Bruce family of Stillorgan
William Bruce Married Sarah Emmerson
born circa 1844 11 May 1872 born circa 1853
Malone Co Down
died 10 Mar 1899 died 18 Oct 1925
Huntley, Dunmurry Auburn Tce, Dunmurry
William Bruce born circa 1844, son of Alexander Bruce a labourer. William a labourer living at Upper
Malone married Sarah Emerson at St John’s Church, Malone on 11 May 1872. Sarah was a weaver
and the daughter of William Emmerson, a carter. In later life William was a land steward. He died
at his residence, Huntley in Dunmurry on 10 Mar 1899. Sarah died 18 Oct 1925 at Auburn Tce,
Dunmurry and was buried at Drumbeg graveyard. The Members of the Drumbeg Flute Band were
requested to attend her funeral as her son Alex was a member.
1 Alexander Bruce born 16 Apr 1880 at Drumbeg, Dunmurry in Antrim. He married Violet May
Speed on 10 Jul 1906 at the Registrar’s Office in Dublin. Alexander was working at Kill of the
Grange at the time of his marriage. Violet born 1874 was the daughter of Walter Speed*, a
gardener at Penrhyn, North Wales and his wife Charlotte Elliott. Alexander had an adopted
daughter called Violet Irene Walsh, daughter of John Walsh and Violet Speed born in 1904.
Violet is listed as a spinster on her marriage to Alexander but she may have been married
previously. The family lived at Stillorgan from 1906 to 1911 and were next door to the Parish
Church on what is now St Brigid’s Church Road. The were living in Dunmurry by 1913.
Alexander was a member of the Dunmurry Flute band. Violet May, a widow died 17 Feb 1965
at Dunmurry.
1 Alexander William Bruce born 22 Sep 1906 at The Rotunda Hospital when the family
were living at Grove View, Stillorgan baptised at Stillorgan Parish Church.
2 Harold Bruce born 21 Nov 1908 at Stillorgan, baptised at Stillorgan Parish Church.
3 Herbert Walter Bruce born 5 Dec 1908 at Stillorgan, baptised at Stillorgan Parish
Church.
4 Lillian May Bruce born 4 Oct 1910 Stillorgan, baptised at Stillorgan Parish Church.
5 Gwyneth Daisy Bruce born 1 Nov 1913 at Hill Street, Dunmurray, Lisburn.
2 William Bruce born 27 Nov 1883 at Drumbeg was working as a blacksmith in 1901.
3 George Bruce born 13 Dec 1887 at Drumbeg. He was working at a dye works and living at
Auburn Avenue when he married Isabella Hanna at Drumbeg Parish Church on 15 Mar 1912.
4 John Bruce born 18 Sep 1891 at Drumbeg was working at a dye works in 1911. He married
Rebecca McCartney at Belfast on 29 Oct 1920.
*Information from The National Trust UK. "Born in 1835 in Great Abington in Cambridgeshire, Walter
Speed became Head Gardener of Penrhyn Castle in 1862, before going on to serve three Lord Penrhyns
in a career lasting over 58 years. Speed was generally considered to be one of the best gardeners of
his generation.
The Royal Horticultural Society awarded him the prestigious Victoria Medal of Honour (VMH) and it was
presented to him by Queen Victoria herself in 1897. During his time as Head Gardener the gardens at
Penrhyn were seen as one of the top three gardens in the whole of Britain. He managed a staff of over
30 gardeners, who looked after not just the castle’s ‘pleasure grounds’ but more than 6 acres
(2.5 hectares) of exotic fruit and vegetable gardens. At this time, working under Speed at Penrhyn was
seen as one of the best training opportunities for young gardeners, better even than working at Kew or
Windsor. Speed married Charlotte in 1889 and the couple went on to have 14 children, many of whom
went on to gain employment at Penrhyn, such was the high esteem the Pennant family held him in.
Speed died in 1921 at the age of 84 and was buried with his wife and four of his children. Speed was
one of a select few to create a lasting legacy that is still remembered today at Penrhyn Castle."
