The Peel Family of County Cavan and Dublin, Ireland

My earliest known 'Peel' ancestor was Henry Pile/Piles, my Great-Great-Great-Great Grandfather. Henry was a farmer and I am working on the belief that Henry was from Co Cavan, possibly originating in the Parish of Denn or the Parish of Kildrumferton (also known as Crosserlough), both in the south of the county, and then moving to in/around the town of Cootehill, but this is subject to change.

It's just my luck that there were a number of Henry Pile/s living in Co Cavan in the late 18^th and early 19^th century.  It is extremely difficult to distinguish between them, given that the church records do not go back far enough and other sources do not provide enough relevant information but I am listing the most likely candidates here.

The following were found on the Cavan County Library website and lists property agreements and related documents relating to the Maxwell family's Fortland Estate between 1 November 1798 and 2 February 1923:

Lease (1 November 1798) made between John Maxwell, esquire, and Henry Pile, farmer, in respect of part of the town and lands of Drumbee containing 8 acres and 3 roods plantation measure. Lease to run for three named lives at annual rent of £9.12.6 sterling.

Lease (1 November 1798) made between John Maxwell, esquire, and George Pile and William Pile, Drumbee, farmers, in respect of part of the town and lands of Drumbee containing 33 acres, 1 rood and 12 perches plantation measure. Lease to run for three named lives at annual rent of £37.18.1 sterling.

No Pile/s/Pyle/s appear in Drumbee in the 1821 Cavan Census and they don't appear in Kildrumferton/Crosserlough Parish Records unless born pre 1802.  In the parish records of Ashfield Parish, near Cootehill, a Catherine Piles, daughter of Henry and Margaret was baptised on 29 April 1827, having been born on 4 April 1827. 

Tithe Applotment Books Crosserlough Parish 1828

Drumbee Townland

Henry Piles and George Piles (his father or brother?).

The book "Drumkilly: From Ardkill Mountain to Kilderry Hill" published by the Drumkilly History Committee in 2000 lists some disputes sent to the Landlord - Lord Farnham:-

30th April 1832 - Will Piles, Drumbee. Dispute with his father, also a letter from Piles from Cootehill, re same. Answer (from Farnham): No Answer

This suggests a connection between the Piles' of Drumbee and the Mr Piles in Cootehill? It seems as though Will(iam) Piles and the (Henry?) Piles of Cootehill had the same father (George?).  Is the Henry Piles, father of Catherine, the same Mr Piles from Cootehill, though? From this we know that there were Piles' in Cootehill as early as 1827 but they are not listed in the Tithes.  The parishes in which Piles families appear in the Tithes are Denn and Crosserlough. 

By 1846, William Piles has also moved to Cootehill:-

Slater's Directory of Cootehill Traders &c. 1846 

Pile, William, blacksmith, Bridge Street

Cootehill Traders &c. 1861 

Piles, William, blacksmith, Bridge Street

Note the difference in spelling but what we do know is that a Henry Piles, William Piles and William's son, William junior, were all living on the outskirts of Cootehill in north County Cavan in the 1850s.

Index to Griffith's Valuation of Tenements Co Cavan 1856/57 

Individual: Pile, Henry

County: Cavan

Parish: Drumgoon

Location: Magh'ure/T/Cootehill/Cav. Old

House & small garden rented from John Black valued at £2 pounds

This could be the same John Black, giving another link with Drumbee townland:

Black, John

County : Cavan

Parish : Crosserlough

Location : Drumbee

Piles, William, senior

County : Cavan

Parish : Drumgoon

Location : Munnilly/T/Cootehill/Shamble

Piles, William, Junior

County : Cavan

Parish : Drumgoon

Location : Munnilly/T/Cootehill/Shamble

As there is a William Piles senior and junior, I don't know whether the William Pile in the 1846 and 1861 Cootehill Trades Directory is William senior or junior (could be both!).  The information I have from Griffith's Valuation is the last I have on the Henry Pile/s of Cootehill.

Many Pile/Pyle/Piles/Pyles families from Cavan emigrated to (Ontario) Canada in the first half of the 19th Century which explains why so few appear on Griffith's Valuation.

The following is taken from an 1835 Report outlining briefly, the history of All Saint's Church, Drumgoon Parish, Cootehill, Co Cavan:-

"The old church of Cootehill, a small oblong building, was erected in the year 1639 and continued to be the parochial and only Anglican church within this extensive parish till the year 1819, when the new church, a commodious Gothic building with handsome spire was built, accommodating six hundred persons."

