William Grady, shoemaker, born about 1831

[bibliotaphist]

William Grady, born about 1831 in Armagh, is my only Irish ancestor.

I don't know anything about researching Irish records.

William was a shoemaker. He married in Wolverhampton, England, on 23rd Apr 1859.

According to his marriage record his father was called James, also a shoemaker.

He has six children, appears in the UK censuses in 1861-'71-'81, and dies in Wolverhampton in 1884.

Details and citations at: http://sites.rootsmagic.com/stainthorp/individual.php?p=202

(There are two William Gradys of about the right age in the 1851 England census who were shoemakers born in Ireland. Neither is with their family and neither is in Wolverhampton. Of course he may not have been in England yet by this point. There is one transcribed baptism on rootsireland.ie in Armagh, 3rd May 1830, of William Grady to James Grady and Mary Fitzsimons.)

Any tips or suggestions gratefully received...

[bibliotaphist]

Thanks to the new NLI Catholic parish registers (http://registers.nli.ie/) I've found the original entry for the baptism of William Grady to James Grady and Mary Fitzsim[m]ons on 3rd May 1830.

As far as I can tell it doesn't contain any new information above what was in the rootsireland.ie index record (mentioned above), so still nothing to determine whether this could be my William Grady.

Parish of Armagh | Microfilm 05590 / 03: http://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000632472#page/105/mode/1up

Image attached.

[bibliotaphist]

With help from another RootsChat user I now have the corresponding baptism for William Grady's older sister Jane, in Armagh on 10 January 1829. Same parents (James Grady and Mary Fitzsimons). Sponsors' names Patrick O'Toole and Mary O'Toole.

http://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000632472#page/97/mode/1up (right-hand page).

I've made a note of the baptismal sponsors in case those names crop up again later.

I am going to see if I can trace this Jane Grady in later records to see if there are any clues to where she or here parents ended up. I've no records for the parents James and Mary beyond these two baptism entries - something that gave a hint to the father James's occupation would be gold !!

[bibliotaphist]

A couple of interesting records which are possible sightings of my William Grady before his marriage in 1859. They aren't evidence but they are people of the right name, approximate age and occupation.

1. In the 1851 census of England and Wales (HO107/2307/505/12):

• William Grady
• aged 18 (i.e. birth abt 1833 - a little bit late)
• occupation shoemaker's apprentice
• born Ireland
• lodger in the household of Mary POWER at 24, Wharf Street, Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire

There is another William Grady, shoemaker, at 7, Hattons Court, Salford in the 1851 census (HO107/2224/28/52) but he is married.

2. In the 'Dublin Workhouses Admission & Discharge Registers 1840-1919' collection on Findmypast (1846, pages 79-80, number 1570):

• William Grady
• orphan
• aged 13 (i.e. birth abt 1833 - a little bit late)
• occupation shoemaker's apprentice
• condition "ragged & filthy" (!)
• admitted to the South Dublin Workhouse on 26th January 1846
• discharged 19th July 1848

I can't decipher the entry for this William Grady under "Electoral Division and Townland in which resident". Cropped attached.

[aghadowey]

I can't decipher the entry for this William Grady under "Electoral Division and Townland in which resident". Cropped attached.

I think the first bit is 'In City'

[bibliotaphist]

I can't decipher the entry for this William Grady under "Electoral Division and Townland in which resident". Cropped attached.

I think the first bit is 'In City'

Thank you. I think you are right with "In City". I'm guessing that must mean Dublin. I think the number which follows (2163 a?) is a reference to a previous workhouse record. William Grady was admitted to the workhouse on 22 July 1844 and is number 2163 in that year's register.

His age in these records isn't quite right for 'my' William Grady.

[bibliotaphist]

I've written up my notes about William Grady on my website. No new information since 21 July 2015.

http://lncn.eu/irish#grady