John Neff, jeweller, Cork, Ireland 19th cent.

John Neff (c.1848-1909) arrived from Germany to Cork city, Ireland, about the year 1864, a watchmaker by profession. His birth place may have been Offenburg. He married 21/2/1871 Mary (Polly) Kennedy (c.1850-1905) in Cork. Mary was the daughter of James Kennedy, a mariner. Their addresses on the marriage certificate are South Main st and Gill-Abbey respectively.

John and Mary establish a jewellery business in the Grand Parade, Cork.

John Neff is believed to have been reared in or near Offenburg, west of the Black Forest. Family tradition is that he studied in Berlin but also likely to have been trained in his own area which is of course well known for its clock making tradition in the Black Forest. He was fluent in French as well as German, and arrived in Cork (ca. 1864) already fully qualified with Hilser (Hilser and Sons was established in the South Main Street, Cork).

John Neff was not listed as a Watch and Clockmaker for 1870 so it is likely that he was working for other jewellers, family tradition has it that he worked in the beginning with Hilser. The first business address I found for John and Mary was at 2 Tuckey Street, 1881-1884. Other addresses were 69 Grand Parade, 1884-1885; 29 Grand Parade, 1886; 73 Grand Parade, 1887-1890; 65 Grand Parade, 1891-1909. His two sons, James and Charles, were also Watchmakers but when the Neff family business was sold off in ca.1910, after a second marriage to a much younger woman, the Neff brothers were forced to diversify.

Two years after Mary’s death, 1905, John marries 6/11/1907 Hannah Scannell (c. 1885-19??). John Neff is now a jeweller living at “Iona” Ballintemple. Hannah came from 144 Sunday’s Well and her father was a farmer. John lived a further two years and Hannah sold the business on his death and left for the USA.

John Neff is interred in St Joseph’s with his first wife, my father and mother, my grandfather and grandmother, and other relatives. My sister organised a headstone to be placed on the grave after the death of our mother.

The above photograph was made available by Lelia O’Connor (Neff).





	- Fáilte (HOME) - A Family Tree INTRODUCTION JOHN NEFF NEFF KENNEDY McAULIFFE FORDE SHEEHAN - CONTACT VISIT A NEW NEFFBROS AT - www.neffbros.eu

			John Neff (c.1848-1909) arrived from Germany to Cork city, Ireland, about the year 1864, a watchmaker by profession. His birth place may have been Offenburg. He married 21/2/1871 Mary (Polly) Kennedy (c.1850-1905) in Cork. Mary was the daughter of James Kennedy, a mariner. Their addresses on the marriage certificate are South Main st and Gill-Abbey respectively. John and Mary establish a jewellery business in the Grand Parade, Cork. John Neff is believed to have been reared in or near Offenburg, west of the Black Forest. Family tradition is that he studied in Berlin but also likely to have been trained in his own area which is of course well known for its clock making tradition in the Black Forest. He was fluent in French as well as German, and arrived in Cork (ca. 1864) already fully qualified with Hilser (Hilser and Sons was established in the South Main Street, Cork). John Neff was not listed as a Watch and Clockmaker for 1870 so it is likely that he was working for other jewellers, family tradition has it that he worked in the beginning with Hilser. The first business address I found for John and Mary was at 2 Tuckey Street, 1881-1884. Other addresses were 69 Grand Parade, 1884-1885; 29 Grand Parade, 1886; 73 Grand Parade, 1887-1890; 65 Grand Parade, 1891-1909. His two sons, James and Charles, were also Watchmakers but when the Neff family business was sold off in ca.1910, after a second marriage to a much younger woman, the Neff brothers were forced to diversify. Two years after Mary’s death, 1905, John marries 6/11/1907 Hannah Scannell (c. 1885-19??). John Neff is now a jeweller living at “Iona” Ballintemple. Hannah came from 144 Sunday’s Well and her father was a farmer. John lived a further two years and Hannah sold the business on his death and left for the USA. John Neff is interred in St Joseph’s with his first wife, my father and mother, my grandfather and grandmother, and other relatives. My sister organised a headstone to be placed on the grave after the death of our mother. The above photograph was made available by Lelia O’Connor (Neff).