Christmas family of Newpark, Blackrock
Thomas Christmas was granted land in county Waterford in 1666. His descendants lived at Whitfield
Court until the late 19th century.
Thomas Christmas married Catherine Osborne
born circa 1757 1793
Waterford Waterford
died 1 Aug 1821 died 9 Feb 1812
Tramore Exeter
Thomas Christmas born Waterford circa 1757 to William Christmas and Elizabeth Ludlow. His maternal
grandmother died at Kilmeaden in 1779. He married Catherine Osborne in 1793 at Waterford. Catherine
was sister to Sir Thomas Osborne and the Hon Justice Osborne. They lived at Whitfield previously known
as Dobbyn Castle and his residence in Dublin was Newpark, on Newtownpark Avenue. Catherine died at
Exeter on 9 Feb 1812. Thomas died 1 Aug 1821 at Tramore Lodge and Newpark was put up for sale after
his death.
1 William Christmas born circa 1798 at Waterford. Of Whitfield he married Octavia Whinyates,
daughter of Thomas Whinyates, Colonel in the HEIC and niece to Sir T Frankland of Therkleby
Park, Yorkshire on 11 Jun 1828 at Cheltenham. William was living at Cheltenham in 1827 and
William Kelly was managing the Whitfield estate. In 1830 he holidayed on the continent and on
his return he was appointed a county magistrate. He lived at Tramore Lodge and built a new
house named Whitfield Court in the Italianate Style in 1841. He was a conservative MP for the
county from 1832 to 1835. William died at Whitfield 22 Mar 1867 aged 69 and was buried at
Waterford Cathedral. He left 10K in personal estate, Octavia was his executor. No issue was
found and the Waterford estate was left to Olivia for her lifetime and entailed to his nephew
William Osborne Christmas. Octavia, late of Whitfield, Waterford and 10 North Place,
Cheltenham died 10 Feb 1882, aged 84 and probate was to her brother Francis Frankland
Whinyates.
2 Catherine Christmas, eldest daughter born circa 1800 married Lieut James Knight, RN at
Richmond, London on 18 Aug 1823.
1 William Henry Knight
3 Elizabeth Christmas, second daughter born circa 1804 married The Rev Henry T Hobson at
Tramore on 4 Aug 1828. Elizabeth died at Kingstown in July 1837. Henry married secondly
Maria Fanny MacNeile, the widow of Robert Hathorn.
4 Thomas Christmas second son joined the 8th Hussars. He married Grace Clarke, youngest
daughter of William Clarke of Belfast at Rostrevor on 16 Sep 1848. Thomas died at Dunsford
Place, Bath on 25 May 1868.
1 William Osborne Christmas born 3 Sep 1849 baptised at St Helier, Jersey married Annie
Madeline Sperling at Bath in 1879. He was private chamberlain to the pope. He was
heir to the Waterford estate and rented out Whitfield Court. He died 25 Oct 1912
in Rome without issue and left 3K in personal estate. Probate to his wife Madelaine.
2 Frederick Grenville Christmas born 5 Jul 1854 baptised at St Helier, Jersey married Mary
Flora Elton in 1880 at Axbridge, Somerset. He was curate for Pewsey in Vancouver and
heir to the Waterford estate. Frederick died 13 Oct 1931 at Vancouver Island and the
Waterford estate passed to his son Wilfred.
1 Wilfred Edmond Christmas born 1893 in Canada.
3 Grace Veronica Christmas born 13 Oct 1862 in Ireland. She was a short story writer
contributing regularly to the pages of the Irish Rosary and the Catholic Truth Society.
She was living with her brother William in Somerset in 1881 and with Ethel U Freame in
1939. She died unmarried on 27 Dec 1945 at Gillingham and left nearly 12K in personal
estate.
5 Emily Alicia Osborne Christmas born circa 1806 died at Rose Lodge, Malvern Wells, Worcester on
21 Jul 1880 aged 74 and left 8K in personal estate.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – March 2021/updated March 2024
Thomas Christmas was granted land in county Waterford in 1666. His descendants lived at Whitfield
Court until the late 19th century.
