Henry McErlane (1889-1956) was my grandmother’s elder
brother – my great-uncle. When his mother died the children were split up – my granny
to be brought up by her paternal grandparents in Ireland, her two sisters to an
orphanage in Rothesay. Henry stayed with his father and spent all of his working
life in the Merchant Navy.
By the late ‘30s Henry was living in Rochester, close to
Chatham Docks. He married Elizabeth Lacey in Medway Registry Office on 25th
September 1937, at the grand old age of 48. According to his marriage
certificate his father, John, was still alive at that time – aged 75.
The couple’s home address was 8 Davis Square, Corporation
Street, Rochester.
Like most locations associated with the McErlane family
(!) Davis Square is no longer there. The flats of St Clement’s House (the ‘L’
shaped building in the picture above, enclosed by Corporation Street, Blue Boar
Lane & the railway line) stand where Davis Square used to be.
Henry & Elizabeth lived five minutes’ walk from Rochester
Station (both the new & old ones) and the Registry Office that they got
married in. I pass by most days, unaware until recently of my only family
English connection
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