The Wright Family

many members of this family have Bourke as a middle name, and the family surname is sometimes seen as Bourke-Wright

Florence Henrietta Wright

Birth: 1869, in Glendale district, Northumberland, England

Baptism: 10 January 1869, in Wooler, Northumberland, England

Father: William Bourke Wright

Mother: Catherine Jane (Kilroy) Wright

Sources:

Henrietta B. Wright

Birth: July 1867, in Glendale district, Northumberland, England

Baptism: 18 August 1867, in Wooler, Northumberland, England

Father: William Bourke Wright

Mother: Catherine Jane (Kilroy) Wright

Notes: Henrietta was in the United States in 1900. She had been there 4 months at the census on 1 June 1900 and was staying with her uncle in Turlock, California.

Death: 19 February 1903, at 3 Florence Terrace, Leeson Park, Dublin, Ireland, aged 35, of pneumonia of duration 3 days, and heart failure.
Henrietta Wright is recorded as a spinster, aged 35, a lady. The informant is C. E. Wright, cousin, of 3 Florence Terrace, Leeson Park

Probate: granted 20 March 1903 to William Bourke Wright
Calendar of Wills and Administrations (1903)
WRIGHT Henrietta 20 March Administration (with the Will) of the estate of Henrietta Wright late of Athleague County Roscommon Spinster who died 19 February 1903 at 3 Florence-terrace Dublin granted at Tuam to The Reverend William Bourke Wright Clerk Effects £333 6s. 4d.

Census:
1900: Turlock, Stanislaus county, California

Sources:

Katherine Mary Henrietta Wright

Katherine Wright
Katherine Mary Henrietta Wright (1897)
later in life, Katherine styled herself as Katherine (or Kitty) Bourke-Wright

Birth: 1870, in Wooler, Northumberland, England

Baptism: 9 October 1870, in Wooler, Northumberland, England

Father: William Bourke Wright

Mother: Catherine Jane (Kilroy) Wright

Education: Katherine attended University College Aberystwyth, Wales, and then obtained a B.A. from McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (1898), with First Rank Honors in English Literature
University College of Wales magazine 3 December 1894
   News has come to us, from across the “fish-pond, which students of Sessions 1891-3 will be glad to hear. Miss Kathleen Bourkewright, a former student and prominent member of the Magazine staff, has this Session entered McGill University, Montreal, Canada, after having passed the Higher Entrance Matriculation Examination, and having gained a bursary of ninety dollars.
  In a letter to Miss Carpenter, she describes some phases of University life in the New Countree. Needless to say, they are in some respects in advance of us, e.g., all students have to wear the Academic gown and trencher. On the day on which she wrote she had donned hers, with great pride, for the first time.
  Yet in another branch they have not reached such an advanced stage in the equality of the sexes, as has been attained in the Sister Colleges of gallant little Wales; for, she tells us, the women have lectures in different rooms from the men, though in the same buildings. They take the same examinations however, and have all privileges and exemptions the same.
  Most of the Professors are from the old country; the Dean of the Faculty of Arts is of Trinity College, Dublin. The University there is, she says, a very fine one. The various buildings of it are scattered about beautiful grounds—the Campus, as they dub University grounds over there.
  True to the instinct born of long associations, Miss Bourkewright has already discovered, among the staff, warm friends of “Cymru Gu,” nay, even of dear old Aber. itself. We are sure that all students, who knew her, will join in warmly wishing her success in her new career.

Occupation: In 1900, Katherine worked on the staff of the Witness newspaper in Montreal

Death: 5 November 1944, in Tubberclaire, Glasson, Athlone district, county Westmeath, Ireland, aged 73. The cause of death is listed as myocardial degeneration.
Katherine Bourke Wright is recorded as a spinster, aged 73, the daughter of a clergyman.

Census & Addresses:
1903: Montreal, Quebec (Graduates of McGill University, Montreal p76)
1906: Athleague Rectory, county Roscommon (Graduates of McGill University, Montreal p90)
1911: Craig, Muff, county Donegal
1924: 41 Ashley Avenue, Lisburn Road, Belfast (McGill University Directory of Graduates 1924)

Sources:

Mable Selina Wright

Birth: 21 April 1872, at Athleague Glebe, Athleague, county Roscommon, Ireland
Mable Selina was born on Twenty first April 1872 at Athleague Glebe, Athleague, the daughter of William Bourke Wright, vicar of Athleague, and Catherine Bourke Wright formerly Kilroy

Baptism: in Athleague, county Roscommon, Ireland

Father: William Bourke Wright

Mother: Catherine Jane (Kilroy) Wright

Death: 1872, in Roscommon district, county Roscommon, Ireland, aged 0

Sources:

William Bourke Wright

Title: Reverend Canon

Birth: 1842, in Tipperary, county Tipperary, Ireland

Education: M.A. William was educated at Trinity College Dublin, where he is listed as a scholar of Classics in 1861. He received a B.A. in 1866 and an M.A. in 1892.

Married (1st): Catherine Jane Kilroy in 1866, in Cavan district, county Cavan, Ireland

Children: Married (2nd): Mary Mitchell in 1874, in Roscommon district, county Roscommon, Ireland. Mary was born in 1844/5, the daughter of General John Wray Mitchell R.A., of Castlestrange, county Roscommon. She died in 1882, in Roscommon district, county Roscommon, aged 37

Children: THE TUAM HERALD, SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1909
The marriage arranged between Michael P. Harding, National Bank, Roscommon,
son of the late George Harding, Charleville, and Mary Bourke Wright, daughter
of the late Rev. Canon W. Bourke Wright, M.A., of Athleague Vicarage, and
granddaughter of the late General John Wray Mitchell, R.A., of Castlestrange, Co
Roscommon, will take place in September.


