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 was a shopkeeper of Ballina. He married Maria
Emily Hearn on 27 Jan 1848 at Ballina. Maria was the daughter of John Hearne, a merchant
and his wife Charlotte. They were living in Kingstown by 1855 and William was the proprietor
of the Kingstown Pottery and Tile works at Clarence Street. The family lived at Ashgrove and
later at Yapton from 1893 to 1903. William was a JP and a poor law guardian for the
Rathdown Union. He died on 18 Jul 1894 at Yapton and was buried at Deansgrange. Maria
moved to Queenspark circa 1903. She died 26 Oct 1912 and was buried at Deansgrange.
1 John Hearne McCormick eldest child died 18 Apr 1861 at Eglinton Terrace, Kingstown.
2 William McCormick born circa 1852. He was living at Ardnaree, Monkstown and
married Ella Gresham at Hull in 1883. Ella died aged 30 on 2 Aug 1890 at Ardnaree
shortly after giving birth to twins and was buried at Deansgrange.
1 William Gresham McCormick born 1884 at Kingstown.
2 Edith McCormick born 25 May 1885 at Kingstown.
3 Stillborn McCormick (twin) 31 Jul 1890 at Ardnaree.
4 Hugh McCormick (twin) 31 Jul 1890 at Ardnaree.
He secondly married Helena Jane Green on 5 Jun 1894. They were living at Queen's
Park in 1911 with six children.
3 Charles Frederick McCormick third son born circa 1853 died at Eglinton Park,
Kingstown on 17 Aug 1863.
4 Arthur McCormick born circa 1854, a retired unmarried clergyman and lunatic was
living with his brother Frederick in Mayo in 1901?
5 Maria Alexandra McCormick third daughter born circa 1856 married Edward Nathan
McCormick (her cousin) on 1 Mar 1892 at Yapton. Edward was the son of John
McCormick of Stradbrook. Maria died 17 Mar 1900 and was buried at Deansgrange.
Edward was living with his mother in law at Yapton in 1901.
Edward secondly married Catherine Cecelia Dulcianna Christian on 28 Feb 1905.
Catherine was living at Clarinda Park and was the daughter of George Arnold Christian,
a retired major. They were living in Glenageary in 1911 and had two children. Edward
died on 16 Sep 1933 and was buried at Deansgrange. Dulcie died 28 Feb 1953 and was
buried with her husband.
6 James Ernest McCormick born circa 1857. He was a merchant living at Ashgrove and
married Annie Maria Deacon on 8 May 1883. James was appointed a JP in 1903. Annie
died at Seafield House Monkstown in 1904 and James was living in Blackrock with his two
daughters, Florence & Kathleen in 1911 and died in 1931 late of Druid Hill.
7 Cormac McCormick born 2 Dec 1858 in Kingstown was living at Yapton in 1901. He
died unmarried on 4 Jan 1938 at Oban, Argyllshire
8 Charlotte Victoria Florence Kathleen (Kathleen) McCormick born circa 1859 married
Thomas McCormick on 14 Sep 1886 at the Methodist Church in Kingstown. Thomas
was her cousin and the son of John McCormick.
9 Jane Emma born 1864 died 1865.
10 Frederick Charles McCormick born 7 Jun 1865 at Ashgrove. He married Violet Hilda
Barrett on 9 Mar 1910 at Christchurch, Southport. Violet was the daughter of John Chalk
Barrett of Southport. They lived in Killiney and Frederick died in 1945.
11 Albert Victor McCormick born circa 1867 at Kingstown was a coal merchant. He
married Sarah Beatty de Courcy on 2 Aug 1911 at Lucan. Sarah was the daughter of
Edward de Courcy, Methodist minister. He was on the Rathdown Urban District Council
and appointed a JP in 1914.
12 Ormsby McCormick born circa 1868 was dumb. He was unmarried and was living with
his brother in Mayo in 1901?
