Rita and Rosa White from Tramore

John:

Welcome to ireland Reaching Out!

Can you clarify the dates in your message? You indicate that Vincent Joseph White was a well-known person in the late 1800s but his sister died in 1983? Thanks!

Roger McDonnell

Hi Roger. Apologies, I have my dates mixed up! Vincent was Mayor in 1921. Rita was born in 1893 and Mary Teresa (Rosa or Rosie is some newspaper articles) was born in 1890.

Many thanks, John

John:

Sorry I've been delayed in getting back to you. I put the message aside so I could do some searches.

Your White ancestors died between the end of civil death index records (1958) and the time period where obituaries started to be placed online. Killmacthomas and Tramore are about 28 kilometers apart so likely a few cemeteries between the two towns.

Can I suggest that you contact the library branches in the two towns and see if they can offer some suggestions on where the White sisters were buried.  http://www.waterfordcouncil.ie/departments/library/branches/index.htm

Roger

Thank you for the response Roger, I will contact the loibraries. I am hoping to visit sometime in the summer and will undertake some research then.

Many thanks,

John

Just an update - I contacted Waterford City & County Council Library Service regarding the deaths, and within 24 hours received an email with 2 newspaper cuttings giving me the obituaries for both ladies. Fantastic service and highly commended.

Thanks for the help,

Kind regards,

John

John:

Great news! Thanks for the update.

Roger

Just as an aside to the above, it looks like one of the sisters is buried with her mother, Johanna White, but the other is at a different graveyard. Rita appears to be with her mum in Ballygunner at St. Mary's church (confirmed by Johanna White's obituary), and Rosa at Holy Cross in Tramore. 

Is there any way of telling who is in what grave? I'm not sure where Johanna's husband, Joseph Trerence White is buried, who died in 1915. 21 years before Johanna. I would have thought that Johanna would be with her husband, unless they were different religions?

Thanks again, John

John:

You would have to contact the people who manage the cemeteries.

Roger

Thanks Roger,

John

My wife and I have just returned from Ireland. Thanks to the help of the local church offices we located the graves of both ladies, and were able to pay our respects.

John:

That is great news! Hope you had a wonderful trip.

Roger