1862-1899

 siblings

Ellen

Sarah

 Elizabeth

Susan

Mary

1862 Sarah was born between 1862 and 66 depending on the source of the calculation, however the 1871 and 1881 census figures tally, and at an age when she may have been less inclined to adjust her birth year because of perceived lack of eligibility for marriage. Possibilities so far are
March 1862 West Derby 8b 324 | September 1862 Liverpool  8b 116

1871 A recent breakthough finds the family at 59 Gelling Street in the 1871 census all under the name of McGravey, Sarah, aged 9, is with all of her known siblings. Also present - parents, James and Mary, and Mary's parents.

1881  Sarah was a witness to Ellen’s marriage in February  and in April, for the census, Sarah is with the family at 59 Gelling Street.  Although Mary Hyden's parents have both now vanished, presumed died, remarkably the rest of the family are still at the same address as the 1871 census.

1891 Some time between 1881 and 1891 they family moved to 128 Park Road, which was to become the home of some of this branch (and relatives) for the next 50 years. In the census of 1891 Sarah is a dressmaker aged 28 living with her parents and siblings at 128 Park Road.

1896 Sarah McGrevy married William John McGrath (in September quarter 1896, Toxteth Park Register Office, 8b 496).  The certificate records that the marriage actually took place at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, High Park Street on 31st August 1890.  Sarah was a spinster aged 30 father James McGrevy, a Ship carpenter, journeyman.  Her address was 128 Park Road, Toxteth Park.  Her husband was William John McGrath, a greengrocer, aged 28 of 139 Victoria Road, Seacombe.  His father in turn is Thomas McGrath, also a Greengrocer.  Witnesses were Henry Weadus and Margaret McGrath.  The marriage is stated as a Roman Catholic one, as would be expected from the church.

( A family that is almost certainly William’s has been traced in the 1881 census to 23 Watson Street in Birkenhead. Here William is with his father Thomas who is a greengrocer, and a younger sister Margaret (possibly the witness at his marriage) however his age is given here as 12 (in 1881) which would make him barely 21, and not the stated 28, when he married.  His mother was only aged 30 in 1881 so there is not much leeway for the age to be wrong in 1881, and it seems likely that he falsified this when he married, especially as Sarah was older than him. She gives her age as 30, although she actually appears to have been about 34.  There are no other feasible families which have been traced for William in 1881, whilst the Birkenhead family fit on siblings and father’s name and trade).

1901 The census has no leads for either Sarah McGrevy or Sarah McGrath, nor an appropriate William McGrath.  It was thought that they might have emigrated as there seems no one to fit their data.  Looking for his father shows that there is a Thomas McGrath of the correct age in an institution in Tranmere near Birkenhead, along with 1024 others, however the institution is not named.  It is apparently usual that an institution is named only on the first page of the census entry, but neither of the first two pages name the place.  The very first residents have the occupation of 'Workhouse Master' and 'Workhouse Matron', the rest are either 'Nurse' or 'Workhouse Porter' so that the institution is probably the Tranmere Workhouse. This all assumes that this is the correct Thomas, however he is the only one in the 1901 census of the correct age and birthplace (Birkenhead).

Here the matter lay until April 2004 when a search on the unusual name of Leah Williams led to a marriage being found between William J McGrath (a widower from 63 King Street, Liscard) and Leah Williams in 1900.  Leah is the sister of Samuel Jabez Williams (who in turn was married to Sarah McGrevy’s sister Elizabeth.  Thus is appears that William McGrath has married (in turn) Elizabeth’s sister and then Samuel’s sister.

This has been confirmed with certificates. Sarah McGrevy died in 1899 at the recorded age of 33. She was 37,  however 33 is consistent with that given at her marriage. Death was from acute Pneumonia following an operation for breast cancer.  She died at 63 King Street, Liscard. William McGrath (the widower) was present at the death.  William McGrath later remarried to Leah Williams the sister of Samuel Jabez Williams (who was married to Sarah’s sister Elizabeth McGrevy).
 

year

Address

stated age

source

proof

calc age

1862

Liverpool (based on census data)

1862

1871

59 Gelling Street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool

9

census

1862

1881

59 Gelling Street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool

19

census

1862

1891

128 Park Road, Toxteth Park, Liverpool

28

census

1863

1896

128 Park Road, Toxteth, Liverpool

30

marriage

1866

1899

63 King Street, Liscard, Wirral. 3rd May 1899

33

death

1866