We know that Thomas was born in Nenagh, Tipperary, Ireland.
Thomas' parents were Margaret (born c.1831, maiden name CUDDIHY) and William (born c.1821, Nenagh) Fitzpatrick. William worked as a Labourer - a theory goes that he brought his family over to Co. Durham to work at the new Tudhoe Ironworks, at some time before the birth of Patrick (1863).
Thanks to our Hilary for a correction to some details on Thomas' siblings which I published earlier - Thomas was not the oldest of four children. His parents had other children before him, namely; "an elder sister Margaret (born ~1849 in Ireland) and a younger one Joanna (born ~1856 in Ireland). There may also have been at least one other between Margaret and Thomas." Interesting, Hilary, Thankyou!
So Margaret & William had Margaret (born ~1849 in Ireland), (perhaps another?), Thomas (born 1854 in Ireland), Joanna (born ~1856 in Ireland), Patrick (born 1863 in England), Mary, Catherine (born 1872 in England).
Margaret & Joanna remain in Ireland when the family emigrated to Spennymoor, where Patrick and the 2 younger girls were born. Margaret was only ~14 when her brother Patrick was born over in England, so the two girls were surely left with an aunt or grandmother to bring them up.
There was a huge need for labourers at that time in Spennymoor as the Ironworks grew. A settled Catholic community was appearing - Tudhoe's RC church dedicated to St. Charles Borromeo was founded in 1858, removing the need to travel to the Brancepeth RC church, St. Brandon {which burnt down in 1998}.
Thomas Fitzpatrick's siblings
I have to thank Kevin for much of the information given here on Thomas' family. Thankyou! He is descended from Thomas' sister, Catherine Fitzpatrick, and has generously allowed me to share his research with you.
Catherine was born in Merrington, Co. Durham in 1872, and was baptised at St. Charles RC Church, Tudhoe. She married John CONNOLLY (1864-1925), known as 'Boss' in 1897, and had 2 daughters & a son. She also had her mother (Margaret) and sister (Mary) living in her home (seen in the 1901 census) - her father William had died in 1891. Sadly, Catherine died of TB in 1903, when she was just 29 years old. This hit John Connolly hard as you can imagine.
After Catherine's death, he took his family on the Lusitania to stay with his sister in USA (The Wiki page here tells us that Lusitania's maiden voyage was September 1907). He could not settle & came back to Spennymoor, working as a Labourer in the Ironworks / Coke Ovens. We can see from the 1911 census data that they have returned by then. John Connolly & his 3 bairns are staying with Margaret Fitzpatrick (82, widow) and her daughter Mary (42, single).
Thomas, then, is thought to be the oldest of the four children brought up in Co. Durham:
Patrick Fitzpatrick was born in 1863 in Merrington. He married Jane & they had 3 children. He worked as a Plate Mill Puddler (1901 census data, 4 Arthur St., Sp'moor). It can be supposed from the 1891 census that Patrick was supporting his parents and two sisters, as well as his wife.
Mary Fitzpatrick was born in 1867 in Merrington.
Catherine Fitzpatrick (1872-1903).
More Fitzpatricks living in Co. Durham (source was the 1911 census) included:
- Ann Fitzpatrick aged 78, born in Ireland - lived in Witton Park.
- Michael Fitz, aged 70, born in Ireland - lived in the Union Workhouse, 100 Cockton Hill, Bishop A. He was married & worked as an Ironworks Labourer.
- In the same institution; Thomas Fitz, aged 60, single, born Shildon, an engine fitter.
More info on the Irish Fitzpatricks can be found on the website, www.fitzsoc.com including history of the name.
The name Cuddihy is Irish, but it's an an anglicisation of the Gaelic Ó Cuidighthigh ‘descendant of Cuidightheach’, a personal name meaning ‘helper’. Source: Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press.
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