Links:

• Family Tree
• Cemetery Records: For Aramoho Cemetery Records since 1915, phone the Sexton on (06) 343 9412 or email gary.gleeson at wanganui.govt.nz

Rose Cecilia Rush, 1874-1958

This page lists the fourth child of John Henry Rush and Sarah Ruth Grennan.

Following three boys, Jack, Dick and Nam, Rose Cecilia was the first daughter for John Henry and Sarah Rush. Rose was born in Palmerston North on 11 June 1874, and although her occupation for most of her adult life was listed as housewife, she did work in a shoe shop in Palmerston North for a while before she was married.

Rose’s husband Stephen John Barry, was an Irishman from Bandon, County Cork, who was born on Boxing Day, 1873. Rose and Stephen were married in early December 1903, with her sister Cecilia as matron of honour. The marriage notice reads: A pleasing wedding was celebrated in St Patrick's Church on Wednesday last. The contracting parties were Miss Rose Rush, daughter of Mr Ambrose Rush, one of our oldest parishioners, and Mr Stephen John Barry of the local railway staff. The bride, being one of the leáding singers of the local choir, they turned up in body and sang the Nuptial Mass with very fine effect. Miss Scanlon (organist) played Mendelssohn's Wedding March as the newly-wedded couple left the church. The happy couple received many valuable and choice presents including a silver entree dish from St Patrick's choir. [New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 50, 10 December 1903, Page 19]

Another newspaper recorded: At St. Patrick's Church yesterday Stephen Barry, of the local railway staff and son of Michael Barry, of County Cork, Ireland, was married to Rose C. Rush, eldest daughter of Mr John Rush. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. P. Tyrnons. Miss Cecilia Rush acted as bridesmaid, and the bride's brother, Mr Ambrose Rush, was best man, The service was fully choral, and as the party left the Church Miss Scanlan (organist) played Mendelssohn's Wedding March. [Manawatu Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 7870, 26 November 1903, Page 2]

They produced six children over 13 years: three sons Stephen (b. 1904), Daniel (b. 1906) and Finbarr (b. 1910), and three daughters Mary Nora (b. 1907), Katherine Teresa (b. 1912) and Rose Johanna (b. 1917). At the time of the 1998 Rush Family Reunion, the two surviving members of the family were Katherine (Kitty, Feilding) and Rose Johanna (Joan, Auckland).

Rose's daughter Joan describes her mother as a "handsome woman, extremely generous, unselfish, straight, honest and caring". She had a good simple faith, being a devout Roman Catholic.

Rose and Stephen Barry had 17 grandchildren, 61 great grand-children, 71 great-great grand-children, and so far, 2 great-great-great grandchildren - a total of 157 descendants, and the third largest of the Rush families.

Rose Barry spent the majority of her life in Wanganui, where she died on 16 April 1958 aged 83 years. She is buried in the Roman Catholic Cemetery at Aramaho, near Wanganui together with her husband Stephen, daughter Mary Nora and brother Alphonsus Rush.

1998 Family Reunion

The photo below shows the family group for Rose at the 1998 Family Reunion.

Contact details

If you have any information or photos to add to this page, or any corrections, please contact Dale Hartle in Wellington, New Zealand, by phone +64 4 235 6659.