DONATI Mary 1900-1979
Laughlin, Connor, Brucciani connections
Mary Donati was the daughter of Giovanni Adolfo Camillo Donati 1878-1922 and Annie Laughlin 1874-1959. The Donati family were from the area surrounding Barga. Villages Castelvecchio, Albiano and Treppignana Fosciandora, The Laughlin line is from Ireland ,Wicklaw then County Leitrim then Scotland.
Mary Donati was born in Edinburgh on 7 October 1900 at. 07.45 in a tenement in 21 Blair Street in the Southside of Edinburgh, Scotland. She died in Bonnyrigg, Midlothian in 1979 age 78
Josephine sent this lovely photograph of Mary Donati posing in the style of the day. The 20s were so daring
On 17th January 1922 Mary Donati married Francis Connor who was three years her senior in the Church of the Sacred Heart in Lauriston Place, Edinburgh. Her maid of honour was her sister Annie Donati.
A BIT ABOUT THE CONNOR BRANCH
This branch of the Connors had arrived in Edinburgh c 1860 where we see Frances’s grandfather James (arrive with his wife Mary Ann Boyle. Both from Dublin in Ireland they were forced to emigrate because of the Famine and general situation in Ireland at that time. Mary Anne’s father was William Boyle who was a farmer and her mother Catherine Donoghue both c 1800.
James and Mary’s eldest son Thomas was born in Dublin c 1859 . Cath was born in England c 1860 The family had moved over through England before they eventually James found their way to Scotland. James work in Colinton where work was plentiful in the Quarries to the South of the City.
James and Mary had at least another three children in Edinburgh,
In 1922 Frances and his brother Joseph lived in Redhall in Edinburgh which suggests that they may have been connected with the British Army at that time. Francis’ parents were William Connor and Agnes Gilfillan. You can see below a couple of the Army Records for Frances.
We have recently heard from Mary’s grandaughter Josephine Connor who has sent us this wonderful photograph of her parents wedding which took place at St. Mary’s RC Cathedral in Broughton Street, Edinburgh in 1956.
- I know that my father, Albert Edward Connor, lived in the St James Square when he was a child, before moving to Dublin Street. He told me that he used to notice my mother, Julia Gillard, when they sometimes passed each other as he walked from St James Square down Little King Street. The met years later at The Palais dance hall in their 20’s and fell in love. My mother, Julia, was a tailoress who was also an avid bike racer and she won trophies with her cycling club.
- My father, Albert Edward, was a student at Heriot Watt University and obtained an engineering degree. He later moved with the family to Aberdeen to work for Brown & Root. He returned to Edinburgh and sadly he died at age 57, on July 17th, 1988.
His wife (my mother) Julia died August 25, 1993. I married an American and we have 3 children, 8 grandchildren and just recently we now have a great-grandchild! I divorced in 2007 and now use my maiden name of Connor.
- About Mary Donati: I remember her as being a very kind and loving grandmother, who was very house-proud and loved gardening. She taught me a lot about plants and vegetables when I was a child. She grew tomatoes in her sunroom and I remember how tasty they were, as she used them in her pasta sauce and on sandwiches. I remember her having some major health problems and after surgery, being told that she was in fact, meant to be a twin. I don’t have any details about that, so can only imagine. I know that she told me I have twin cousins somewhere about my age but I never met them. I see that Maria Bruccianni was also a twin.
The full names of everyone in the above photograph is as follows . The groom is Albert Edward Connor, son of Francis and Mary Connor Donati.
His bride is Margaret Julia Gillard, Her father, Joseph John Gillard, is the white haired man at left of photo.
- Mary Donati remarried Harold Ross, who is the man at the far right of the photograph.
Standing beside Harold Ross, is the bride’s sister, Josephine Gillard.
Standing beside Mary Donati is the bride’s cousin , James McGuickian.
The lady beside Josephine Gillard, is the bride’s aunt, Margaret McGuickian.
The wedding took place June 16, 1956 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Broughton Street. The priest was Rev. Laurence Davison.
My father’s address is listed as 36 Street Dublin, Edinburgh and my mother’s address was 10 Little King Street, Edinburgh, where the St. James Centre was later built.
- My dad is holding me in his arms in this photo. Beside him is my uncle Iain Munro, in front is Ian’s wife/my mother’s sister, also named Josephine, my mother Julie in the middle, and her best friend Anne Grant to far right. Not sure where this photo was taken but it reminds me of my grandmother, Mary Gillard’s old doorstep on Little King Street. A coincidence that both my grandmothers were Mary, but she liked to be called Molly. If I find any more of interest, I will share. I recall that my grandmother Mary talked about Trixie a lot – and I understood her to be her sister, but maybe she was just a close friend or cousin.
