Mary Elizabeth Musters

Rank:	Volunteer / Head of Work Party
Street:	Brianstown House
Townland:	Brianstown
Town/Village:	Newtownforbes
Civil Parish:	Clongesh
Catholic Parish:
Country:
Alternative Address:	Garvagh House, Garvagh, Currygrane, Ballinalee, Co. Longford; The Old House, Milltown Road, Dublin; St. George's Vicarage, Edgebaston, Birmingham
Census 1901:	Resident at Cleaghmore, Ballinasloe www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Galway/Ballinasloe_Urban/Cleaghmore/1366942/
Census 1911:	Visiting the Wright family at 8 Holmesdale Gardens Hastings
Regiment/Unit:	Joint War Committee Voluntary Aid Detachment (Red Cross & St John's Ambulance) - Sphagnum Moss Association
Regiment Number:
Date of Death:	16-12-1954
Cause:	Natural Causes
Memorial:
Information:	Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Musters was born Mary Elizabeth Kennedy in Longford c.1863, the daughter of a bank agent. She was the second wife of John George Musters, a retired Captain with the Royal Navy of Brianstown House; they were married in St Peter's Church, Horbury, Wakefield, Yorkshire on 2 June 1912. After the death of her husband in 1917, Brianstown house was sold and she resided at Garvagh House, Ballinalee, which was the home of James Mackay Wilson*, brother of Field Marshall Henry Wilson. Mary Elizabeth was a volunteer with the Sphagnum Moss Association for three years between 1915 and 1918, and was in charge of the Brianstown House Work Party, based out of Brianstown House, Newtownforbes. Sphagnum moss was an important part of field dressings for wounds in WW1. After the War Mary Elizabeth left Longford and spent much time in North Africa - she is recorded as travelling to Algiers and Tangiers, Morocco in 1920s and 1930s. Mary Elizabeth St. Mary's House (Convent), Clyde Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin in 1954, although her permanent address was given as The Old House in Milltown. In her will, a Miss Margaret Kennedy was named, who is likely her niece and the same companion she travelled to Algiers with in the 1920s.
Parents Names:	Daughter of John and Mary Kennedy, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway
Notes:	*The Wilsons were staunch Unionists, and after Independence left Longford. Interestingly, and somewhat ironically, General Seán MacEoin purchased Garvagh House in 1922 after Independence.
Links:	Link to British Red Cross entry; link to Civil Record of death;