Francis Mitchell O'Grady (abt. 1873)

Husband of Harriet (Shadbolt) Richards — married 13 Sep 1894 (to Mar 1924) in New Zealand

Husband of Alice Elizabeth (Downard) Connon — married 14 Oct 1925 (to Nov 1930) in New Zealand

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Biography

Francis Mitchell O'Grady was born about 1873. On 13th September 1894 he married Harriet Shadbolt in New Zealand.^[1]

The Auckland Star newspaper of 10th November 1916 carried the report of a request made to the Auckland Magistrates Court for a separation order to be made against Francis …

SEPARATION ORDER ASKED FOR

At the Magistrates Court, before Mr. C. 0. Kettle, S.M., this morning, Harriet O'Grady, of Parnell, asked her husband, Francis Mitchell O'Grady, of Grey Lynn, to show cause why a separation and maintenance order should not be made against him on the grounds of persistent cruelty, and that he was an habitual drunkard. Mr. H. I. Simpson appeared for complainant and Mr. W. E. Hackett for respondent. Drink and jealousy on the part of her husband, said complainant, had been the cause of the trouble. She had been married for twenty-two years, and had three children, the eldest of whom was 21 years of age. Her husband went to Australia to look for work, and after an absence of some seven months, returned in December 1914. During his absence he only sent her £4/18/0. From the time he came back up till June, 1915, he was continually drinking. Then he went to Suva and returned in October. He was still addicted to drink, and on one occasion there was such a scene that the neighbours sent for the police who took her husband into custody. Next morning a Prohibition order had been taken out against him. On another occasion he smashed the furniture and crockery with a hammer. Margaret O'Grady, daughter of the parties, also gave evidence as to her father's habits. The case is proceeding. ^[2]

The couple were divorced in 1924.

AFTER THIRTY YEARS. The tale of a marriage that brought unhappiness was told by Harriet O'Grady (Mr. Singer), who wedded Francis Mitchell O'Grady in 1894. For a few years, she said, all went well, and there were children, the youngest of whom was now 20. O'Grady was a miner, but he became an auctioneer, and afterwards went into business at Newmarket. Drink was his great failing, and through this he lost his business. In March, 1921, he left to go for a job at Blenheim, and since then his wife had neither seen or heard from him. A decree nisi was granted. ^[3]

He married 2nd Alice Elizabeth Mayne in 1925 ^[4] They were divorced in 1930

"CARRYING ON" WITH OTHERS. A story of a husband being seen in bed while a woman was stroking his face and kissing him was told by Alice Elizabeth O'Grady and two inquiry agents when Mrs. O'Grady petitioned for a divorce, from Francis Mitchell O'Grady on grounds of misconduct. Petitioner said she was married jn October 1925, and she lived at New Lynn. During her married life her husband had made statements that he was carrying on with other women, and on July 3 and again on July 6 last she had looked into her husband's room in Ponsonby, Road and seen him in bed, and a woman come in and start stroking his face and kissing him. An inquiry agent who became a boarder at the house in order to watch the husband, gave corroborative evidence, and said the woman in the case usually called the respondent "dear." A decree nisi was granted ^[5]

Note: His date of birth is an estimate only based on the date of first marriage

Sources

1. ↑ http://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
   • NZ Marriage registration 1894/4036.
2. ↑ A WIFE'S TROUBLES. AUCKLAND STAR, VOLUME XLVII, ISSUE 269, 10 NOVEMBER 1916, PAGE 6
3. ↑ DIVORCE. AUCKLAND STAR, VOLUME 55, ISSUE 62, 13 MARCH 1924, PAGE 7
4. ↑ http://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
   • NZ Marriage registration 1925/7826
5. ↑ FIFTY DIVORCES. AUCKLAND STAR, VOLUME LXI, ISSUE 270, 14 NOVEMBER 1930, PAGE 10