The 1829 Census of the parish gave the following proportions:-

Roman Catholics             - 9,552

Anglicans                      - 1,437

Seceders                      - 610

Presbyterians                - 400

Quakers                       - 42

Moravians                    - 19

Covenanters                 - 09

Total population             - 12,069

Lewis's Topographical Directory of Ireland, 1837

COOTEHILL, a market and post-town, in the parish of DRUMGOON, barony of TULLAGHGARVEY, county of CAVAN, and province of ULSTER, 12 miles (N.E.) from Cavan (town), and 57 (N.W. by W.) from Dublin; containing 2239 inhabitants.

This town is situated on the road from Kingscourt to Clones (Co. Monaghan), and consists of four wide streets containing 438 houses, nearly all of which are slated. It is on the borders of a lake, which is navigable for the greater part of the distance of seven miles between this place and Ballybay, in Monaghan; and is a considerable market for linen. The webs are principally broad sheetings of superior quality, and the number of pieces sold annually to be bleached is about 40,000. The trade which had considerably declined, has for the last two or three years been improving. The general market is on Friday, and the corn market on Saturday, in the market-house. Fairs are held on the second Friday in each month for cattle, flax, and yarn. Here is a chief constabulary police station. Petty sessions are held every Wednesday and quarter sessions at Easter and in October in a very neat sessions-house. The bridewell contains three cells, with separate day-rooms and yards for male and females, and apartments for the keeper.

The seats in the neighbourhood are very beautiful, especially Bellamont Forest, the residence of C. Coote Esq., which derived its name from the title the Earl of Bellmont enjoyed until the year 1800, by the ancient family of Coote. The house is of brick, two stories high , with a noble Doric portico of stone and the rooms of the lower storey are strikingly grand; it contains some fine painting, among which is the death of Dido by Guercino, also full-length portraits of the late Earl and Countess of Bellamont by Sir Joshua Reynolds, the former in the full costume of a Knight of the Bath, a full painting in excellent preservation. The demesne comprises above 1000 plantation acres, of which nearly one half is occupied with woods; it includes several lakes and a spa, and commands beautiful views a from Dismond Hill and its several eminences. The other principal seats are Ashfield Lodge, the residence of H. J. Clements, Esq.; Annilea, of M. Murphy, Esq; Bellgreen, of T. Brunker, Esq.; and Rakenny, of T. L. Clements, Esq.

The town contains the parish church, an R. C. chapel, and two places of worship for Presbyterians, one for the Society of Friends, one for Moravians, and one for Wesleyan Methodists.

There are three schools, including an infants school, also a Sunday school in the old church and at each of the Presbyterian chapels, a dispensary, and a Ladies' Society for selling blankets and clothing at half price.

In an ancient fort at Rakenny a considerable quantity of gold, with a large golden fibula, was found in an iron pot.

NOW FOR WHAT I DO KNOW!!

Henry's son and my 3x Great Grandfather, Oliver Pile/s, was born about 1819. He moved to Dublin and was living at 104 Dorset Street, Dublin at the time of his marriage to Mary Haslip (Heaslip), nee Grey, on 22 June 1846 at St Mary's Church, Mary Street. Henry's surname was spelt PILES in St Mary's Marriage Register on Oliver's marriage entry but as PILE on the General Register Office Marriage Certificate.  In the Dublin Almanac of 1844, 104 was vacant but in the 1845 and 1846 editions, an Edward Horan, coach owner and undertaker, an S. Honeywood & Co., straw bonnet makers and a Mrs Kirwan, dressmaker, were all listed for 104 Dorset Street. It is possible that Oliver worked for Horan, especially because Horan was a coach owner. It may be through Horan that the Peels became car and cab owners.

At the time of her marriage, Mary, born about 1820 and daughter of John Grey, a farmer, was living at 58 Upper Dominick Street. Her first marriage, to William Heaslip, took place in Kildrumferton (Crosserlough) Church of Ireland Parish, Co Cavan in 1841. William Heaslip was born in Killynanum, Denn Parish, Co Cavan in 1816 and died between 1841 and 1846. Mary was not born in Kildrumferton Parish so I can only assume that she was working there or possibly living with relatives.

St Mary's Church, Mary Street, was designed by Thomas Burgh in 1627 and was the first church in Dublin to be built with a gallery. John Wesley preached his first sermon in Dublin in the church and Theobald Wolfe Tone and Sean O'Casey were baptised there in 1753 and 1880 respectively.

