Hello Sadie and daughter

My name is Glenys Taylor and my husband is William Graham Taylor. We live in a town called Bombay in South Auckland New Zealand.

My husbands mother was born in Edenderry and her husbands family also lived there for many years. Two of Will’s sisters were born at 47 Edenderry.

My mother-in-law passed away just on a month ago. She was nearly 92 - and was born at 47 Edenderry on 21st August 1913.

Her parents were Samuel and Rose Anne Graham and they lived in Edenderry from the time of their marriage in 1898. Samuel died in 1941 but Rose Anne lived to the age of 91 and died in 1963.

My husbands family ‘the Taylor’s’ lived at 11 Edenderry. There were actually several Taylor families (cousins) living in Edenderry Matthew Taylor was another one.

Will’s family immigrated to New Zealand in 1952 and although they have loved their life in New Zealand, Will’s mum’s ‘heart’ (especially as she got very old) was always back in Edenderry.

Which brings me to the point of my letter! While ‘surfing’ on the internet just for curiosity I looked up Edenderry and there was Sadie’s reminisces of her early days which just sounded so much like Will’s mum.

Will’s grandfather was James Taylor and his wife was Sarah (nee Moore) James worked at the mill but lived in Milltown. They had 10 children - the fourth eldest was James Grimes Taylor. He was born on the 20th January 1875 in Ballynavally and died in The Royal Hospital in Belfast on 31st July 1903 aged 28.

The children were all baptised in the Drumbo Church of Ireland Church in Ballylesson but he was not. He was also the only one given a middle name and Grimes is a most unlikely name to be given. Will’s mum told us there were Grimes in Purdeysburn and Edenderry but couldn’t tell us anything else.

Although James appears in the 1901 Census living with the family in Milltown (he was 24 years old at this time) and he is in one family portrait he otherwise appears to have been completely removed from any family records and none of the older Taylor generation (Will’s father’s generation) was aware of his existence. We therefore feel that something ‘does not add up’!. If you can tell us anything that may link him with your or our family we would be very grateful to hear from you.

re his early death - it is said that he went to investigate an evening robbery at a hen house on Gray’s Farm on Milltown Hill and was shot by Mr Gray. He died about two years later from complications of the bullet wound. We do hope Sadie is still alive and keeping well - other names from Edenderry we used to hear about were Greers, Maze (also married to a Graham), John & Lilly Graham, Derek Seaton, McKee’s and Lowry’s.

Thankyou for reading my ‘ramblings’ and we would love to hear from you.