Emily Merrin
James Merrin > John Merrin > Emily Merrin
Emily May Merrin was the youngest child of my great-great-grandparents, John Merrin and his wife Catherine, née Cavanagh. She is not directly related to me but I'm recording the information I have about her in case it helps others.
Emily's name is recorded as Emily May on her birth certificate but she seems to have been known in her family as Emilia or Amelia and also sometimes as May.
Emily's name is recorded as Emily May on her birth certificate but she seems to have been known in her family as Emilia or Amelia and also sometimes as May.
Early Life
Emily was born in 1881 in Gulgong. Her father, John Merrin, was an Irishman who had emigrated to New South Wales in 1856 to become a policeman. Her parents were married in 1860 and had ten children together before Emily, their eleventh child, was born.
When Emily was born in 1881, John was stationed in Gulgong however he retired in October of that year and the family moved to Mudgee where they lived until 1900.
When Emily was born in 1881, John was stationed in Gulgong however he retired in October of that year and the family moved to Mudgee where they lived until 1900.
Marriage and Children
Emily married Myles Daniel Lynch at St Francis's Church in Oxford Street, Paddington, on 17 June 1914. Her name was recorded as Amelia M Merrin [1].
Newspaper reports of the involvement of several members of the Merrin family in the wedding ceremony seem to indicate that the family was quite close.
Newspaper reports of the involvement of several members of the Merrin family in the wedding ceremony seem to indicate that the family was quite close.
Children
Myles and May had two daughters: Esme Catherine, born on 21 March 1915 in Hamilton, Newcastle [2], and Norma G Lynch, born in 1916 in Narooma [3]. Note that one of May's brothers, Peter Arthur Merrin, was living with his family in Hamilton at the time of Esme's birth which may be why Myles and May were living there.
Life 1914 - 1919
May and Myles seem to have lived in Hamilton for only a short time after their marriage before moving to Narooma on the NSW South Coast since a newspaper report of May's death mentions that she came to Narooma 'as a bride'.
The Lynch family had been living in Narooma since about 1882 and in 1914 Myles's father was a well-known merchant in the town. Lynch’s Hotel is still there in 2010, though it's no longer run by the Lynch family.
An article dated 2 August 1919 in The Cobargo Chronicle describes may as a much-loved member of the community in Narooma where she and her husband ran the general store [4].
The Lynch family had been living in Narooma since about 1882 and in 1914 Myles's father was a well-known merchant in the town. Lynch’s Hotel is still there in 2010, though it's no longer run by the Lynch family.
An article dated 2 August 1919 in The Cobargo Chronicle describes may as a much-loved member of the community in Narooma where she and her husband ran the general store [4].
Death
May died on Friday 17 July 1919 in Narooma during the 1919 Spanish Flu pandemic. On the death certificate, her name was recorded as Amelia M Lynch [5]. An article dated 2 August 1919 in The Cobargo Chronicle describes the impact of the influenza pandemic on Narooma and mentions May's death: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/214539041
The family story is that Myles couldn’t cope with the death of his beloved May and left Narooma, leaving his two little girls - then aged 4 and 3 - in the custody of his single sister, Imelda. The girls were sent to the convent in Cobargo and finished their education at St Vincent’s in Potts Point so they were effectively boarders from the time they were aged 3 and 4 until they were 18 years old.
Myles married again to a German woman named Clara who was a dressmaker, making clothing for the high-end department stores in Sydney. Myles died in 1962 [6].
The family story is that Myles couldn’t cope with the death of his beloved May and left Narooma, leaving his two little girls - then aged 4 and 3 - in the custody of his single sister, Imelda. The girls were sent to the convent in Cobargo and finished their education at St Vincent’s in Potts Point so they were effectively boarders from the time they were aged 3 and 4 until they were 18 years old.
Myles married again to a German woman named Clara who was a dressmaker, making clothing for the high-end department stores in Sydney. Myles died in 1962 [6].
[1] NSW BDM 8293/1914;
[2] NSW BDM 22120/1915; email dated 19 August 2010 from Maggie Walker, granddaughter of Myles and May;
[3] NSW BDM 32492/1916;
[4] email dated 23 August 2010 from Maggie Walker, granddaughter of Myles and May;
[5] NSW BDM 17072/1919;
[6] email dated 23 August 2010 from Maggie Walker, granddaughter of Myles and May;
[2] NSW BDM 22120/1915; email dated 19 August 2010 from Maggie Walker, granddaughter of Myles and May;
[3] NSW BDM 32492/1916;
[4] email dated 23 August 2010 from Maggie Walker, granddaughter of Myles and May;
[5] NSW BDM 17072/1919;
[6] email dated 23 August 2010 from Maggie Walker, granddaughter of Myles and May;