In Griffith's Valuation of Tenements for Dublin 1848-1854, Oliver was listed as Oliver PEEL and was living on the Ballybough Road, St Thomas' Parish. In all subsequent references to him, his surname is spelt PEEL. We have been Peel ever since. This change was not uncommon. I have come across other instances in Co Cavan and elsewhere where Pile/s families later became Peel.

In the 1853 and 1854 Dublin Almanac Oliver and family were living at 4 Foster Street, Summerhill, also in St Thomas' Parish, at the city centre end of the Ballybough Road, where he was a provisions dealer. In 1855 it was listed as building ground.  In April 1856 they were living at 6 Clarence Street which used to run between Summerhill Parade and the North Strand.  The family must have lived up to 1862 in either tenements or small houses whose occupants were not recorded in street directories.

Old St Thomas' Church on Marlborough Street was all but destroyed in 1922. A new church was built on Cathal Brugha Street in 1930/31. As a result, the records, which were in the old church, were badly damaged and are in a fragile condition although still largely readable.

In March 1862 Oliver and his family were living at 6 Ennis' Cottages, Bellevue (Belview), which ran between School Street and Robert Street in St Catherine's Parish south of the River Liffey.  Ennis' Court or Cottages were named after Thomas Ennis of Belview Mills, a Miller and Corn Factor, whose businesses were located at 1 and 2 Belview and at 4 Grand Canal Place.  Belview Court/Cottages were nine houses in tenements situated in a yard which intersected Belview between numbers 5 and 6. 

Mary Grey Peel died on 4 April 1873 at 3 Dixons Row, off Robert Street, aged 53 of a cancer-related illness which causes fluid retention in the kidneys. Oliver died on 29 February 1876 aged 57 at 8 Robert Street.  On his death entry we are told that he was a widower, a packer, and that the cause of death was paralysis, possibly indicating a stroke. Prior to his death the cab business may have been carried out by his sons owing to his health. Neither burials were entered in the register of St. Catherine's Parish even though they both died in the parish. This was because they were buried in Mount Jerome Cemetery and not in the small St Catherine's Graveyard, dating from 1552.  St Catherine's ceased being used for burials in 1894.  Numbers 8 and 9 Robert Street were in ruins in 1911.

Peel, Oliver, 10 April 1876. Probate of the will of Oliver Peel, late of 8 Robert Street, Dublin, a widower, deceased, who died 29 February 1876 at same place, were granted at the Principal Registry to George Peel of 1 Dickson's Row, Dublin, car owner, the son of the said deceased. Effects under £100

St Catherine's Church in Thomas Street, designed by John Smith with a Roman Doric facade, was built in 1769. References to the parish and church can be found as far back as the thirteenth century, when it was used as a parish church by the monks of St Thomas' Abbey and dedicated to St Catherine, the patron saint of successful voyages. Its granite facade has been considered the finest of any church in Dublin. Robert Emmet was executed outside after the failed uprising in 1803.

The church was closed in 1967 and de-consecrated.  The Representative Church Body handed over both the Church and graveyard to Dublin Corporation in 1969. The box pews and eighteenth century organ were removed, the silver to its sister church in Belfast. The church has been subjected to repeated attacks of vandalism and it was thought that it would take over one million pounds to restore the church to its original state. Thankfully, restoration work began on the empty interior of the church in late 1997, with the hope of restoring it by May 1998 for use by an evangelical group.

St Thomas' Abbey was built in 1177 in pangs of guilt by King Henry II in honour of Thomas a Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, murdered in that cathedral by the king's soldiers. King John, Henry II's son, on a visit to the abbey, constituted it and its lands a liberty in 1210. This meant that the district was exempt from the jurisdiction of Dublin's mayor. The abbot had full authority over the area from the execution of criminals to the weights and measures of bread and ale.

In 1539 King Henry VIII suppressed the monastries and gave the abbey, its court-house and liberty to William Brabazon, his under-treasurer. The Brabazon family subsequently became Earls of Meath and the area then became known as the Earl of Meath's Liberties. Highly skilled Huguenots, weavers and tradesmen began to settle there on lands leased to them by the Earl of Meath, on which they built their own distinctive style of housing, known as 'Dutch Billy's', from 1685 onwards after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, which had granted the French Protestants religious freedom. English woolen workers also settled there and named some of the streets after those in London such as Pimlico, Tripoli, Marrowbone (a corruption of Marylebone) Lane and Spitalfields. This led to the area becoming an industrial centre but also led to its overcrowding.

