Leathley Family of Priory, Kilmacud & Rockford Blackrock
Joseph Leathley married Hester Ford
died circa November 1770 20 Sep 1763 died circa 1790
Glasnevin
Joseph Leathley, son of Joshua Leathley, a woollen merchant of Dublin and Elizabeth Slatt, married
Hester Ford on 20 Sept 1763. He died in Oct/Nov 1770 at Glasnevin. Hester died circa 1790.
1 Elizabeth Leathley born circa 1764 died circa 1789.
2 Hester Leathley born circa 1765.
3 Joseph Leathley born circa 1766 married Margaret Bell, daughter of Edward Bell
(ML 11 Aug 1792) by special licence at Cumberland Street, Rutland Square on 13 Aug 1792.
Joseph was a merchant and died at Molesworth Street 15 Aug 1809 and was buried at St
Nicholas without. Margaret died in September 1812 at Glouster Street and was buried at
St Nicholas without.
1 Forde Leathley born June 1793 at Molesworth Street married Elinor Harrison on
6 May 1813 at St Brigid’s parish, Dublin. They lived at Rockford in Blackrock from
1818 to 1821, this was the house of his uncle Roger Ford*. Forde Leatley of Rockford
House, Blackrock died 23 Nov 1821 and was buried at Monkstown. Ellen died
20 Mar 1859 at 62 Eccles Street.
1 Fanny Leathley, eldest daughter died a spinster at 7 Blessington Street on
17 May 1878. Her sister Ellen was her executor.
2 John Ford Leathley died an infant and was buried at Monkstown.
3 Jane Ann Leathley died an infant and was buried at Monkstown.
4 Margaretta Leathley second daughter born June 1818 at Rockford, Blackrock
and of 62 Eccles Street died 5 Oct 1853 in The Straffan rail accident. The train
had stopped with engine trouble and was ploughed into by a cattle train and
eighteen people lost their lives.
5 Ellen Leathley born circa 1820 lived at 7 Blessington Street with her sister, she
died a spinster at 16 Clarinda Park, Kingstown on 28 May 1898. Her nephew
Beauchamp C Stoker of Natal in Africa was her executor.
6 Forde Leathley born circa 1820 and of 62 Eccles Street married Dorcas Hill
Jackson youngest daughter of Captain Jackson of Mountpelier Cottage, Monkstown
at Monkstown Church on 2 Apr 1847. They lived at Priory, Kilmacud from 1849 to
1854 at which time the land was sold to the Dublin & Wicklow Railway Company.
Forde died 30 Sep 1886 aged 63 at 3 Longford Terrace, Monkstown and Dorcas
died 9 May 1907 aged 79 at Woodside, Tivoli in Cork.
1 Forde Lionel Leathley** born on 07.12.1849 at Kilmacud Priory attended
the Moravian Boarding School For Boys, Fairfield Square, Droylsden,
Ashton under Lyne, Lancashire. He emigrated to America and then to
New South Wales in Australia. He married Margaret Cecelia Letitia Storey
on 4 Aug 1885 at Fiji. Forde died at Wyalong on 2 Jun 1904 and Margaret
died at Eastwood NSW on 27 Mar 1934.
1 Forde Leathley, elder son born 24 Jul 1887 at Fiji was engineer to
the Macleay Shire Council and retired in 1938. He married Eva
Frances Cadden in 1920 and they divorced in 1930. He secondly
married Veronica Laurel Nestor (Nessie) Rowe at Annadale on
7 Jun 1930 and they divorced in 1934. He married Dorothy Annie
Ellen Small at Coffs Harbour in 1936. Dorothy was the youngest
daughter of the late David Newton Small of Woodlands, Upper
Orara. There was issue from the second two marriages.
2 Winifred Eileen Alice Dorcas Leathley born 27 Aug 1889 in Fiji died
in NSW on 28 Dec 1965.
