Hefferman/Heffernan

[Nora]

More confusion on the children..

There is a newspaper article in the Western Mail 25 Feb 1913 under the heading Delinquent Husbands about William Efferman, 50, Labourer, Tredegar, in respect of his wife & 6 children. He owed the Guardians £14. Was drunk when arrested. Paid £1 6s 8d Friday. The guardians wanted the family removed from the house (presumably the workhouse). William committed for a month but the warrant was suspended so long as he paid £1/week and took the family out.

The number of children matches with the 8 born 6 still living stated on the 1911 census, although 7 children were listed.

This all sounds promising except for the Williams age. He claims to be 40 in 1911. I can't see there being that many Effermans around that time though in Tredegar and I was told he died in the workhouse in Tredegar but I've yet to verify this. Thank you.

[teasie]

I know you said she was Mary Ann, but there is a marriage in Bedwellty RD in 1886, Patrick FOX and (same page) Mary Ellen PULLEN, followed by this birth:

FOX, MARGARET mmn PULLING GRO Reference: 1888 D Quarter in BEDWELLTY Volume 11A Page 82

Then there's the birth for Mary Margaret that I mentioned:
FOX, MARY MARGARET (no mmn listed) GRO Reference: 1892 M Quarter in BEDWELLTY Volume 11A Page 104

Then another Margaret
FOX, MARGARET mmn PULLING GRO Reference: 1894 D Quarter in BEDWELLTY Volume 11A Page 114

I can't find a death for the first Margaret, nor any trace of Patrick after the marriage, but if this is 'your' Mary and she was legally still married to Patrick, then it might explain the lack of a marriage to William and the switching around of maiden names on birth registrations (I've come across something similar before when a 'former' surname has been used instead of a maiden surname).

In 1881 at 13, Brynhevered Row, Bedwellty is this family:
J Pullen 38 Ironworker b Cork
M Pullen 30 Wife b Cork
ME Pullen 12 Daur b Cork
WJ Pullen 10 Son b Cork
JF Pullen 7 Son b Rhymney, Monmouthshire
J Pullen 5 Son b Rhymney, Monmouthshire
CA Pullen 2 Daur b Rhymney
M Pullen 6m Daur

From the birth registrations, the mmn was WHITE. In 1882 there is a death of John PULLING aged 40, and in 1885 his widow, Mary Pulling, married Patrick O'Leary. They are on the 1891 census as Leary at Mount Pleasant Row, Bedwellty. In 1889 they had a son, James Leary, but his birth is registered with the mmn PULLING, not White....

LEARY, JAMES mmn PULLING GRO Reference: 1889 J Quarter in BEDWELLTY Volume 11A Page 114

[Nora]

I know you said she was Mary Ann, but there is a marriage in Bedwellty RD in 1886, Patrick FOX and (same page) Mary Ellen PULLEN, followed by this birth:

FOX, MARGARET mmn PULLING GRO Reference: 1888 D Quarter in BEDWELLTY Volume 11A Page 82

Then there's the birth for Mary Margaret that I mentioned:
FOX, MARY MARGARET (no mmn listed) GRO Reference: 1892 M Quarter in BEDWELLTY Volume 11A Page 104

Then another Margaret
FOX, MARGARET mmn PULLING GRO Reference: 1894 D Quarter in BEDWELLTY Volume 11A Page 114

I can't find a death for the first Margaret, nor any trace of Patrick after the marriage, but if this is 'your' Mary and she was legally still married to Patrick, then it might explain the lack of a marriage to William and the switching around of maiden names on birth registrations (I've come across something similar before when a 'former' surname has been used instead of a maiden surname).

In 1881 at 13, Brynhevered Row, Bedwellty is this family:
J Pullen 38 Ironworker b Cork
M Pullen 30 Wife b Cork
ME Pullen 12 Daur b Cork
WJ Pullen 10 Son b Cork
JF Pullen 7 Son b Rhymney, Monmouthshire
J Pullen 5 Son b Rhymney, Monmouthshire
CA Pullen 2 Daur b Rhymney
M Pullen 6m Daur

From the birth registrations, the mmn was WHITE. In 1882 there is a death of John PULLING aged 40, and in 1885 his widow, Mary Pulling, married Patrick O'Leary. They are on the 1891 census as Leary at Mount Pleasant Row, Bedwellty. In 1889 they had a son, James Leary, but his birth is registered with the mmn PULLING, not White....

LEARY, JAMES mmn PULLING GRO Reference: 1889 J Quarter in BEDWELLTY Volume 11A Page 114

This is amazing. There's been mention of the family being from Cork but no one could say how they knew that. I've looked at the Pulling/O Leary marriage so many times thinking it was connected but couldn't find how. Thank you so much for this, obviously can't be sure but it's looking likely it's them. I'll look in to it and ask some older family members to see if they can confirm anything.

