In this cherished photograph from my family, Rosina Evans Doran (1897-1959) is the pretty lady in the back. She’s standing next to her husband, William John Doran. In front are my grandparents, Bernard and Mary Margaret Mahoney Doran. The picture was taken in Harrison, New Jersey, in the early 1940s, most likely after a church event. Rose and Bill Doran lived in Newark, NJ at the time.

Every relative that remembers Rose says wonderful things about her, such as she was lots of fun. She was born in England and married her husband there, on 8 May 1920. The address on the marriage certificate for both Rose and Bill was 55 Percy Road, Canning Town, County Essex, England, in the Civil Parish of Westham. Bill, also called Willie, had gone to sea from Belfast, Ireland when he was a young boy. His occupation was usually fireman or greaser on the ships. I don’t have any idea how the two met.

Looking at the 1911 England Census, Rosina Evans was living at the same address, in Poplar, England, with her parents, George Stephen Evans (1871-1918) and Mary Ann Hill Evans (1873- ?). George was 40 and a foreman working at yarn spinning. Mary Ann was 38, and they had been married 18 years. Mary Ann had put down that she had given birth to nine children, but only six were living. All six were still living with their parents. Rosina was 13, sister Emmer was 11, Lilian was 8, and Louisa was 17. Her brother George Stephen, Jr., was 15, and John Edward was 6.

After their marriage, Bill and Rose, and their son, came to New Jersey where Bill’s siblings were living. Later, another son and daughter were born in NJ. Bill Doran worked as a fireman for the city of Newark. At some point Rose went back to work at Yardley Company.

Here’s the information from her immigration record. Rose and her son left England on 3 December 1924. How cold that journey must have been on the Atlantic Ocean.

Place of Residence: Westham, England. Date of arrival 9 Dec 1924. Age on arrival 26, Female, Married, Ship of travel: Aquitania, port of departure, Southampton, Southamptonshire, England, UK, destination – Kearny, NJ. Traveling with son, age 2. Husband: William Doran, 72 Johnston Avenue, Kearny, NJ. Permanent destination. Height 5’5″, fair hair, fair skin, grey eyes, scar on right wrist. Place of birth, Poplar, England. Son’s place of birth, London, England.  Next of kin in England, mother living at 55 Percy Road, Canning Town, London.  [Source: Ancestry.com. New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957. Provo, UT, USA]

Rosina Evans Doran died 21 October 1959 in Newark, New Jersey. Her husband, William John Doran, died 14 August 1961. They are buried together at Gate of Heaven Catholic Cemetery, East Hanover, Morris County, NJ. My sister called the cemetery and asked if she could get a photograph of the gravestone, and she received back this picture very quickly. Some records and pictures come quickly, and others take a long time. I sent for William John Doran’s death record from the New Jersey Archives on October 21st, and I’m still waiting.

I would enjoy hearing from anyone related to Bill and Rosina Evans Doran. Happy searching for your family history and records!