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It may look strange to see footnotes that are then left blank. I have done them this way in order to make it easier for me to add more information at a later date. There are likely to be some errors where my suppositions are misdirected. I look forward to correction from those who may have better sources than what mine are at this time .
This letter is in the collection of Christine WRIGHT of Gilford Castle.
Sharon Oddie Brown, January 31, 2006

Sunday 16, [1]

Mill View [NOTE: the house was previously known as Drumullen] ,

Newbliss,

Co. Monaghan

Telephone: Newbliss 4

 

My dear Mollie [2] ,

 

Robert [3] drove Francis [4] and me to Ballinode [5] on Fri & as I had phoned Dunwoodys [6] we would put up there. You can guess they were prepared & gave us a lovely tea: so we really enjoyed it in spite of rain & coming back I paid a short visit of sympathy to the family of McEndoo’s [7] at Steragh [8] . The Dunwoodys would not let me go up in the damp grass to graveyard so Robt & Francis went and scrubbed three stones not being sure of correct ones(Wood-Wrights [9] – Crowrights [10] – Wrights of Rafeenan [11] & we hope what they copied may be helpful – also inscriptions on “church window”. The sexton John Dudgeow [12] [?] remembers a lot but said Canon Robinson [13] , Kilmore Rectory Monaghan has safe keys and all books of Registration of deaths etc are there & he could give all information of dates.

It interested Francis why inside some grave railing there was a [____]stone erected by Robert Sprott [14] & why the Robt Wright [15] family did not put names since on it as there is plenty of room there! or Robt said “Why not turn the stone & cut the names on the other side!!” So really, the “two young ones” quite enjoyed the thrill of scraping the stone & cleaning it up so do not think it was any trouble & they talked to everyone they met too. If the can keep Jim further let us know?

Robert is in Patrick Dunns [a hospital in Dublin] this week having tonsils out but as Mary [16] is there doing residence, he will not be lonely. He enters Trinity DU in Oct. We just don’t talk more we can help these days about Marcia [17] & flying bombs: If she may be evacuated & get a week home. Elenore [18] wanted to come at Easter but I do not know if she would come now as I think she expects a Xmas gift & may not like to leave Martin [19] . I hope you have good news of Bob [20] & Marjorie [21] . Also of Mickie [22] & that you are taking really good care of yourself.

Wilson Jameson [23] seems now one of the older people but a man who worked in the mill called John Murphy [24] lives in Jamieson’s row of houses if Jim [25] remembers him & like to write him he would be delighted to answer any questions. His address is Quiglough. A man who lives now in Killeevan is Kitty McQuaide’s [26] son and used to work in Ballinode. I only mention these names as Jim’s memory may be better than mine if he knew these people – I’m afraid I didn’t. Marshall [27] thinks his father Joseph [28] was born in 1824, & if Jim could ever give us a list of the 5 brother’s names & births etc we would be so grateful. I always heard of Robert Wright’s [29] 5 tall sons & 3 daughters [30] and that the next generation were just as good looking & tall etc. We would love to have Jim’s family tree also. I have ours on my side. It have newer lines to work out Marshall’s & that might start me. The great-grandfather often walked to fairs and markets in the south of Ireland and Marshall hears his Father telling too he took his sister Essie [31] behind him on horseback to Cavan to consult a Dr. - Marshall’s father [32] & his brother Tom [33] were in business in Melbourne after leaving the gold digging. William [34] was an engineer & said he drove the first train in Australia after making the line & built the Central harbour at Sydney.

I do not expect a reply to this but Marshall is writing Jim & I thought I’d add a line to you giving details. I had Mrs. Sandy Waddell [35] & Peggie [36] to lunch on  Thursday. She says she owes you 1/- & I’m to pay it when I see you! Trust me to remember a debt! Peggie will do well if she gets a nice job and some experience, the Mother [37] has a bit of go which is poor Sandy’s [38] only fault, but to keep the boy [39] at home being useful! Joseph [40] hopes to get at hay this week up to this weather was hopeless. I hope it is better with you & that Jim is not worried. I hear that Mrs. John Wright [41] of Aghaboy is in a Nursing Home ill – Please forgive such a long untidy epistle but I hope we have given Jim some of the information he wants if not tell Jim to arrange to come here and we will get him a car & go down himself and spend a day seeing some of the people there. Mitchell Jamieson [42] is marrying a school teacher & going to live in Menzies old house I was told. With much love, yours affectionately, June [43]



[1] July 16, 1944.

