Genealogy Chat

Hang on a minute I will add the info below

I am looking for information about the Corkery family. This is what I know from certificates etc, but I do have to tell you that they lie a lot! Hopefully someone can find them on the 1861/71 census for me. They will not be on the 1881 as they came to New Zealand about 1873/75 Jeremiah Corkery born Ireland about 1828, his death cert gives his age as 80 in 1908. He married Mary Hurley/Herdley in England about 1860, her death cert states that she was 21 when she married and she was 68 when she died in 1907. They have 8 children listed on the death certs. However the ages of the children on the two certificates do not match very well. I imagine that Jeremiah's is more likely to be correct as he died after Mary and the children themselves probably gave the information. The oldest was Mary who from her marriage cert was born in England about 1859. Next was Catherine who was born about 1862 and it looks as though she was born in Essex. The writing on her marriage cert is hard to read, it could be Lucx so I am guessing Essex. From the death certificates I am guessing that they also had 2 sons by 1871, one born about 1864 and one about 1868. I do not know the names of the sons, but they may be Edward and Thomas or perhaps Robert. I suspect that the other children were born after 1871. I have searched everywhere I can in New Zealand but they appeared to have kept a very low profile here, I cannot even find birth registrations for the ones that I know were born here. My grandmother was adopted by the youngest daughter Annie who I know must have been born in NZ abt 1878/9 but there is no record of her. My grandmother's birth father was said to be Dan Corkery who I assume was a brother of Annie, but I cannot find any record of a Dan. I have found various references to Edward, Robert and Thomas but cannot find any official documents that would identify them as part of this family. I have tried Free BDM and there is a Catherine Corkery born Chelsea in 1862 which fits date wise and a Timothy also born Chelsea in 1864 that would fit the age of one of the sons, except I have not found any evidence of a Timothy in NZ. Timothy was the name of Jeremiah's father though, so I guess that he would be a possible. I can find no sign of Jeremiah's and Marys marriage on Free BDM either. If they could be found on the 1871 census I would then be able to get some UK birth certificates and try and track them further. Any other tips on where to look next would be appreciated. Many thanks Christine in NZ

Hi Christine, 1871 Edward Corkerey abt 1866 Cranford, Middlesex, England Son Walthamstow Essex Jeremiah Corkerey abt 1831 Ireland Head Walthamstow Essex John Corkerey abt 1857 Cranford, Middlesex, England Son Walthamstow Essex Katherine Corkerey abt 1864 Cranford, Middlesex, England Daughter Walthamstow Essex Margaret Corkerey abt 1871 Walthamstow, Essex, England Daughter Walthamstow Essex Mary Corkerey abt 1859 Isleworth, Middlesex, England Daughter Walthamstow Essex Mary H Corkerey abt 1836 Ireland Wife Walthamstow Essex Robert Corkerey abt 1869 Heston, Middlesex, England Son Walthamstow Essex Address Wyatts Lane, Jeremiah is a Gardener. 1861. Jeremiah Corkery abt 1831 Ireland Head Cranford Middlesex Jeremiah Corkery abt 1861 Ireland Son Cranford Middlesex John Corkery abt 1857 Heston, Middlesex, England Son Cranford Middlesex Mary Corkery abt 1836 Ireland Wife Cranford Middlesex Mary Corkery abt 1859 Heston, Middlesex, England Daughter Cranford Middlesex Address is just given as Cranford, Jeremiah is a Farm Labourer.

Hi Christine, Jeremiah and Mary might have married in Ireland in which case you would not find their marriage on Freebmd also not all indexes have been transcribed onto Freebmd yet. Regards Fiona.

Hi Fiona, They look extremely promising, Jeremiah was a gardener here in New Zealand as well. The names fit with my lot. I did not know about Jeremiah the son, although one of the witnesses at Catherines marriage was Jeremiah Corkery, I assumed it was her father but maybe it was her brother! Would it be possible for you to check that they are not on the 1881 census, if they are my lot they should be gone by then! Mary's death cert states that she was married in England, but much of the other information that I have found on this family has been incorrect, so Ireland is always possible! Many thanks Christine in NZ

I found this on FreeBMD.... the surnames are very coincidental!! Surname First name(s) District Vol Page --------------------------------------- Marriages Dec 1881 ------------------------------------ Bourne Alice Staines 3a 27 **CORKERY Jeremiah Staines 3a 27 GREEN William Staines 3a 27 **HURLEY Mary Staines 3a 27 Staines covers Cranford. But if they had gone to NZ by 1881.... I don't know! Perhaps Mary Hurley was his second wife and died in 1907, the other one also being called Mary.... ?? OR they took their time in getting married and lied to their children! 1908 year of death for your Jeremiah, makes his year of birth 1828 not 1838.

Yes Chloe, I found that one as well, but there is clear evidence of the daughter Mary in NZ in 1876 when she married age 16. I know that does not mean that the parents were here as well, but Jeremiah is listed on land records from 1882, and the death certificates for both him and Mary, his wife, suggests that they arrived between 1873-1875 although I cannot find them on shipping records so far. I have wondered if they returned to the UK and got married, but why would they........ However I could not find either Jeremiah Corkery or Mary Hurley on the 1881 census, so where were they before that wedding in 1882? Which just answers the question I asked Fiona earlier about the 1881 census, I have just remembered that is free to search and I have done that! So that means the family that she found for me is looking more like my lot! And whoops, I knew he was born abt 1828 and not 1838, dyslexic fingers! So the one born in 1831 Fiona found could well be correct. That family appear to have lied a lot, particularly about their age, girls marriage certificates stating that they were 'full age' when in fact they were only about 16 etc etc. I also wondered about Mary being his second wife but her death cert says she married Jeremiah when she was 21, which, given her age at death also suggests that the first children were born before the marriage. But then again her daughters lied about their age when they married, so who knows! The census info so far gives me some more names to look for here in NZ, which hopefully will get me closer to the mythical Dan Corkery. Christine in NZ

Maybe they had to produce a marriage cert in able to sail , just a thought Jess

Hi Christine, I checked 1881 at the time of checking the others and could not find them. The son Jeremiah born 1861 was not on the 1871 Census being only 10 at that time I think he may have died. Did you want the 61/71 images? Regards Fiona.

Thanks Jess and Fiona, Maybe they did need to produce a marriage cert to travel, although I have others who arrived with a whole pack of kids and never married. I suspect that I am going to have to get that cert just to set my mind at rest. I have been wondering about that coincidence for quite some time now. It would make sense that Jeremiah the son died, and John must have as well, at least before his parents did because although the ages of the children on the 2 death certificates do not match at all well, especially as Jeremiah and Mary died within a year of each other, The oldest child on both certificates was a daughter. As I thought Jeremiahs certificate is a much closer match to the ages on the census. Now I know where my Dad got his completely incorrect guestimates of our ages when asked :) must be genetic!! Thanks heaps Christine in NZ