The area reached full urban maturity in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth century. Robert Street was in existence by 1756 but the area only came into its own with the establishment of the Grand Canal Harbour in 1785. The nearness of the River Poddle to the east and the Camac to the west, together with the City Basin adjoining the Grand Canal Harbour ensured that the industries which grew up during the eighteenth century were those who could take advantage of this useful raw material.

A visitor in 1822 considered the Liberties as 'something out of the infernal regions'. In his Miseries and Beauties of Ireland, Jonothan Bins described the Liberties as:

'...narrow streets, houses without windows or doors and several families crowded together beneath the same roof, present a picture of ruin, disease, poverty, filth and wretchedness of which they who have not witnessed it are unable to form a competent idea'. Outside St. Catherine's Church a notice indicated the consolation of the poor: 'Rum, Brandy, Mead, Whiskey, Arrack, Wholesale and Retail'.

Despite this, most of the city's industrial activity were concentrated in the Liberties. In addition to weaving, were located trades like coach-building, glass-works and breweries. These included a malt store on Robert Street, built about 1886, entirely of brick with an iterlocking system of malt bins. It is probably the largest brick building ever built in Dublin. There was also a brewery on Cork Street, as well as the Spence Engineering firm, which opened in 1856 and turned out mash tuns, steam engines, steam locomotives and structural steel.

Yet unemployment was rife and pollution clouded the air, affecting the brick-work. The streets were filled with filth flung from the windows of tenements. Covered-in cesspits, dug before the doors of houses, tended to overflow. Limekilns, slaughter houses and carrion houses created their own stench.

Today, the Grand Canal Basin and harbour have gone but the cobbled streets and tenement buildings remain, although bricked up. Naturally, there have been some changes. Portland Street and parts of Bellvue, Grand Canal Place and Robert Street have been incorporated into Guinness' St James' Gate Brewery as stores. In 1936 the City Medical Officer, Dr Russell, made a submission to the city council to enable it to adopt a resolution reccommending the demolition of houses in streets including Dickson's Row and Cork Street. As a result, 1 to 9 Robert Street were demolished prior to 1942, but not the Pimlico tenements. There are now blocks of flats on South Summer and Robert Streets.

Oliver and Mary Peel had seven known children - six sons and one daughter. The eldest son, George, was born c1850. George married Margaret Peel (no relation) of Rathmines, daughter of John Peel, a shoemaker, and his wife Jane in 1873. She was born 4 April 1853 at 90 Lower Clanbrassil Street, Dublin, Ireland, making her 20 years old when she married and 48 in 1901.  George and Margaret do not appear to have had any children.

In 1873 George and Margaret were living at 1 Dickson's Row. Dickson's Row intersected Robert Street between Numbers 7 and 8, next door or just across the street from George's father's home, described as a tenement in Thom's Directory of 1901. Dickson's Row ran from Robert Street to Bowe's lane (off Marrowbone Lane), and would have been directly opposite Newport Street.  Dickson's Row was described in 1942 as containing 'small houses', possibly cottages only of a single-storey.  The 1911 Census provides a little more information.  Both 1 and 3 Dickson's Row had two windows across the front and two rooms were occupied by the families living in each house.  No. 3 also had one stable and one piggery.

Between 1877 and 1879 George and Margaret were living at 7 Robert Street and George was described as being a cab owner. In 1880 Margaret and he were still at the same address but George as a provisions dealer. The 1911 Census tells us that the house had five windows across the front and that two families lived there (ten persons in all) and that two rooms were occupied by each family.  Between 1881 and 1885 they were living at 8 Robert Street but in 1886 it was vacant, he and Margaret having moved to 54 Pimlico. George was an alcoholic and family legend had it that he had gone to England, possibly London, and died there as a result of delerium tremens. Following a long search this was proved correct. I had suspected that he had or was going bankrupt and fleeing debtors, but as he left over £400 in his will this doesn't seem to be the case. It is more likely that he had left his wife or that she had thrown him out.

Peel, George. 17 October 1891. Letters of Administration of the personal estate of George Peel, late of 54 Pimlico, car owner, who died 25 August 1891 at St George's Hospital, London, were granted at the Principal Registry to Margaret Peel of 54 Pimlico, the widow. Effects £443 7s 6d.

On the death certificate his address is given as 59 Pimlico. His nephew, John James Cavanagh, son of Margaret's sister Mary Anne, was present at the death and registered it.

