Author Topic: Family Legends  (Read 3221 times)

Offline paulmh

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Family Legends
« on: Sunday 23 April 17 19:42 BST (UK) »
I have been asked to research my girlfriends family, and I have been told that there is a 'family legend/story' that one of her ancestors was born illegitimately to the Lord Meath of Ireland.

I have been fishing as an amateur genealogist since around 2002 and from experience have learnt to take these stories with a pitch of salt unless proven otherwise.

With this I have taken it upon myself to prove/disprove this legend once and for all. However my knowledge of Irish records is a little thin as I've never (really) had to research them.

For something like this could someone give me any guidance as to how one would go about proving this particular family legend?
Name Interests: Holland, Marshall, Townrow, Taylor.

Townrow Family Tree - http://townrowfamilytree.weebly.com
Football Researchers - http://footballresearches.weebly.com/index.html
Sheffield United - www.blades-mad.co.uk

Offline aghadowey

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Re: Family Legends
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 23 April 17 19:49 BST (UK) »
Difficult, if not impossible, without an idea of dates-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_of_Meath
Away sorting out DNA matches... I may be gone for some time many years!

Offline paulmh

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Re: Family Legends
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 23 April 17 20:02 BST (UK) »
Difficult, if not impossible, without an idea of dates-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_of_Meath

I have only today been handed a big file of research which was done 10 years ago. The file only contains census info and certificates. Right now I am making it my first job to piece the jigsaw together into a family tree and then go from there.

I will be requiring Ireland Census from circa1891 backwards - are these easy to obtain?
Name Interests: Holland, Marshall, Townrow, Taylor.

Townrow Family Tree - http://townrowfamilytree.weebly.com
Football Researchers - http://footballresearches.weebly.com/index.html
Sheffield United - www.blades-mad.co.uk

Offline iluleah

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Re: Family Legends
« Reply #3 on: Sunday 23 April 17 20:06 BST (UK) »
I learned a long time ago ( like you) that you do not try to prove family stories, what you do is do the research back proving each generation as you go and 'proving' an illegitimate child is next to impossible especially to a titled family as they would have just sacked the women as soon as she declared she was pregnant ( if she worked for them) and paid her off, same with anyone else they would have been paid off or completely ignored. So unless there are poor relief records, naming the father you will find nothing at all.
Leicestershire:Chamberlain, Dakin, Wilkinson, Moss, Cook, Welland, Dobson, Roper,Palfreman, Squires, Hames, Goddard, Topliss, Twells,Bacon.
Northamps:Sykes, Harris, Rice,Knowles.
Rutland:Clements, Dalby, Osbourne, Durance, Smith,Christian, Royce, Richardson,Oakham, Dewey,Newbold,Cox,Chamberlaine,Brow, Cooper, Bloodworth,Clarke
Durham/Yorks:Woodend, Watson,Parker, Dowser
Suffolk/Norfolk:Groom, Coleman, Kemp, Barnard, Alden,Blomfield,Smith,Howes,Knight,Kett,Fryston
Lincolnshire:Clements, Woodend


Offline iluleah

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Re: Family Legends
« Reply #4 on: Sunday 23 April 17 20:08 BST (UK) »
Census available is 1901 and 1911.... Ireland has no census prior to that they were destroyed so there are only snippets of previous census http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/

http://www.turtlebunbury.com/history/history_family/hist_family_brabazon.htm
Leicestershire:Chamberlain, Dakin, Wilkinson, Moss, Cook, Welland, Dobson, Roper,Palfreman, Squires, Hames, Goddard, Topliss, Twells,Bacon.
Northamps:Sykes, Harris, Rice,Knowles.
Rutland:Clements, Dalby, Osbourne, Durance, Smith,Christian, Royce, Richardson,Oakham, Dewey,Newbold,Cox,Chamberlaine,Brow, Cooper, Bloodworth,Clarke
Durham/Yorks:Woodend, Watson,Parker, Dowser
Suffolk/Norfolk:Groom, Coleman, Kemp, Barnard, Alden,Blomfield,Smith,Howes,Knight,Kett,Fryston
Lincolnshire:Clements, Woodend

Offline paulmh

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Re: Family Legends
« Reply #5 on: Sunday 23 April 17 20:13 BST (UK) »
Census available is 1901 and 1911.... Ireland has no census prior to that they were destroyed so there are only snippets of previous census http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/

http://www.turtlebunbury.com/history/history_family/hist_family_brabazon.htm

I knew some had been destroyed but didn't know these were census records.

What is the availability on BMD's?
Name Interests: Holland, Marshall, Townrow, Taylor.

Townrow Family Tree - http://townrowfamilytree.weebly.com
Football Researchers - http://footballresearches.weebly.com/index.html
Sheffield United - www.blades-mad.co.uk


Offline paulmh

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Re: Family Legends
« Reply #7 on: Sunday 23 April 17 20:33 BST (UK) »
Civil Records.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/civil-search.jsp

Some have images of the Certs
https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/civil-records/help/what-years-are-covered-by-the-historic-records-of-births-marriages-and-deaths

With Ireland at the time being one country there is a possibility that the records I need could be in the Belfast area - would these records also be at the links you have listed?
Name Interests: Holland, Marshall, Townrow, Taylor.

Townrow Family Tree - http://townrowfamilytree.weebly.com
Football Researchers - http://footballresearches.weebly.com/index.html
Sheffield United - www.blades-mad.co.uk

Offline aghadowey

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Re: Family Legends
« Reply #8 on: Sunday 23 April 17 20:58 BST (UK) »
The Irish Genealogy site (free) have vital records for Northern Ireland counties up until 1921- births, deaths and Catholic marriages 1864-1921 and non-Catholic marriages 1845-1921.
GRONI, Belfast's online site (pay) have births more than 100 years old, marriages more than 75 years old and deaths more than 50 years old.
Away sorting out DNA matches... I may be gone for some time many years!