| Notes |
- The first trace of Blanche that we can find is in the census of 1891, where she is listed as being age 21, born in Ontario, and the daughter of, and living with, Isabella Passmore.
The 1871 and 1881 census list a Nelly Passmore (1871, age 5) and a Nellie Passmore (1881, age 12) living with Isabella Passmore. No other references to a Nelly or Nellie Passmore can be found, and the ages given in 1871 and 1881 are not consistent, nor are they consistent with the apparent birthdate of Blanche. It seems possible that Blanche was born in 1870 or 1871 (before the 1871 census), that her nickname was "Nelly", and that the 1871 census age was 5 months, instead of 5 years. Given the latter assumption, and knowing that the 1871 census was taken on 2 April 1871, she would have been born around October or November 1870. Blanche was shown as being 28 years old on her 1900 marriage record.
It is clear from Frederick Fortescue Passmore's 1879 will, revealed after his death in 1892, that he did not consider Blanche to be his offspring. It is likely that she was the result of an extramarital affair by her mother Isabella.
The next public record of Blanche comes from her July 17, 1900 marriage to Robert McKay, a lawyer, and later a Kings Counsel. Her parents are listed as Frederick F Passmore and Isabel Rankin Passmore, and her birth year is estimated to be 1872. She is listed as being born in Toronto. In the 1901 census, she and her husband are listed as living with her mother "V Passmore", together with 5 other boarders. Her birth date is listed as 25 March, 1874. Toronto directories showed that she and her husband lived at 650 Church Street until 1911. Some time later, Blanche and Robert move to 263 Russell Hill Road, where Robert dies in 1921, and where Blanche continues to live until 1940, according to yearly Toronto directories. Blanche and her husband were relatively wealthy. Their Russell Hill Road house was in a prosperous area, and There are several border/mmigration records documenting Blanche's trips to England and Bermuda in the 1920's.
According to a legal paper issued in 1944, in connection with Robert's will, Blanche had become Blanche Ellen BRODIGAN by 1944. A date for her second marriage has not been found. "Mr. and Mrs. F.H. Brodigan" are mentioned in a December 1940 Toronto Star society page entry and "Mrs. Robert McKay" is mentioned in the same newspaper in October, 1941.
A "National Registration" form, required of all Canadians in 1940 [Electoral District 170, Polling Division 171, Card #60], and filled out on Aug. 19, 1940 by Blanche, shows that she was married to Frank Brodigan, that her only disability was "poor memory", and that she was born in Toronto on June 25, 1890(!!). She lists no dependents - except for her husband (!). Her racial origin was listed as Irish, she had primary and secondary school education, was a housewife with "independent means", living at 263 Russell Hill Road. The form further states that she has had no farming or business experience, cannot handle horses or drive trucks or do plain cooking.
A legal notice in the Toronto Globe and Mail, April 12, 1944 from Judges' Chambers states: "Re Blanche E. Brodigan - Application for an order declaring Blanche E. Brodigan to be a person incapable of managing her affairs. A.C. Heighington K.C. for F.H. Brodigan, applicant. Declaration made and a reference directed to the Master to propound a scheme, fix security, and appoint a committee. Costs out of estate."
Her death on 7 Oct., 1949 was marked by a short obituary on Oct. 8 in the Toronto Star, stating that she died in Wellesly Hospital, was the wife of Frank H. Brodigan, and had been living at 263 Russell Hill Road. Interment was to be at Mount Pleasant Cemetery. A further legal notice in the Toronto Star, Nov. 28, 1949, giving notice to any creditors to assert any claims against her estate. In the same issue of the Star, her estate was listed as being worth $170,000, of which $30,000 was willed to charities, notably Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Home for Incurable Children, Salvation Army and Calvin Presbyterian Church. Her will, made in 1941, lists her major assets as $119000 in securities, $23,000 in her 263 Russell Road residence and $23000 as a 1936 Packard sedan. Besides charities, her beneficiaries included Rev. Stanley Russell, D.D. of Toronto, Dr. W.H. Eby of Toronto ($2500 each), Victor H. Brodigan of Toronto (Frank's son) ($5000 plus mortgage investment income), Laura Brodigan ($5000), Frank and Ethel McKay (release from any debts owed by them), and the remaining major part of her estate was willed to her husband Frank Brodigan.
Blanchenamed as Blanche Ellen Brodigan, is buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Plot C, Section 21, Lot 15. There is no grave marker. She shares the same plot with three female Brodigans: Emma (probably the mother of Blanche's second husband Frank Brodigan), Laura Brodigan (Frank's sister, and a well-known musician), and Edith Brodigan.
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Abt 1870 - 1949 (79 years)