3 Frances Lilian Leathley (possibly known to her family as Kitty) born
12 Jun 1891 in Fiji fl 1968.
4 Desmond Forde Leathley born 9 Aug 1894 in Fiji died in Australia on
25 Jul 1964.
2 Sarah Alice Leathley elder daughter born circa 1850 married Captain
William Beauchamp Stoker of 2nd West India Regiment elder son of William
Beauchamp Stoker of 7 Upper Mount Street on 07.04.1875 at Christ Church,
Kingstown. Alice died of diphtheria on 14.07.1884 at Sliema, Malta.
1 Captain Montgomerie Caulfield Leathley Stoker born 27.02.1876
married Dorothy Burrington on 15.04.1914 at Berrow Parish Church,
Somerset. Montgomery died on 25.07.1953 aged 76 years at St James
Place, Fermoy.
2 Forde Beauchamp Stoker born 11.03.1877 at 33 Blessington Street.
3 Grace (Daisy) Dorcas Stoker born 01.08.1879 at 25 Laburnum Terrace,
Belfast. Grace died on 14.07.1884 aged 4 years and 11 months at
Sliema, Malta on the same day as her mother Alice.
3 Ellen Eveline Leathley younger daughter married Oscar Thomas Woods MD
Medical Officer of the Killarney Asylum eldest son of William Woods on
26.03.1879 at Christ Church, Kingstown. Oscar died on 02.08.1906 aged 58 years
at Eglinton Asylum, Cork.
1 Mabel Kathleen Dorcas Woods born at 19.01.1880 at Lunatic Asylum,
Killarney and died on 21.04.1906 aged 26 years at Eglinton Asylum.
2 Fanny Elizabeth Ethel Woods born 02.02.1881 at Lunatic Asylum, Killarney.
3 Willliam Medlicott Woods 20.1.1882 at Lunatic Asylum, Killarney.
4 Ellen Adrienne Woods born 18.02.1883 at Lunatic Asylum, Killarney.
5 Charles Leathley Woods born on 05.07.1884 at Lunatic Asylum, Killarney.
6 Oscar Robert Woods born 02.10.1885 at Lunatic Asylum, Killarney.
7 Muriel Alice Mary Woods born 01.10.1892 at Cork Lunatic Asylum. Muriel died
unmarried on 17.01.1961 aged 63 years at Sir Patrick Dunn’s Hospital late of 18
Sheils Square, Stillorgan.
8 Eveline Rachel Woods born 28.08.1894 at Cork Lunatic Asylum.
9 Eileen Vera Marguerite Woods born 03.06.1897 and died 05.08.1897 aged 9
weeks at Cork Lunatic Asylum.
4 Rev James Forde Leathley born circa 1862 incumbent of Trillick, Tyrone married
Elizabeth Stuart (Bessie) Hallam eldest daughter of Rev William Hallam of Newent,
Gloucester And Margaret Reade on 16.04.1895 at St Mary’s Church, Donnybrook. James
died on 26.08.1937 at the Rectory of the Female Orphan House, North Circular Road,
Dublin.
1 Lieutenant Forde Leathley born 17.02.1896 at Trillick, Tyrone of the 1st Royal
Inniskilling Fusiliers and the Royal Flying Corps and awarded the Military Cross.
Forde married Ida E Foster on 27.04.1920 at St George’s, Hanover Square. He
retired from the Royal Air Force in 1925. Forde died on 25.08.1982 aged 86 years
at Cannes.
2 Kathleen Muriel May Leathley born 26.05.1897 at Trillick, Tyrone.
7 James Forde Leathley younger son born circa 1822 and of 62 Eccles Street drowned at Wexford
on 10 Oct 1857.
2 Daughter Leathley born June 1794 at Molesworth Street.
3 Elizabeth Leathley born circa 1796 died 18 Jul 1817 and was buried at St Nicholas Without.
4 Anna Forde Leathley born circa 1800 died at Marino Crescent in June 1849 and was buried at
St Peters.