Thomas Christmas married Catherine Osborne
born circa 1757 1793
Waterford Waterford
died 1 Aug 1821 died 9 Feb 1812
Tramore Exeter
Thomas Christmas born Waterford circa 1757 to William Christmas and Elizabeth Ludlow. His maternal
grandmother died at Kilmeaden in 1779. He married Catherine Osborne in 1793 at Waterford. Catherine
was sister to Sir Thomas Osborne and the Hon Justice Osborne. They lived at Whitfield previously known
as Dobbyn Castle and his residence in Dublin was Newpark, on Newtownpark Avenue. Catherine died at
Exeter on 9 Feb 1812. Thomas died 1 Aug 1821 at Tramore Lodge and Newpark was put up for sale after
his death.
1 William Christmas born circa 1798 at Waterford. Of Whitfield he married Octavia Whinyates,
daughter of Thomas Whinyates, Colonel in the HEIC and niece to Sir T Frankland of Therkleby
Park, Yorkshire on 11 Jun 1828 at Cheltenham. William was living at Cheltenham in 1827 and
William Kelly was managing the Whitfield estate. In 1830 he holidayed on the continent and on
his return he was appointed a county magistrate. He lived at Tramore Lodge and built a new
house named Whitfield Court in the Italianate Style in 1841. He was a conservative MP for the
county from 1832 to 1835. William died at Whitfield 22 Mar 1867 aged 69 and was buried at
Waterford Cathedral. He left 10K in personal estate, Octavia was his executor. No issue was
found and the Waterford estate was left to Olivia for her lifetime and entailed to his nephew
William Osborne Christmas. Octavia, late of Whitfield, Waterford and 10 North Place,
Cheltenham died 10 Feb 1882, aged 84 and probate was to her brother Francis Frankland
Whinyates.
2 Catherine Christmas, eldest daughter born circa 1800 married Lieut James Knight, RN at
Richmond, London on 18 Aug 1823.
1 William Henry Knight
3 Elizabeth Christmas, second daughter born circa 1804 married The Rev Henry T Hobson at
Tramore on 4 Aug 1828. Elizabeth died at Kingstown in July 1837. Henry married secondly
Maria Fanny MacNeile, the widow of Robert Hathorn.
4 Thomas Christmas second son joined the 8th Hussars. He married Grace Clarke, youngest
daughter of William Clarke of Belfast at Rostrevor on 16 Sep 1848. Thomas died at Dunsford
Place, Bath on 25 May 1868.
1 William Osborne Christmas born 3 Sep 1849 baptised at St Helier, Jersey married Annie
Madeline Sperling at Bath in 1879. He was private chamberlain to the pope. He was
heir to the Waterford estate and rented out Whitfield Court. He died 25 Oct 1912
in Rome without issue and left 3K in personal estate. Probate to his wife Madelaine.
2 Frederick Grenville Christmas born 5 Jul 1854 baptised at St Helier, Jersey married Mary
Flora Elton in 1880 at Axbridge, Somerset. He was curate for Pewsey in Vancouver and
heir to the Waterford estate. Frederick died 13 Oct 1931 at Vancouver Island and the
Waterford estate passed to his son Wilfred.
1 Wilfred Edmond Christmas born 1893 in Canada.
3 Grace Veronica Christmas born 13 Oct 1862 in Ireland. She was a short story writer
contributing regularly to the pages of the Irish Rosary and the Catholic Truth Society.
She was living with her brother William in Somerset in 1881 and with Ethel U Freame in
1939. She died unmarried on 27 Dec 1945 at Gillingham and left nearly 12K in personal
estate.
5 Emily Alicia Osborne Christmas born circa 1806 died at Rose Lodge, Malvern Wells, Worcester on
21 Jul 1880 aged 74 and left 8K in personal estate.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – March 2021/updated March 2024