CAVANAGH, Elizabeth

   Cause of her death was very severe and extensive injuries received by an omnibus passing over her body from which she died immediately.

   Other names for Elizabeth were CAVANAGH, Bess, CAVANAGH, Betty,² CAVANAGH, Eliza,⁷ CAVANAUGH, Elisabeth,^{1 8} KAVANAGH, Elizabeth,⁹ McGRATH, Elizabeth ¹⁰ and McGRAW, Elisabeth.⁴

  General Notes:

In 1840, in St Margaret's Airdrie, an 'Elizabeth Cavanagh' was one of the sponsors of Mary Collins, lawful daughter of Peter Collins and Elizabeth Allan. The other sponsor was John Sweeney.

Elizabeth's name was recorded in the 1841 census for Airdrie, New Monkland parish. She was recorded living with her parents and brothers and sister in Aitchison Street, Airdrie. The family seem to have quite recently arrived from Ireland, where all were born. Elizabeth was inscribed as 'Betty' aged between 20 and 24 years.

In 1851 Elisabeth McGraw was recorded, by the census for New Monkland parish, living at 39 High Street with her husband and two children. She was recorded as aged 30 years and had been born in Newry, Ireland. Her occupation was noted as housekeeper.

In 1855 Elizabeth was the informant of the birth of her son, James. She gave notice of his birth before the registrar at Baillieston, Peter Jarvie, on 31 May 1855. James was the seventh child born to her. One boy and three girls had died; and one boy and one girl still survived. Elizabeth's age was noted then as 38 years. She was born in Newry, County Armagh in Ireland. In testimony of the information she gave she made her X mark.

Robert Kavanagh and Elizabeth Kavanagh were the sponsors at the baptism of Robert Cavanagh, son of John Cavanagh and Jane Robinson, on 15 July 1855, in St Patrick's RC Parish, Coatbridge. It may be this Elizabeth, although it is not unusual for the married surname of a woman to be used.

Elizabeth died in 1857 as a result of an 'omnibus' accident at Bishopsburn, near Drumpeller, in the Western District of Old Monkland, Lanarkshire. At the time of her death, she was a married woman, the wife of a coal miner, and was aged 38 years. Her father was then deceased but her mother was still alive. ^{4 5 9 11}

  Medical Notes:

William Murray MD certified the cause of death.

The informant was John McGrath, husband of the deceased, who had not present where her death occurred. A coal miner at Braehead, John McGrath made his X mark before John Dickie, registrar, on 28 October 1857 at Faulds, Baillieston, Lanarkshire.

William Russell, sexton of Old Monkland Churchyard, certified the burial of Elizabeth's body there.

Elizabeth married John McGRATH in March 1842 in New Monkland, Lanarkshire, Scotland.¹ (John McGRATH was born in 1816 in Newry/Banbridge, County Down, Ireland ⁴.)

  Marriage Notes:

The banns of marriage are recorded in the New Monkland parish register for the first Sabbath in March 1842, but no record has been found in the Roman Catholic records for this time and later. ¹