Person:Michael Reid (5)

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Michael John Reid
m. 10 Feb 1884
  1. Joseph Reid1885 - 1885
  2. Michael John Reid1886 - 1973
  3. Joseph Reid1888 - 1953
m. 27 Jul 1922
Facts and Events
Name Michael John Reid
Gender Male
Birth[1] 22 May 1886 Monasterevin, County Kildare, IrelandSkirteen
Christening[2] 23 May 1886 Monasterevin, County Kildare, Ireland
Census[3] 31 Mar 1901 Monasterevin, County Kildare, IrelandCoolnafearagh
Census[4] 2 Apr 1911 Paddington, London, England32 Formosa Street
Marriage 27 Jul 1922 Paddington, London, EnglandOur Lady of Lourdes & St Vincent de Paul Catholic Church
to Mary Jane Sweeney
Census[6] 29 Sep 1939 Urchfont, Wiltshire, EnglandThe Lamb Inn
Death[7] 12 Dec 1973 Luton, Bedfordshire, EnglandSt Mary's Hopsital
Burial[8] 19 Dec 1973 Ealing, London, EnglandGreenford Park Cemetery

Childhood

Michael Reid was born on 22nd May 1886 in the townland of Skirteen in the parish of Monasterevin, County Kildare, Ireland. He was the son of Mary Reid, formerly Cleary, and her husband John Reid, a mason and bricklayer. Michael was the second of their three sons, but his older brother had died as a baby before Michael was born, making him effectively the eldest of two boys. When Michael was born, three of his grandparents were still alive, all of whom were living at Monasterevin at that time. His paternal grandfather, another John Reid, died in November 1887, after which Michael's paternal grandmother left Monasterevin to live with her daughter in Dublin. Michael's maternal grandfather, Maurice Cleary, died at Skirteen in 1893. Michael would later recount to his own grandchildren stories he was told by Maurice. Apparently Michael had once tried to smoke Maurice's pipe and found it disgusting. Over in Dublin, Michael's paternal grandmother Julia Reid died in 1896.

Michael at about the time he left Ireland and moved to London.
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Michael at about the time he left Ireland and moved to London.
The 1901 census finds Michael living with his parents and younger brother Joseph at Coolnafearagh, the neighbouring townland to Skirteen. He was described as a scholar. Both Michael and Joseph were said to be able to speak Irish and English, whereas their parents could only speak English. Perhaps the Irish language was taught at the local school.

Adulthood

In 1906, aged 20, Michael began his career as a teacher. He initially went to work at Mount St Joseph School in Roscrea, County Tipperary. In 1908 he left Ireland and moved to London to complete his teacher training at St Mary's Teacher Training College at Brook Green in Hammersmith, whilst working at Our Lady of the Rosary School. The 1911 census finds Michael lodging with a couple called Joseph and Jane Rasey at Formosa Street in the Paddington area of London.

Michael continued working at Our Lady of the Rosary School until 1915, a few months after the outbreak of the First World War. His teaching records make clear that he was engaged in war service between 1915 and 1919. Military records confirming his service have not been found, but family recollection has it that he served in the British Army and was engaged for part of the war at Bantry Bay in Ireland running search lights for the Atlantic conveys bringing supplies from America. He is also said to have spent some time in a military hospital at Chatham in Kent.

After the war, Michael returned to London and resumed teaching, this time at St Mary's Boys' School in North Kensington, where he would eventually become headmaster. He also returned to live with the Raseys, who by 1922 were living at 5 Peploe Road in Willesden. The landlady there was a widow named Margaret Sweeney. On 27th July 1922 Michael married his landlady's daughter, Mary Sweeney. Michael was 36 when he married, and Mary had just turned 40.

Michael (seated, left) at his brother Joseph's marriage in 1927 in Dublin.
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Michael (seated, left) at his brother Joseph's marriage in 1927 in Dublin.
Michael and Mary continued living with her mother at 5 Peploe Road. They had a daughter Mary in 1925, but sadly she died when only nine days old. In 1927 they had another daughter, who would be their only child to survive infancy. Mary was 45 by the time her surviving daughter was born.

Back in Ireland Michael's parents were still alive when their only surviving granddaughter was born, but his mother died the following month and his father died the following year. Michael stayed in touch with his brother Joseph in Ireland, and in 1927 attended his brother's marriage in Dublin.

Michael and Mary shortly after they married, at their allotment in Kilburn.
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Michael and Mary shortly after they married, at their allotment in Kilburn.
Between 1928 and 1929 Michael and Mary, their daughter and Mary's mother Margaret Sweeney left 5 Peploe Road and moved out to 73 Cecil Avenue in Wembley. They would be joined there at different times by several of Michael's relatives, notably his Doyle cousins from Ireland. The family lived at 73 Cecil Avenue for about 30 years, with a break during the Second World War.

