Stephen Dunphy

[gwennanmay]

Hi, I am trying to find out about a Roman Catholic Church called St. Mary's that I think was in Llandudno between 1850 and 1900. my great great grandfather Stephen Dunphy was apparently a prominent member, but I can't find any records of this church in Llandudno! Maybe it was Conwy or Bangor?  Any suggestions would be most appreciated thank you!

[Hugo]

Would this be the Stephen Dunphy you are referring to?
Administrative and biographical history: Dunphy and Sons was a company owning grocery shops, bakeries and wine and spirit retails in Llandudno , Craig y Don, Conwy, Deganwy and Penmaenmawr (Caernarfonshire). The company was formed by Mrs Dunphy, who was succeeded in 1857 by her son, Stephen Dunphy, grocer, from Temple House, Mostyn Street, Llandudno. His wife was Catherine, nee Phillys, of Penrhyn Old Hall. They had four sons, Bernard, Richard, Arthur, and Jack. Bernard Dunphy joined the navy, serving on the HMS Conway 1897-1899, and died in 1915, on the auxiliary cruiser, Bayano. Richard and Arthur went into the grocery trade with their father. Jack became a vet and also fought in the Boer War in South Africa. Norah Dunphy, daughter of Richard Dunphy, worked for Tynemouth and North Shields Corporation as an architect. The business closed in 1972

The only Catholic Church in the town that I know of is "Our Lady Star Of The Sea Roman Catholic Church, Llandudno"   but someone who is a Catholic may know the one you have named
I found out this info about the Church above:-
The Roman Catholic church of Our Lady Star of the Sea (Ein Harglwyddes Seren y Môr)
stands at the junction of Lloyd Street and St. Mary's Road and was built by J.D. Williams
of Knighton in Radnorshire to the designs of Edmond Kirby, architect of Liverpool.
The church was dedicated on August 17th 1893 by Most Rev. Archbishop Scarisbrick, OSB,
assisted by the Bishop of Northampton, and the Bishop of Shrewsbury
in the presence of His Eminence Cardinal Vaughan, Archbishop of Westminster.

[Meleri]

Hi Gwen,

In 1867 a building in Ty Gwyn Road, Llandudno which had once been a turkish baths was bought and turned into a RC Chapel. The Priest had accomodation on the ground floor and the upper floor was used as the Chapel. As there were very few Catholics in Llandudno (no more than 20) the priest had to come from Bangor. This could have been the Church/Chapel your GG Grandfather Stephen was a member of. At that time the Catholic Church in Bangor was called St Mary's. It states on the Marriage Index he was married in Bangor in 1873.
My G G Grandparents who lived in Conway also married in the R C Church in Bangor, as there wasn't a Catholic Church in Conway at the time. I guess with the priest's parish being so large you had to marry where ever he was at the time.

I hope this helps in some way, but there is very little information on the early Catholic Churches in the area.

Kind Regards,

Meleri

[Hugo]

The house, sometimes erroneously suggested as being the first modern Turkish baths to be built in Wales, was not opened until early in August 1864. This was four months after the first baths which in opened in Neath on 14 April.1, 2
The Ty Gwyn Road baths had facilities for six bathers. In the same building were reading rooms, library and billiard rooms. It closed within four years, becoming a Roman Catholic place of worship, although the company continued in existence for at least another six years.

[Bri Roberts]

A week last Thursday, I went on a GOES walk around St Tudno’s Cemetery and I seem to remember our guide pointed out a grave for a Dunphy.

It was definitely Dunphy and Stephen rings a bell.

At the time, I commented about a possible link to the well-known local Dunphy family.

I don’t know if this information is helpful in any way.

[Hugo]

Ivor Wynne Jones' book "Llandudno Queen of the Welsh resorts"  pg24  has this to say:-

Ty Aildro built in 1864 as a Turkish Bath was four years later serving as a Roman Catholic Chapel when Father P Mulligan, aged 34 arrived.  It had 27 worshippers and Father Mulligan stayed for 38 years and opened the present Catholic Church in Lloyd Street in 1893.

There are photos of Ty Aildro on this site as it is next to the Empire Hotel and the house is often included in the photos of the hotel.

[Hugo]

I think that this photo is of Ty Aildro


I've just checked Google Street view but cannot be certain that the house on the photo is Ty Aildro but I'm sure that some one here on the forum will be able to say whether it is or not

[DaveR]

The house, sometimes erroneously suggested as being the first modern Turkish baths to be built in Wales, was not opened until early in August 1864. This was four months after the first baths which in opened in Neath on 14 April.1, 2
The Ty Gwyn Road baths had facilities for six bathers. In the same building were reading rooms, library and billiard rooms. It closed within four years, becoming a Roman Catholic place of worship, although the company continued in existence for at least another six years.

It was where the small Empire Hotel overflow car park is, right on the bend.

[Hugo]

Thanks very much for that info Dave, so the Ty Aildro was just to the right of the house in the photo before that nasty sharp bend.    Have we got any photos of the house on the forum Photo gallery?

[DaveR]

Thanks very much for that info Dave, so the Ty Aildro was just to the right of the house in the photo before that nasty sharp bend.    Have we got any photos of the house on the forum Photo gallery?

No, I've never seen a photo of it anywhere, unfortunately.

[Meleri]

There is a Draft Will for Stephen Dunphy Mostyn Street, Llandudno, Grocer, dated 9th October 1893 in The Archive in Llandudno. Beneficiaries are Treasurer of the Catholic Church & Wife Cath Dunphy. There will more details if you decided to have a look, quote Porter Papers Conway, Wills & Administrations CD/4/8/17

[Bri Roberts]

The Stephen Dunphy buried in St Tudno’s Church grave yard died 17 January 1908, aged 61.

Also buried in the same grave is Bernard Dunphy RNR, aged 33, who went down with the sinking of HMS Bavano on 11 March 1915.

[Jack]

Bernard Dunphy has no known grave and is remembered on Portsmouth Naval Memorial and also on his father's headstone at St Tudno's.

Bernard’s brother Jack served with Army Veterinary Corps and second brother, C. S. Dunphy – a solicitor – enlisted into the Army Service Corps during the First World War.

[Bri Roberts]

In that case, Bernard is remembered with a small separate plaque placed on Stephen's grave.

[Nosmo King]

Hello Jack,
      I am writing a book about the men listed on Llandudno war memorial. I have done a first edition, and now am updating it with more info and photos. Could I possibly use the photo of Bernard Dunphy? I will of course credit both yourself and the forum.
  I have already done a book on Rhyl, here is the link on Amazon to give you an idea of what I am doing.
 Many thanks,
           Regards,
                          Darryl

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rhyl-Lads-In-Foreign-Fields/dp/150073277X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415445576&sr=8-1&keywords=rhyl+lads+in+foreign+fields