Woman's successful quest to find her long lost Offaly cousins

A WOMAN who came to Tullamore from England to seek out long lost relations has said an online article published on the Offaly Live website by the Tullamore Tribune helped her locate many cousins.

Patricia Gregory, who celebrates her 73rd birthday this week (Tuesday, July 29), is a resident of Southampton who grew up in Manchester where she was raised by her father, the late John Gregory, and her paternal grandmother, the late Christina (Dinah) Pyke, a native of Tullamore who emigrated to England.

Ms Gregory arrived in Tullamore last Monday week after travelling up from the south having embarked at Rosslare port in her motorhome.

Ms Gregory, an only child who believes she has no remaining relations of Irish origin in England, learned from Offaly History and Tullamore parish records that her grandmother was born and baptised in 1888, the daughter of James Pyke and Margaret Dowling.

According to the baptismal certificate the sponsors were James Glennon and Lizzie Molloy.

James Pyke is listed in the 1901 census as the 55-year-old head of the family at 13 Henry Street, Tullamore, a mail car driver with five children, Joseph, James, Christina (aged 12 at the time) and John.

The 1911 census contains the names of two of those sons, James Pyke, who lived at 13 Henry Street, Tullamore and Joseph Pyke, a resident of 29 Tea Lane in the town.

Patricia said she was very grateful to Offaly History for the information provided, which also revealed that a William Pyke lived in 8 Market Square.

Other addresses for members of the Pyke family in the late 19th century were Convent View, White Hall and Chapel Street, Tullamore.

Patricia's grandmother Christina got married in England in January 1921 to Alfred Gregory. Both were living in Manchester and Christina's occupation was cotton weaver. Christina died in 1980.

Though she had no details about her relations in Tullamore she had photographs taken in the town on a family holiday in about 1953 when she was about a year old.

One of the pictures features her grandmother standing in the grounds of Charleville Castle. “I'm in a trolley in the background,” Patricia said.

A further picture taken the same day outside a house either on Henry Street or Tea Lane depicts Joe Pyke's wife with sons Jim, Paul and Arty.

Patricia has been touring Ireland on her own. She said her father died at the age of 61, 30 years ago. “I've got no family, I've got no siblings.” A family member on her father's side has been trying to link the Irish connection back to the family.

She said he had been doing quite well with the Gregorys over in England but kept “coming up against a brick wall [on the Irish Pyke side].”

That all changed when the article appeared on Offaly Live last week with an email address for Patricia resulted in Joe Cuskelly, Lahinch, Clara, making contact.

“It was Joe Cuskelly who emailed me and said Arty, Jim and Paul were his uncles. I think his daughter saw it [online] and said, 'These are your uncles',” Patricia explained.

Patricia has found that a Mary Pyke married a Cuskelly and had 10 children.

She has also learned that Arty (Arthur or Artie) Pyke moved to Athlone and became well known in GAA circles, especially in hurling. He died in 2015 and Patricia is hoping to make contact with his children.

Other relations she has found in Tullamore are Mary Westman, Rose O'Toole and Anne Brazil.

Patricia said she has enjoyed her time researching her family tree and meeting her cousins. “It's been really, really good. It's been a whole new experience and they've been so accommodating, they really have.”

She will be in Ireland for a few more weeks and plans to tour the west. She has had no difficulty as a solo traveller in her motor home. “I've been all over Europe in it on my own.”

Anyone who can give Patricia any further insight into her roots can email her at patgregory50@gmail.com

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