When the Second World War broke out Michael's school was evacuated. As headmaster he was evacuated with the school and was allowed to take his wife and daughter with him. They were evacuated initially to Urchfont in Wiltshire, where they stayed at The Lamb Inn. They later moved to Paignton in Devon. The house at 73 Cecil Avenue was let out whilst they were gone. Apparently whilst they were gone a bomb fell in its back garden but did not explode.

Towards the end of the war the family returned to London. Unable to regain possession of 73 Cecil Avenue from their tenants at first, they had to live with Michael's cousin James Doyle, who ran a sweet shop at 160 Tollington Park Road in the Finsbury Park area and had a flat above the shop. They later returned to 73 Cecil Avenue.

Michael's daughter married in 1953, and shortly afterwards left the London area, moving out to Luton, where all Michael's four grandchildren were born.

Mary died in 1957, aged 74. After her death Michael moved to Luton to be near his daughter's family. He lodged around the town for a time, before eventually moving in with his daughter's family. He died in Luton on 12th December 1973, aged 87. He was buried at the Greenford Park Cemetery in Ealing, in the same grave as Mary.

References
  1. Birth certificate, in General Register Office of Ireland. Civil Registration.

    Birth Registered in the district of Monasterevin in the Superintendent Registrar's District of Athy in the County of Co. Kildare
    No. 247
    Date of Birth: 1886 Twenty Second May
    Place of Birth: Skirteen
    Name: Michael
    Sex: Male
    Name and Surname and Dwelling-Place of Father: John Reid, Skirteen
    Name and Surname and Maiden name of Mother: Mary Reid formerly Cleary
    Rank or Profession of Father: Operative Stone Mason
    Signature, Qualification and Residence of informant: Mary Reid, mother, Skirteen
    When Registered: Twenty Eighth June 1886
    Signature of Registrar: Joseph Storey, Registrar

  2. Monasterevin (Roman Catholic) baptisms, in Kildare Genealogy. Kildare Genealogy.

    Name: Michael Reed
    Date of Baptism: 23 May 1886
    Address: Skirteen
    Parish: Monasterevin
    Gender: Male
    Denomination: Roman Catholic
    Father: John Reed
    Mother: Mary Cleary
    Sponsor 1: Thomas Cleary
    Sponsor 2: Brigid Balfe

  3. Census Office. Ireland Census 1901. (National Archives of Ireland)
    Kildare / Monasterevan / Coolnafearagh / Schedule 31, 31 Mar 1901.

    Address: Coolnafearagh, Monasterevan, County Kildare
    Form A (about the family):
    John Reid, head of family, Roman Catholic, Read & write, 46 [1854/5], male, Mason, married, b. Dublin City
    Mary Reid, wife, Roman Catholic, Read & write, 48 [1852/3], female, married, b. Co. Kildare
    Michael Reid, son, Roman Catholic, Read & write, 14 [1886/7], male, Scholar, not married, b. Co. Kildare, speaks Irish & English
    Joseph Reid, son, Roman Catholic, Read & write, 12 [1888/9], male, Scholar, not married, b. Co. Kildare, speaks Irish & English
    Form B (about the house):
    Private dwelling
    Out-offices: 1 (piggery)
    Walls: Mud, wood or other perishable material
    Roof: Thatch, wood or other perishable material
    Windows in front of house: 2
    Class of house: 3rd class
    Number of families in house: 1 (head John Reid)
    Rooms occupied: 2
    Landholder: John Reid

  4. England. 1911 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom: The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
    Class RG14; Piece 32; Schedule 398, 2 Apr 1911.

    Address: 32 Formosa Street, Maida Vale, London, W (Parish of Paddington)
    4 rooms occupied
    Joseph Charles Rasey, head, male, 36 [1874/5], married, Glazier, Alfred Rasey - Glazier Glass Cutter, worker, b. Brondesbury, Middlesex
    Jane Elizabeth Rasey, wife, female, 37 [1873/4], married 8 years, 1 child born alive, 1 child still living, b. Aylesham, Norfolk
    Michael Reid, boarder, male, 24 [1886/7], single, Teacher (Assistant), London County Council, b. Monasterevan, Kildare (Resident)

