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John Roche O’Bryen is Ernest’s father, and Celia O’Bryen was his second wife.

John Roche O’Bryen was baptised in Tracton Abbey, co Cork on the 14th January 1810, and died in London on the 27th July 1870, seven weeks after the death of Charles Dickens – his near contemporary. JROB was two years older.

He was a student at Trinity College, Dublin, and graduated in medicine at the University of Glasgow in 1836. He then practised in medicine first in Bristol, from at least 1841 until 1858. He then spent three years in Liverpool. By 1861, the family were in London, first in Manchester St, W.1,  and then in present day Drayton Gardens, South Kensington – then known as Thistle Grove.

So far fairly uncomplicated; however the story starts to get a little more complicated. JR’s family bible has survived (currently with one of his great-grandsons), and is a very useful, if not completely reliable source. I’m going to look at it separately. He appears to have a rather curious double marriage:

“John Roche OBryen & Eliza his wife (born Henderson July 27th 1805) married Decr 25/32 Janr th 7th /33 by Protestant Curate at Bordeaux With Issue”. 

JR was studying medicine in Bordeaux at the time, so the assumption is that the first marriage is a Catholic one, he was a Catholic and all the children were brought up as Catholics. The reason for the second marriage is one of the big intriguing questions.

Anyway to continue with the facts. JR and Eliza have ten children:

1. Emily Jane 1833 -1844.
2. Henry Hewitt 1835-1895
3. Mary Anne 1836 -1856.
4. Corina Margaritta Eliza 1837- 1907
5. Edwin John 1839 -1857.
6. Eliza Louisa 1840-1844.
7. Catharine Teresa 1842 -1845.
8. Mary Frances 1844 -1858.
9. Cecilia Agnes 1846 -1856.
10. (William Gregory) Basil 1848 -1920 

Emily, and Henry are both born in France, and all the others are born in Bristol. Only Henry, Corinne, and Basil survive to adulthood.

Eliza dies on 25th April 1857, and JR remarries on the 1st October 1857.  He and Celia have six children.

Alfred Charles O’BRYEN, 1859 – 1942  born in Liverpool

Mary Evelyn O’BRYEN,1858 – 1916 born in Liverpool

Philip Augustus O’BRYEN, 1861 – 1913 born in London

Walter Mary O’BRYEN, 1862 – 1871 born in London

Ernest Adolphus O’BRYEN, 1865 -1919 born in London

Edward Reginald O’BRYEN, 1867 – 1928 born in London.  

His father Henry Hewitt O’Bryen Senior, was born 1780 in Ireland , and died 11 May 1836 in Cobh, County Cork.  He married Mary Roche Nov 1807 in Whitepoint, Cobh, Co. Cork, the only daughter of John Roche and Miss Collins?.  She was born in Ireland (?), and died in ????.

John Roche, Mary’s father, and JR’s grandfather, also has a major part to play in the story.

The children of Henry and Mary O’Bryen are:

Jane O’Bryen, born 1808; died 1837 in unknown

John Roche O’Bryen, born 1810 ; died 1870 in London

Hewitt O’Bryen, born 1811 in Ireland; died 1845 in Norfolk

Robert Hewitt O’Bryen, born 1814 in Ireland; died 1888 in  Ireland.

Henry Hewitt O’Bryen Junior, born 1815 in Ireland; died 1873 in Ireland.

Stephen Hewitt O’Bryen, born Unknown in Ireland; died 1872 in Gibraltar.

Mary A O’Bryen, born Unknown in Ireland; died 1863 in Ireland.

Henry Hewitt O’Bryen’s father Laurence O’Brien was born 1754 in Ireland (?).  He married Jane Hewitt on 20th Mar 1778 in Castle Townsend, County Cork, daughter of Henry Hewitt and Unknown. 

Their children are:

Henry Hewitt O’Bryen, born 1780 in Ireland (?); died 11 May 1836 in Cobh, County Cork.

Stephen Laurence O’Bryen (unconfirmed)

and finally Laurence O’Brien’s parents are Daniel O’Brien and Ann Sullivan; Daniel O’Brien was born 1717, and died 1758 in Castletownsend, co Cork.  He married Ann Sullivan in 1743 in Cork.

Patrick GREHAN III  is Celia O’Bryen’s brother, and son of Patrick Grehan Junior, grandson of Patrick Grehan Senior,  and  Thady Grehan’s great grandson. He was born 1818 in Ireland, and died 1877 in Hampstead, London.  He married Frances Susan PITCHFORD 1842 in Poplar, [probably the parish of St leonard, bromley poplar} London.  She was born 1821 in Stratford, Essex, and died 1893 in Hampstead, London.

Their children are:

Edward Aloysius GREHAN, born 1843 in Poplar, London; died Bef. 1864.

Mary O’Connor GREHAN, born 1844 in Poplar, London.

Wilfred GREHAN, born 1849 in Ireland.

Clare GREHAN, born 1858 in Ireland.

Edward Aloysius GREHAN, born 1864 in Ireland; died 1881.

By 1871, Patrick’s branch of the Grehan family merits its own entry in Burke’s Landed Gentry

Grehan of Mount Plunkett. 