Married (3rd): Jean Dick Baldie in 1893, in Mountbellew, county Galway, Ireland

Jean was born on 12 September 1852, in Govan, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, and baptised on 16 October 1852 in Regent Place United, Glasgow, the daughter of Robert Baldie and Ann Lennox Fraser.

Children:

Occupation: Clergyman. Minister of Athleague Vicarage and Mount Talbot in 1871. William was ordained as a priest on 22 September 1867 by the Bishop of Durham.
Crockford's Clerical Directory (1868) lists:
WRIGHT, William Bourke, Wooler, Northumberland.-Duh Univ. Scho. 1861 ; Deac. 1866 and Pr. 1867 by Bp of Dur. С. of Wooler 1866
Crockford's Clerical Directory (1872) has:
WRIGHT, William Bourke, Athleague, Roscommon.- Late Scho. of Trin. Coll. Dub. B.A. 1866; Deac. 1866, Pr. 1867 by Bp of Dur. V. of Athleagne, Dio. Elphin, 1871.  Formerly C. of Wooler Northumberland 1860-71.
and Crockford's Clerical Directory (1874) has:
WRIGHT, William Bourke, Athleague, Roscommon,- Late Scho. of T.C.D; B.A. 1866 d 1866 p 1867 by Bp of Dur. V. of Athleague, Dio. Elphin, 1871. Formerly C. of Wooler, Northumb. 1866-71.

William wrote this letter in 1880 to The Freeman (reprinted in The present case of Ireland plainly stated: a plea for my people and my race, p80, by Mary Francis Cusack (1881))
THE LAND AGITATION
TO THE EDITOR OF THE 'FREEMAN.'
ATHLEAGUE VICARAGE ROSCOMMON, Nov 1st

SIR,– My strong feeling on the subject urges me to enter my earnest protest against aggravating the trouble now existing in Ireland by the introduction of the religious element, so as to connect the one in any way with the other.  That there is no reason for doing so my experience leads me implicitly to believe.  I have been for nearly ten years resident in the west of Ireland, and I declare with great pleasure that I have never met anything but extreme kindness and courtesy from my Roman Catholic fellow-countrymen, lay and clerical.  Religion has nothing to do with the present disorder, the cessation of which is earnestly desired by all peaceable citizens–by Roman Catholics as much as by Protestants.– Yours faithfully,
 W. BOURKE WRIGHT, Vicar of Athleague.

Death: 19 March 1909, in Roscommon district, county Roscommon, Ireland, of a stroke, aged 67
Death of Canon Bourke Wright
We record with much regret, the death of Canon Bourke-Wright, MA, Rector of Athleague. The Rev. gentleman officiated as usual on last Sunday week and early in the evening was seized with a stroke of paralysis. He rallied somewhat, and was at once attended by his son-in-law, Dr. Croly RAMC. Although everything possible was done to preserve life, he succumbed early on yesterday (Friday). Much regret is felt far and near, for the removal of so genial a spirit – an able scholar, a reliable friend, a good neighbour. He was a member of most of the Diocesan organisations and had been Rector of the Parish for nearly forty years. We tender to his wife and family our truest sympathy.


Buried: Fuerty cemetery, county Roscommon, Ireland

Obituary: in the Roscommon Journal (reprinted in Roscommon People 27 March 2009)
Late Canon Bourke Wright
From his first coming to Athleague Mr. Wright had a great love for the Suck River, which flows past the Glebe lands. A skilled oarsman, he soon discovered that it was possible to descend the river by boat from Athleague to Ballinasloe, and many were the pleasant boating excursions he and his family and friends organised on days when duties were not too arduous.

He had seen the more prosperous days of the country Protestant Church in the West of Ireland, when it would be filled with comparatively large and wealthy congregations. Yet in these latter days of small congregations with usually limited means, he took as much interest in the two churches under his charge and used the same care in preaching and conducting the services as ever.

The working people love him, sensible that beneath their rough exteriors he recognised men, their circumstance differing no doubt, but with souls and hope and longs not incompatible with his own in the universe of things. He was truly glad to use his influence in promoting the welfare of all worthy people and to help cases of real distress from his own purse. All classes and creeds respected him and loved him and feel in his sudden ‘taking off’ the loss of a dear, personal, kindly, God-fearing friend – one who though he was connected with the past days of the district, yet retained to the last his interest in present matters.

A staunch and conscientious supporter of his own Church, the late Canon Wright respected and comprehended the different views of others. Protestants and Roman Catholics alike were glad to call him friend and both were equally welcome at his table. He appreciated and thoroughly understood the characteristics of the Western peasantry and frequently said that no more civil or generally intelligent, interesting and amiable people could be found anywhere than the peasants who lived in his part of Roscommon.

The late Canon Bourke was interred in the burying ground at Fuerty. The funeral was unquestionably the largest seen in the district for years, the long line of carriages and mourning arches extending for fully half a mile. The coffin, which was of oak, brass mounted, was hidden in beautiful wreaths.

Probate: granted 24 April 1909 to Jean D. Wright and Alice M. Wright
Calendar of Wills and Administrations (1909)
WRIGHT (The Reverend) William Bourke 24 April Probate of the Will of The Reverend William Bourke Wright late of Athleague Vicarage County Roscommon Clerk who died 19 March 1909 granted at Dublin to Jean D. Wright the Widow and Alice M. Wright Spinster Effects £1,607 11s. 9d.

Census:
1901: Glebe, Athleague West, county Roscommon

Sources:
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