  5.   England. Teachers' Registration Council Registers 1914-1948.

    TEACHERS REGISTRATION COUNCIL
    REID, MICHAEL
    Date of Registration: 1st August, 1931.
    Professional Address: St. Mary's R.C. Boys' School, East Row, N. KENSINGTON, W.10.
    Attainments: Board of Education Certificate.
    Training in Teaching: St. Mary's, Brook Green, Hammersmith.
    Experience: Assistant Master - Mt.St.Joseph College - Roscrea, Ireland. 1906;
    Our Lady of the Rosary School, W. 1908-1915;
    (War Service, 1915-1919).
    St. Mary's R.C. Boys' School, East Row. N. Kensington, W.10. 1919-

  6. General Register Office. 1939 Register
    Devizes Rural District, 29 Sep 1939.

    The Lamb Inn, Urchfont, Wiltshire
    Giddings, Samuel / male/ 4 Mar 1879 / married / (Timekeeper Reitred) Innkeeper
    Giddings, Clara J. / female / 12 Nov 1887 / married / Unpaid domestic duties
    Reid, Michael John / male / 22 May 1886 / married / Schoolmaster (elementary)
    Reid, Mary / female / 11 Jul 1885 / married / Unpaid domestic duties
    [one record closed]

  7. Death certificate, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

    Registration District: Luton
    Administrative area: County Borough of Luton
    Date and place of death: Twelfth December 1973, St Mary's Hospital
    Name and surname: Michael John Reid
    Date and place of birth: 22nd May 1886, Irish Republic
    Occupation and usual address: Head Master (Retired), 67 Mendip Way, Luton
    Name and surname of informant: Maureen Kelly, daughter, 67 Mendip Way, Luton
    Cause of death: I.(a) Bronchopneumonia II. Cerebral arteriosclerosis, Certified by M.B. Sheth M.B.
    Registered: 13 Dec 1973

  8. London Borough of Ealing Council: Ealing Council Burial Records, in England & Scotland, Select Cemetery Registers, 1800-2016.

    bur. 19 Dec 1973, Greenford Park Cemetery, Ealing, Greater London: Michael Reid, 87 [1885/6], Cemetery Section s22, Grave Number 34331

  9.   London, England. Electoral Registers, 1832-1965
    1922: 5 Peploe Road, Willesden
    Rasey, Jane
    Rasey, Joseph
    Reid, Michael
    Sreeves, Robert
    Sweeney, Margaret

    1923: 5 Peploe Road, Willesden
    Rasey, Jane
    Rasey, Joseph
    Reid, Mary
    Reid, Michael
    Sweeney, Margaret

    1924: 5 Peploe Road, Willesden
    Rasey, Jane
    Rasey, Joseph
    Reid, Mary
    Reid, Michael
    Sweeney, Margaret

    1925: 5 Peploe Road, Willesden
    Rasey, Jane
    Rasey, Joseph
    Reid, Mary
    Reid, Michael
    Sweeney, Margaret

    1926: 5 Peploe Road, Willesden
    Collard, George Henry
    Reid, Mary
    Reid, Michael
    Sweeney, Margaret

    1927: 5 Peploe Road, Willesden
    Reid, Mary
    Reid, Michael
    Sweeney, Margaret

    1928: 5 Peploe Road, Willesden
    Reid, Mary
    Reid, Michael
    Sweeney, Margaret

    1929: 73 Cecil Avenue, Wembley
    Read, Mary
    Read, Michael
    Sweeney, Margaret
    Sweeney, Margaret, Jnr.

    1930: 73 Cecil Avenue, Wembley
    Doyle, Maurice
    Read, Mary
    Read, Michael
    Sweeney, Margaret

    1931: 73 Cecil Avenue, Wembley
    Doyle, Maurice
    Reid, Mary
    Reid, Michael
    Sweeney, Margaret

    1932: 73 Cecil Avenue, Wembley
    Reid, Mary
    Reid, Michael
    Sweeney, Margaret

    1933: 73 Cecil Avenue, Wembley
    Reid, Mary
    Reid, Michael

    1934: 73 Cecil Avenue, Wembley
    Reid, Mary
    Reid, Michael

    1935: 73 Cecil Avenue, Wembley
    Reid, Mary
    Reid, Michael

    1936: 73 Cecil Avenue, Wembley
    Reid, Mary
    Reid, Michael

    1950: 73 Cecil Avenue, Wembley
    Reid, Mary
    Reid, Maureen D.
    Reid, Michael

    1951: 73 Cecil Avenue, Wembley
    Reid, Mary
    Reid, Maureen D.
    Reid, Michael

    1952: 73 Cecil Avenue, Wembley
    Reid, Mary
    Reid, Maureen D.
    Reid, Michael

    1957: 73 Cecil Avenue, Wembley
    Reid, Mary
    Reid, Michael