Castletown Geoghegan, near Mullingar - Workhouse

[KitCarson]

In the 1881 E&W Census Thomas Kelly (c1838) and his children are living at 96 Victoria St, St Helens, Lancashire.  The record doesn't show Thomas's wife Bridget (nee Cooney) although it shows him as being married, but then it also shows his eldest son, Michael H aged 12 as married!  By the next census, Thomas and 3 of his 4 children are boarding with the McIntee family at 135 College St, St Helens.

The family hail from Castletown Geoghegan, near Mullingar, Westmeath, Ireland and must have travelled over to England between 1875-1881, as the youngest child Mary was born in 1875 in Ireland.
 
If, as I suspect, Bridget was already dead by 1881, there are a fair few possible deaths in Lancashire between 1875-1881, so I'll never find her.  However, on RootsIreland there is the death of a Bridget Kelly on 28 March 1879 in Castletown, Westmeath.  The record shows that she was 35 and had been in the workhouse for 177 days.  It gives no other information.  I now wonder if the family moved to England after the death of Bridget.

I wonder if anyone has any information on where the workhouse would have been and whether any records survive?

Very grateful for any assistance,  Kit

[dawnsh]

Hi Kit

There's information on Irish workhouses here

http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Castletowndelvin/

if I haven't highlighted the correct one, there are 2 others

Dawn

[KitCarson]

Thanks very much Dawn.  I've used the site before but hadn't realised there were also Irish and Scottish Workhouses listed.  Doh!

I'll need to do some research on which workhouse is the correct one as all the on-line record had was 'Castletown'.  I can see that other than walking the dog and making dinner, my day will be full of FH research.  Fantastic!!  Kit

BTW - does anyone know how the pronounce Geoghegan?

[KGarrad]

I've always pronounced it as gay-gun?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoghegan

[dawnsh]

Gee (as in geek) and then 'gun'

I knew someone at work with this surname and that's how they pronounced it

[Sinann]

The person I worked with by that name pronunced it Gay-gan.

[KitCarson]

Thanks all.  Maybe someone from the area will put us right eventually.  Kit

[KGarrad]

Ask Stephen Fry?!
http://www.westmeathexaminer.ie/news/roundup/articles/2013/02/21/4014551-stephen-fry-gets-a-lesson-on-castletown-geoghegan/

[KitCarson]

Ha ha    None the wiser then!  I think I'm going with Gay-gen.  Kit