5 Joseph Forde Leathley born circa 1801 graduated BA, MA Trinity College. He took Holy orders
and was curate of Kilmore, County Westmeath before being appointed rector of Termonfechin.
He married Frances Mary Osborne daughter of Sir Toler and Lady Henrietta Osborne nee de
Poer, and niece to the late and cousin to the present Earl of Clancarty at Killucan, Westmeath on
05.02.1829. Frances died at Torquay on 13.01.1840 aged 33. Joseph, late of 38 Fitzwilliam Square
died 31.12.1869 and was interred in the Kavanagh Vault at St Mullins, Carlow.
1 Daughter Leathley born 24.06.1830 at Kilmore Glebe.
2 Daughter Leathley born circa 20.10.1832 at Curristown at Kilmore Glebe.
3 Frances Mary Leathley born 22.03.1835 only surviving daughter married her cousin
Arthur MacMurrough Kavanagh of Borris House, Carlow son of Thomas Kavanagh on
10.03.1855 by special licence at Mountjoy Square North. Arthur died on 25.12.1889 at
19 Tedworth Square, Chelsea and Frances died on 02.01.1908 at Borris. Informant son
Walter Kavanagh.
6 Martha Forde Leathley fourth daughter born circa 1806 married Rev John Shea of
Abbeylaragh, Longford on 7 Oct 1830 at St Joseph's Church in Dublin. John was Curate
of Abbeylara in Longford and was appointed by his Grace the Archbishop of Tuam to the
rectory of that parish in 1832. Martha died 7 Jun 1849 at 10 Marino Crescent and John died
9 May 1865 at 28 Wellington Road.
1 Anne Forde Shea born circa 1832 married Rev Francis Kane in 1864. Francis died at
Kingstown in 1882 and Anne died in 1900.
2 Elizabeth Mary Shea second daughter born circa 1833 died from Typhus on
24 Jun 1849.
3 Daughter Shea born 9 Jan 1835.
4 Daughter Shea born October 1836 at Abbeylara Glebe.
5 John Henry Shea only son born 12 Nov 1838 at Abbeylara Glebe died 30 Sep 1840.
6 Edward Leathley Shea born April 1841 at Abbeylara Glebe took Holy orders. He
married Alice Frances Moore in 1868 at Dunoon.
7 Daughter Shea born 11 Jun 1843 at Abbeylara Vicarage.
8 John George Shea born 18 Feb 1846 at Abbeylara Vicarage died 22 May 1847.
*Roger Ford lived at Rockford near Blackrock in 1797. He was uncle to Elizabeth Leathley (who died in 1789)
and Joseph Leathley.
Joseph Leathley, bookseller of Dame Street, Dublin married Ann Robinson on 24 Jan 1740 and died 24 Apr 1756.
He mainly worked for Trinity College and after his death, his wife Ann took over the business. No children are
mentioned in Joseph's Will but he mentions his sister Mitabel who married a Mr Hunt, his sister Mary who married a
Mr Sheill and his sister Elizabeth who married Thomas Whitehouse in 1725. His brother Joshua Leathley (to who he
left his 3K books and who was married to Elizabeth Slatt) and his nephew Joseph Leathley are also mentioned.
This nephew Joseph is possibly the father of Forde Leathley (c1795-1821).
© June Bow & Karen Poff – January 2021/updated July 2022
** With thanks to Meg McPherson for all the additional information.
The Tragedy of the Leathley Daughters ( daughters of Joseph Leathley and Margaret Bell )
Joseph Leathley and Margaret Bell, gave birth to six children in Dublin between 1793 and 1806.
The youngest of these, Martha Forde Leathley was still a tiny child when both her parents died. The two
older sisters would have given a hand ; but the elder of these, Elizabeth, also sadly died, when Martha
was still only around eleven. Martha went on to marry the Rev John Shea, a curate in Abbeylara,
Longford, in 1830, who two years later, was appointed vicar of the Parish. What gave promise of being
the start of a very happy union, in hindsight was just the beginning of years racked with tragedy.
