image: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1872/03245/2189200.pdf Accessed 17th July 2023
4. ↑ "Ireland Births and Baptisms, 1620-1881", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F5VK-QVM : 15 February 2020), Michael Connors, .
5. ↑ Ireland Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms Ballybricken, Waterford City, Waterford and Lismore, Waterford, Ireland First name(s) Michael Last name Connors Baptism year 1872 Baptism date 07 May 1872 Parish Ballybricken, Waterford City Alternative parish names Ballybricken, Waterford City, Trinity Without Diocese Waterford and Lismore County Waterford Country Ireland Father's first name(s) Jacobus Father's last name Connors Mother's first name(s) Catherina Mother's last name Power Archive National Library of Ireland Register type Baptism National Library of Ireland register http://registers.nli.ie//registers/vtls000632107#page/1/mode/1up Record set Ireland Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records Subcategory Parish Baptisms Collections from Ireland
6. ↑ "Ireland Civil Registration Indexes, 1845-1958," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FYHR-Y3G : 9 March 2018), MARRIAGES entry for Michael O'Connor; citing Waterford, Apr - Jun 1894, vol. 4, p. 395, General Registry, Custom House, Dublin; FHL microfilm 101,257.
7. ↑ Irish Marriages 1845-1958 Waterford, Ireland First name(s) Michael Last name O'Connor Registration year 1894 Registration quarter & year Apr - Jun 1894 Registration district Waterford County Waterford Country Ireland MarriageFinder™ Michael O'Connor married one of these peopleAnnie Green, Elizabeth Green, Alice Byrne Volume 4 Page 395 Record set Irish Marriages 1845-1958 Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records Subcategory Civil Marriage & Divorce Collections from Ireland
8. ↑ Civil marriage record image: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1894/10564/5848898.pdf Accessed 21st July 2023.
9. ↑ "Ireland Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPB5-515L : 11 April 2022), Michael O'Connor, Ballybricken, County Waterford, Ireland; citing Census, Ballybricken, County Waterford, Ireland, 0000674407, Public Record Office of Ireland, Belfast.
10. ↑ Ireland Census 1901 Waterford No. 1 Urban, Waterford, Ireland First name(s) Michael Last name Oconnor Relationship to head Head of family Marital status Married Sex Male Age 28 Birth year 1873 Birth place Waterford Occupation General labourer Townland/Street Ballybricken Green District electoral division Waterford No. 1 Urban County Waterford Country Ireland Religion Roman Catholic Literacy Read and write Image link http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Waterford/Waterford_No__1_Urban/Ballybricken_Green/1761120/ Family member first name(s) Annie, Thomas, John Family member last name Oconnor, Murphy Record set Ireland Census 1901 Category Census, land & surveys Subcategory Census Collections from Ireland
11. ↑ 1901 census transcript: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Waterford/Waterford_No__1_Urban/Ballybricken_Green/1761120/ Accessed 21st July 2023
12. ↑ "Ireland Census, 1911," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QY5S-8L3Z : 27 December 2018), Michael O'Connor, 1911; citing Ballybricken, County Waterford, Ireland, Census, National Archives of Ireland, Dublin.
13. ↑ Ireland Census 1911 Ballybricken, Waterford, Ireland First name(s) Michael Last name O'Connor Sex Male Birth year 1873 Census date 2 April 1911 Age 38 Relationship to head Head of family Marital status Married Marital status as transcribed Married Marriage year 1895 Years married 16 Birth place as transcribed Co Waterford Birth place Waterford, Ireland Birth town - Birth county Waterford Birth country Ireland Occupation Toll collector at ferry Religion Roman Catholic Literacy Read and write House number 8 Townland/street Ballybricken District electoral division Waterford No. 1 Urban County Waterford Country Ireland Image link http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Waterford/Waterford_Urban_No._1/Ballybricken/669524 Family member first name(s) Annie Family member last name O'Connor Record set Ireland Census 1911 Category Census, land & surveys Subcategory Census Collections from Ireland
14. ↑ 1911 census transcript: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Waterford/Waterford_Urban_No__1/Ballybricken/669524/ Accessed 21st July 2023
15. ↑ Death record of Annie O'Connor: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1944/04648/4235979.pdf Accessed 21st July 2023
16. ↑ From the childhood memoirs of Seamus O'Connor (private circulation).
17. ↑ "Ireland Civil Registration Indexes, 1845-1958," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FTP4-B2H : 11 March 2018), DEATHS entry for Michael O'Connor; citing Waterford, Apr - Jun 1949, vol. 4, p. 410, General Registry, Custom House, Dublin; FHL microfilm 101,744.
18. ↑ Civil death record image: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1949/04544/4198574.pdf Accessed 17th July 2023