DRAFT
McCormick dynasty of Blackrock, Dun Laoghaire and Monkstown
The merchant McCormick family was a large one and had a number of branches living in some of the
grand houses in the general area of Blackrock, Dun Laoghaire and Monkstown in south county Dublin.
The branches were generally known by the name of their houses, ie The Stradbrooks, the Shandons,
etc. Intriguingly, the family patriarch Charles McCormick was a Wesleyan Minister who spent most of
his life ministering to Methodist groups throughout Ireland as the preaching of Wesley grew more
popular. By contrast, their children became merchants, established a family coal and shipping
business that eventually became Tedcastle McCormick.
The Rev Charles McCormick and Henrietta Smith
Charles McCormick was born circa 1778 in Co Tyrone to James McCormick and unknown Crozier. It
seems that as a small child in Co Tyrone, he was taken by his mother (who was herself a member of the
Established Church) to hear John Wesley himself speak. As an adult in 1800 in Co Tyrone, Charles
McCormick heard a Methodist preacher and was immediately converted. The conversion, it is alleged in
Methodist sources, had the drama of a ‘Road to Damascus’ experience. Seven years later he committed
himself to the life of a travelling preacher of the Methodist gospel and went immediately to preach in
Co Mayo. There he met Henrietta Smith (b 1790 to Samuel Smith and Jane Huston) whom he married in
1811. Having spent most of their married life following Charles’s mission, the couple came to Dublin in
1853 to live in Pottery Cottage (Monkstown). Charles and Henrietta had seven (known) children. None
of them followed Charles into ministry although the family identified as Methodist and at least one son,
William Ormsby, was active in his church in Dun Laoghaire. Charles died at Pottery Cottage in 1863 and
Henrietta in 1865. Both are buried in Deansgrange Cemetery.
1 James McCormick born circa 1812.
2 John McCormick born circa 1814 died in 1900. The family lived at Stradbrook.
3 Jane McCormick born circa 1816 married Rev Edward Banks in 1839 and died in 1901.
4 William Ormsby McCormick born circa 1819 married Maria Emily Hearn in 1848-1894. The
family lived at Ashgrove and Yapton.
5 Charles Ormsby McCormick born 1821 died in infancy.
6 Samuel McCormick born 1824 died in 1831.
7 Samuel Crozier McCormick 1833 married Mary Latchford in 1873. He secondly married Maud
Faussett in 1886.
Sources General Registry Office UK, General Register Office Ireland, Census records, Church records,
Directories, Press reports.
Contributor Bríd Nolan & Ross Nolan
Date July 2017, updated Jan 2020
McCormick dynasty of Blackrock, Dun Laoghaire and Monkstown
The merchant McCormick family was a large one and had a number of branches living in some of the
grand houses in the general area of Blackrock, Dun Laoghaire and Monkstown in south county Dublin.
The branches were generally known by the name of their houses, ie The Stradbrooks, the Shandons,
etc. Intriguingly, the family patriarch Charles McCormick was a Wesleyan Minister who spent most of
his life ministering to Methodist groups throughout Ireland as the preaching of Wesley grew more
popular. By contrast, their children became merchants, established a family coal and shipping
business that eventually became Tedcastle McCormick.
The Rev Charles McCormick and Henrietta Smith
Charles McCormick was born circa 1778 in Co Tyrone to James McCormick and unknown Crozier. It
seems that as a small child in Co Tyrone, he was taken by his mother (who was herself a member of the
Established Church) to hear John Wesley himself speak. As an adult in 1800 in Co Tyrone, Charles
McCormick heard a Methodist preacher and was immediately converted. The conversion, it is alleged in
Methodist sources, had the drama of a ‘Road to Damascus’ experience. Seven years later he committed
himself to the life of a travelling preacher of the Methodist gospel and went immediately to preach in
Co Mayo. There he met Henrietta Smith (b 1790 to Samuel Smith and Jane Huston) whom he married in
1811. Having spent most of their married life following Charles’s mission, the couple came to Dublin in
1853 to live in Pottery Cottage (Monkstown). Charles and Henrietta had seven (known) children. None
of them followed Charles into ministry although the family identified as Methodist and at least one son,
William Ormsby, was active in his church in Dun Laoghaire. Charles died at Pottery Cottage in 1863 and
Henrietta in 1865. Both are buried in Deansgrange Cemetery.
1 James McCormick born circa 1812.
2 John McCormick born circa 1814 died in 1900. The family lived at Stradbrook.
3 Jane McCormick born circa 1816 married Rev Edward Banks in 1839 and died in 1901.
4 William Ormsby McCormick born circa 1819 married Maria Emily Hearn in 1848-1894. The
family lived at Ashgrove and Yapton.
5 Charles Ormsby McCormick born 1821 died in infancy.
6 Samuel McCormick born 1824 died in 1831.
7 Samuel Crozier McCormick 1833 married Mary Latchford in 1873. He secondly married Maud
Faussett in 1886.
Sources General Registry Office UK, General Register Office Ireland, Census records, Church records,
Directories, Press reports.
Contributor Bríd Nolan & Ross Nolan
Date July 2017, updated Jan 2020