Between 1832 and 1846, Martha gave birth to eight babies, of whom five died at birth, or as toddlers.
During those years, Martha’s older sister, Anna Forde Leathley, must have commuted at times between
Dublin and Abbeylara, again to give a hand, but also to enjoy the company of the three surviving children.
The eldest daughter had been named after her.
Anne Forde Leathley was there again in early 1849 ; and perhaps having some premonition of what
was imminently ahead, had had a will drawn up during her stay. Perhaps feeling unwell , Martha, her
16 year old daughter, Elizabeth Mary Shea, and Anne Forde Leathley went to Dublin (10 Marino
Crescent Clontarf), where Martha tragically died on 7 June 1849. This was followed by Elizabeth Mary’s
death just three weeks later and by Anne Forde Leathley sometime in June 1849.
It seems, all three may have died very suddenly from typhus.
An unlikely reminder of the women’s lives remains still in Australia in 2022.
On April 30th 1849 (less than two months before the disaster), Anna Forde Leathley, presumably hale
and healthy, had written a message in a Bible for a James Coulter. It read:
“ James Coulter from his Sunday School Teacher A.F. Leathley as a token of remembrance.”
James Coulter, aged sixteen and a half, was about to leave Abbeylara to join into the military in Longford.
He later joined the Royal Irish Constabulary, and then, around eight years later, emigrated from Cork
(aboard the Herald, leaving Liverpool on the 27 October 1857) to take up a senior police position in
Launceston in Northern Tasmania. He left Ireland with a mere handful of references and the Bible.
Having lived through the Abbeylara tragedy (the dead teenage Elizabeth Mary Leathley was nearly an
identical age to him), James embarked on a new and hopeful life in Tasmania. It was good too for many
years, until four of his five sons in their early adult life succumbed to tuberculosis.
The youngest son, and sole male survivor, was my grandfather Charles Coulter, born in Launceston in 1882.
Meg
Joseph Leathley married Hester Ford
died circa November 1770 20 Sep 1763 died circa 1790
Glasnevin
Joseph Leathley, son of Joshua Leathley, a woollen merchant of Dublin and Elizabeth Slatt, married
Hester Ford on 20 Sept 1763. He died in Oct/Nov 1770 at Glasnevin. Hester died circa 1790.
1 Elizabeth Leathley born circa 1764 died circa 1789.
2 Hester Leathley born circa 1765.
3 Joseph Leathley born circa 1766 married Margaret Bell, daughter of Edward Bell
(ML 11 Aug 1792) by special licence at Cumberland Street, Rutland Square on 13 Aug 1792.
Joseph was a merchant and died at Molesworth Street 15 Aug 1809 and was buried at St
Nicholas without. Margaret died in September 1812 at Glouster Street and was buried at
St Nicholas without.
1 Forde Leathley born June 1793 at Molesworth Street married Elinor Harrison on
6 May 1813 at St Brigid’s parish, Dublin. They lived at Rockford in Blackrock from
1818 to 1821, this was the house of his uncle Roger Ford*. Forde Leatley of Rockford
House, Blackrock died 23 Nov 1821 and was buried at Monkstown. Ellen died
20 Mar 1859 at 62 Eccles Street.
1 Fanny Leathley, eldest daughter died a spinster at 7 Blessington Street on
17 May 1878. Her sister Ellen was her executor.
2 John Ford Leathley died an infant and was buried at Monkstown.
3 Jane Ann Leathley died an infant and was buried at Monkstown.
4 Margaretta Leathley second daughter born June 1818 at Rockford, Blackrock
and of 62 Eccles Street died 5 Oct 1853 in The Straffan rail accident. The train
had stopped with engine trouble and was ploughed into by a cattle train and
eighteen people lost their lives.
