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  1. #11
    Starting to feel at home
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    Jun 2011
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    new zealand
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    41

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    Hi Peter

    Fantastic! That is obviously her as the birthdate is correct.
    Now I can carry out more research in that area like where she might be buried.
    Thanks again.

  2. #12
    Colin Moretti
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    Quote Originally Posted by triggerandme View Post
    In the book you talk about is there an indication of how many convents belonging to the Sisters of Mercy there might have been in England around 1930-40?
    ...
    There are well over 100 listed; it's not possible to say easily how many were active at that time.

    The Catholic Family History Society (https://www.catholicfhs.co.uk/) has compiled an index of Nuns; they will carry out a search for non-members for a small fee; alternatively I believe that it is also available to SoG members. It usually gives surname, date of birth, names of parents, religious name, dates of profession. date and place of death and name of order.

    Colin

  3. #13
    Starting to feel at home
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    new zealand
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    Great thanks I shall look into the index.

  4. #14
    lancaster.jim
    Guest

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    Hi,

    You ask about a "Elizabeth Kearns" who became a Sister of Mercy.

    The nuns of the Sisters of Mercy belonged originally to individual autonomous congregations or houses (convents) rather than to a single order which is what we (as laity) would expect. In fact an official web-site of these nuns (Mercy International Association at www.mercyworld.org/_uploads/_ckpg/files/Story of MIA - Final PDF version - 26_07_10.pdf ) has -

    It is a sobering thought that when Mary Trainer called the first meeting of the Mercy Leaders in 1989 it took her some time to find out who were the Congregational Leaders and how many of them there were.
    [endquote]

    There were a great number of houses following the same rule, all originally independent, and they have coalesced in England into three (?more) groups -

    The Institute of Our Lady of Mercy
    The English Federation of Sisters of Mercy
    The Union of Sisters of Mercy

    These are all members of the Mercy International Association.

    That all presents something of a search problem for us. However, the Catholic Family History Society has published a CD ("Index of Nuns" 2015) that provides details of approx 14,000 nuns who were professed after 1795. The list is not a complete list of nuns in England as not all congregations were prepared to share their information. I looked for Elizabeth and the nearest match I could find is -

    Kearns, Elizabeth RSM-Bdsy Her religious name was M Aquinas. Her father
    was William Kearns and her mother was Elizabeth Kearns. She was born
    on 20 July 1865. She entered the order on 3 January 1886. She made her
    profession on 29 June 1888. She died on 1 May 1944 in Worthing, Sussex.
    Notes: Sent on foundation to Jamaica 1890, returned 1908.

    RSM-Bdsy Religious Sisters of Mercy, Bermondsey
    [endquote]

    If this is the correct nun, being sent to Jamaica in 1890 and returning in 1908 would explain why you were unable to find her in the 1891 and 1901 Censuses. I am not sure what "Sent on foundation to Jamaica 1890" means. It could mean that she was one of a small group of nuns who went to Jamaica to found a daughter house there, and when it was established she returned to England.

    > Possible 1911 census Elizabeth Kearns born Tralee at St.Anns Orphanage in Orpington,Kent listing as a teacher but the age is off by 8 years?

    "The Catholic Directory" for 1915 has -

    Diocese of Southwark, Kent
    Orpington
    St Ann's orphanage for Girls, in charge of Sisters of Mercy.
    [endquote]

    I think that the house in Bermondsey still exists (Catholic Directory, 2011) and that it is now a member of the Institute of Sisters of Mercy. This group has a web-site - https://www.ourladyofmercy.org.uk/ which has a page about the house in Bermondsey that ends -

    It is our great joy and privilege to live and work in this Bermondsey Convent of Mercy, Archive and Heritage Centre, where we are in a unique position to offer hospitality to countless Sisters of Mercy, parishioners, local schools and many other visitors.
    [endquote]

    This suggests you MIGHT get more information by contacting -

    The Sister Archivist
    Convent of Our Lady of Mercy
    Parkers Row
    London SE1 2DG

    You should also be able to find her in the 1939 Registration documents that are now available on-line, as has already been mentioned.

    Best wishes

    Jim Lancaster (Bury, Lancs.)

  5. #15
    Newcomer to Brit-Gen
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    Lancashire
    Posts
    1

    Default sisters of mercy

    There is a group of Sisters Of Mercy on the 1881 census listed at the St Johns School convent,(St Johns square convent) Wolverhampton. Mt Gt GM was a Cook/serv at the school in 1881. Fanny Tomkins
    Babs

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