THE first ever reunion of a family who descended from a couple who ‘fell in love at first sight’ a century ago, will gather in Gatwick this weekend.
Around 64 adults and eight children will attend the get-together that has taken one year to plan, on Saturday, July 11 at Gatwick Manor.
Thomas William Davis from Arvagh,Co Cavan, was 23 years old when he met 17-year-old Rose Conlon, from Duleek Co Meath in March 1915.
They married just five months later, and the couple remained together until they died twelve years apart in 1975 and 1987.
Annette Gregory, who lives in Doncaster, explains that her grandfather joined The Royal Irish Fusiliers in 1912, before he went to France in 1915 during WWI where he sustained a shrapnel wound.
As a result, he returned to his base in Dublin Castle, where his leg was amputated.
During this time he was visited by his stepsister and her friend Rose.
“It’s romantic, it was love at first sight,” his granddaughter Annette told The Irish Post.
“The story goes that he said, ‘that’s the girl I’m going to marry,’ when she left.”
The couple who resided in the same bungalow in Arvagh throughout their lives, went on to have 13 children, and 47 grandchildren.
Rose worked as a servant in Drogheda at the age of 14, prior to marriage, whilst Thomas later spent his days as a shoemaker.
“The pair did also share a passion and reputation for being great writers,” Annette adds.
With many of the couple’s grandchildren well into adulthood, she explains that it was two deaths in the family in quick succession last year that triggered the organisation of a family reunion.
“There’s now only three of the original 13 children of my grandparents left, so it’s important that we can all meet, or at least most of us, in order to honour them.”
Madge is still alive at the age of 88, Mary at 81 and Rosaleen at 79.
Relations from across Ireland and Britain, including Newcastle and the Isle of Wight, will be attending the celebrations on Saturday, where they will enjoy a meal together and have a family photograph taken.
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