Lucinda Teresa (Murty) Moss (1870 - 1926)

Born 4 Jul 1870 in Arbroath, Forfarshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

Wife of Louis William Beauvais Moss — married 27 Jan 1898 in All Saints Church, Campbell Park, Colombo, Ceylon

Died 28 Nov 1926 at age 56 in Hove, Sussex, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

Lucinda was born in Arbroath, Angus, Scotland, in 1870, daughter of Henry and Bridget Murty (nee O'Kane). ^[1]

Lucinda married Louis, of the Park Estate (tea plantation), Lunagalla, Ceylon, at the Church of All Saints, Campbell Park, Colombo, Ceylon on 27 January 1898. The newspapers reported that Lucinda was well known in Colombo for her musical abilities, including her rare voice and singing abilities, and that Louis was the younger son of Dr Boyd Moss. ^[2]

Louis and Lucinda had a son on 1 February 1899 at Hartley House in Nuwara Eliya, Ceylon. ^[3]

In 1901, Louis, Lucinda and son John William Boyd Moss (age 2) were living at 10 Kildare Terrace, Paddington, London. ^[4]

In 1902, the Ceylon Observer reported that "Mrs Louis Boyd Moss made her debut at St. James' Hall just before the last mail left London and her achievements on the concert platform and oratories will be keenly watched from Ceylon. She sang at Sir Walter Ridgeway's recent "At Home" under the name of "Miss Lucy Murtagh". ^[5]

In 1903, the Arbroath Herald ran a long descriptive article about Lucy. "Miss Lucy Murtagh, the heroine of the evening, was beautifully attired in white crepe de chine, and in her raven hair sparkled a diamond star, while round her neck she wore a magnificent diamond necklace - a wedding gift, by the way, from her husband Mr Louis Beauvais Moss...." ^[6]

in April 1904, the Ceylon Observer ran a copy of an article from the English 'Morning Post', adding some corrections. The Morning Post noted "Miss Murtagh has a pure soprano voice of fine tone, and her singing has a charm and personal touch of feeling which have won her much admiration.". The Ceylon Observer added:" ...the lady in question has, we believe, sung on several occasions at the Queens Hall. The name "Murtagh" is Mrs Moss's professional name, although this was the Murty families' proper name, which however, was changed centuries ago for political reasons". ^[7]

In June 1904, Louis and wife Lucy attended the wedding of her sister in Colombo. ^[8]

Daughter Clare Patricia Josephine Mary Moss was born in the Jul-Aug-Sep quarter of 1905. ^[9]

Lucy's husband Louis Beauvais Moss passed away on 13 February 1906 at St James' Avenue, Anson Road, London. ^[10]

The newspaper later documented that he made a will on May 13, 1905, naming wife Lucy as sole heiress and executrix. It named his assets in Ceylon as a share in the business of C M Wright & Co, valued at R7,000; furniture valued at R115, half-share of Swinton estate valued at R40,000 subject to a mortgage of R20,000, nett value being R20,000, all of total value R27,115. ^[11]

In 1911, Lucy was living in West Kildare, Middlesex, with daughter Josephine, sister Agnes, a vistor and a servant. Son John wasn't there, perhaps he was at boarding school. ^[12]

Lucy's son John enlisted in WWI in 1914 (when he was 15) by lying about his age. He lived with Lucy at Lansdowne St, Hove for a few years after the war, before he immigrated to Australia.

