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Topic: Blakely/Bleakley in Newtownards (Read 1830 times)
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akanex2
RootsChat Senior
Posts: 277
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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I am trying to trace the ancestors of William Blakely who had a draper's shop in Church Street, Newtownards 100 years ago.
He died on 31 Dec 1909 and I have a copy of his will and his obituary from the Newtownards Chronicle. According to the obit, he was born in Newtownards and served his apprenticeship with his uncle, David Platt, in Ballymoney, Co Antrim before returning to his native town to set up in business for himself. He married Elizabeth Carrol in Donaghadee Methodist Church in 1866 (although both bride and groom had addresses in Newtownards town) and they had 5 children before Elizabeth died and he remarried Mary Cargo in Ballygilbert Presbyterian in 1886, having a further 3 children of whom 2 died in infancy. When he died he belonged to 1st Newtownards Presbyterian Church. I have traced all his direct descendants but no nothing of his brothers or sisters much less earlier generations.
William had apparently discovered the secret of eternal youth as his ageing varies every time he had to record his age, from "over 21" in 1866, via 49 in 1901 to 59 at death. The recorded ages of his children also varied wildly between the censuses and rarely agrees with their birth certificates! As a result any estimate of his actual year of birth could be wildly inaccurate.
I have found him in Griffith, 1901 census and various directories as well as obtaining copies of his marriage and death certificates, but earlier generations remain a mystery. His marriage certificate gives his father as William Blakely, occupation weaver. He also acted as executor of the wills of James and Jane Blakely of Little Francis Street, Newtownards who may well have been relatives.
Finally I have a family photograph of William's grandson and family visiting unknown friends/relatives and marked "Leitrim 1934". As there is a Blakely family living in Leitrim, Castlewellan in 1901 and 1911 censuses there is a possibility that William was in some way related to them.
I would love to hear from anyone with knowledge of either Newtownards or Leitrim Blakelys who could shed any light on these families and also the Platt-Blakely connection.
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akanex2
RootsChat Senior
Posts: 277
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Thanks for that - Yes I'd seen David Platt's entry on the will calenders and see he had a sister Martha Graham in Charlotte Street, Ballymoney who I'm presuming was the widow of William Graham, sewed muslin manufacturer. The problem is I'm not sure if David Platt married a Blakely or William Blakely married a Platt as I can't find the marriages.
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BallyaltikilliganG
RootsChat Veteran
Posts: 850
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There is a BLAKELY family tree in the Blackwood Family history manuscript trees in the LinenHall library, Belfast. Volume 34. it might not be connected atall, but if you could visit the library with warning, it would be easy to check, otherwise I suggest you ask them for photocopying estimates if they think your knowledge relevant and you should be prepared to pay a fee for copying, post and packing, and perhaps some staff time and overheads. However if the material is really relevant when you get it, I suggest a further donation to this unique library that is always needing extra funds. Linen Hall Library,17 Donegall Square North, Belfast BT15GB, Northern Ireland, Telephone: +44 (0)28 9032 1707, Fax: +44 (0)28 9043 8586, Email: <irish.reference[at]linenhall.com>.replace the [AT] with the symbol please
Good luck onwards, Jim
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Gracey Gracie Gracy Grassy Greacy
worldwide
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akanex2
RootsChat Senior
Posts: 277
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Thanks Jim
I have had a look at the tree in the Blackwood Pedigrees - It relates to the descendants of the Rev Blakely of Moneyreagh who was originally from Dublin so nothing of the Co Down family I'm after.
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akanex2
RootsChat Senior
Posts: 277
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Thanks again Jim
Certainly looks possible that Margaret could have been a sister of David the shoemaker of Little Francis St/Conway Square. This is almost certainly the same guy who is a shoemaker in Main Street, Ballymoney in 1861 directory which I looked up on the Lennon Wylie website, as he has disappeared from Newtownards by that date and there are no Ballymoney Platts in the 1852 directory.
Clearly I have some work to do:-
1. Look at the David Platt will to see who's mentioned;
2. Look up his death certificate to see if he was married
3. Check out the church records where Margaret Platt was married in 1849.
Any other suggestions gratefully accepted.