On 7 February 2001, I received a letter from St George's Hospital, London regarding Post Mortem Records 1891:-

'Mr Peel, an Irishman, was admitted to St George's Hospital on the 21st August 1891 aged 41. He had two fits, epileptic in character on the day of admission. He died suddenly just before midnight on the 25th of August. The nature of the disease - delirium tremens.'

Sadly, their admissions records had to be destroyed in the 1960s as they were found to be radioactive, so I do not know from what address in London George was admitted to hospital from.  What I do know is that George was not living with the Cavanaghs at the time of the 1891 Census.

In Thom's Directories between 1892 and 1901 a Mrs Peel (Margaret, George's widow, even though she was Mrs Robert Mulholland by 1901, having married again in 1900) is listed as living at 54 Pimlico, a large tenement house. It housed six families:- Farrells, Brennans, O'Donnells, Mulhollands, Cummins and Peels. In 1897, James Connolly (later to be shot for his participation in the 1916 Rising), his wife Lillie and their children came to live there. Their son Roderick (Roddy) was born there on February 11 1901, bringing the number of people living in the house up to thirty.

According to the 1901 Census and in addition to the other families, Robert Mulholland aged 43, a plumbing contractor born in Co Down, his wife, Margaret, aged 40 (in reality, she was 48!), a housekeeper born in Dublin and their neice ‘Siddie' Peel aged 15 and also born in Dublin, were living there. This ‘Siddie' Peel, was Margaret Evaline, daughter of Henry Peel and Mary Strickland, and who had been reared by George and Margaret Peel and then by Margaret and Robert Mulholland after her mother died.

In 1907, the Mulhollands were living at 43 Harold's Cross, Dublin. That year, Margaret married John Hollywood, a carman, of Meath Place, in St Catherine's Church, Meath Street. In 1911, the Hollywoods were living at 36 Church Place.  John Hollywood's occupation was given as van driver.  They had four children - George, Robert, Mary and Richard. George, a building contractor, died in 1975.  Some years ago I made contact with George Hollywood's grandaughter who told me that I had found the correct family and said that she would send me some photographs.  Sadly, she never did.  The Mulhollands in 1911 were living at 53 Harold's Cross Road.  Robert was a master plumber.  The surname was spelt Mulhalland.

Orange/Oliver Peel, the second son, was baptised 11 July 1852 at 5 Foster Street, Ballybough Road, Dublin.  Son of 'Orange' and Mary Peel.  Only the date of baptism was given in St Thomas' Baptismal Register.   Oliver's occupation was given as a labourer.  I do not know what became of this child.  I know from searching though the parish registers of Kildrumferton (Crosserlough) Church of Ireland Parish in Co. Cavan that the Christian names Oliver and Orange were used interchangeably. It is highly likely that an Orange/Oliver I found in Co Cavan was a relative. Oliver and Mary moved house a lot and so far, in looking for the other children's baptisms, I have searched through the baptismal registers of the Church of Ireland parishes of St Mary, St Thomas, St George, St Luke, St Mark, St Nicholas Without and St Peter without success. It is of course possible that they lived in a parish in which the parish registers were burned in the terrible Public Records Office fire in 1922 such as St Michan's, St Andrew's and St Anne's.

Richard Peel, the third son, was born circa 1854. He was living at 9 Robert Street in 1876 when he married Mary Jane Levinge, daughter of Thomas and Mary Anne Levinge of 5 South Summer Street, Dublin, and was living there in 1880. On the marriage entry, Oliver's occupation was given as labourer. Richard was a car driver and cab owner. He was living at 7 Robert Street in 1881 and back in South Summer Street with the Levinges in 1882, the year Mary Jane died of bronchio-pneumonia. They don't seem to have had any children. He was living at 8 Robert Street in 1883.

In 1886 he was living at 47 James' Street, where his daughter, Mary, was born. He had married Bridget Graham c1885. This marriage was not registered.  In 1887 he is listed for 39 Pimlico and between 1888 and 1891 for 54 Pimlico. I don't know where he lived after this date.  He is not listed on the 1911 Census for Dublin.

Henry Peel, the fourth son, and my Great Great Grandfather is described below.

