Dromore Rectory-Alexander

[Bruce]

I have a photo of this place taken early 1900s. Can anyone tell me what it is and where it is? Does anyone know what connection it has to the Alexander family of Dromore?

[Christopher]

I have a photo of this place taken early 1900s. Can anyone tell me what it is and where it is? Does anyone know what connection it has to the Alexander family of Dromore?

Hiya Bruce,

Would it be possible to post the photo of Dromore Rectory on the board so that we may have a look at it. Since it is called a Rectory I presume it is where the Anglican (Church of Ireland) rector and his family lived. Rectories are usually situated close to the Church. Dromore, Co. Tyrone, is in the Diocese of Clogher http://clogher.anglican.org/index.php?p=parishes2.

As a matter of interest do you know more about the Alexander family of Dromore?
I found a few members of the family in Griffiths Valuation of Ireland which took place in the county in 1851.

Best Wishes, Chris

 

[Bruce]

Hello, Chris

See attached photos.

My wife's ALEXANDER ancestors descend from Thomas Alexander (b. 1764, d. 1860), son of Thomas Alexander & Mary Osborne. His son, also Thomas (b. 1820, d. 1889) married a Sarah Jane Houston of Ballinhatty (his 2nd marriage) in 1851. I believe all children from that marriage were born in Dromore, Tyrone.
One son, James Alexander (b. c1857, d. 1938) immigrated to Australia, around 1876. He is my wife's great grandfather. 
My wife & I saw the Rectory in September last year. It is now a private home.   We have since found out that James's sister Rebecca married the rector.

Do you have any further information on the ALEXANDERS of Dromore?

Regards,
Bruce (Melbourne, Australia)

[alicook]

Thanks for that photo of my childhood home! It has changed quite a bit in the last 100 years by the look of that photo.

The rectory (or Old Rectory as it is now, having been replaced by a new one over 30 years ago) is located in the village of Dromore, Co. Tyrone directly opposite the Anglican (Church of Ireland) Church - Holy Trinity Parish Church.

If you have any other photos of this property I'd be dleighted to see them. Thanks.

Michael

[MichaelG]

Thanks for that photo of my childhood home! It has changed quite a bit in the last 100 years by the look of that photo.

The rectory (or Old Rectory as it is now, having been replaced by a new one over 30 years ago) is located in the village of Dromore, Co. Tyrone directly opposite the Anglican (Church of Ireland) Church - Holy Trinity Parish Church.

If you have any other photos of this property I'd be dleighted to see them. Thanks.

Michael

Ooops that was me. I've no idea how I managed to post from someone else's account! Just to add I can confirm it is indeed a private house, or in fact more accurately two houses.

[grm]

Hi Bruce

I Was browsing and chanced on this old photograph of The Old Rectory in Dromore County Tyrone. I must say I am very excited about the photograph as it shows how the property looked in its original form. I am the current resident of one half of the old rectory having purchased it some seventeen years ago. I have lived in Dromore all  my life and I have quite a bit of history on the Rectory. I have also in my posession a 5ft x 3ft oil portrait of the original incumbant the Rev Henry Lucas St George who organised the building of the Rectory around 1836. I would be keen to learn of your links with Dromore and if there is anything you would like to know about the Old Rectory then please feel free to contact me and I will be happy to share any information that I have.

Regards

Gerald

[Bruce]

Hello Gerald,

It was good to hear from you especially as you are living in the house that I think my wife’s great great aunt – Rebecca (Raby) who married a Jack Davis- lived in for many years. When we visited Dromore in 2005 we spoke to Mrs. Crozier who was very elderly but could remember Mrs. Davis who died in the 1930s. We also spoke to one of the sons of the late Sara Alexander Roberta (Osborne) Kenwall who is distantly related and his wife. We visited the Salt and Pepper Café as this purportedly, was once the draper’s shop that my wife’s g g grandfather, Thomas Alexander, owned. He had many children, one of whom was James, my wife’s great grandfather, who came out to Australia in the 1870s. His daughters (my wife’s great aunts) had visited some of their cousins (the Buchanans – Martha and Mary) back in the 1960s and always spoke warmly of Dromore.

It was one of these great aunts who kept all things to do with the family who had these photos. They were signed by ‘Jack’ and addressed to James Alexander and Charles Woods. ‘Jack’ could be Rebecca’s husband (Jack Davis) or a nick name for John Houston Alexander the brother of James Alexander and brother-in-law of Charles Woods. (John married Margaret Woods.)

Quite a few Alexanders are buried in the new cemetery as well as in the old one. Due to time constraints and an elderly father-in-law (grandson of James, above) who was with us, we had difficulty working out the wording of an Alexander memorial in the old church cemetery on the hill. If you happen to come across it and are able to record what it says we would be most appreciative. Maybe it is even written down somewhere in a local historical archive perhaps. Any history of what happened to Thomas and the drapery business would also be interesting. Actually, any information about Dromore and its inhabitants would be useful.

Many thanks,
Bruce.

[pkincaid]

Weren't the Alexanders of Dromore connected to the Alexander, Earls of Caledon?  PRONI has reference to a number of leases issued by James Alexander, Earl of Caledon at Dromore.

There were Dromore natives who were neighbors of my immigrant ancestor here in the Province of New Brunswick, Canada.  The surnames were Gibson, McFarlane, Rutledge and McCarron.

Peter

[grm]

Hi Bruce

Nice to talk to you, and thanks for your reply. Having been born in 1960  I personally have no recollection of any Alexander’s from Dromore, however I will endeavour through my relatives to find out anything that I can for you and I will keep you posted.

My late Father-in-Law who passed away some ten years ago had a wonderful knowledge regarding the history of Dromore and over the years he was always giving me bits and pieces of memorabilia. I am absolutely certain that he gave me a “Bill Head” from Thomas Alexander’s Draper Shop in Dromore. I think I may have slipped it inside one of my many books. I have spent the past three hours searching for it and I just cannot locate it. I will keep searching and when I do locate it, and it is indeed from Thomas Alexander’s Draper shop then I will be delighted to send it to you. I have also another item in my possession that you may be able to shed some light on, and indeed it may be of interest to you. It is a small leather bound Bible and the inscription on the inside reads. “To Osborne Alexander with his Mother’s Blessing 30/6/1877” Do you know who Osborne Alexander was and is he a relative of your Wife?

I will talk to you again soon.

Regards