Catherine Kate Lahiff

A photo of Catherine “Kate” Lahiff who was born in 1866 on board a ship that was in Australian waters, hence she always referred to herself as Australian but she was very much Irish. In her lifetime she traveled to Australia as a domestic servant, lived in Providence, Rhode Island as a helper to her aunt Honora Lahiff McMahon, and married Henry Stone of England settling in New York for the remainder of her life. She and her husband continued to travel making three trips abroad to England and France. They had four children including Cecil McClintock Stone, John Henry Stone, Charlotte Agnes Stone (Taylor) and Cyril Granville Stone. Her sorrow included losing John Henry at 18 months to meningitis and losing her oldest son Cecil when he disappeared in 1928. He was never heard from again. Some described her as somewhat cold and unloving but her childhood left little time for nurturing and she learned to deal with life in a matter of fact way. She did adore Cecil and had high hopes for him. She encouraged his musical talents and he was often featured in local talent shows. Her husband Henry was a keen business man and she never again experienced the poverty of her youth.