Robert Peel, the fifth son, was born 8 April 1856 at 6 Clarence Street, Dublin.  Son of 'Orange' and Mary Peel.  Baptised 23 June 1856 - St Thomas's Baptismal Records.  Oliver listed as being a porter.  Again, as with his brother 'Orange', I do not know what became of this child.  However, in 1882, Eliza Strickland, a sister of My Great Great Grandmother Mary, married William Ussher at All Saint's Church, Blackrock, Co Dublin and the witnesses were Eunice Fox and Robert Peel...

William Peel, the sixth son, was born c1858. A car owner, living at 11 Brown Street, he married Alice, daughter of Anthony Lawrence, a schoolmaster and labourer of 17 Mill Street in 1881. Anthony may have taught in a school in Brown Street. Two children have been found in the baptismal registers of St Catherine's Parish. Mary, born on 18 May 1882 at 15 Mauns (?) Square and Robert, born 31 October 1884 at 98 Cork Street. On both entries William's occupation was stated as labourer. In 1904 Mary married Robert George Blay, a plumber, of 7 Rialto Cottages, Grand Canal Bank, in Killiney Church, Co Dublin. William's occupation was given as coachman and his address as Bellevue, Ballybrack. I have tried unsuccessfully to find them in the 1901 Census for Killiney and Ballybrack and they are not listed on the 1911 Census either.

The baptismal register of St. Catherine's Church of Ireland Parish states that Oliver and Mary's youngest child and only daughter, Elizabeth, was born 16 March 1862 and baptised September 30 1863 by James Quinten. The gap of eighteen months between her birth and baptism may suggest that something significant took place during that time. Maybe if Oliver and Mary were not church-goers, they had to be eventually forced to have the child christened. Although only fourteen in 1876, Elizabeth was present at Oliver's death and registered the death with the authorities. I have queried this as fourteen seems a very young age to be responsible for registering a death, but was told that the information would be accepted if the informant was deemed competant by the registrar, which Elizabeth seems to have been.

Henry Peel, the fourth son and my great-great-grandfather, was born c1855. He married Mary Strickland on 27 August 1879 at All Saints Church of Ireland, Blackrock, Co Dublin. His address in 1880 was James' Street Harbour.  He and Mary lived subsequently at 8 Portland Street, where two of their children were born. A car man and later a car owner, Henry's fares were not confined to Dublin as he would often bring people to and from the races at the Curragh in Co Kildare.

Mary was the daughter of John Strickland, a carpenter, and Catherine Usher, both originally from Kilmullen in the parish of Newcastle, Co Wicklow. Mary was born 6 September 1854 at Newtownpark, Blackrock, Co Dublin, and was their first child to be born after the move from Co Wicklow.

Mary's Death Certificate states that she died aged 31 at 5 Grand Canal Place on 26 November 1885, a tenament where the family had lived for at least a year and which was used as a stable in 1901, giving some idea of what it must have been like. The cause of death was a haemorrhage the day after giving birth to Margaret Evaline. Mary was buried in a single grave in Mount Jerome Cemetery, Dublin.

Henry married secondly on October 6 1887 at Calary Church of Ireland Parish Church, Co Wicklow, to Sarah Fox, born 1865, daughter of Christopher Fox and his wife Mary, nee Sutton, of Lower Calary, Bray, Co Wicklow. Henry and Sarah had a daughter, Annie Elizabeth, born February 19 1890. Annie married Charles Wilson, a store keeper and later a watch-maker, of 57 Reuben Avenue in 1915. They had three daughters, Rhoda, Evelyn and Eileen. I would like to know more about them.

Henry, Sarah, George, Richard, Henery, Catherine and Annie Peel lived at 95 Cork Street in 1896. Henry was listed as a Car Proprietor. In 1897 Henry, listed as a Car Owner, and family were living at 93 Cork Street. According to the 1901 Census, however, only Sarah, Catherine and Annie were listed as living at No. 93. Sarah was listed as a cab and car proprietor. No. 93 was situated between Ivy Terrace and Marrowbone Lane and almost opposite the old Fever Hospital. It had two windows across the front and four rooms were occupied by the family. Where were George, Richard and Harry on Census night?

Houses on the Cork Street - Marrowbone Lane junction looked back on a 'dirty yard'. This was probably where the Peels kept their horses, cars and cabs. The 1901 Census states that there were four out offices belonging to No. 93. The 1911 Census tells us that at that time No. 93 was a shop and a dwelling with 4 families (16 people in total) living there in between seven and nine rooms.  The house had four windows across the front.  No.94 was a yard, probably the ‘dirty yard', and contained two stables, one harness room and two sheds.

