From Ryehill schoolboy to British Ambassador to Argentina, the amazing life journey of John Broderick

Researched by B Keary

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John Broderick’s parents Michael Broderick and Margaret Joyce are buried in Tobar Padraig Cemetery.

John Broderick was born in April 1882 youngest son to Michael Broderick and Margaret Broderick nee Joyce. We can see from his birth registration that his birthplace was registered as Kilclooney, Dunmore. John had several older siblings. and the range of locations where his siblings births are registered is probably due to his fathers work. John Broderick’s father was a land steward and we see this title in the birth documentation of each of his children.

Jane was born in 1867 and registered in Abbey, Tuam. Michael was born in September 1868, in Corrafaireen his father is listed as a land steward and his birth registration tells us that his mother Margaret was born Joyce and Biddy Joyce, was present at the birth. Biddy is likely to be Bridget, Margaret’s mother. Bridget Mary Broderick was born in 1874 in Ryehill and in 1876 we see that Julia Anne was born in Aughrim Park where her father was Land Steward. Castle Lambert near Athenry , was originally comprised of Aughrim Park and Moor estates. The Lamberts built a new residence and renamed the property Castle Lambert.

In the Tuam Herald of 1874 there is a notice for upland hay for sale at Castle Lambert, Athenry. The advertisement refers to Broderick the steward always being in attendance so its assumed that the Brodericks were at this time living on the Estate at Castle Lambert also known as Aughrim Park. This notice also confirms that Michael Broderick was steward at the time when Captain T E Lambert was still in residence at Castle Lambert.

These were turbulent times . Much has been written of the attempted assassination of Captain Thomas Eyre Lambert in July 1869, and the subsequent trial of Peter Barrett for attempted murder. Captain Lambert had indicated at the trial that he recognised Peter Barrett as the person who had attacked him. The trial was first heard in Galway and a retrial was heard in Dublin. Many witnesses were called to give evidence and Peter Barrett was ably defended by Isaac Butt. In June 1870 the Freemans journal reports on evidence given by Michael Broderick the steward and Mr Giles Lambert brother of Captain Lambert. Both men testify that Captain Lambert said that if ‘Peter Barrett of London post office is in Ireland he is the man. They further testified that Captain Lambert requested his brother Giles Lambert to telegraph his cousin in London to know if Peter Barrett was at home.’ Their evidence was crucial and used by Isaac Butt to cast doubt on the evidence and character of Captain Lambert and Peter Barrett was acquitted.

John Broderick’s mother was born Margaret Joyce and from Griffiths valuation maps it is possible to see the location of the house and land occupied by Patrick Joyce. Margaret Joyce had two sisters, her sister Honora married Michael Kilkelly and they settled in the Kenny Estate near Athenry. Mrs Honora Kilkelly became wet nurse to Rosamund ffrench Monivea and the third Joyce sister married into the Lally Family Ryehill.

The 1901 census for Ryehill shows the Broderick household at the time consisted of John’s parents, his older sister Margaret and nephew Michael McGrath aged 10. His father is now listed as a farmer and his sister a seamstress. The address in Corrafaireen, Ryehill. From newspaper files later we know that John Joyce Broderick was taught in Ryehill school by Mrs Maria Higgins, widow of the late Thomas Higgins MP , but John isn’t present in Ryehill for the 1901census. A search of the census records locates him as a boarder at Blackrock College in Dublin. At school in Blackrock college with John is Edward de Valera from Limerick who is also a boarder at the school, both boys are aged 18.

Material supplied by Blackrock College Archives show that John’s education was supported by scholarships or exhibitions that he was awarded . John was educated at Blackrock College from 1893 to 1901. We see from the accounts of the college that his spending was frugal buying such items as a jersey, football boots and paying entry fees for matches. Later there were a suit of clothes bought and items for a picnic. In the later years of the stay at ‘The Castle’ as the student accommodation was called a fee of €46 guineas was payable. In 1899 -1900 we see a note that the fees due are payable by his brother in the ordnance survey if not paid for by John himself. John’s older brother Paddy was in the Ordnance Survey service and his name/ initials in the Gaelic version appears on many maps produced in Ireland over the years including school maps.

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Blackrock College Archives indicate that John Broderick was a brilliant student destined to lead his class at University level as well as at secondary school, however John’s education at the Royal University came to an early end when his father died. John got a post in the customs service at the age of 20. John already had a knowledge of French and German when he left school to work in the customs service at Seaford. While there he improved his competence in both languages by speaking French and German with some local clergy and helping them to improve their English.

In February 1909 John married. His bride was Marjorie Kelly from Dublin ( marriage certificate courtesy Marjorie Nolan Brooker) In 1909 he was successful in the civil service exams for the consular service as can be seen from an article in the Nationalist and Leinster times in September 1909. Blackrock College were proudly announcing the achievements of their former student. John now entered the Consular Service and was now working under the foreign office.

