The Mullins/Mullen Ancestors, Dublin

     One of my first discoveries about my paternal grandfather was the change in spelling from Mullen to Mullins. In the 1901 Census he was Joseph Mullen, but on his marriage certificate in September 1907 to Anne Clarke, he became a Mullins. However, the first three of their eleven children were born with the surname ‘Mullen’ on their civil birth certificates. Both of these surnames, and their variants, originated from many sources throughout Ireland1. I had heard many stories about him being a champion cyclist and I was able to confirm this by researching the newspapers2 and, in particular, a weekly magazine, ‘The Irish Cyclist and Motor Cyclist’ in the National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street3.           

     I have heard many stories from my relatives about Joseph and Anne having a bakery shop in the shop unit in 50 High Street, where they lived just after their marriage in 1907, and through the Civil War, but have been unable to confirm this, although I believe it is true. Joseph then trained as a plumber and within a few years he became self-employed working from 50 High Street and by 1925 it had become a small plumbing and electrical business4 working from the small shop unit. They also had the house to themselves at this time, unlike 1911 when they lived in a single room. A visit to the Valuation Office showed that they were tenants in this house and they remained that way. I have located an old business letterhead of Joseph, and he can also be found in the Thom’s Directories from 1925 to 1963. Of his seven siblings, the only one I had heard about was his brother Edward who died fighting in the First World War5, and I have since discovered much about his regiment, the Leinster Regiment, and their involvement in the war up to his death in 19176. He died on the 7th of June, at Messines Ridge, near Ypres in Belgium. I now also know the other six siblings, born between 1884 and 1899, having located their birth and/or baptismal certificates, but by the time I was born, there was no communication with them or their descendants and I have no recollection of them being spoken of.

     His parents, my great grandparents, were Joseph Mullen and Catherine Monks. They were married in St. Audoens Church, High Street, Dublin in November 1875, but I have yet to locate their baptismal certificates. He was a stevedore, working on the Dublin docks. She was the daughter of Richard and Anne Monks and lived in 19 High Street. I have searched many websites for their birth/baptismal certificates, including ‘Family Search Pilot and Beta’, ‘Roots Ireland’ and ‘Irish Genealogy’, but without success. They were born between 1854 and 1858, and they state that they were born in Dublin city on the 1901 and 1911 Census Returns. Both their parents died in Dublin. From the day they were married in 1875 until Joseph’s death in 1922, they lived in at least eight different addresses, all in the same area and probably in one or two rooms and the last of these was 23 High Street.  

     My great, great grandfather was George Mullen, a labourer, and on his death certificate it lists his surviving wife as Catherine. In the 1901 Census Catherine was still alive and living alone in Hanbury Lane where he had died. I have yet to discover her maiden name, however on the return form she lists her place of birth as Wicklow. This was in about 1832. She is the only Irish ancestor I have located to date whom I know was born outside Dublin, but with no maiden name and county area or parish, I have been unsuccessful in searching the Wicklow church records.

     All of my Dublin ancestors were lower class tenement dwellers and lived in very poor over-crowded conditions. They changed their address every few years, but kept to the same Christ Church area, although things did improve for my grandparents in 50 High Street when the business got going in the late 1920’s, and they became the only occupiers of the large house. George Mullen was born about 1825, and could possibly be from Wicklow also, but I have not been able to locate him. On the Griffith’s Valuations for Wicklow there are very few ‘Mullen’ and only one George of a much older age. They are all in just four parishes. These are Kilpoole, Delgany, Newcastle Upper and Rathnew in the north east of the county, however other variants are in many other places. Eventually, the Wicklow church records should be included on the Irish Genealogy web site, but that could be many years away. I have yet to search the Wicklow parish records available in the National Library of Ireland, although I did search them on ‘Roots Ireland’ without success. The Irish Genealogy web site is excellent for the Dublin parish records and is more user friendly than the Heritage Database available in the Dublin City Library and Archive, Pearse Street, although there is still some information on the database that is not yet on the web site.    

     On the 1851 Dublin City Census I located a George McMullen in 32 High Street7. I then located a Baptismal certificate for the same name in St. Audoen’s church, High Street in the year 1808. As I know my great, great grandfather was born about 1825, so this is not him, but possibly a relation. There are many ‘Mullen’ in the south city area of Dublin in the 1901 Census Returns. However, the majority of them were born in Dublin city, although a few were born in Wicklow and I can’t say if they were related to my ancestors.

     In the various commercial directories, only my grandfather can be found. Similarly, none could be found in the Wills and Administrations. I located the burial places of my great grandfather, Joseph Mullen, and my great great grandfather, George Mullen, in Glasnevin cemetery8, including the dates of their deaths, but there are no gravestones and others are buried there now.   

The Marriage of Joseph Mullins and Anne Clarke, 11 September 1907.

Right, Joseph Mullins and

Below, his wife, Anne Clarke

Right, Edward Mullen, Leinster Regiment, died on 7 June, 1917, Messines Ridge, Belgium.

1901 Census Return of Catherine Mullen,  Hanbury Lane, Dublin. Place of Birth - Wicklow.

7   Dublin City Census 1851, available online at http://www.origins.net/help/aboutio-dub1851.aspx , viewed 18 Nov. 2011.

1  Edward MacLysaght, ‘The Surnames of Ireland’, 11th Edit, p. 227, First pub. in 1985, Colourbooks Ltd., Ire.

2  ‘Cycle Racing – Celtic C.C. at Malahide’, The Freemans Journal, 22 Aug. 1904. Dub. City Library, Pearse St.

3  ‘Various Published Articles, The Irish Cyclist and Motor Cyclist Magazine, from 1903 – 1911. NLI, Kildare St.

4   Thoms Irish Almanac and Official Directory, 1925 – 1963, NLI, Kildare St.

5  Commonwealth War Graves Commission, accessible at http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_d etails.aspx?casualty=918238 ,  viewed 18 Nov. 2011.   and http://www.cwgc.org/ypres/content.asp ?id=85&menu=sub,   viewed 18 Nov. 2011.

6  Captain F. C. Hitchcock, ’Stand To -A Diary of the Trenches’, First Published in 1936, Reprint 1965, Naval & Military Press, Eng.

Stationery for the Plumbing and Electrical Business, 50 High St., Dublin.

8   Record Search for Glasnevin Cemetery available on  http://www.glasnevintrust.ie , 18 Nov. 2011.