In Spring 2001 I visited Cork Street to take some more photographs and discovered that planning permission was being sought to have No.'s 93 to 97 demolished. As this could be the last time I see No. 93, I had a good look around and discovered that there is a gap in the footpath outside No. 93 wide enough to accommodate at least a motor car.  The Council workers across the road thought I was slightly deranged! Could there have been at some stage a laneway or arch covering a laneway into the yard at the back of No.'s 93 and 94 to allow the cabs/cars in and out? It looks like it.  There is now an apartment block on the site.

The Fever Hospital opened in 1804, closed after 1942, and became Bru Chaoimhin's home for old men. Henry also owned two cottages on the South Circular Road at Dolphin's Barn and which may now be the John Player cigarette factory.

Peel, Henry, 23 March 1900. Probate of the will of Henry Peel late of 93 and 94 Cork Street, Dublin, car owner, who died 17 February 1900 at 93 Cork Street, granted at Dublin to William Moore, porter, and Francis Buckley Hall, porter. Effects £788 8s.

Sarah was not liked by her step-children. According to them, she was the typical step-mother. Whatever the reason, she was not invited to her step-son, George's wedding. In fact, he seemed to have had as little to do with her as possible. She was never referred to as 'Mother', even though the children would barely have remembered their natural mother, if at all.

Sarah's second husband was John Hall, a commercial clerk living at 52 Pimlico, Dublin, in 1902, and a native of Co Wexford. They married 5 November 1902 at St Catherine's Church, Thomas Street.  Sarah and John had a son John William (Sonny) and a daughter Sarah Jane (Sadie) plus two children who died prior to 1911. John Hall senior was later a porter at Guinness' St. James' Gate Brewery. Sarah Hall, known by her step-children as 'Mrs Hall', was still alive when my grandparents got married in November 1940 but none of the Peels seem to have had anything to do with her. Despite this I would like to find out more about her and the Halls. The Halls' last known address was High Road, Kilmainham, Dublin, where they were living in 1915. Sarah Hall may have died 1941-1945.

Richard Peel, Henry and Mary's second son and known as Dick, was born 20 September 1881 and was thought to have been an invalid, although his death entry states that his occupation was car man.  Richard and Harry carried on their father's car business for a time after his death as Thoms Directory lists Henry Peel, Car Owner, for 93 Cork Street in 1905. Henry must have had a good business reputation if his sons still traded under his name.  Richard died at Cork Street Hospital in 1903, possibly of whooping cough, and is buried in Mount Jerome Cemetery, in the same grave as his father, Henry, and nephew, George Kenneth Peel.

Peel, Richard. 11 April 1905. Administration of the estate of Richard Peel, late of 93 Cork Street, Dublin, who died 2 May 1903 at Cork Street Hospital, granted at Dublin to George Peel, clerk. Effects £125 19s.

Henery Peel, Henry and Mary's third son and known as Harry, was born in 1883 and emigrated to Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia on 27 August 1908 on the ship 'Ormuz'. On the shipping records his occupation was given as farm labourer. This indicates that the car service was no longer in business. He made a will before he left, leaving all he had to his neice Kathleen in case he didn't survive the long journey.

In Rockhampton he joined William and Catherine Moore. William had emigrated in 1898, and Catherine in 1903. Henery married their daughter, Sarah in 1913. Sarah was his first cousin, her mother, Catherine, and Harry's mother, Mary Strickland, were sisters.

The families kept in touch. George and Harry wrote regularly, as did George's son, Ossie, and Harry's daughter, Mary. Harry died a year before George and sometimes George would begin a letter to him, forgetting that he was dead.

Catherine Mary, Henry and Mary's eldest daughter born 1884, was known as Cis. She married Thomas Bolton of 52 Pimlico, a house painter in St Catherine's Church in 1906. Thomas was born 10 October 1870 in Carlow, son of John Bolton and Anne (nee James). Thomas and Cis had five children - Henry Jacob (died young), Annie Evelyn (Evelyn), Gertrude, Thomas (Tom) and William. In 1908, when Evelyn was born, they were living at 73 and a half Marrowbone Lane. Thomas died aged 38 of lead poisoning in 1913 at 10 Lady Lane. Paint still contained lead in those days.

Catherine, living at 53 Nash Street, Inchicore, married secondly in 1917 at St Jude's Church to John Hodgkins of 13 South Terrace, Inchicore, an iron moulder, and had three children - John Bently (Ben), Charlotte Doris (Dolly) and Richard George (Dick). Catherine died in 1964 at the age of 79 and is buried in Mount Jerome Cemetry. John survived her.