[2] Mary WRIGHT née MENARY (1872-1946), wife of James Francis WRIGHT (1874-1954) both resident at Gilford Castle, Co. Down.

[3] Robert WRIGHT b. 1926 (therefore age 18 at time of this letter), a son of Marshell McCaldin WRIGHT & Jane Isabel MITCHELL (the author of this letter). Also, it seems that he will be starting at Trinity in October. He was the youngest child in the family and became an engineer. He died in Iraq while working on a road building project.

[4] Francis not "Frances" as one might expect, a daughter of Marshell McCaldin WRIGHT & Jane Isabel MITCHELL.

[5] Ballinode, the ancestral home of this branch of the WRIGHT family.

[6] DUNWOODY family crops up, but I can’t place them. There is a George DUNWOODY (abt. 1891-) son of an unnamed DUNWOODY and Martha RUTHERFORD who is a possibility. Also, a Frances Audrey DUNWOODY (1931-)was born at Gula Scotstown – another place that the WRIGHT family lived at.  Perhaps she is related to the George DUNWOODY (a child?). She married Samuel ALEXANDER in 1955.

[7] McENDOOS.

[8] Steragh – if I have read it correctly. I don’t know where this is.

[9] Wood-Wrights SEE: Wright Family History

[10] Crowrights. SEE: Wright Family History

[11] WRIGHTs of Rafeenan. SEE: Wright Family History

[12] I could not decifer the last name of the sexton.

[13] Canon ROBINSON?

[14] Robert SPROTT husband of Elizabeth WRIGHT (1827-1859). She was a daughter of Robert WRIGHT & Margaret SWAN

[15] Robert WRIGHT – he may mean the father-in-law of Robert SPROTT

[16] Mary a daughter of Marshal McCaldin WRIGHT & Jane Isabel MITCHELL.

[17] Marcia a daughter of Marshal McCaldin WRIGHT & Jane Isabel MITCHELL.

[18] Elenore a daughter of Marshal McCaldin WRIGHT & Jane Isabel MITCHELL. Her daughter was born December 3, 1944. Her husband is Martin Daniel, from England.

[19] Martin DANIEL, an accountant from England.

[20] Bob?

[21] Marjorie?

[22] James Francis WRIGHT jr (1902-1979), son of James Francis WRIGHT sr. & Mary “Mollie” MENARY. HIs nickname was "Mickie".

[23] Wilson JAMESON

[24] John MURPHY

[25] “Jim” James Francis WRIGHT, husband of “Mollie” Mary WRIGHT (née MENARY)

[26] Kitty McQUAIDE

[27] Marshall McCaldinWRIGHT (d. 1847), son of  Joseph WRIGHT (1827-1896) and husband of the letter writer. See the letter of July 17, 1944 from Marshall to James Francis WRIGHT for more detail. He was a miller and did well enough to send all of his children to university (girls as well as boys)

[28] Joseph WRIGHT (1827-1896), husband of  Jane McCALDIN and father-in-law of the letter-writer.

[29] Robert “Robin WRIGHT (1789-1869) married Margaret SWAN.

[30] I have 10 children listed, but some may have died young and not have been included in the count: Robert, John, James, Mary, Margaret, Elizabeth, Thomas, Esther,  William, Joseph (the youngest b.1827).

[31] “Essie” AKA Esther WRIGHT – sister of Joseph WRIGHT (1827-1896).

[32] Joseph WRIGHT (1827-1896)

[33] Tom WRIGHT - a brother of Joseph WRIGHT. I know I had something of this story from Australian archives – but I seem to have misfiled it. I will add details when they resurface.

[34] William WRIGHT a brother of Joseph WRIGHT.

[35] The wife of an Alexander WADDELL

[36] “Peggie” Margaret?

[37] Mother? WADDELL?

[38] Sandy? WADDELL?

[39] “the boy”? WADDELL?

[40] Joseph? possibly a WRIGHT in a more recent generation than what I have a record for.

[41] This may be Nellie WRIGHT née RICKETT (1879-1956), widow of John Stephenson Reed WRIGHT (1877-1941). He worked at HSBC in the Far East.

[42] Mitchell JAMIESON.

[43] “June” Otherwise known as "Jane" She was the wife of Marshall who wrote the July 17th letter. She wrote to “Mollie” WRIGHT and he wrote to her husband, James Francis WRIGHT. She was an emancipated woman and went to school in Regents Park.

 

 

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