The Yeats family
John Butler Yeats married Susan May Pollexfen
born 16 Mar 1839 10 Sep 1863 born 13 Jul 1841
Lawrencetown, Co Down St John’s Parish Church Sligo
died 3 Feb 1922 Sligo died 3 Jan 1900
New York Bedford Park, London
John Butler Yeats eldest son born 16 Mar 1839 at Lawrencetown, Co Down son of Rev
William Butler Yeats and Jane Grace Corbert. His father was rector of Tullylish, Dromore,
Co Down. He was educated at Trinity College and admitted Kings Inns. He was still a
law student when he married Susan Mary Pollexfen on 10 Sep 1863 at Parish Church of
St John in Sligo. Susan was the eldest daughter of William Pollexfen a shipping and corn
merchant and his wife Elizabeth Louisa Middleton. He gave up on law and decided to
earn a living as a portrait painter. In 1867 John moved to London and studied at the
Heatherley School of Fine Art. Susan and their children moved to her father’s house
Merville before joining John in London. They moved frequently, sometimes living in
Dublin, London or Sligo and were never financially secure. The family returned to
Ireland in 1881, and John started to exhibit paintings at the Royal Hibernian Academy,
which elected him RHA in 1892. Susan suffered a stroke in 1884 and never really
recovered. She died 3 Jan 1900 at 3 Blenheim Road, Bedford Park, London and was
buried at St John’s Church of Ireland, Sligo. In later life John blamed himself that his
daughters had to earn their own money and support the family and also admitted that
it had been a difficult life for his wife. The National Gallery of Ireland holds a number of
his portraits in oil and works on paper. He went to America in 1907 and never returned
home. He died in boarding house run by the Mademoiselles Petitpasat at 317 West
29th Street on 3 Feb 1922. He was buried at Chestertown Rural Cemetery in Chestertown,
New York.
1 William Butler Yeats born 13 Jun 1865 at 1 George Ville, Sandymount Strand. He
was an Irish poet, dramatist and writer. He married Bertha Georgie (George) a
scholar, occultist and publisher on 20 Oct 1917 in London. George was the
daughter of William Gilbert Hyde Lees, captain in the 4th Battalion, Manchester
Regiment, and Edith Ellen (Nelly) Woodmass. They lived at Ballylee Castle, Gort
from 1916 and later moved to 82 Merrion Square owned by Maud Gonne.
1 Anne Butler Yeats born 26 Feb 1919 at Fitzwilliam Court. She was educated at
a boarding school in Villars-sur-Bex, Switzerland and later at Hillcourt School,
Glenageary. She was a painter, costume and stage designer. She was a
founder Square in 1922. George died 23 Aug 1968 and was buried with her
husband's grave in Drumcliffe, Co Sligo. She was a member of the Graphic
Studio, where she worked on lithographs. She was a member of the Irish trade
delegation to China in 1956 and to New York and Washington in 1963. In 1969
she collaborated with her brother in revitalizing the Cuala Press.
2 Michael Yeats only son born on 22 Aug 1921 in Cuttlebrook House, Thame,
Oxfordshire. He was educated at St Columba's College, Dublin and Trinity. He
qualified as a lawyer but never practised. He married Gráinne Ní hEigeartaigh,
a harpist and was a Fianna Fáil Senator. He served as a Member of the European
Parliament from 1973 to 1979.
2 Susan Mary (Lily) Yeats born 25 Aug 1866 in Enniscrone, Co Sligo she attended the
Chiswick School of Art trained under May Morris (daughter of William) worked with
William Morris as an embroidery. The sisters moved back to Dublin with Evelyn Gleeson,
a suffragette, and took control over their own lives. They envisioned a centre of creativity
and a way to earn a living, as in creating beautiful things but also running a business.
They split with Evelyn Gleeson in 1908 and rebranded at Cuala Press. In 1910 Lily and
her siblings became beneficiaries under the will of their uncle George Pollexfen. She and
her surviving siblings received a one quarter share 47K which had been split 9 ways (about
£1300 each – 200k each in today’s money). Lily was involved in organising the month-long
Irish Exhibition at Madison Square Garden. She was ill from 1923 with an undiagnosed
thyroid problem and died unmarried on 5 Jan 1949 at Gurteen Dhas, Churchtown,
Dundrum. Her funeral service was held at St Nahi’s and she was buried in the adjoining
graveyard.
