JOHN THOMAS FAGAN FOR OVER HALF A CENTURY A MEMBER OF THE STAFF OF THE BRITISH – VICTORIA SCHOOL. MARY JANE FAGAN
John Thomas Fagan was born early in 1862; he was the son of John Fagan and Barbara Roberts who had married in 1861. His father was a labourer who had been born in Wrexham. He had siblings Ann Elizabeth who was born in 1864, and Henry Edward who was born in 1866.
Henry Edward died in early 1868, he was less than two years old and sadly their mother Barbara died on 27 December 1868, she was only 29.
Wrexham Advertiser 2 January 1869. Deaths.
Fagan. On the 27th ult., aged 29 years, Barbara, wife of Mr John Fagan, Poplar-road, Wrexham.
John and his two children stayed in Poplar Road, and in the spring of 1878 he married Ann Elizabeth (Annie) Worrall. Their daughter Clara Rose was born in 1879.
By 1881 John Thomas was a pupil teacher, his father John was a miller. In May 1884 John Thomas was already teaching at the British School which was on Brook Street, when he attended the funeral of Alexander Fyfe who had been the headmaster. It was a Nonconformist school, the Church goers sent their children to the National Schools.
WREXHAM BRITISH SCHOOL. At a meeting of the school managers on Friday last, Mr Charles Dodd was formally appointed to succeed the late Mr Alexander Fyfe as head master of the Wrexham British Schools. Mr Dodd’s promotion was by the unanimous vote of the managers, and we understand the old staff are, to be all retained, Mr W Jennings as second master, and Mr James Fyfe and Mr J. Fagan as assistant teachers. We believe it is intended, during the mid-summer holiday to completely renovate the boys school and classrooms inside and out, and to beautify the building generally.
6 June 1884 Wrexham Advertiser.
By 1891 John Thomas and his sister Ann Elizabeth were living in Earl Street and in 1894 he married Mary Jane Barber, it was a civil marriage as he was a member of Penybyn Chapel.
Mary Jane was the daughter of Robert Barber and Jane, her father was a draper from Scotland. Jane was from Wrexham.
The couple were involved with many social events organised by the members of the Chapel. By 1901 they were in Alexandra Road with two children Jane Dilys aged 2 and Robert Barber aged 5 months, they moved to Strathsay, 66 Ruabon Road by 1911 but had no more children by then. Victoria School had been built about 1890, and had officially opened on New Year’s Day 1901
John Thomas Fagan died aged 64 on 12 June 1926, he was living at 26 Hampden Road, Mary Jane died there in December 1928 and was buried with her husband.
Researched by Annette Edwards. June 2019.
Many thanks to Peter Chadwick of Clwyd FHS, and Wrexham History for the use of the photos.
Grave ref: Wrexham Cemetery H-02204
