A death in Bardon's Hotel, 1930
When Sarah Jane Allen was found dead in Bardon's Hotel on the morning of 7 August 1930, it was subsequently ascertained that the 79-year-old Irish-American guest had suffered heart failure, writes Brian Byrne. Her daughter in New York, Margaret Allen, was notified by telegram and about a week afterwards her mother's effects were handed over to her by Kilcullen Civic Guards.
According an American Consular Service record, Sarah Jane Allen, neé McKenney, was subsequently interred in New Abbey Cemetery in Kilcullen. Unfortunately, because the Council records for New Abbey are not available before 1938, there's no graveyard registration available to help locate the grave, and it's not known if there's a headstone or other marker.
Kristine Kelley, from Seattle in Washington State, is seeking further information about her great great grandmother Sarah Jane. "According to my grandmother, Sarah Jane travelled to Kilcullen on some kind of family business," Kristine told the Diary. "But I can find no record of family in the area." She is seeking any local information about the circumstances of Sarah Jane's death, which in turn may lead her to discover more about her extended family in Ireland.
So if any local resident in Kilcullen has family lore about a relative who died unexpectedly in Bardon's nearly 96 years ago, or about a grave in New Abbey with her name, maybe they could let the Diary know? We plan a walk through the older graves in New Abbey during the week, but if that can be short-circuited through some family knowledge, it would be helpful.
