Caroline Rebecca Regina Victoria Biddulph [1897-1985]

 Caroline Rebecca Regina Victoria Biddulph was born in Birr, County Offaly, in 1897, the daughter of William Biddulph and Rebecca Clarke. She was known by her family as Queenie.

In the 1901 Census she was, aged 2, living with her parents and maternal grandparents in Birr. Her maternal grandparents were Presbyterian. Her grandfather, William Clarke, was born in Armagh.

In the 1911 Census, Caroline, like her sisters Georgina and Isabella, is not found living with the family in Park Avenue, Sandymount, Dublin. She is in a boarding school, Church Home, Pembroke Park, Sandymount, together with her sister Isabella. Isabella is registered in her second name of Gertrude.

She married Cyril Pierre du Cros on the 9^th September 1925 in St. John’s Church, Sandymount, Dublin. Cyril was born in 1898 in Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire. His father, Edward du Cros, was born in Dublin. Cyril was a Clerk in Holy Orders. In 1937 he officiated, with the Bishop of Cork, at Isabella‘s [Daisy’s] marriage to Robert Flewett at Castleventry Rectory, Clonakilty, County Cork in. Their daughter was one of the attendants.

They had two children, a son and a daughter.  Edward, the elder of the two, was born in 1928 in Coolcullan, County Kilkenny and educated at Bandon Grammar School. He died aged 13 in 1941. He is buried at Lislee, Courtmacsharry, County Cork. Their daughter was born in 1930.

Cyril du Cros died on 30^th January 1967 and is buried in Buttevant, County Cork. Caroline died on the 29^th December, 1985 and she too is buried in Buttevant, County Cork.

Isabella Gertrude Annie Biddulph [1895- 1976]

Isabella Gertrude Annie Biddulph was born on the 17^th December 1895 at 29 Oxmantown Road, Dublin and baptised on the 27^th of December at St.Paul’s, North King Street, Dublin. Her parents were William Nicholas Biddulph and Rebecca Biddulph. Her father’s occupation was given as Clerk in Holy Orders. Isabella was known as Daisy by her family.

In the 1901 Census she is found, aged 4, living with her parents and siblings in Birr, County Offaly.

In the 1911 Census, Isabella, like her sisters Georgina and Caroline, is not found living with the family in Park Avenue, Sandymount, Dublin. She is in a boarding school, Church Home, Pembroke Park, Sandymount, together with her sister Caroline. She is registered in her second name of Gertrude.

She married Robert King Flewett [1903-1953] on the 31^st March 1937.They had no children.

He was the third son of the Right Reverend William Edward Flewett, Church of Ireland Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross.  He was ordained in 1925. Robert Flewett was curate of St. George’s Church, Dublin, and later of Portarlington. From 1936 he was curate-in-charge of Ardnageehy, County Cork. Ill-health caused his retirement in 1950. [1]

He died in 1953 and is buried at St. Mary’s Church of Ireland, Glenville, County Cork.

Isabella died on 23^rd December 1976. She too is buried at Glenville.

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[1] Irish Times 2 March 1953.

Georgina Elizabeth Biddulph [1899-1914]

On the 14^th of March 1899 Georgina Elizabeth Biddulph was born at High Park, Birr, County Offaly. She was the fifth child of William Nicholas Biddulph and Rebecca Clarke, and a granddaughter of Nicholas Biddulph of Congor and Isabella Digges la Touche.

In the 1901 Census, aged 2, she is living with her parents, siblings and maternal grandparents William Clarke and Rebecca Harvey in Birr. William Clarke and Rebecca are Presbyterians. The Biddulphs are Church of Ireland. William Biddulph describes himself as ‘esquire’ with no mention of any role in the Church although he had been described as a clergyman on his marriage to Rebecca Clarke.

In the 1911 Census Georgina is living with William Edward Head, and his wife Dora, in Knocklahard, Ballinrobe, County Mayo. Dora is her aunt, sister of her mother Rebecca Clarke. William Head is described as a gentleman. In the same Census her father, William Biddulph, is described as a retired clergyman.

Georgina died on the 12^th January 1914, aged 15, of pulmonary phthisis, or tuberculosis, at 4 Florence Villas, Park Avenue, Sandymount, Dublin, where the family were living at that time. She is described as ‘daughter of Traveller’. Her father, William, died there the following year.

She is buried at Congor Church, Ardcrony, County Tipperary, with other members of the Biddulph family. The church no longer exists, having been removed to Bunratty Folk Park, but the cemetery remains.

James George Alexander Biddulph [1894-1939]

James George Alexander Biddulph was the third son of William Biddulph and Rebecca Clarke, and grandson of Nicolas Biddulph of Congor House, County Tipperary and his second wife Isabella Digges la Touche. He was born on the 17th June 1894 in Laffin, Birr, County Offaly. 

In the 1901 Census he and his older brother Robert are found in Ballyman, Rathmichael, County Dublin, with Benjamin and Elizabeth Taylor. Elizabeth was their aunt Elizabeth Clarke, sister of their mother Rebecca Clarke. Benjamin Taylor and Elizabeth Taylor describe themselves as gardener and domestic servant, and are living in Ballyman in a 2 room house leased from Philip Barrington.

James married Dorothy Eileen Clarke, his first cousin, in 1923, in Pwllheli, Caernarvonshire, Wales.

1923 September 24. James George Alexander Biddulph, 29, Bachelor, Motor Mechanic, 10 Castle St Criccieth, son of Nicholas William John Biddulph, Clerk in Holy Orders,married Dorothy Eileen Clarke, 24, Spinster [no occupation given], 10 Castle St, daughter of George Clarke, Gardener, witnessed by Lizzie Griffiths and William Griffith Evans (GAS XPE 72/7). Bride and groom were first cousins: his mother Rebecca was sister to Mary Jane Griffiths née Clarke(EJ).[1]

Dorothy died in 1939 and is buried in the cemetery at Criccieth. James died in Ealing, London, in 1967. He too is commemorated on the gravestone in Criccieth.

The stone recorded by the Gwynedd Family History Society has now been replaced with one that commemorates ‘MARY JANE GRIFFITHS / 1864-1934 / GRIFFITH GRIFFITHS / 1863-1944 / BOD HYWEL, CRICCIETH / ALSO THEIR DAUGHTERS / LIZZIE GRIFFITHS / 1903-1996 / DOROTHY EILEEN / 1898-1939 / and her husband JAMES BIDDULPH / 1894-1967 [2]

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[1] http://orapweb.rcahms.gov.uk/coflein//D/DCP2013_044_01.pdf

[2] http://orapweb.rcahms.gov.uk/coflein//D/DCP2013_044_01.pdf