5 Ellen Leathley born circa 1820 lived at 7 Blessington Street with her sister, she
died a spinster at 16 Clarinda Park, Kingstown on 28 May 1898. Her nephew
Beauchamp C Stoker of Natal in Africa was her executor.
6 Forde Leathley born circa 1820 and of 62 Eccles Street married Dorcas Hill
Jackson youngest daughter of Captain Jackson of Mountpelier Cottage, Monkstown
at Monkstown Church on 2 Apr 1847. They lived at Priory, Kilmacud from 1849 to
1854 at which time the land was sold to the Dublin & Wicklow Railway Company.
Forde died 30 Sep 1886 aged 63 at 3 Longford Terrace, Monkstown and Dorcas
died 9 May 1907 aged 79 at Woodside, Tivoli in Cork.
1 Forde Lionel Leathley** born on 07.12.1849 at Kilmacud Priory attended
the Moravian Boarding School For Boys, Fairfield Square, Droylsden,
Ashton under Lyne, Lancashire. He emigrated to America and then to
New South Wales in Australia. He married Margaret Cecelia Letitia Storey
on 4 Aug 1885 at Fiji. Forde died at Wyalong on 2 Jun 1904 and Margaret
died at Eastwood NSW on 27 Mar 1934.
1 Forde Leathley, elder son born 24 Jul 1887 at Fiji was engineer to
the Macleay Shire Council and retired in 1938. He married Eva
Frances Cadden in 1920 and they divorced in 1930. He secondly
married Veronica Laurel Nestor (Nessie) Rowe at Annadale on
7 Jun 1930 and they divorced in 1934. He married Dorothy Annie
Ellen Small at Coffs Harbour in 1936. Dorothy was the youngest
daughter of the late David Newton Small of Woodlands, Upper
Orara. There was issue from the second two marriages.
2 Winifred Eileen Alice Dorcas Leathley born 27 Aug 1889 in Fiji died
in NSW on 28 Dec 1965.
3 Frances Lilian Leathley (possibly known to her family as Kitty) born
12 Jun 1891 in Fiji fl 1968.
4 Desmond Forde Leathley born 9 Aug 1894 in Fiji died in Australia on
25 Jul 1964.
2 Sarah Alice Leathley elder daughter born circa 1850 married Captain
William Beauchamp Stoker of 2nd West India Regiment elder son of William
Beauchamp Stoker of 7 Upper Mount Street on 07.04.1875 at Christ Church,
Kingstown. Alice died of diphtheria on 14.07.1884 at Sliema, Malta.
1 Captain Montgomerie Caulfield Leathley Stoker born 27.02.1876
married Dorothy Burrington on 15.04.1914 at Berrow Parish Church,
Somerset. Montgomery died on 25.07.1953 aged 76 years at St James
Place, Fermoy.
2 Forde Beauchamp Stoker born 11.03.1877 at 33 Blessington Street.
3 Grace (Daisy) Dorcas Stoker born 01.08.1879 at 25 Laburnum Terrace,
Belfast. Grace died on 14.07.1884 aged 4 years and 11 months at
Sliema, Malta on the same day as her mother Alice.
3 Ellen Eveline Leathley younger daughter married Oscar Thomas Woods MD
Medical Officer of the Killarney Asylum eldest son of William Woods on
26.03.1879 at Christ Church, Kingstown. Oscar died on 02.08.1906 aged 58 years
at Eglinton Asylum, Cork.
1 Mabel Kathleen Dorcas Woods born at 19.01.1880 at Lunatic Asylum,
Killarney and died on 21.04.1906 aged 26 years at Eglinton Asylum.
2 Fanny Elizabeth Ethel Woods born 02.02.1881 at Lunatic Asylum, Killarney.
3 Willliam Medlicott Woods 20.1.1882 at Lunatic Asylum, Killarney.
4 Ellen Adrienne Woods born 18.02.1883 at Lunatic Asylum, Killarney.
5 Charles Leathley Woods born on 05.07.1884 at Lunatic Asylum, Killarney.
6 Oscar Robert Woods born 02.10.1885 at Lunatic Asylum, Killarney.
7 Muriel Alice Mary Woods born 01.10.1892 at Cork Lunatic Asylum. Muriel died
unmarried on 17.01.1961 aged 63 years at Sir Patrick Dunn’s Hospital late of 18
Sheils Square, Stillorgan.
