Margaret Francis, known as Madge, born 10 November 1899 on Magazine Rd, Rural No. 2 District, Cork was the seventh child of Mary B. (O’/Callaghan) and George DAVIS and the third to survive infancy.
Madge did not marry and was not known to have had a boyfriend.[1]
Madge was a tailoress / seamstress and worked with her first cousin Walter Furlong, and Alex Grant and Co., (tailors) 52 -54 Patrick St.
Madge was described by my mother and her siblings as a beautiful seamstress, and made the HYLAND children new outfits on their holidays to Cork. In summer the girls would get new dresses and the boys suits. They also got something on their birthdays, with parcels arriving on the train from Cork.
My mother described Madge: aunty Madge, she ran up a blouse for me in half an hour.……they had a great big dining, big table where they worked. And the sewing machine was tucked in at the corner in front of the window and this big long table.
Other family descriptions of Madge include she was “all into ‘mind your skin’”. Variously described as funny but sarcastic, having an edge and sharp, odd but hugely likeable.
Death
Madge was the oldest of the Davises to stay living in the family home, and the last of the DAVIS family to die in 1984. It must have been difficult to survive all her siblings, the last (George) by over eight years, and to lose two younger siblings, Veronica and Ted, just over a year apart. At the end her house was described as ‘ramshackle.’ I understand she lived in care in her final years.
Cause of death was cerebral infarction (narrowing of/blockage in arteries to brain), atherosclerosis (plaque build-up in arteries), and chronic bronchitis. Madge was recorded as 84 years old on her death certificate but was actually 88 years and 3 months.
Madge is buried in her brother Ted’s grave at St. Michael’s, Blackrock.
[1] According to my mother, who was able to recall suitors of the other aunts.
Family recollections from Maura, Peg, Breda, and living nephews.
In Search of Thomas Davis 
Love this last batch of info . I think my brother Michael looks like our Grand uncle . Great to see pics of Ita Madge & their mother , have never seen them before . I know little about our grandmothers side of the family other than from your research . Great work !
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Great Aunty Madge lived at her ‘ramshackle’ home until her health failed her as she refused to move out to make way for a new road. In 1971 my Grandfather George stayed with her for a week and she knew then that it wasn’t worth keeping it updated as it was the last one standing.
My mother was named after Aunty Madge.
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