James McGuinness and Ellen “Nelly” O'Kelly
James McGuinness was born about 1860. A census-based memorial biography gives his birthplace as Newcastle upon Tyne. likely An 1871 census entry suggests he may instead have been born in Felling about 1859, but this is not yet confirmed. unconfirmed He was a master draper. In the September quarter of 1885 he married Ellen O'Kelly, known in the family as Nelly, in Newcastle upon Tyne (index ref. Newcastle T. 10b 182). confirmed Ellen was born in Ireland, probably at Shanid in County Limerick, in 1864. likely
The draper of Felling High Street
James kept a large draper's shop on Felling High Street. likely (Gateshead History) On Constance's birth certificate, dated 12.8.1894, he is “James McGuinness, Draper (Master)”, and the birthplace is Shanid House, Felling. confirmed (GRO certificate) After his death in 1907, Nelly kept the business going with her sons Stuart and Philip. likely (NEWMP)
Where did they come from?
Nelly came from Shanid, in the parish of Shanagolden, west County Limerick. likely Constance's birth certificate gives her mother as “Ellen McGuinness, formerly O'Kelly”. confirmed (GRO certificate) An Irish civil birth record shows an Ellen Kelly born on 3.10.1864 at Shanid, daughter of Philip Kelly, farmer, and Catherine, whose maiden name is written Regan, Hegan or Egan. likely Her age at death, 74 in 1939, fits this birth exactly. We have not yet seen the 1885 marriage certificate, which should name her father and would settle it. unconfirmed
“Shanid House was built for James McGuinness and family who had a large shop on The Felling High Street. It was named after a castle in Ireland in the area he hailed from.” (Gateshead History, Posh Houses of The Felling)
The castle is Shanid Castle, just south of Shanagolden. Our research suggests the area was Nelly's, not James's. And the house had a namesake: see below.
The Kellys of Shanid
Philip Kelly farmed in the townland of Shanid Upper, in Kilmoylan civil parish, for more than fifty years.
- c.1852, Griffith's Valuation: Philip Kelly is listed as an occupier at Shanid Upper (OS sheet 19, map ref. 5). His landlord was Lord Monteagle. A Michael Kelly also held land there. confirmed (Griffith's Valuation)
- The family: Ellen's probable brothers and sisters were John and Margaret (both at home in 1901), Johanna (born 1866), Anna Maria (born 1869), Bridget (at home in 1901), and Sarah, who lived with Nelly and James at Alliance Villa in 1891. likely
- 18.5.1897: Kate (Catherine) Kelly died, aged 66. likely
- 1901 census: Philip Kelly, 75, widower and farmer, a speaker of Irish and English, was living at house 1, Shanid Upper. With him were John (48), Margaret (38) and Bridget (32), and three farm servants.
- The house was one of only three in the townland. It was stone-built with a slated roof, had four windows at the front, and the family used five rooms. It was classed as a “2nd-class” house.
- The farm had twelve out-buildings: a stable, a coach house, three cow houses, a dairy, two piggeries, a fowl house, a barn, a potato house and a shed.
- 20.6.1907: Philip Kelly died, aged 81. likely
- 1911 census: John Kelly, 54, farmed there with his wife, Mary. The house now had seven rooms and five front windows, and there were ten out-buildings. It seems the house was enlarged after 1901. confirmed
Two Shanid Houses. The farmhouse at Shanid Upper was itself called Shanid House. So the Felling house was very probably named after Nelly's childhood home, not just after the castle. likely The farmstead stands west of the road, south-east of the castle hill, at about 52.5498, −9.1131. A two-storey farmhouse still stands on the spot. That it is the Kelly house is unconfirmed.
Home in Felling and Heworth
At the 1891 census the family lived at Alliance Villa, near Belgrave Street, Heworth. Ellen's sister Sarah lived with them, as did a young servant. By 1901 they had moved to Shanid House, Heworth, Felling on Tyne. This remained Ellen's home for the rest of her life. likely
The children
| Name | Birth registered | Status |
|---|---|---|
| James Stewart (“Stuart”) | Dec qtr 1887, Gateshead 10a 772 | confirmed |
| Annora Mary Ursula (“Auntie Nora”) | Dec qtr 1889, Gateshead 10a 788. Known as Nora; her married name was Danaher | confirmed |
| Philip Aloysius (RFC pilot; DFM 1919) | Sep qtr 1891, Gateshead 10a 886 | confirmed |
| Mary Constantine (Constance), our grandmother: born at Shanid House on 12.8.1894; married Hartley Wilkinson in 1918 | Sep qtr 1894, Gateshead 10a 852 | confirmed (GRO index: mother's maiden name O'Kelly) |
A memorial researcher describes the family as “2 sons and 2 daughters”. The “Great Uncle Norman” of family memory was not a McGuinness: he was Norman Wilkinson, Hartley's younger brother, born in 1901. See Open Questions.
Later years
James died in 1907, aged only 47 (Gateshead district). likely Nelly ran the drapery with her sons Stuart and Philip. She lost Stuart in 1918, and she died on 9.4.1939 aged 74, still of Shanid House, Felling. Her death was registered at Newcastle upon Tyne. likely
The family headstone
A McGuinness family headstone stands in St Mary's churchyard, Heworth. It remembers “James Stewart McGuinness, their eldest son, who fell in action in France August 8th 1918, aged 30”, with the words “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” likely (NEWMP)