15 Apr 2021

I received a batch of certificates in PDF format from the GRO today. Unfortunately two are red herrings. The first of these was for a Johanna Dinneeen who I had hoped was Bridget Dineen’s older sister.

Birth at Sirhowy, Bedwelty on 6 August 1841, Johanna daughter of Denis Dinneen, mother Catherine Dinneen formerly Fa[h?]y. He was a labourer. The informant was Denis Dinneen, father, Sirhowy, Bedwelty Parish, registered on 26 August 1841

The second was for Mary Dineen, again I was hoping it was Bridget’s sister.

Birth at Bute Terrace, Gellygare, Merthyr Tydfil on 20 February 1854, Mary daughter of John Dinen, mother Bridget Dinen formerly Driskil. He was a labourer. The informant was Bridget Dinen, mother, Bute Terrace, Gellygare. She could not sign her name. The birth was registered on 31 March 1854.

I think I have seen John and Bridget before in the census.

The third of my Dineen guesses was a good one. It’s actually a one we have seen before but the previous one was hand written by the modern day GRO, whereas my new copy is a scan of the original. I wanted to see if there was a transcription error for Mary Nighan’s surname. It appears it was correct:

Birth at the Town of Caerleon, Newport on 30 March 1849, John son of Daniel Deneen and Mary Deneen, formerly Nighan. He was a labourer. The informant was Timothy Collins, Occupier, Caerleon. He could not sign his name. The birth was registered on the 7 April 1849.

I’m pleased that Nighan is shown here, since there are various other family trees on Ancestry that contain the surname Lyon for this family instead. The name Lyon is also present on the transcription of Bridget Dineen’s baptism record from St Marys Church in Newport.

I think the confusion comes from the pronunciation of Nighan as “ny-an”, which perhaps could be misheard as “ly-an” or “ly-on”. I had hoped the birth certificates of Denis and Mary would have helped settle this argument.

John died and was buried on 7 April 1849, the same day his birth was registered. Since we can’t find any other birth certificates I think the family were not registering their children’s births but were required to in this instance to allow the proper burial of John.

The final certificate was for Joseph Wyatt’s death:

Death at 17 Leicester Street, Northampton on 27th January 1925 of Joseph Wyatt, male, 66 years, a market gardener (journeyman). Cause of death was chronic bronchitis. The informant was Annie Louisa Wyatt, widow of deceased, present at the death 17 Leicester Street, Northampton. The death was registered on 28 January 1925