My Moynahan Genealogy Blog: Our Museum: Bernard Moynahan's Wallet

Saturday, July 25, 2020

Our Museum: Bernard Moynahan's Wallet

During the period of COVID-19 in 2020 when all of the archives and museums around the world were forced to close, many museums and individuals started posting photos with the hashtag #MyMuseum on twitter .

"As we grow older
many of us create
our own museum of things..."

The idea of sharing photos of of treasures and trinkets from "our own museum of things" inspired me to create this series called #OurMuseum. Here is my great uncle Thomas Moynahan's leather wallet.

Thos. Bernard Moynahan's Wallet

This wallet was entrusted to me (along with many other treasures) after the death of my grandmother Rhea (Coughlin) Moynahan in 1992. This black leather walllet is embossed with the date "October 1971" and the name "Thomas Moynahan".

The leather also has "UAW 444" embossed in the maple leaf design of the leather if you examine the design very closely.

UAW 444 was the United Auto Workers union local that represented Chrysler Canada workers and my guess is that this wallet was given to my great uncle on the occassion of his retirement in October 1971. (Bernard did not live long enough to know that Charlie Brooks, his UAW Local 444 President from 1956-1977, would be shot and killed by a disgruntled Chrysler employee (whom the company had fired.)

My great uncle went by the name BERNARD (not Thomas) which may or may not be the reason that the wallet was never used.

Here is the story of my great uncle, Thomas BERNARD Moynahan (1909-1971) who I have come to know as a gentle, kind and quiet bachelor who once considered joining the priesthood and joined the army instead and financially supported his mother until her death in 1960.

Thomas BERNARD Moynahan

(1909-1974)

My great uncle Thomas Bernard Moynahan (1909-1974) was the youngest child (#6 of 6) of John and Mary (Broderick) Moynahan. He was 5 feet 5 inches tall and had blue eyes and red hair.

Moynahan Family: Aileen, Ernest, Bernard (pictured front right), Raymond, Gerald and Mabel
(c 1909)

Bernard graduated from Patterson Collegiate Grade 10 at age 16 in 1925. He worked for three years (1926-1929) as a junior bank clerk ($12/week) and then for 5 years at the Canadian National Railways yard as an office clerk ($31/week).

In 1929, my grandfather, Ernest Moynahan (1900-1974), asked his brother Bernard
to be the Best Man at his wedding.

From left to right: Miss Viola Coughlin, Rhea Fern (Coughlin) Moynahan,
Bernard Moynahan, Eileen Demarse (Rhea's niece)
Ernest Joseph Moynahan and Miss Gretta Coughlin (maid of honour)

Photo of the church ceremony: Ernest and Rhea (Coughlin) Moynahan wedding 1929

1933

The Moynahan family lived at 539 Campbell Avenue, Windsor, Ontario. Bernard's father John Moynahan (1866-1933) died suddenly in 1933. Bernard was 24 years-old.

Clipped from

The Windsor Star
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
27 Jun 1933, Tue • Page 5

Prior to his enlistment in the army in 1940, Bernard worked 6 years in final assembly at Chrysler Corp. of Canada Ltd., Plant 3 for 83 cents per hour.

Bernard Moynahan Overseas

1940 - 1945

Thomas Bernard Moynahan (1909-1974) started active service in the RCOC (Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps) and later the RCEME (Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) on the 12th of July 1940 in Windsor, Ontario.

Bernard is pictured below with my father, aunt, uncle, grandparents and great grandmother

Rear (L to R) Rhea (Coughlin) Moynahan, Bernard Moynahan, Mary (Broderick) Moynahan
Front (L to R) Patricia Moynahan, John Moynahan, Ernest Jr Moynahan

Left to Right: John, Bernard, Ernie Jr. Ernie Sr. and Patricia Moynahan

Bernard served 57 months (5 years 110 days) overseas in the U.K., the Mediterranean and north-west of Europe. His trade on enlistment was a motorcyclist and a clerk.

Thomas Bernard Moynahan
Picture taken in Edinburgh, Scotland

He met his brother Gerald Moynahan (1908-1961) overseas somewhere on the Western Front in 1945.

The Windsor Star

Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Fri, May 11, 1945 · Page 5

After the war, Bernard returned to his former employer Chrysler Motors Co. of Canada (he later retired 1971)

Source: Service File A-29431

In 1951, Bernard wrote to the Department of Vetern Affairs to get a replacement copy of his Discharge Certificate because it had beeen lost.

Source: Service File A-29431

"Bunny" Dies Suddenly
(1974)

The letter below was written the day after news of his death (Feb. 9, 1974 10:10 am) reached his cousin Geraldine (Broderick) Knapp (1908-1974) in Florida. Geraldine's pet name for Bernard was "Bunny" (Geraldine later died November 1974 and so did Bernard's brother Ernest Moynahan.)
Geraldine (Broderick) Knapp wrote,

"Bunny" was a good person

I know he'll get his just rewards in Heaven."