Welsh Mining Disasters

[Garry Wroe]

I think Garry's point is entirely valid, and the more I come to think of it, the more I believe that Kelly wasn't her name. The MJK murder had to have been the most notorious and widely-reported murder for years. And unlike the others, no one came forward to claim her as blood kin.

Precisely, Chava. Hence it is all but impossible that Kelly was Mary Jane's marital or familial surname. For this reason, I'd be interested in learning more about the supposed visit of Kelly's 'father' described my Mrs Carthy. Likewise, I'm also intrigued by the story related by Mrs Carthy in which Kelly was said to have turned up with a man in tow and paid two shillings for the overnight use of a room. Given that this alleged incident occurred whilst Kelly was still cohabiting with Barnett, I wonder whether the paramour in question might have been Johnto.

Best wishes.

Garry Wroe.

[Bridewell]

I suspect Mrs Buki may be a misreading of a journalist's handwriting by a print-setter and that the 'i' is actually a flattened 'e'. There is a Caroline Buke listed in the 1881 census as resident at 9, Gilston Road, Kensington who is one possibility.
As regards Kelly herself I'm not convinced that Mary Kelly wasn't her real name. As research has shown, there were a lot of them, so she would not need to invent a name to protect the good name of her family, which would presumably be the intention. The one unusual thing she said about herself which might help is the reported claim of having only one sister, but six or seven brothers. I've drawn a blank in Carmarthenshire, but in Denbighshire, North Wales (near Carnarvonshire) there is listed, in the 1881 census, at Broughton Colliery Cottages, a Hubert Kelly, together with his wife Bridget, seven sons and two daughters, one of them a Mary, aged 17. Both parents, and six of the eight children are born in Ireland. There is no brother called Henry, but intriguingly (perhaps unsurprisingly) there is a Davies family next door but one, with a 25 year old son, Johnathan, a colliery engine driver. I can't find a wedding, but wonder if the youngest child, aged 1, is actually Mary's own. This would explain her vagueness about having '6 or 7' brothers. A child born out of wedlock might also explain her having left home. Perhaps she only changed the forename of her brother and the location in Wales. Just another possibility among many though, I'm afraid.

[Stephen Thomas]

The one unusual thing she said about herself which might help is the reported claim of having only one sister, but six or seven brothers. I've drawn a blank in Carmarthenshire, but in Denbighshire, North Wales (near Carnarvonshire) there is listed, in the 1881 census, at Broughton Colliery Cottages, a Hubert Kelly, together with his wife Bridget, seven sons and two daughters, one of them a Mary, aged 17. Both parents, and six of the eight children are born in Ireland. There is no brother called Henry, but intriguingly (perhaps unsurprisingly) there is a Davies family next door but one, with a 25 year old son, Johnathan, a colliery engine driver. I can't find a wedding, but wonder if the youngest child, aged 1, is actually Mary's own. This would explain her vagueness about having '6 or 7' brothers.

Hi Bridewell and welcome

I don't know if all this has been discussed and dismissed before but if not this may be a major breakthrough as regards MJK's background.

[lynn cates]

Chris Scott

Hello Bridewell. Welcome to the boards.

The Mary Jane of Hubert and Bridget is discussed in Chris Scott's book, "Will the Real Mary Kelly . . . ?"

But do keep searching.

Cheers.
LC

[curious]

Since she appears to have also been known as "Fair Emma" has extensive research been done for an Emma?