Lucy was living at 43 Lansdowne St, Hove when she died in 1926. Administration of her will was granted to her daughter Clare Patricia Josephine Mary Boyd Moss, spinster. ^{[13] [14]}

Sources

1. ↑ Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950

   Name: Lucinda Murty
   Gender: Female
   Birth Date: 4 Jul 1870
   Birth Place: Arbroath,Angus,Scotland
   Father: Henry Murty
   Mother: Bridget O'Kane

2. ↑ "Marriage of Miss Lucinda Murty", Arbroath Herald, 1898
3. ↑ "Domestic Occurrences" The Overland Ceylon Observer Feb 8 Page 202.
4. ↑ 1901 England Census. Class: RG13; Piece: 12; Folio: 7; Page: 5 Ancestry Image

   Name: John Moss
   Age: 2
   Estimated Birth Year: 1899
   Relation to Head: Son
   Gender: Male
   Father: Louis Moss
   Mother: Lucy Moss
   Birth Place: Sri Lanka
   Civil parish: Paddington
   Ecclesiastical parish: St Stephen
   County/Island: London
   Country: England
   Registration district: Paddington
   Sub-registration district: St Mary, Paddington
   ED, institution, or vessel: 49
   Piece: 12
   Folio: 7
   Page number: 5
   Household schedule number: 52
   Household members
   Name Age
   Louis Moss 39
   Georgina Taylor 27
   Lucy Moss 26
   John Moss 2

5. ↑ "Here and There" Ceylon Observer 13 Sep 1902, Page 1292.
6. ↑ Arbroath Herald, 10 December 1903, Page 4.
7. ↑ "Miss Lucy Murtagh", Ceylon Observer, 12 April 1904, Page 581.
8. ↑ "Fashionable Wedding in Colombo Today", Ceylon Observer June 9 Page 869. Guest ist included Mr and Mrs LB Moss. The article also notes that the bride "wore a wreath of the same blossoms crowning a veil of real Limerick lace lent by Mrs Beauvais Moss."
9. ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915. Ancestry Image Link.

   Name: Clare Patricia J M Moss
   Mother surname: Murty
   Registration Date: 1905
   Quarter of the Year: Jul-Aug-Sep
   Registration Place: Paddington, London, England
   Volume :1a
   Page: 53

10. ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915

    Name: Louis William B Moss
    Age: 48
    Estimated Birth Year: 1858
    Registration Quarter: Jan-Feb-Mar
    Death Registration Place: Paddington, London, United Kingdom
    Death Date: Mar 1906
    Inferred Death Place: London, United Kingdom
    Volume: 1a
    Page: 43

11. ↑ "The Later Mr. L.B. Moss" Ceylon Observer, July 20 1906 Page 1086.
12. ↑ 1911 England Census. Ancestry Image

    Name: Lucy Beauvais Moss
    Age in 1911: 40
    Estimated Birth Year: 1871
    Relation to Head: Head
    Gender: Female
    Birth Place: Arbroath, Forfarshire
    Civil parish: Willesden
    County/Island: Middlesex
    Country: England
    Street Address: 8 Cambridge Gardens, West Kilburn N W
    Marital Status: Widowed
    Occupation: Independent
    Registration District Number: 129
    Sub-registration district: Willesden
    ED, institution, or vessel: 04
    Piece: 6984
    Household members
    Name Age
    Maggie Regon 43
    Mary Barber 42
    Lucy Beauvais Moss 40
    Agnes Wright 36
    Josephine Moss 5 1/2

13. ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 Ancestry Image Link

    Name Lucinda T B Moss
    Death Age 56
    Birth Date 1870
    Registration Date Oct 1926
    Registration Quarter Oct-Nov-Dec
    Registration district Steyning
    Inferred County Sussex
    Volume 2b
    Page 374

14. ↑ England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995. Ancestry Image

    Name Lucinda Theresa Beauvais Moss
    Death Date 28 Nov 1926
    Death Place Sussex, England
    Probate Date 22 Jan 1927
    Probate Registry London, England

Research Notes

Names The newspapers clearly document that Lucy used the stage name of "Lucy Murtagh" and continued to use this stage name when married. They also note that her family name of Murty was previously Murtagh generations back, but was changed for 'political reasons'.

Lucy seemed to adopt her husband Louis' middle name as part of her surname, ie Beauvais Moss. This was used on several official documents.

She also used the surname 'Boyd-Moss' on the electoral roll in the 1920's.