DONATI/BRUCCIANI connections
Giovanni Adolpho Donati was born in the village of Castelvecchio-Pascoli and baptised in the Church of St. Nicolo’ on 18th May 1878.
He was the son of Pietro Donati and Maria Domenica Brucciani who were both born in the village. Circumstances in Italy at this time were not good for the farmers and many left to go to not only the Americas but also of course to Scotland.
The BRUCCIANI sisters were our link in this family chain. Maria married into the Donati Clan. Eletta married Leonardo Quilietti. Marianna married into the Dante family. Thus formed the links between Rhode Island, Scotland and Italy.
On their arrival in Scotland Pietro Donati travelled not only with his wife and young children but also took charge of his nephews Emilio and Augusto Quilietti on their arrival in Scotland. Their professions were in the art of Stucco and Pietro had a business in Chambers Street in the centre of the City. In 1891 they lived at 137 Canongate, Edinburgh, which building is still there today. The Quilietti family were also associated with this address for many years going forward. Emilio shares his resting lair with one of their children.
Giovanni or John married Annie Lauchlin on 22nd June 1898 in the County Buildings in Ayr. Why they travelled down to Ayr is a mystery but perhaps parental issues were at work with him marrying a Scottish lass and not in a Catholic environment. Their marriage was blessed with many children.
Julie quotes this
Albert Edward Connor, lived in the St James Square when he was a child, before moving to Dublin Street. He told me that he used to notice my mother, Julia Gillard, when they sometimes passed each other as he walked from St James Square down Little King Street. They met years later at The Palais dance hall in their 20’s and fell in love. My mother, Julia, was a tailoress who was also an avid bike racer and she won trophies with her cycling club. My father, Albert Edward, was a student at Heriot Watt University and obtained an engineering degree. He later moved with the family to Aberdeen to work for Brown & Root. He returned to Edinburgh and sadly he died at age 57, on July 17th, 1988.
His wife (my mother) Julia died August 25, 1993. I will send you some more photographs later today. I married an American and we have 3 children, 8 grandchildren and just recently we now have a great-grandchild! I divorced in 2007 and now use my maiden name of Connor.
- About Mary Donati: I remember her as being a very kind and loving grandmother, who was very house-proud and loved gardening. She taught me a lot about plants and vegetables when I was a child. She grew tomatoes in her sunroom and I remember how tasty they were, as she used them in her pasta sauce and on sandwiches. I remember her having some major health problems and after surgery, being told that she was in fact, meant to be a twin. I don’t have any details about that, so can only imagine. I know that she told me I have twin cousins somewhere about my age but I never met them. I see that Maria Bruccianni was also a twin.
- My father had a sister called Maureen, who became a nun, but later she left the convent to be with the man she loved. I remember seeing her picture in the Edinburgh newspaper (just cannot remember which one. This was back when I was a child/early teens maybe – anyway, I found this news archive of a name change for Maureen Donati to Connor and it’s a bit confusing.
The Donati family from this region stayed close and many of the cousins came to Scotland .
From Antonio’s line Carubino married a cousin Giovanni Donati. This was acceptable in those days. They moved to Virginia in the USA.
Pietro came to Scotland with his wife Maria Brucciani. Their ancestors still live here today
Annunciata is lost in the passing of time. Agostino came to Scotland and he married Ermelina Panicalli in 1880. They moved back and forth from Scotland to Italy for a while, settling in Scotland for a while and then returning back home in later years. Agostino died in Italy.
Luigi married into the mighty Cecchini Clan from Barga, a girl called Maria Rosa. He died when he was only 48 in South College Street in Edinburgh. They had one son Giuseppe who returned to Italy and married a local girl there.
Cesare also married a Scottish girl called Margaret Horsburgh
The Donati family are connected to the Quilietti family via the Brucciani sisters. The family were from Castelvecchio Pascoli and Barga in Toscana in Italy. The family were well intertwined with many of the Castelvecchio families, Guidi, Filippi, Moscaraadini, Bernandi, Brucciani, Ricci, Bonigli,Conti, Logmeri, Pierotti and many more. In Scotland the family settled in Edinburgh, Elgin, Ayr, Paisley and Renfrew plying their trade in the art of Stucco and figuremaking and progressing into the Restaurant and Ice Cream Trade.