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BallyaltikilliganG
RootsChat Veteran
Posts: 850
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Been there perhaps? Ever since you first mentioned Ballymoney, Co Antrim, my mind has worried about the others that are still in Co Down and so Ros Davies again ie
however the info is to big to place on chatters
in summary with those Ballymoney townlands in Co Down civil parishes of Donaghadee, Kilbroney, Kilcoo, Magherally- part, Newtownards Seapatrick in front of me, some family connections may well exist within Ros Davies surname gatherings.
I made this up sometime from familysearch.com just for William
1. William Edward Moore Blackely – Igi Birth: 13 Feb 1878 Antrim, Antrim, Ireland
2. William Blackley – Igi Birth: 11 May 1876 , Antrim, Ireland
3. William John Blakeley – Igi Birth: 13 Nov 1872 Ballymena, Antrim, Ireland
4. William James Blakely – Igi Birth: 19 Mar 1876 Belfast, Antrim, Ireland
5. William Blakely – Igi Birth: 02 Jan 1878 Antrim, Antrim, Ireland
6. William Blackly – Igi Birth: 1673 Derryaghy, Antrim, Ireland
7. Mrs William Blackly – Igi Birth: 1677 Derryaghy, Antrim, Ireland
8. William Blackley – Igi Birth: 14 Apr 1869 , Antrim, Ireland
9. William Blakeley – Igi Birth: About 1856 Belfast, Antrim, Ireland
10. William Blakeley – Igi Birth: About 1866 Belfast, Antrim, Ireland
11. William Blakely – Igi Birth: 1715 Of, , Antrim, Ireland
12. William Blackly – Igi Marriage: 1698 Derriaghy Parish, , Antrim, Ireland
13. Mrs William Blackly – Igi Marriage: 1698 Derriaghy Parish, , Antrim, Ireland
1. William Edward Young Blakely – Igi Birth: 01 May 1876 , Down, Ireland
2. William George Blakley – Igi Birth: 15 Jul 1869 , Down, Ireland
3. William John Blakley – Igi Birth: 26 Nov 1872 Annahilt, Down, Ireland
4. William John Blakley – Igi Birth: 1852 Benraw, , Down, Ireland
5. William James Blakely – Igi Birth: 20 Apr 1859 First Presbyterian, Ballynahinch, Down, Ireland
6. William Blakely – Igi Birth: 17 Apr 1867 1035, Newtown Ards, Down, Ireland
7. William John Blackly – Igi Birth: 15 May 1839 Presbyterian, Dromara, Down, Ireland
8. William John Blakely – Igi Birth: 12 Jan 1865 0532, Killyleagh, Down, Ireland
9. William Robert Blakely – Igi Birth: 28 Nov 1876 Newtown Ards, Down, Ireland
10. William Blakely – Igi Birth: 05 Dec 1868 , Down, Ireland
11. William John Blakley – Igi Birth: 1852 Benraw, , Down, Ireland
12. William John Blakley – Igi Birth: 15 Aug 1877 Ballinagapoge, , Down, Ireland
13. William John Blakley – Igi Death: 31 Aug 1922
14. William John Blakley – Igi Death: 31 Aug 1922
15. William Blakely – Igi Marriage: 02 Mar 1799 Downpatrick, Down, Ireland
16. Wm. Blackley – Igi Marriage: 31 Jan 1851 Newtown Ards, Down, Ireland
17. William Blakely – Igi Marriage: 15 May 1849 0692, Tullylish, Down, Ireland
And Over On The Griffiths Valuation Front Say 1860s
from http://griffiths.askaboutireland.ie/gv4/gv_
Blakely William Loan Antrim Craigs
Blakely William Lisburn Street Down Magheradrool
Blakely William Downpatrick Old Road Down Kilmegan
Blakely William Ballykine, Lower Down Magheradrool
Blakely William Bleary Down Tullylish
Blakely William West Street Down Newtown Ards
from http://www.ancestryireland.com/index.php
Below is a list of results for William Blakely databases that are Freely available to Visitors and others that are not.