Henry and Mary Peel's eldest child and my great grandfather, George Oliver Peel, was born on June 23 1880 at Newtownpark Avenue, Blackrock, Co Dublin, in his grandmother Strickland's home. This suggests that John Strickland, Mary's father, was dead. George was baptised in All Saint's Church, Blackrock by Rev Dr Stokes.

Because of his father's alcoholism, George was a tea-totaller until his old age when he would take a sherry for medicinal purposes! His daughter, Kathleen Shier, related that Henry and he once sat down in front of the fire. Henry pointed to the coal-scuttle and told George that he had made enough money during his lifetime to fill the scuttle many times over but that he had drunk it all. Henry would often come home drunk late at night and George would have to put the horse and cab away himself.

George became the head of the household when he was nineteen. His father had been so occupied with drinking that if George wanted to do anything it would have to be off his own back.  George was determined not to go the same way as his father and so began working at Guinness' Brewery on leaving school on 2 October 1894 when he was fourteen, possibly as an errand boy.  Through the brewery he enrolled in night classes which enabled him to continue working in Guinness' Brewery as a clerk from 6 October 1898.  This was his occupation in 1905.  He later worked in the Traffic Department, which was responsible for the shipping of Guinness products.  It also meant that he had to spend one night per month at the brewery.  He retired in 1942 with a pension from the brewery of two hundred and forty pounds per annum and did not draw one from the state.

George married Jennie Jones (her real name was Jane but she disliked it) on July 10 1907. Jennie was born November 22 1884, the second of four daughters of John Jones and Jane Jones of 'Bryn y Gwynt' (Windy Hill), Penrhynside, Llandudno, North Wales.

Jennie's mother, Jane (Nain - Welsh for Grandmother) Jones, had been very friendly with a woman who also lived in Penrhynside named Catherine (Jones?). The woman married William Henry Moore, a well-known builder in Dublin. In time she became a diabetic and needed caring for. Jennie was at this time in her teens and went over to them, initially for a holiday, to 24 Longwood Avenue, Dublin. Mrs Moore became very fond of her and persuaded her to stay on longer and help care for her.

The Ashby family lived opposite them in Longwood Avenue and Jennie became friends with Mabel, one of the daughters. Mabel had a brother, whom Jennie couldn't stand, but he had a friend called George Peel...

George and Jennie married in St Andrew's Methodist Church, Dolphin's Barn, Dublin, (the Joneses were Calvinistic Methodists) Mr Moore giving Jennie away, and according to the marriage entry the witnesses were George's brother, Henery (Harry), who was also best man, and Jennie's sister, Elizabeth (Lizzie), who was also bridesmaid.

George and Jennie moved house eleven times. It seems to be a family tradition! Between 1908 and 1910 they were living at 12 Longwood Avenue.  Between 1911 and 1915 they lived at 115 Mayfield Villas, SCR, Kilmainham.  In 1918 they lived at 130 South View Terrace, SCR, Rialto.  In 1932 they lived at 16 South Circular Road, Portobello.  In 1943 they moved from 25 Wilfield Road to 20 Castlewood Avenue, Rathmines.  In 1952 they moved from Rathmines to a 'hall flat' at 67 Merrion Square, but in later life they found it increasingly hard to look after themselves and went to live with their youngest daughter, Olive, and her husband, George (aka Percy) Teskey, at Rockfield, near Rathkeal in Co Limerick. Jennie died on August 17 1955. George died on February 9 1961, and both are buried in Ballingran Cemetery, near Rathkeal, Co Limerick.

Peel - February 9 1961 (suddenly) at Rockfield, Rathkeale.  George Oliver Peel, late of Dublin.  Funeral to Ballingrane Methodist Church this (Friday) evening at 5 o'clock.  Burial tomorrow (Saturday) in adjoining cemetery at 2pm.  House private.

According to his daughter, Kathleen, George unfortunately rarely spoke about the Peels and thought it was because he was ashamed of them and preferred to forget their and his humble origins.

Further reading:-

Dublin Slums 1800-1925 A Study in Urban Geography by Jacinta Prunty

Around the Banks of Pimlico by Marin Johnston

Dublin Tenement Life by Kevin C Kearns

The Heart of Dublin by Peter Pearson

Lorna Peel

Last updated 1 May 2008 with information from the 1911 Dublin Census which is now online.