Taylor/Hennessey marriage - 28th August 1897 at St Anne's Parish Church, Belfast

[MoglieUK]

Afternoon everyone

I have for a very long time been trying to find out more about my great-grandmother Sarah Hennessey who married my great-grandfather Harry Taylor on 28th August 1897.  According to the marriage certificate he was a Private in the British Army based in Victoria Barracks, Belfast and she lived at 124 Cupar Street.  Her father was James Hennessey (coach builder).  I would love to find out more about Sarah.  The very odd thing is when she appears on the 1911 census living in London it shows her maiden name as Henderson and from New Ross, Ireland - but that doesn't make sense, her marriage certificate states its Hennessey.

Many thanks for any help you can give.

[iluleah]

Just been playing around with the names and counties on the Irish census, can't find any James Hennessey in Antrim at all , several in Wexford but none who seem to fit and one James Henderson in Wexford a farmer and lots in Belfast but none that fits.....maybe you should take a look although maybe they didn't live in Ireland/N Ireland or maybe he was not alive in 1901

[MoglieUK]

It's odd - I wonder if she changed her maiden name on the 1911 census to Henderson (despite it clearly stating Hennessey on her wedding certificate) to avoid trouble in London.  If she lived in Cupar Street with her family, I'm assuming that was a Protestant area and wouldn't have been an problem her marrying a British soldier?

[MoglieUK]

Just looked again at the 1911 census, it states she was born in New Ross, Wexford in 1911 she was 32, which puts her DOB as 1879.

[aghadowey]

It's odd - I wonder if she changed her maiden name on the 1911 census to Henderson (despite it clearly stating Hennessey on her wedding certificate) to avoid trouble in London.  If she lived in Cupar Street with her family, I'm assuming that was a Protestant area and wouldn't have been an problem her marrying a British soldier?

Why do you think Cupar Street was in a Protestant area? Using the 1901 census and searching for any occupants of Cupar Street there are 613 results- subtracting R.C. inhabitants there are 247 other religions which means 366 Catholics listed.

Remember that the marriage gives the residence of bride (and groom) at the time of the marriage which may not be where they were born or where their family lived.

I can't see any reason yet why she couldn't have been born outside Belfast. Have you found her in 1901 census to compare place of birth?

Is she not listed as Taylor (her married name) in 1911? Does the number of years listed agree with the marriage year? Were there any children from the marriage? (their birth certificates will list her maiden name)

Added: New topic here-
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=767362.0;topicseen

[gaffy]

Clearly Hennessey in the birth registration for Harry born in 1898:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1898/02076/1792420.pdf

[iluleah]

Where was she in 1901?

Cupar St back in 1897 without researching I would think it was mixed ( but do check) Taking two points of Protestant/Catholic being Shakhill/Falls then it is the middle of the two of them.

However I would not assume both were Protestant (or Catholic) as there were many mixed  faith marriages then as now and maybe even more likely it was mixed if they went to the mainland. People in love really put religion aside. The first marriage I went to as a little girl in NI was to a mixed marriage in the middle of the troubles I had no clue it was a mixed marriage no one said anything to me but I do remember ( the strange dust visit)to the brides parents home, leaving the house and going to a different town and meeting up with her family  but EVERYONE joined together as one big family in church and the reception and it was only years later  that some of those things clicked for me and they left to go on honeymoon to Canada (and stayed) so their immigration was clearly already arranged

St Anns in Belfast... St Anns Cathedral (Church of Ireland)  and St Anns Kingsway, Finaghy (Catholic) I am assuming the Cathedral as it is closer and also has a history of religious partnership too

I wonder if she changed her maiden name on the 1911 census to Henderson

The census is a secondary record soooo although the 1911 was written by the head of house/signed, so did he sign it or she, was it a mistake on his part, there was no ( logical) reason to change it. Also have you looked at the image/actual census or just a transcription as the transcription may be wrong or it is scribbled and 'looks like' another name

Have you found James her father on the Irish census? I couldn't see him but you have ( hopefully) more info like his age etc.

[gaffy]

Clearly Hennessey in the birth registration for Harry born in 1898:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1898/02076/1792420.pdf

Possible lead further to above, the place of birth and residence of father in the 1898 birth registration was 28 Ballyclare Street, the 1899 Belfast street directory on the PRONI website shows the following for Ballyclare Street:

28 Hennisey, Patk., coachsmith

There is a coachsmith called Patrick Hennessy living in Dublin in the 1901 census, however his birthplace is shown as Co. Wexford and the younger children born in Belfast:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Dublin/Royal_Exchange/William_Street/1340448/

Edited to add: This couple are coming back as Patrick Hennessey and Mary Sweetman, eg.  look at the following birth registration (likewise result for the other Belfast born children):

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1899/02054/1785834.pdf

[aghadowey]

Birth for Timothy Henessey in Belfast (1892)-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1892/02350/1878539.pdf