From Castelvecchio there were at least five brothers, Louis, Cesare, Pietro and Gostini and Giuseppe. It seems the brothers first came into Britain via Brighton and we find Joseph and Pietro here in the 1861 census
From here they moved North. Gostini was described as a Stucco Figure Maker in the Scottish census in 1881 where he was living in Niddry Street, off the Royal Mile with his wife Ermerlinda and his cousins Raffaello Conti, Joseph Conti and Peter Pierotti. He was the first to settle in Scotland and his brothers Pietro and Luigi followed soon thereafter. With Pietro came Emilio and Augusto Quilietti who were his nephews. The rest is our history.
THE LAUGHLIN line
Originally from Ireland with James Laughlin c 1829. James moved to Scotland during the Famine and here he met his wife Jane Wilkinshaw who had been born in Newbattle, Dalkeith. They married in 1852 in the Portobello area of Edinburgh. Annie Laughlin was their youngest daughter.
I will give you the full names of everyone pictured. The groom is my father Albert Edward Connor, son of Francis Connor and Mary Donati. His bride is my mother, Julia Margaret Gillard. Her father, Joseph John Gillard, is the white haired man at left of photo. Mary Donati remarried Harold Ross, who is the man at the far right of the photograph. Standing beside Harold Ross, is my mother’s sister, Josephine Gillard. The man beside Mary Donati is my mother’s cousin, James McGuickian. The lady beside Josephine Gillard, is my mother’s aunt, Margaret McGuickian. The wedding took place June 16, 1956 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Broughton Street. The priest was Rev. Laurence Davison. My father’s address is listed as 36a Dublin Street, Edinburgh and my mother’s address was 10 Little King Street, Edinburgh, where the St. James Centre was later built.
Thank you for adding all this information. I know that my father, Albert Edward Connor, lived in the St James Square when he was a child, before moving to Dublin Street. He told me that he used to notice my mother, Julia Gillard, when they sometimes passed each other as he walked from St James Square down Little King Street. The met years later at The Palais dance hall in their 20’s and fell in love. My mother, Julia, was a tailoress who was also an avid bike racer and she won trophies with her cycling club. My father, Albert Edward, was a student at Heriot Watt University and obtained an engineering degree. He later moved with the family to Aberdeen to work for Brown & Root. He returned to Edinburgh and sadly he died at age 57, on July 17th, 1988. His wife (my mother) Julia died August 25, 1993. I will send you some more photographs later today. I married an American and we have 3 children, 8 grandchildren and just recently we now have a great-grandchild! I divorced in 2007 and now use my maiden name of Connor.
Hi,
I am the granddaughter of Francis Connor, son of Mary Donati!
I can’t believe all this information exists.
My Grandad always told us his mother’s family has an ice cream shop but he was put into care and spoke little about his family. His brothers were Tony and Peter, And Teddy (but we never met Teddy).
Amazing to see the pictures of Mary who would be my great Grandma!
My mum us Susan Connor (oldest child of Francis Connor).
Hi Lucy,
Sorry I haven’t written back to you – please ask Helen for my updated email address and I hope we can stay in touch and swap stories/history. Sending much love and prayers for you and your family in these times of global illness. May you and yours be well
Hi Jo
I’ve tried to email you but it bounces back. I have sent in a picture of my Grandad now – you can see such a resemblance to your Dad, his brother.
Not sure if you can perhaps email me instead?
Would be great to get in touch.
Lucy.
Dear Lucy,
Lovely to see the photo of your grandfather and yes, I definitely see the resemblance to my dad. So sorry that you were not able to email me successfully as I no longer have access to my old email account. Please write to me and send pics to jofrancesconnor@gmail.com and I look forward to hearing from you soon. I’m sorry but I have lost your email address and Helen’s too. Computer crashed and I lost everything on it in a bad storm here in the USA. Praying that all the family is well and safe from this covid catastrophe. Love and prayers, Jo xxx
Hello, hoping this finds you well Josephine. you can always find me at quilietti@icloud.com. Having moved on from quilietti@blueyonder.co.uk when the company thought it was too old and took it down. just like me really
Wow I can’t believe all the information I have come across researching my father-in-laws family tree!!
I’m Jacqueline Connor (Virtue) and my husband is Christopher Connor, son of Edward Connor.
My father-in-law is the nephew of Francis Connor, he is Francis’ brother Patrick Connor’s son.
I can’t wait to show him all this!
Hi my name is Julie Cater was Connor. My dad is Tony Connor who was brother to Peter and Francis. I’m sorry l don’t know of a sister.
I am a twin and we were born in 1955.
I would really like it if someone could get in touch with me as l would like to know more about my dad’s family
Many thanks
Julie Cater