Thomas Gregory 1 of 6 miners killed. Body found 100+ years later Clontarf area

[conahy calling]

• Just tried "googling" Clontarf lead mine.  Several mentions on various sites but not much detail is given.  On   www.libraryireland.com    it states that the mine has been opened at various times since the reign of James I

See "search" option in top right corner on "library ireland" site

[Justaleafonatree]

Thank you for your post sallyyorks.  I do not know what kind of a miner Thomas Gregory was.  All the records I have just state "miner"  I've bookmarked the CMHRC site and will have a look around.  Also he is the one and only miner in the family I've come across.

Thank you as well conahy calling.  I sent a couple of emails months ago to the Clontarf-history site but they were not able to help me.  Someone there suggested I get in touch with the Historical Society - did that as well without success.  Will do further checking on the libraryireland site.  Great stuff on there.

I came upon a great thread a little earlier today.  It's quite out of date but a great read.  I've requested a join to their forum (waiting for approval)..  if accepted I may revive that old thread to see if anyone might have come upon the newspaper article at some time or remember Thomas Gregory's name.  http://www.archiseek.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=514  It's quite long (168 posts) but has a great wealth of info.  I just don't know what kind of mine he worked in so it's given lots of possibilities.

I'm trying about everything I can and won't give up. 

[hasta]

Last time looking at this I came across some court records concerning a Thomas Gregory and trespass charges.
The charges were what looks like (to me)

"His goat (?) trespassing on compts (complainants) land at Killester north at Clontarf "
5 of them in all between 13th Dec and 7th Janurary 1873/74.

The complainant was a Thomas Carolyn (initially couldn't make out the name) but I have now established that he had numerous lease's to land's in Clontarf, Killester and Raheny. (Strandville, Hollybrook, Strand Road) The Carolan family home was St Edmunds and they also owned the pub on the Howth Road, now named Harry Byrnes)
St Edmund's is now The Yacht pub and apartment building on the corner of Seaview Avenue to the left.
This map will probably explain better.
http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,718846,736102,7,9
(Seaview Ave is in the center at the red cross - you can toggle between it and Google)
The trespassing Goat could definitely have been wandering up north from Seaview Avenue, Clontarf to the wooded land shown in Killester
Can't be positive it's your Thomas Gregory but suggesting that any search for death of Thomas Gregory might concentrate first between 1874 and the 1880 marriage cert of his daughter which lists him as dead.
I really can't understand the total lack of newspaper records of the initial mine accident and most especially the 1980's discovery. Have you any other detail at all
Certainly the 1980's discovery would have entailed the involvement of the coroners office, city council archeology, reburial and I'd imagine a lot of media, how could they have identified them ?
So am really, totally stumped there

[chrisscales]

Even if he died and the body wasn't found/retrieved, surely the death would still be registered?

I have just thought that maybe I should correct myself here - one of my ancestors drowned in a river in Wisbech in December 1865 and his body wasn't found for nearly two months. The death was only registered after it was found in February 1866 and they had an inquest. So possibly there may not be a civil registration...

[Justaleafonatree]

Thank you hasta and chrisscales for your replies.

I love the goat story and map of the area.  Great info to add to my family story.

Also great to know re a death being registered after the body was found.  What a mystery this surely is.

Earlier this week I received the record from the GRO for Thomas Gregory and Margaret ARCHBOLD.  Marriage solemnized at the Registrars Office in the City of Dublin on 27 April 1855.  He is listed as a miner.  The RootsIreland record I purchased for Thomas Gregory and Margaret ARCHBOLD is a "Church Marriage Record" Parish/District Clontarf. 30 April 1855.  Both items have them living on Seaview Ave. in Clontarf.

I'm not sure if they are one in the same and have sent a note to Swords Heritage Centre as I don't understand why there would be 2 dates and places for what I see as the same people.

Trying to narrow down Thomas Gregory's death date I ordered the birth record for his 3rd and last son that I found.  William Joseph Gregory.  Born 9 October 1865.  Father: Thomas Gregory (occupation Laborer) and Mother: Margaret ASPILL.  It was registered  in the District of Clontarf & Raheny and signed "x" by Thomas Gregory on 14 October 1865.  This differs from the RootsIreland record that I purchased.  William Joseph Gregory. DOB 9 October 1865. Baptism 13 October 1865 Father: Thomas Gregory and Mother: Margaret ARCHBOLD.  Both items also have everyone living on Seaview Avenue in Clontarf.

I did receive approval to the archiseek board earlier today and have posted my question on there to see if they know anything of the mine collapse story.



 

[hasta]

I noticed that the records for the old cemetery in Clontarf have been put online by DCC Libraries
http://databases.dublincity.ie/cemeteries/search.php
and it reminded me of this old thread so searched for Thomas GREGORY and found him and his wife Margaret in the old COI graveyard.

Weird thing is that there is no date of death or burial date listed for him but there is for her which might lend credence to the original story of him being lost in a mine collapse !!

Clontarf (St. John the Baptist)       
Thomas Gregory   
6 Seaview Avenue Clontarf   
65 years          
Labourer   RC   
Married       
Margaret Gregory   

Clontarf (St. John the Baptist)   
26/02/1909   
Margaret Gregory   
15 Courtney Place off Ballybough Rd Dublin   
70 years   
24/02/1909          
RC   Widow       
Kate Vernon