6 Charles Ormsby McCormick born 1821 died in infancy.
7 Samuel McCormick born 1824 died in 1831.
8 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 March 2025
Return to Yapton page
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 was a shopkeeper of Ballina. He married Maria
Emily Hearn on 27 Jan 1848 at Ballina. Maria was the daughter of John Hearne, a merchant
and his wife Charlotte. They were living in Kingstown by 1855 and William was the proprietor
of the Kingstown Pottery and Tile works at Clarence Street. The family lived at Ashgrove and
later at Yapton from 1893 to 1903. William was a JP and a poor law guardian for the
Rathdown Union. He died on 18 Jul 1894 at Yapton and was buried at Deansgrange. Maria
moved to Queenspark circa 1903. She died 26 Oct 1912 and was buried at Deansgrange.
1 John Hearne McCormick eldest child died 18 Apr 1861 at Eglinton Terrace, Kingstown.
2 William McCormick born circa 1852. He was living at Ardnaree, Monkstown and
married Ella Gresham at Hull in 1883. Ella died aged 30 on 2 Aug 1890 at Ardnaree
shortly after giving birth to twins and was buried at Deansgrange.
1 William Gresham McCormick born 1884 at Kingstown.
2 Edith McCormick born 25 May 1885 at Kingstown.
3 Stillborn McCormick (twin) 31 Jul 1890 at Ardnaree.
4 Hugh McCormick (twin) 31 Jul 1890 at Ardnaree.
He secondly married Helena Jane Green on 5 Jun 1894. They were living at Queen's
Park in 1911 with six children.
3 Charles Frederick McCormick third son born circa 1853 died at Eglinton Park,
Kingstown on 17 Aug 1863.
4 Arthur McCormick born circa 1854, a retired unmarried clergyman and lunatic was
living with his brother Frederick in Mayo in 1901?
5 Maria Alexandra McCormick third daughter born circa 1856 married Edward Nathan
McCormick (her cousin) on 1 Mar 1892 at Yapton. Edward was the son of John
McCormick of Stradbrook. Maria died 17 Mar 1900 and was buried at Deansgrange.
Edward was living with his mother in law at Yapton in 1901.
Edward secondly married Catherine Cecelia Dulcianna Christian on 28 Feb 1905.
Catherine was living at Clarinda Park and was the daughter of George Arnold Christian,
a retired major. They were living in Glenageary in 1911 and had two children. Edward
died on 16 Sep 1933 and was buried at Deansgrange. Dulcie died 28 Feb 1953 and was
buried with her husband.
6 James Ernest McCormick born circa 1857. He was a merchant living at Ashgrove and
married Annie Maria Deacon on 8 May 1883. James was appointed a JP in 1903. Annie
died at Seafield House Monkstown in 1904 and James was living in Blackrock with his two
daughters, Florence & Kathleen in 1911 and died in 1931 late of Druid Hill.
7 Cormac McCormick born 2 Dec 1858 in Kingstown was living at Yapton in 1901. He
died unmarried on 4 Jan 1938 at Oban, Argyllshire
8 Charlotte Victoria Florence Kathleen (Kathleen) McCormick born circa 1859 married
Thomas McCormick on 14 Sep 1886 at the Methodist Church in Kingstown. Thomas
was her cousin and the son of John McCormick.
9 Jane Emma born 1864 died 1865.
10 Frederick Charles McCormick born 7 Jun 1865 at Ashgrove. He married Violet Hilda
Barrett on 9 Mar 1910 at Christchurch, Southport. Violet was the daughter of John Chalk
Barrett of Southport. They lived in Killiney and Frederick died in 1945.
11 Albert Victor McCormick born circa 1867 at Kingstown was a coal merchant. He
married Sarah Beatty de Courcy on 2 Aug 1911 at Lucan. Sarah was the daughter of
Edward de Courcy, Methodist minister. He was on the Rathdown Urban District Council
and appointed a JP in 1914.
12 Ormsby McCormick born circa 1868 was dumb. He was unmarried and was living with
his brother in Mayo in 1901?
6 Charles Ormsby McCormick born 1821 died in infancy.
7 Samuel McCormick born 1824 died in 1831.
8 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 March 2025
Return to Yapton page