The Crawford Family of Stillorgan
William Henry Crawford son of James Crawford a farmer from Latsey married Eliza McGrath
daughter of John McGrath a farmer from Lacken in 1881. He was gardener at the Stillorgan
Convalescent home from 1893 until his retirement in 1925. He was a member of the vestry
of St Brigid's, Stillorgan, his address given as Convalescent Lodge, Stillorgan.
William Henry Crawford married 19 Jul 1881 Elizabeth McGrath
born circa 1845 Corlea, Agnamullen born circa 1857
died 8 Jul 1936 (90) Monaghan died 25 Aug 1929 (72)
buried Deansgrange buried Deansgrange
1 Letitia Harriet (Harry) Crawford eldest daughter born 28.04.1882 at Birr Co Offaly
living at Stillorgan Cottage, Brewery Road married 2nd Lieut Valentine Hill RFA son of
John Hill on 16.06.1915 at Stillorgan Church, drowned when the RMS Leinster was
torpedoed on 10.10.1918 aged 34 years. Her body was never found. A memorial
was erected in St Brigid's Church in 1920. Above her name is a triangle with 'On War
Service 1916', this insignia is a copy of the badge issued after conscription in 1916 by the
Ministry of Munitions and was intended solely for women engaged in urgent war
work but no record of what Leticia's work was, has been uncovered to date.
2 Sarah Jane Crawford born 19.03.1884 at Kilgobbin became a dressmaker, she became
seriously ill in 1918 as her brother and sister were returning to England on on the RMS
Leinster having been in Ireland to visit her.
3 Eliza Crawford born 18.05.1887 at Murphystown became a shop assistant. She married
Richard Williams, a constable in the Detective Police Bureau on 16 Feb 1915 at St
Brigid's Church, Stillorgan. Richard was the son of James Williams, a farmer.
4 William Henry (Willie) Crawford eldest son born 29.09.1891 at Murphystown died
08.09.1893 aged 2 years at Convalescent Home, Brewery Road was buried at Deansgrange.
5 Ernest Harold Crawford born 13.02.1895 at Convalescent Home, Stillorgan. He served with
the Royal Irish Engineers during WW1 and married Emily Blanche Robinson, a divorcee on
03.09.1930 at the Parish Church, Monkstown. She was previously married to Eric Cyril
Anderson but divorced him in April 1930. Ernest died on 11.09.1933 at Windsor Lodge,
Monkstown aged 37 years.
6 Lieut Sydney George Crawford youngest son born 25.08.1897 at Tipperstown. He originally
joined the South Irish Horse in 1914 but was discharged as medically unfit, he then joined
the Royal Irish rifles. He saw action in Loos and Hulluch, the battle of the Somme,
Passchendaele Ridge, Guillemont and Ginchy. He drowned on the RMS Leinster on
10.10.1918 aged 21 years. The previous day he had been gazetted 1st Lieut. On the
17 Nov 1918, a body was found at Mersehead Kirkbean, it was identified by an army disc
"Lieut. S G Crawford C of E. RD. Fus.". Two men found the body at 4pm lying at the high water
mark, opposite the farm of Mersehead. The funeral took place on Friday, 22 Nov 1918. He
was laid to rest with full military honours with no near relatives present. A memorial was
erected in St Brigid's Church in 1920. The insignia above his name on the memorial is that of
The Royal Dublin Fusiliers.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – October 2018
William Henry Crawford son of James Crawford a farmer from Latsey married Eliza McGrath
daughter of John McGrath a farmer from Lacken in 1881. He was gardener at the Stillorgan
Convalescent home from 1893 until his retirement in 1925. He was a member of the vestry
of St Brigid's, Stillorgan, his address given as Convalescent Lodge, Stillorgan.
William Henry Crawford married 19 Jul 1881 Elizabeth McGrath
born circa 1845 Corlea, Agnamullen born circa 1857
died 8 Jul 1936 (90) Monaghan died 25 Aug 1929 (72)
buried Deansgrange buried Deansgrange
1 Letitia Harriet (Harry) Crawford eldest daughter born 28.04.1882 at Birr Co Offaly
living at Stillorgan Cottage, Brewery Road married 2nd Lieut Valentine Hill RFA son of
John Hill on 16.06.1915 at Stillorgan Church, drowned when the RMS Leinster was
torpedoed on 10.10.1918 aged 34 years. Her body was never found. A memorial
was erected in St Brigid's Church in 1920. Above her name is a triangle with 'On War
Service 1916', this insignia is a copy of the badge issued after conscription in 1916 by the
Ministry of Munitions and was intended solely for women engaged in urgent war
work but no record of what Leticia's work was, has been uncovered to date.
2 Sarah Jane Crawford born 19.03.1884 at Kilgobbin became a dressmaker, she became
seriously ill in 1918 as her brother and sister were returning to England on on the RMS
Leinster having been in Ireland to visit her.
3 Eliza Crawford born 18.05.1887 at Murphystown became a shop assistant. She married
Richard Williams, a constable in the Detective Police Bureau on 16 Feb 1915 at St
Brigid's Church, Stillorgan. Richard was the son of James Williams, a farmer.
4 William Henry (Willie) Crawford eldest son born 29.09.1891 at Murphystown died
08.09.1893 aged 2 years at Convalescent Home, Brewery Road was buried at Deansgrange.
5 Ernest Harold Crawford born 13.02.1895 at Convalescent Home, Stillorgan. He served with
the Royal Irish Engineers during WW1 and married Emily Blanche Robinson, a divorcee on
03.09.1930 at the Parish Church, Monkstown. She was previously married to Eric Cyril
Anderson but divorced him in April 1930. Ernest died on 11.09.1933 at Windsor Lodge,
Monkstown aged 37 years.
6 Lieut Sydney George Crawford youngest son born 25.08.1897 at Tipperstown. He originally
joined the South Irish Horse in 1914 but was discharged as medically unfit, he then joined
the Royal Irish rifles. He saw action in Loos and Hulluch, the battle of the Somme,
Passchendaele Ridge, Guillemont and Ginchy. He drowned on the RMS Leinster on
10.10.1918 aged 21 years. The previous day he had been gazetted 1st Lieut. On the
17 Nov 1918, a body was found at Mersehead Kirkbean, it was identified by an army disc
"Lieut. S G Crawford C of E. RD. Fus.". Two men found the body at 4pm lying at the high water
mark, opposite the farm of Mersehead. The funeral took place on Friday, 22 Nov 1918. He
was laid to rest with full military honours with no near relatives present. A memorial was
erected in St Brigid's Church in 1920. The insignia above his name on the memorial is that of
The Royal Dublin Fusiliers.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – October 2018