8 Eveline Rachel Woods born 28.08.1894 at Cork Lunatic Asylum.
9 Eileen Vera Marguerite Woods born 03.06.1897 and died 05.08.1897 aged 9
weeks at Cork Lunatic Asylum.
4 Rev James Forde Leathley born circa 1862 incumbent of Trillick, Tyrone married
Elizabeth Stuart (Bessie) Hallam eldest daughter of Rev William Hallam of Newent,
Gloucester And Margaret Reade on 16.04.1895 at St Mary’s Church, Donnybrook. James
died on 26.08.1937 at the Rectory of the Female Orphan House, North Circular Road,
Dublin.
1 Lieutenant Forde Leathley born 17.02.1896 at Trillick, Tyrone of the 1st Royal
Inniskilling Fusiliers and the Royal Flying Corps and awarded the Military Cross.
Forde married Ida E Foster on 27.04.1920 at St George’s, Hanover Square. He
retired from the Royal Air Force in 1925. Forde died on 25.08.1982 aged 86 years
at Cannes.
2 Kathleen Muriel May Leathley born 26.05.1897 at Trillick, Tyrone.
7 James Forde Leathley younger son born circa 1822 and of 62 Eccles Street drowned at Wexford
on 10 Oct 1857.
2 Daughter Leathley born June 1794 at Molesworth Street.
3 Elizabeth Leathley born circa 1796 died 18 Jul 1817 and was buried at St Nicholas Without.
4 Anna Forde Leathley born circa 1800 died at Marino Crescent in June 1849 and was buried at
St Peters.
5 Joseph Forde Leathley born circa 1801 graduated BA, MA Trinity College. He took Holy orders
and was curate of Kilmore, County Westmeath before being appointed rector of Termonfechin.
He married Frances Mary Osborne daughter of Sir Toler and Lady Henrietta Osborne nee de
Poer, and niece to the late and cousin to the present Earl of Clancarty at Killucan, Westmeath on
05.02.1829. Frances died at Torquay on 13.01.1840 aged 33. Joseph, late of 38 Fitzwilliam Square
died 31.12.1869 and was interred in the Kavanagh Vault at St Mullins, Carlow.
1 Daughter Leathley born 24.06.1830 at Kilmore Glebe.
2 Daughter Leathley born circa 20.10.1832 at Curristown at Kilmore Glebe.
3 Frances Mary Leathley born 22.03.1835 only surviving daughter married her cousin
Arthur MacMurrough Kavanagh of Borris House, Carlow son of Thomas Kavanagh on
10.03.1855 by special licence at Mountjoy Square North. Arthur died on 25.12.1889 at
19 Tedworth Square, Chelsea and Frances died on 02.01.1908 at Borris. Informant son
Walter Kavanagh.
6 Martha Forde Leathley fourth daughter born circa 1806 married Rev John Shea of
Abbeylaragh, Longford on 7 Oct 1830 at St Joseph's Church in Dublin. John was Curate
of Abbeylara in Longford and was appointed by his Grace the Archbishop of Tuam to the
rectory of that parish in 1832. Martha died 7 Jun 1849 at 10 Marino Crescent and John died
9 May 1865 at 28 Wellington Road.
1 Anne Forde Shea born circa 1832 married Rev Francis Kane in 1864. Francis died at
Kingstown in 1882 and Anne died in 1900.