Grehan Patrick, esq. of Mount Plunkett and St John’s co Roscommon, J.P., b 21 March 1818; m. 4 April 1842, Frances, eldest dau. of the late John Pitchford, esq. of Norwich, a descendant of the old family of Pitchford of Shropshire, and has issue,

1. Wilfrid b 6 Aug 1848
2. Charles b Nov 1850
3. Gerard b May 1852
4. Francis b Oct 1855

1. Mary O’Conor Graham
2. Alice
3. Louisa
4. Clare
5. Agnes

Lineage – The family of Grehan claims descent from the Grahams of Montrose, and tradition narrates that its ancestor, escaping from the persecutions in Scotland, fled to Ireland and changed his name to Grehan.

The present Stephan Grehan, esq. of Rutland Square, Dublin succeded by the recent death of his cousin Major Grehan, s.p. to the representation of the Grehan family. His cousin, Patrick Grehan, esq., now of Mount Plunkett, is the son of the late Patrick Grehan, esq. of Dublin ( by Catherine his 1^st wife, dau. of George Meecham, esq., and co-heiress of her mother Catherine, dau. and eventual co-heiress of William Hodson, esq. of St John’s, co. Roscommon) and grandson of Patrick Grehan, esq. of Dublin who m. Judith, dau. and eventually co-heiress of Edward Moore, esq. of Mount Browne, co. Mayo (lineally descended from Lewis, the 4^th son of  Roger O’More, of Leix, by Margaret, dau. and heiress of Thomas, 3^rd son of Pierce, 8^th Earl of Ormonde). Through this marriage with the co-heiress of Moore, Mr Grehan of Mount Plunkett quarters the arms of O’More of Leix, and Butler, Ormonde.

Link to BLG 1871: http://tinyurl.com/pqu2tuj 

• National Library of Ireland: Arms of Grehan of Mount Plunkett, Co Roscommon, 1863. GO MS 179: 101
• National Library of Ireland: Copy of confirmation of arms to Patrick Grehan, Mount Plunkett & St Johns, Co Roscommon, grandson of Patrick Grehan of Dublin, merchant, 5 June 1863. GO MS 109: 13-14

Celia Mary GREHAN was born 1830 in Preston, Lancashire, and died 14 Oct 1901 in Lancaster.  She married John Roche O’BRYEN (1810 – 1870) on the 1st Oct 1857 in Mount Plunkett, Co. Roscommon, Ireland. 

They have the following children:

Alfred Charles O’BRYEN, 1859 – 1942  born in Liverpool

Mary Evelyn O’BRYEN,1858 – 1916 born in Liverpool

Philip Augustus O’BRYEN, 1861 – 1913 born in London

Walter Mary O’BRYEN, 1862 – 1871 born in London

Ernest Adolphus O’BRYEN, 1865 -1919 born in London

Edward Reginald O’BRYEN, 1867 – 1928 born in London.  

Her father Patrick GREHAN Junior was born 1791 in Ireland, and died 1853 in Clifton, Bristol, but described as “of Worth Hall, Sussex”.  He married (1) Catherine MECHAM in 1817, the daughter of George MECHAM and Catherine HODSON.  She was born 1792 in Ireland, and died before 1836.  He married (2) Harriet LESCHER 16 Aug 1836 in Brighton, Sussex, daughter of William LESCHER and Mary COPP.  She was born 1809 in London, and died 1877 in Hampstead, London. The children of Patrick and Catherine GREHAN are:

Patrick GREHAN III, born 1818 in Ireland; died 1877 in Hampstead, London.

Joseph Maunsel GREHAN, born 1828 in Ireland; died 1860 in Newington.

Celia Mary GREHAN, born 1830 in Preston; died 1901 in Lancaster.

Child of Patrick and Harriet GREHAN is:

Joseph Ignatius GREHAN, born 1837 in Brighton, Sussex.  He married Mary Josephine KELLY 1868 in Wolverhampton.

His father Patrick GREHAN  Senior was born 1756 in Dublin, Ireland, and died 1832 in Dublin, Ireland.  He married Judith MOORE, daughter of Edward MOORE.  Their children are:

Jane GREHAN 1782 – died Unknown 

Edward (GRAHAM) GREHAN 1789 – 1852

Patrick GREHAN Junior 1791- 1853

Patrick’s father is Thady GREHAN who was born 1722 in Dublin, Ireland, and died 1792.  He married (1) Christian [?].    He married (2) Margaret [?] 1755. 

Child of Thady GREHAN and Christian [?] is:

Peter GREHAN, born 1749. He married Mary ROCHE, daughter of Stephen ROCHE and Margaret MEADE. ( http://tinyurl.com/o9o9m45 ) who are the parents of Stephen GREHAN. 1776 -1871. Stephen Grehan is one of the main beneficiaries of his uncle John Roche’s will, and are documented elsewhere as the “Grehans of Clonmeen”

 Children of Thady GREHAN and Margaret [?] are:

Patrick GREHAN, born 1756 in Dublin, Ireland; died 1832 in Dublin, Ireland.

Andrew GREHAN, born 1757 in Dublin, Ireland.

Mary GREHAN.  She married John ROCHE; died in 1825 without issue. John Roche is the son of Stephen Roche by his first marriage to Margaret Meade. His  sister, Mary, also the daughter of Stephen Roche by his first marriage to Margaret Meade, married Peter Grehan, son of Thady Grehan by his first marriage to Christian [?].