3 Elizabeth Corbet Yeats (Lolly) born 1868 at Fitzroy Road, London. She attended the
Chiswick School of Art. She qualified as a Froebel teacher and education inspector. She
was a published author and an art instructor publishing four different volumes on teaching
children to paint. Elizabeth learned how to print, worked as a printer and later taught
printing. In 1903 her first output was a hand printed book on linen rags from Saggart Mills
‘In the Seven Woods: Being Poems Chiefly of the Irish Heroic Age’, this was a volume of
poems by her brother W B Yeats. She finished printing 325 copies on the 16 Jul 1903 (in
the year of the big wind). In Ulysses Joyce mockingly and scornfully jibes, and refers to
Lolly and Lily as the weird sisters. Elizabeth died unmarried on 16 Jan 1940 at 16 Herbert
Street late of Gurteen Dhas, Churchtown, Dundrum. She was buried at St Nahi’s,
Dundrum.
4 Robert Corbett Yeats born 1870 died 1 Mar 1873 at Merville House, Sligo, the home of
William Pollexfen.
5 John Butler (Jack) Yeats born 29 Aug 1871 in London. He lived with his grandparent in
Sligo until 1887. He went to the Kensington School and later attended the Chiswick School
of Art. He married Mary Cottenham (Cottie) White a fellow student on 24 Aug 1894 at
Emmanuel Church, Gunnersbury, Surrey. They lived in England held his first exhibition in
Dublin in 1899 and in 1910 moved to Ireland. They were living in Greystones in 1911 in a
house called Cartref and they had no children. He won the first Olympic medal for the Irish
Free State when his painting of the Liffey Swim won silver at the 1924 Olympics in Paris.
Cottie died 28 Apr 1947 aged 80 at Portobello House late of Fitzwilliam Square. Jack died
28 Mar 1957 at Portobello House. He was quite successful in his lifetime but his
reputation has grown infinitely since his death.
6 Jane Grace Yeats born 1875 died at 14 Edith Villas, Fulham and was buried at Brompton
Cemetery on 8 Jun 1876.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - March 2018
Return to Dun Emer page
John Butler Yeats married Susan May Pollexfen
born 16 Mar 1839 10 Sep 1863 born 13 Jul 1841
Lawrencetown, Co Down St John’s Parish Church Sligo
died 3 Feb 1922 Sligo died 3 Jan 1900
New York Bedford Park, London
John Butler Yeats eldest son born 16 Mar 1839 at Lawrencetown, Co Down son of Rev
William Butler Yeats and Jane Grace Corbert. His father was rector of Tullylish, Dromore,
Co Down. He was educated at Trinity College and admitted Kings Inns. He was still a
law student when he married Susan Mary Pollexfen on 10 Sep 1863 at Parish Church of
St John in Sligo. Susan was the eldest daughter of William Pollexfen a shipping and corn
merchant and his wife Elizabeth Louisa Middleton. He gave up on law and decided to
earn a living as a portrait painter. In 1867 John moved to London and studied at the
Heatherley School of Fine Art. Susan and their children moved to her father’s house
Merville before joining John in London. They moved frequently, sometimes living in
Dublin, London or Sligo and were never financially secure. The family returned to
Ireland in 1881, and John started to exhibit paintings at the Royal Hibernian Academy,
which elected him RHA in 1892. Susan suffered a stroke in 1884 and never really
recovered. She died 3 Jan 1900 at 3 Blenheim Road, Bedford Park, London and was
buried at St John’s Church of Ireland, Sligo. In later life John blamed himself that his
daughters had to earn their own money and support the family and also admitted that
it had been a difficult life for his wife. The National Gallery of Ireland holds a number of
his portraits in oil and works on paper. He went to America in 1907 and never returned
home. He died in boarding house run by the Mademoiselles Petitpasat at 317 West
29th Street on 3 Feb 1922. He was buried at Chestertown Rural Cemetery in Chestertown,
New York.
1 William Butler Yeats born 13 Jun 1865 at 1 George Ville, Sandymount Strand. He
was an Irish poet, dramatist and writer. He married Bertha Georgie (George) a
scholar, occultist and publisher on 20 Oct 1917 in London. George was the
daughter of William Gilbert Hyde Lees, captain in the 4th Battalion, Manchester
Regiment, and Edith Ellen (Nelly) Woodmass. They lived at Ballylee Castle, Gort
from 1916 and later moved to 82 Merrion Square owned by Maud Gonne.