2 Elizabeth Mary Shea second daughter born circa 1833 died from Typhus on
24 Jun 1849.
3 Daughter Shea born 9 Jan 1835.
4 Daughter Shea born October 1836 at Abbeylara Glebe.
5 John Henry Shea only son born 12 Nov 1838 at Abbeylara Glebe died 30 Sep 1840.
6 Edward Leathley Shea born April 1841 at Abbeylara Glebe took Holy orders. He
married Alice Frances Moore in 1868 at Dunoon.
7 Daughter Shea born 11 Jun 1843 at Abbeylara Vicarage.
8 John George Shea born 18 Feb 1846 at Abbeylara Vicarage died 22 May 1847.
*Roger Ford lived at Rockford near Blackrock in 1797. He was uncle to Elizabeth Leathley (who died in 1789)
and Joseph Leathley.
Joseph Leathley, bookseller of Dame Street, Dublin married Ann Robinson on 24 Jan 1740 and died 24 Apr 1756.
He mainly worked for Trinity College and after his death, his wife Ann took over the business. No children are
mentioned in Joseph's Will but he mentions his sister Mitabel who married a Mr Hunt, his sister Mary who married a
Mr Sheill and his sister Elizabeth who married Thomas Whitehouse in 1725. His brother Joshua Leathley (to who he
left his 3K books and who was married to Elizabeth Slatt) and his nephew Joseph Leathley are also mentioned.
This nephew Joseph is possibly the father of Forde Leathley (c1795-1821).
© June Bow & Karen Poff – January 2021/updated July 2022
** With thanks to Meg McPherson for all the additional information.
The Tragedy of the Leathley Daughters ( daughters of Joseph Leathley and Margaret Bell )
Joseph Leathley and Margaret Bell, gave birth to six children in Dublin between 1793 and 1806.
The youngest of these, Martha Forde Leathley was still a tiny child when both her parents died. The two
older sisters would have given a hand ; but the elder of these, Elizabeth, also sadly died, when Martha
was still only around eleven. Martha went on to marry the Rev John Shea, a curate in Abbeylara,
Longford, in 1830, who two years later, was appointed vicar of the Parish. What gave promise of being
the start of a very happy union, in hindsight was just the beginning of years racked with tragedy.
Between 1832 and 1846, Martha gave birth to eight babies, of whom five died at birth, or as toddlers.
During those years, Martha’s older sister, Anna Forde Leathley, must have commuted at times between
Dublin and Abbeylara, again to give a hand, but also to enjoy the company of the three surviving children.
The eldest daughter had been named after her.
Anne Forde Leathley was there again in early 1849 ; and perhaps having some premonition of what
was imminently ahead, had had a will drawn up during her stay. Perhaps feeling unwell , Martha, her
16 year old daughter, Elizabeth Mary Shea, and Anne Forde Leathley went to Dublin (10 Marino
Crescent Clontarf), where Martha tragically died on 7 June 1849. This was followed by Elizabeth Mary’s
death just three weeks later and by Anne Forde Leathley sometime in June 1849.
It seems, all three may have died very suddenly from typhus.
An unlikely reminder of the women’s lives remains still in Australia in 2022.
On April 30th 1849 (less than two months before the disaster), Anna Forde Leathley, presumably hale
and healthy, had written a message in a Bible for a James Coulter. It read:
“ James Coulter from his Sunday School Teacher A.F. Leathley as a token of remembrance.”
James Coulter, aged sixteen and a half, was about to leave Abbeylara to join into the military in Longford.
He later joined the Royal Irish Constabulary, and then, around eight years later, emigrated from Cork
(aboard the Herald, leaving Liverpool on the 27 October 1857) to take up a senior police position in
Launceston in Northern Tasmania. He left Ireland with a mere handful of references and the Bible.
Having lived through the Abbeylara tragedy (the dead teenage Elizabeth Mary Leathley was nearly an
identical age to him), James embarked on a new and hopeful life in Tasmania. It was good too for many
years, until four of his five sons in their early adult life succumbed to tuberculosis.
The youngest son, and sole male survivor, was my grandfather Charles Coulter, born in Launceston in 1882.
Meg