His great knowledge of men and affairs, his excellent judgment and his charm of manner made him the mainstay of
British influence wherever he went. He was acting Consul -General three times and Vice -Consul in New York until 1913, when he was transferred to Amsterdam and later to Rotterdam. There he learned to speak Dutch, and on the outbreak of the World War, played a leading part in the handling of goods in trade and contraband, which was so essential to England at the time.

Back home in Ireland in 1914 John’s mother Margaret died, she had been living in Dungarvan, Co Waterford with her daughter Margaret.

In 1915, John returned to America. From the ship manifest leaving Rotterdam for America we see that John is aged 33, his wife Marjorie is 29 and they have 2 sons Edward J aged 5 and Maurice aged 2. The following details are listed : Country of which citizen or subject : Gr. Britain , Race: Irish , last country of residence : England. They are accompanied by a German nurse . John is described as British Consul and the group are listed as Diplomatic Service Consul to Washington DC. The posting to Washington was to continue for a further sixteen years —first as Acting Consul in New York, then as Assistant Commercial Adviser in Washington—a post half -commercial, half -diplomatic and now established for the first time ; later as Commercial Secretary, and finally as Commercial Councillor to the British Embassy in Washington.

During this time there was the struggle in Ireland initially for Home Rule but during the great war in Europe the struggle in Ireland moved towards one of independence. At this time we have no particular insight into Johns feelings on these issues , but we note from the 1911 census that he was in school in Blackrock at the same time as Eamonn de Valera, and from their years boarding together they obviously knew each other well. In 1916 in the USA where John was based, presidential elections took place. On the response of the Irish electorate in the USA to the re election of incumbent Democratic President, Woodrow Wilson , John is reported as commenting * ‘the great mass of Irish voters declined to accept guidance in domestic politics from extremists, either because they mistrusted their prophecies or – what is much more likely – because loyalty to the Democrat Party gave them a fairer prospect of personal profit.’ Radical Irish-American figures seeking Irish independence sought a vote against Wilson but the more numerous and influential Irish-American politicians within the Democratic Party emphasized Wilson’s domestic agenda which directly affected the electorate. ref: *Professor Bernadette Whelan , Dept of History UL. in ‘The impact of the 1916 Rising: Among the Nations’ (Dublin, 2008)

At home in Ireland John’s sister Margaret was actively involved in the rising, as a member of Cumann na mBan. Women in Waterford city, east Waterford and west Waterford were heavily involved in the fight for independence.  P. J. Paul, Officer Commanding the East Waterford brigade, recalled in his witness statement located in the Bureau of Military History, that women played vital roles in city and county. Mrs P. O’Mahoney from the Post Office in Dungarvan and Miss Broderick from Abbeyside delivered a message to Sean Matthews in Waterford city announcing the postponement of the rising. Waterford County Museum also details Margaret’s involvement in delivering messages during the 1916 Easter rising.

In 1921 we see the Brodericks are again in Europe. They depart from Southampton on board the ship Carmania, their destination is Washington. Edward J is aged 11, Maurice D is 8 and Sheila M is 4 months as they embark on this return journey to the USA. Johns nearest relative in the country whence they came from is listed as Mr W Broderick , Drumcondra, Scotland. John is listed as a Diplomat.

In 1924 in the Historical Club Address, John outlines the many tasks associated with the consular service. From his lecture we get some insight into his role and we see that he is a witty, learned and masterful speaker.

In his presentation Johs says that ‘During recent years commercial nations have more and more encouraged their trade interests to seek active aid from consuls in protecting and extending foreign commerce, and this watch fulness now forms one of the chief duties.