1 Anne Butler Yeats born 26 Feb 1919 at Fitzwilliam Court. She was educated at
a boarding school in Villars-sur-Bex, Switzerland and later at Hillcourt School,
Glenageary. She was a painter, costume and stage designer. She was a
founder Square in 1922. George died 23 Aug 1968 and was buried with her
husband's grave in Drumcliffe, Co Sligo. She was a member of the Graphic
Studio, where she worked on lithographs. She was a member of the Irish trade
delegation to China in 1956 and to New York and Washington in 1963. In 1969
she collaborated with her brother in revitalizing the Cuala Press.
2 Michael Yeats only son born on 22 Aug 1921 in Cuttlebrook House, Thame,
Oxfordshire. He was educated at St Columba's College, Dublin and Trinity. He
qualified as a lawyer but never practised. He married Gráinne Ní hEigeartaigh,
a harpist and was a Fianna Fáil Senator. He served as a Member of the European
Parliament from 1973 to 1979.
2 Susan Mary (Lily) Yeats born 25 Aug 1866 in Enniscrone, Co Sligo she attended the
Chiswick School of Art trained under May Morris (daughter of William) worked with
William Morris as an embroidery. The sisters moved back to Dublin with Evelyn Gleeson,
a suffragette, and took control over their own lives. They envisioned a centre of creativity
and a way to earn a living, as in creating beautiful things but also running a business.
They split with Evelyn Gleeson in 1908 and rebranded at Cuala Press. In 1910 Lily and
her siblings became beneficiaries under the will of their uncle George Pollexfen. She and
her surviving siblings received a one quarter share 47K which had been split 9 ways (about
£1300 each – 200k each in today’s money). Lily was involved in organising the month-long
Irish Exhibition at Madison Square Garden. She was ill from 1923 with an undiagnosed
thyroid problem and died unmarried on 5 Jan 1949 at Gurteen Dhas, Churchtown,
Dundrum. Her funeral service was held at St Nahi’s and she was buried in the adjoining
graveyard.
3 Elizabeth Corbet Yeats (Lolly) born 1868 at Fitzroy Road, London. She attended the
Chiswick School of Art. She qualified as a Froebel teacher and education inspector. She
was a published author and an art instructor publishing four different volumes on teaching
children to paint. Elizabeth learned how to print, worked as a printer and later taught
printing. In 1903 her first output was a hand printed book on linen rags from Saggart Mills
‘In the Seven Woods: Being Poems Chiefly of the Irish Heroic Age’, this was a volume of
poems by her brother W B Yeats. She finished printing 325 copies on the 16 Jul 1903 (in
the year of the big wind). In Ulysses Joyce mockingly and scornfully jibes, and refers to
Lolly and Lily as the weird sisters. Elizabeth died unmarried on 16 Jan 1940 at 16 Herbert
Street late of Gurteen Dhas, Churchtown, Dundrum. She was buried at St Nahi’s,
Dundrum.
4 Robert Corbett Yeats born 1870 died 1 Mar 1873 at Merville House, Sligo, the home of
William Pollexfen.
5 John Butler (Jack) Yeats born 29 Aug 1871 in London. He lived with his grandparent in
Sligo until 1887. He went to the Kensington School and later attended the Chiswick School
of Art. He married Mary Cottenham (Cottie) White a fellow student on 24 Aug 1894 at
Emmanuel Church, Gunnersbury, Surrey. They lived in England held his first exhibition in
Dublin in 1899 and in 1910 moved to Ireland. They were living in Greystones in 1911 in a
house called Cartref and they had no children. He won the first Olympic medal for the Irish
Free State when his painting of the Liffey Swim won silver at the 1924 Olympics in Paris.
Cottie died 28 Apr 1947 aged 80 at Portobello House late of Fitzwilliam Square. Jack died
28 Mar 1957 at Portobello House. He was quite successful in his lifetime but his
reputation has grown infinitely since his death.
6 Jane Grace Yeats born 1875 died at 14 Edith Villas, Fulham and was buried at Brompton
Cemetery on 8 Jun 1876.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - March 2018
Return to Dun Emer page