LYNCH, Bridget ¹

   Cause of her death was bronchitis/general debility over 2 months.³

   Other names for Bridget were BOYLE, Bridget,³ DENNY, Bridget ⁴ and LYNCH BOYLE, Bridget.^{2 5}

  General Notes:

The 1871 census for Nitshill in Renfrewshire recorded "Bridget Lynch Boyle" living with her mother and stepfather, and Bridget's two children, at Store Row. She was recorded as 38 years of age and had been born in Ireland. She was a farm servant by occupation.

Elizabeth Denny, an illegitimate child, was registered at Paisley on 24 April 1871 by her mother Bridget Denny as having been born on 3 April 1871 at 0.30 am. Bridget made her X mark. She was recorded as being a farm worker in her daughter's birth certificate.

In 1881 the census for Nitshill in Abbey parish Paisley recorded Bridget Lynch as head of a small household of three people living at Dove's Cross Land. The household consisted of Bridget, her son William and her daughter Elizabeth, all surnamed Lynch. Bridget was recorded as a widow, aged 40 years, who had been born in Ireland. Their home had one windowed room.

Bridget, William and Elizabeth Lynch were living at Cross Land in the Barrhead and Levern district of Abbey parish, Renfrewshire when the census of 1891 was taken. Bridget was recorded as the head of the household, unmarried, and aged 48 years. She had been born in Ireland and was employed as a farm worker. her home had one windowed room.

The census of 1901 recorded Bridget Lynch living as a boarder in the household of Isaac McKenzie, an English-born general labourer, and his wife Maggie, who had three sons and two daughters of their own. The household lived in Whyles square in Nitshill, Paisley, Renfrewshire. Boarding with Bridget were Elizabeth Lynch, probably her daughter, and a child of 5 years of age also named Elizabeth Lynch. Bridget was recorded as a widow who was a retired farm worker. She was recorded as 50 years old and had been born in Ireland. The dwelling in which the entire household lived had two windowed rooms.

"Bridget Boyle" died in May 1909 at the recorded age of 64 years. Her death certificate recorded that she was "widow of James Boyle Ship Engine Stoker". Her parents names were noted as as James Lynch and Mary Lynch MS Denny", both of whom were deceased. ^{1 2 3 4 6 7}

  Research Notes:

SURNAME

For Bridget and her children the surname Lynch has been selected as the main surname since it appears that that was the one used by them in adult life as a family group. The other surnames used for or by them are noted in the text. It is not clear what Bridget's relationship with "James Boyle" actually was. His name appears as her husband on her death certificate, and at least one census entry includes the surname Boyle in listing her. Her son William was listed twice in the census under the surname Boyle as a child and as a teenager. Nevertheless, the surname was not consistently used for either Bridget or her children in the documents we have after 1871. Only the death certificate reverts to it.

PARENTS

It seems that Bridget was Mary's daughter, but it is not likely that she was the daughter of James Lynch since she is at one stage referred to as his stepdaughter, suggesting she was the child of a previous relationship of Mary, either a married or an unmarried one.

AGE

The ages provided in different documents for Bridget are not entirely coherent. Taking th earliest and latest we have
38 years old in 1871 census suggests birth year: 1832/33
64 years old in 1909 death certificate suggests birth year: 1834/35
we may suppose she was born about 1833-1834. ³

  Medical Notes:

Elizabeth Lynch Boyle, daughter of the deceased, who had been present where her mother's death occurred, notified the registrar at Pollokshaws on 10 May 1909, and made her X mark. ³

Bridget married someone.