From what has been already said you will have gathered that in addition to their trade intelligence functions, Consular
officers have many other duties placed upon them. They act, for instance, as notaries public in the drawing up and authentication of wills, powers of attorney, conveyances, deeds or other legal instruments intended for use in the courts of their respective countries. An important section of their duties still relates to the administration of their national merchant shipping laws.
Every civilized nation keeps a watchful eye over the interests of its merchant seamen in all their journeyings over the globe. I am not prepared, myself, to say that a seafaring life necessarily deprives a man of his ability to “hustle for himself.” I have seen too many instances of the contrary to believe that seamen as a class are less alert and wide-awake than other classes of individuals, but the fact remains that the shipping laws of every maritime nation contain many complicated provisions for the protection of seamen against possible extortions and injustices of all kinds. It is the function of the Consul to see that these laws are strictly observed. He witnesses the contracts made between masters and crews; he sees that the terms of those contracts are just and legal; he settles disputes arising out of varying interpretations of those contracts; he carries out preliminary enquiries with respect to offenses committed on the high seas; he
sends accused persons home for trial before the competent courts; he repatriates sick and indigent seamen.
When a merchant ship goes on the rocks on a foreign coast, or is in collision with another vessel, or is lost at sea, a consul
has the power to hold what is called a Naval Court to determine the cause of the accident, to decide where the blame rests.
The Consul is often charged with the duty of collecting and administering the estates of such of his nationals as die in foreign countries leaving property behind them but no will.
If you chance to be born in a foreign country you have only to go to your Consul and he will see that you are christened, that you are swaddled in your national colours and that your birth is duly recorded at home. If, in the course of your foreign wanderings, you should become entangled in Cupid’s net and wish to marry, your Consul will be glad to witness the tying of the knot. He will even perform the marriage and tie the knot himself, if the local laws permit, and he will attach a genuine old shoe from Brocton, Massachusetts, on the back of the auto mobile, or the omnibus, or the rickshaw or the one-hoss shay, that starts you on your honeymoon. If you should be thrown into prison, he will exercise all his energies to make sure that your trial is fair, your punishment just and your treatment humane. If you should unfortunately come to die under alien skies, you may pass away in the peaceful realization that your Consul will take care that you receive Christian burial-if indeed Christian burial should be appropriate to your particular case and he will even read the burial service himself should a clergy man of your church not be available. From the cradle to the
grave, in all important vicissitudes that befall you when in exile, the Consul is on the spot to safeguard your interests.
The multiplicity of his duties require unusual versatility, sound common sense and a broad culture, and the service is one
which compensates in a larger way than almost any other profession for the disadvantages of exile.
It is, as I have pointed out already, a most useful adjunct and assistance to diplomatic establishments. The diplomatist and
the Consul are not only the guardians of their national interests abroad; they are, in a real way, the interpreters of the social progress of their country, of the constructive achievements of their country in industry, in science, in art, in the promotion of human well-being. ( Source The Catholic Historical Review , Apr., 1924, Vol. 10 /JSTOR)

Knighthood: THE EDINBURGH GAZETTE, JUNE 7, 1927, there is the following notice of ‘ The Central Chancery of orders of Knighthood

Thanks to his great ability in mastering data and large statistics, to his extensive technical knowledge of international trade, to his culture and his personality, he was for years the guiding intellect in British policy in America.
Give us this day our daily Brod.” was their own joking admission that he was indispensable to them. He knew as many Americans as any man in America, and is said to have had a wider circle of friends than any member of any
Embassy in the world : he knew the American mind and American methods, America’ s strength and America’ s weakness better than most Americans themselves —and the Americans felt it. ( ref details from an article retained by Marjorie Brooker)

In 1931 when, it was learned in Washington of his appointment to Cuba, just after the visit of the Prince of Wales to South America, they proclaimed that the greatest rival to their trade was leaving them on friendly terms in North America to beat them off the map in South America.

If the Americans were concerned about Johns departure from Washington for Havana , there were those in Ryehill who were also following his career closely. The Tuam Herald of 28th February 1931 has a short article outlining the career to date of John and mentioning that he was taught by Mrs Maria J Higgins in Ryehill School. Later in 1931 when Mrs Higgins dies in Ryehill, there is an article in the Tuam Herald commemorating her life and Miss Broderick from Dungarvan is one of the people sending condolences to the bereaved Higgins family.

In June 1931 the New York Times carried an item announcing the arrival of the New British Envoy to Cuba, Sir John Broderick and his wife and daughter on the Cunarder Carmania.

Johns posting in Cuba was relatively short, and his next appointment as a British Diplomat was to the Argentine Republic. On 30th January 1933 Sir John Joyce Broderick KBE, CMG was appointed to the role of ‘Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary’ to Argentina. John returned to London to prepare to relocate to Buenos Ayres . However he was taken ill suddenly and was hospitalised in London. The Irish Examiner of June 2nd 1933 reported that Sir John was gravely ill in a London nursing home. He died on June 2nd 1933 at The Nursing Home, 17 Park Lane, London aged 51 years.

John and his wife Marjorie had 3 children, Edward J, Maurice D and Sheila M .

Sheila Broderick moved to live and work in Rhodesia with her husband. Sheila was involved in politics as a member of the multi-racial Centre Party, which contested the 1970 general election in Rhodesia. Sheila was parliamentary liaison officer for the Centre Party’s African MPs, attending parliament and helping to draft speeches and providing secretarial assistance.

Johns brother Paddy lived in Dungarvan after his retirement and his sister Margaret also lived there, and had a shop named the shack . Margaret died while visiting her cousins the McGraths in the USA. Johns grandchildren and descendants live worldwide including in Ireland, Africa, the USA.

The life work of Sir John Joyce Broderick, the Ryehill schoolboy turned Diplomat merits further research and much material is available in British and USA Government archives including diplomatic correspondence and publications which could be explored as an academic project.

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