© June Bow & Karen Poff – August 2021
William Bruce Married Sarah Emmerson
born circa 1844 11 May 1872 born circa 1853
Malone Co Down
died 10 Mar 1899 died 18 Oct 1925
Huntley, Dunmurry Auburn Tce, Dunmurry
William Bruce born circa 1844, son of Alexander Bruce a labourer. William a labourer living at Upper
Malone married Sarah Emerson at St John’s Church, Malone on 11 May 1872. Sarah was a weaver
and the daughter of William Emmerson, a carter. In later life William was a land steward. He died
at his residence, Huntley in Dunmurry on 10 Mar 1899. Sarah died 18 Oct 1925 at Auburn Tce,
Dunmurry and was buried at Drumbeg graveyard. The Members of the Drumbeg Flute Band were
requested to attend her funeral as her son Alex was a member.
1 Alexander Bruce born 16 Apr 1880 at Drumbeg, Dunmurry in Antrim. He married Violet May
Speed on 10 Jul 1906 at the Registrar’s Office in Dublin. Alexander was working at Kill of the
Grange at the time of his marriage. Violet born 1874 was the daughter of Walter Speed*, a
gardener at Penrhyn, North Wales and his wife Charlotte Elliott. Alexander had an adopted
daughter called Violet Irene Walsh, daughter of John Walsh and Violet Speed born in 1904.
Violet is listed as a spinster on her marriage to Alexander but she may have been married
previously. The family lived at Stillorgan from 1906 to 1911 and were next door to the Parish
Church on what is now St Brigid’s Church Road. The were living in Dunmurry by 1913.
Alexander was a member of the Dunmurry Flute band. Violet May, a widow died 17 Feb 1965
at Dunmurry.
1 Alexander William Bruce born 22 Sep 1906 at The Rotunda Hospital when the family
were living at Grove View, Stillorgan baptised at Stillorgan Parish Church.
2 Harold Bruce born 21 Nov 1908 at Stillorgan, baptised at Stillorgan Parish Church.
3 Herbert Walter Bruce born 5 Dec 1908 at Stillorgan, baptised at Stillorgan Parish
Church.
4 Lillian May Bruce born 4 Oct 1910 Stillorgan, baptised at Stillorgan Parish Church.
5 Gwyneth Daisy Bruce born 1 Nov 1913 at Hill Street, Dunmurray, Lisburn.
2 William Bruce born 27 Nov 1883 at Drumbeg was working as a blacksmith in 1901.
3 George Bruce born 13 Dec 1887 at Drumbeg. He was working at a dye works and living at
Auburn Avenue when he married Isabella Hanna at Drumbeg Parish Church on 15 Mar 1912.
4 John Bruce born 18 Sep 1891 at Drumbeg was working at a dye works in 1911. He married
Rebecca McCartney at Belfast on 29 Oct 1920.
*Information from The National Trust UK. "Born in 1835 in Great Abington in Cambridgeshire, Walter
Speed became Head Gardener of Penrhyn Castle in 1862, before going on to serve three Lord Penrhyns
in a career lasting over 58 years. Speed was generally considered to be one of the best gardeners of
his generation.
The Royal Horticultural Society awarded him the prestigious Victoria Medal of Honour (VMH) and it was
presented to him by Queen Victoria herself in 1897. During his time as Head Gardener the gardens at
Penrhyn were seen as one of the top three gardens in the whole of Britain. He managed a staff of over
30 gardeners, who looked after not just the castle’s ‘pleasure grounds’ but more than 6 acres
(2.5 hectares) of exotic fruit and vegetable gardens. At this time, working under Speed at Penrhyn was
seen as one of the best training opportunities for young gardeners, better even than working at Kew or
Windsor. Speed married Charlotte in 1889 and the couple went on to have 14 children, many of whom
went on to gain employment at Penrhyn, such was the high esteem the Pennant family held him in.
Speed died in 1921 at the age of 84 and was buried with his wife and four of his children. Speed was
one of a select few to create a lasting legacy that is still remembered today at Penrhyn Castle."
© June Bow & Karen Poff – August 2021