[teasie]

Just tried a different search GRO

William Fox MMN Pullin Q4 1890 Merthyr Tydfill

There is a death in Bedwellty in Q1 1892 that could be the same child:
FOX, WILLIAM aged 1 GRO Reference: 1892 M Quarter in BEDWELLTY Volume 11A Page 93

[teasie]

Hopefully these links will work OK:

John Pullen m Mary White 7 Jun 1868 Cork. Witnesses John Leary & Kate O’Leary
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy....63/8212820.pdf

It looks like John was baptised into the Catholic church the day before:
https://registers.nli.ie/registers/v...e/234/mode/1up

Mary Ellen has been written as BULLEN, baptised 30 Mar 1869 (born 17^th) to parents John Bullen & Mary White. The godparents were John O’Leary & Ann Fitzpatrick
https://registers.nli.ie/registers/v...e/212/mode/1up

William John was baptised 9 Oct 1870 (born 7^th), one of the godparents was Ellen Leary:
https://registers.nli.ie/registers/v...ge/12/mode/1up


I can't find any more information on the marriage between Mary Ellen Pullen & Patrick Fox, or baptisms for any of the Hefferman children, so I guess you may need a certificate or two to check whether the mother was Mary Ann or Mary Ellen.

ADDED: I see on the 1939 she has her DoB as 4 Mar 1871 - close but not quite... its the right month though!

[Nora]

I cannot thank you enough for all of this. It's given me a lot to work with. Mary Ann/Ellen's birthday is listed at 4th March 1871 on the 1939 register and we all know that could be wrong but this Mary being baptised/born in march is good lead. I've not delved much in to Irish records yet so wish me luck.

[teasie]

I've not delved much in to Irish records yet so wish me luck.

Good Luck

[cbcarolyn]

I think the mystery is all solved now?

[Nora]

Possibly but no one in the family knows if Mary was called Mary Ann or Mary Ellen, they can't even tell me where they got Mary Ann from. The different spelling of Pullen is understandable but makes me wonder if maybe they're different people haha. On ancestry there's a lot of hints for John Pullen with 2 year differences in birth year and a baptism in Cork when he was a baby which makes me wonder why he would get baptised again the day before his wedding, if they're the same person of course. It's just a lot to work through and I can't really confirm anything. I'm in a better place to search now though than I was yesterday. You've all been a massive help, thank you.

[cbcarolyn]

I did notice there were a couple of newspaper articles about 2 of the children and run in with the courts, if you want them I can find them again, around 1920 I think.

I guess a certificate might help confirm some details.

[teasie]

On ancestry there's a lot of hints for John Pullen with 2 year differences in birth year and a baptism in Cork when he was a baby which makes me wonder why he would get baptised again the day before his wedding, if they're the same person of course.

If any of those baptisms are Catholic then it's almost certainly not him, as the day before his marriage he renounced the errors of Protestantism.

Details of where Church of Ireland registers can be found here: https://www.ireland.anglican.org/cms...HREGISTERS.pdf
And information on some transcriptions here: https://www.irishancestors.ie/resour...er-collection/

[Nora]

I did notice there were a couple of newspaper articles about 2 of the children and run in with the courts, if you want them I can find them again, around 1920 I think.

I guess a certificate might help confirm some details.

I'd like to see the articles please. If this is a dumb question, I apologise but who's certificate would I need to get to confirm things? I don't know if anyone beyond my maternal grandmother is actually correct?

[Nora]

If any of those baptisms are Catholic then it's almost certainly not him, as the day before his marriage he renounced the errors of Protestantism.

Details of where Church of Ireland registers can be found here: https://www.ireland.anglican.org/cms...HREGISTERS.pdf
And information on some transcriptions here: https://www.irishancestors.ie/resour...er-collection/

Thanks you

[teasie]

who's certificate would I need to get to confirm things? I don't know if anyone beyond my maternal grandmother is actually correct?

If you don't already have her birth certificate then perhaps start with that, and maybe one or two of her siblings - including at least one with the mother's maiden name Fox.

You're trying to establish whether the mother of Norah etc was named Mary Ellen. If she was then I think you can be fairly certain that she was the daughter of John Pullen & Mary White.

[Nora]

I have my grandmothers birth certificate, mother is just Mary with maiden name Pulling and I have her brother, Michaels birth certificate. She's just Mary on there too but with Fox as maiden name. I've asked many family members to try and find out if she was called Mary Ellen and no one knows. Guess I'll just have to keep digging.

[cbcarolyn]

here are the two articles
Western Mail 01 November 1916-Michael Efferman

Western Mail 01 November 1916-Michael Efferman.JPG

Western Mail 15 September 1915 - Annie Efferman
Western Mail 15 September 1915 - Annie Efferman.JPG

[cbcarolyn]

There are Welsh newspapers for free, not sure if you know, one of the many things I have learnt from here

https://newspapers.library.wales/

[Nora]

Thank you for the links. I did find them on the British newpaper archives but they wanted me to me pay to view the whole thing so this is fantastic, thank you.

[teasie]

That's a shame - maybe one of the earlier certificates might have more than just Mary for her name.

Or - once they open again - you could try Gwent Archives as they hold the Catholic registers for Tredegar and Rhymney, and also the Guardians records/minutes, which may tell you more:

http://www.gwentarchives.gov.uk/medi...-registers.pdf

http://www.gwentarchives.gov.uk/media/6966/cswbgb.html

[Nora]

A family member has confirmed she was called Mary Ellen and told me where she's buried so I have a solid place to start now to confirm it. I'll still need those services though because my grandad and 2 of his brothers were apparently put in to the Tredegar homes at some point and I still need to unravel all of that. Thank you all again