Remembering two young lives lost in tragic circumstances in Tipperary

A series of special events will take place in Clonmel this month to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the tragic deaths of Anna Grubb and Lieutenant Frederick Close, two young people whose untimely passing in 1826 captured national attention and has remained part of local folklore for two centuries.

Born in 1807 into a well-known Quaker family in Mountmellick, Co Laois, Anna Grubb came to Clonmel in 1822 as an apprentice to her uncle, Robert George Grubb, a milliner whose premises stood on what is now Maher’s Pharmacy on O’Connell Street.

Frederick Close, born in Manchester in 1804, enlisted in the army at a young age before rising to the rank of Lieutenant.
In 1825 he was transferred to Clonmel with the 86th (Royal County Down) Regiment of Foot, where he is believed to have begun a relationship with Anna.

On February 26 1826, the couple met for a walk along the towpath near the Gashouse Bridge—a route they were said to frequent. They were never seen alive again.

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Frederick’s body was discovered in the River Suir on March 15 1826, followed by the recovery of Anna’s body two days later. Inquests into both deaths returned the verdict “Found Drowned”. The tragedy generated widespread coverage in newspapers across Ireland and Britain and was the subject of numerous accounts throughout the 19th century.

Frederick was laid to rest with full military honours in Old St Mary’s Churchyard, while Anna was buried in the Friends (Quaker) Burial Ground on O’Neill Street.

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To mark the 200th anniversary, a local committee comprising of Stephanie Woods, Tipperary County Council Library Service; Shirley Clooney, Clonmel Union of Parishes; Julia Walsh Drohan, Tipperary Museum and Kay Nagle, Chair of the 18th Regiment of Foot and South Irish Horse Association has organised several events to honour the memory of Anna and Frederick.

A commemoration service will be held at Old St Mary’s Church, Clonmel at 3pm on this Sunday, February 22.

Hosted by the Clonmel Union of Parishes, the service will include the laying of flowers or wreaths on both graves, followed by refreshments. A retiring collection will be taken after the service in aid of repairs to Old St Mary’s and the suicide awareness group C-SAW. All are welcome to attend.

A public lecture, “The Varied Lives of Clonmel Quaker Women” will be held on Wednesday, February 25 at 6.30pm at Clonmel Library.

Historian and author Clodagh Grubb will give a talk exploring the lives and contributions of Quaker women in Clonmel during the late 18th to mid-19th century.

Admission is free, but pre-booking is required due to limited capacity, email museum@tipperarycoco.ie or ring 052-6165254.

An exhibition, Clonmel in the 19th Century and the Quaker Community takes place from Monday, February 16 – Saturday, February 28 at Clonmel Library.

This exhibition will highlight the history of Clonmel’s Quaker community and aspects of social life in 19th century Clonmel.
Admission is free during library opening hours.

While speculation and legend have surrounded the deaths of Anna Grubb and Lieutenant Frederick Close, what remains certain is that two young lives were lost in tragic circumstances. These commemorative events aim to remember them with dignity and to reflect on their place in local history.