Letitia Jennings [1835-1924], Monaghan Street, Newry, County Down.

Letitia Jennings [1835-1924] was the youngest daughter of Charles Jennings [abt 1780-1855] , Monaghan Street, Newry, County Down, and his wife Sophia Corley, daughter of Patrick Corley, Clones, County Monaghan. She was baptised in Newry on the 20^th of June 1835.

20 June 1835 Letitia of Charles Jennings and Sophia Corley sp. Daniel and Cathn Jennings.[1] 

The following brief account of her life as a nun in the Mercy Order comes from the Congregational Archivist.

 Letitia was born in 1835 and entered Newry Convent of Mercy on 1 February 1883. She took the name Sr Mary Margaret and professed her vows as a Sister of Mercy on 8 September 1885. She celebrated her silver jubilee as a Sister of Mercy on 8 September 1910. She died on 19 June 1920 and is buried in the convent cemetery. Warrenpoint was a branch convent of Newry and Sr M Margaret may well have spent some time there.[2]

Her sister Margaret, whose religious name was Sr Mary Alacoque, was a member of the Charleville Community.

Charleville and Newry were autonomous self-governing convents and had no administrative connection. A member of the Charleville community would have spent her religious life in that community or in its branch houses. She would not have lived in another autonomous community such as Newry.

In the 1901 Census Sr Mary Margaret Jennings is recorded as a Sister of Mercy, living at Seaview Street, Warrenpoint. Her age was given as 60 which was incorrect. She would have been 66. She spoke both Irish and English. There were six residents.[3]

In the 1911 Census she is recorded as Letitia Jennings, school teacher, living in Albert Street, Warrenpoint, County Down. There were six Sisters recorded as residents. Her age was given as 70, again incorrect, she would have been 76. She is recorded here as speaking only English.[4]

Letitia is mentioned in the Newry Annals of the Mercy Order.[5]

Convent of Mercy, Newry, County Down

February 1883 Letitia Jennings from Newry entered for the Feast of Purification

Sr M.M Jennings had her silver jubilee on September 8, 1910

She died on the 19^th June 1920. Her death appears in the Annals, though no official record of her death can be found in GRONI.

19 June 1920 Dear Sr M. Margaret Jennings after a week’s illness quietly passed away[6]

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[1] NLI Pos 5502 Baptismal Records Newry

[2] Marianne Cosgrave Archivist Mercy Congregational Archives

[3] 1901 Census

[4] 1911 Census.

[5] Annals Newry

[6] Annals Newry