Birth records for Antrim and Down - Sign posting Index 16
Marriage records for Antrim and Down - Sign posting Index 26
Death records for Antrim and Down - Sign posting Index 5
Index to 1796 Flaxgrowers Bounty List (giving parish locations) 3
Ulster Gravestone Inscription Surname-Firstname Index 1
Residents of Newtownards 1876 1
Irish Will Calendars, 1858-1878 1
NIFHS Genealogy Search Engine ie http://www.nifhs.org/resultsgse.htm produces different reports if you change counties for William Blakely. There is more than a one database at this website, it is the Genealogy one that is outstanding.
now that’s me closing down and wishing good luck and maybe church records galore for the time being , leaving all the above sitesmaybe, worth searching for Platt etc and other Blakelys
Jim
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Gracey Gracie Gracy Grassy Greacy
worldwide
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akanex2
RootsChat Senior
Posts: 277
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Wow Jim that looks pretty comprehensive! I have seen all these websites at various times but will go through the entries again in case there's something new or a connection that makes more sense now. Many thanks for all your work getting this together.
It's definitely Ballymoney town in Co Antrim I looking for and not a townland of the same name in Co Down (I've already been down that road!).
Also Margaret Platt was married in 1st Newtownards Presbyterian and I see their baptismal records start from 1833 - too late for Margaret to be included, but maybe William Blakely himself has an entry. Ian Maxwell's book "Researching Down Ancestors" says these are in local custody, rather than in PRONI. Have any Rootschatters accessed these before?
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akanex2
RootsChat Senior
Posts: 277
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Jim
My William Blakely is the one in West Street in Griffith (either him or his father anyway). Do you know if town maps were done showing individual plots like the rural ones available on the site you mention?
Latest update - I found 1st Newtownards presbyterian records transcribed by the NIFHS and got a look up done. No joy.
I'm beginning to think the Blakelys were originally Methodists but the Newtownards records don't seem to go back that far.
Need a visit to GRONI to see the death registers I'm afraid!
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akanex2
RootsChat Senior
Posts: 277
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Jim
Can you PM me with the possible Rainey contact details - I'm tending to the belief that Margaret Rainey (nee Platt) may be a sister of David's. Also in Movilla Cemetery in Newtowards there is a gravestone for a Margaret Platt, formerly Stewart, the wife of John Platt, who died in 1849 aged 54. These are potentially her parents and are definitely the parents of Sarah Platt who was baptised in 1st Newtownards Presbyterian in Feb 1837. She is the first Platt baptism in this church which has records back to 1833, so David and Margaret are too old to be included.
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FionaMcDonald
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 9
Anna Eliza Young and Joe Magill
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It does seem odd that two people with Newtownards addresses would go all the way to Donaghadee Methodist. Maybe the bride didn't live at home and her family lived in Donaghadee.
If anyone wants lookups from Newtownards Methodist please let me know.
Newtownards Methodist Marriage Books (50 marriages in each)
Book 1 - November 1863 to January 1885
Book 2 - April 1895 to April 1896
Book 3 - May 1896 to October 1909
Book 4 - October 1909 to July 1920
Book 5 - September 1920 to April 1937
Book 6 - September 1938 to July 1949
Book 7 - August 1949 to July 1956 - (51 marriages)
Book 8 - July 1956 to October 1963
Book 9 - November 1963 to February 1969
Comber Methodist Marriages
April 1894 to April 1937 (15 marriages)
Newtownards Methodist Baptisms (400 in each book)
Book 1 - December 1869 to May 1891
Book 2 - July 1891 to November 1912
Book 3 - November 1912 to September 1945 (416 in book)
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Newtownards area - McDonald, MacDonald, McDonnell, McIlroy, McElroy, O'Neill, Snodden, McClurg, Wallace,
Hilltown/Rathfriland area - Magill, Young, Truesdale, Hall, McMahon, Stewart, McIlroy
Limavady area - Ferguson, Cunningham, Irwin
Belfast area - Harbinson (also Doagh, County Antrim), Lawther, Halliday, Rolleston, Rolston, Ralston (also Keady, County Armagh)
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