Hello,
The wonders of internet has finally opened up my paternal Irish roots. But it's not without enigmas.
Here goes.
My gr-grandmother was born Mary REILLY in 1907 Salford. Her mother is named as Rosanna REILLY formerly BUTLER. The father isn't named on the birth certificate.
From Mary's marriage certificate in 1930 I learnt that Mary's father was Andrew REILLY, a travelling salesman.
I have found Rosanna's death certificate in 1939, and she is listed as the widow of Andrew REILLY, a commercial salesman of smallwares. I also found two other birth certificates for a Reilly-Butler in 1912 and 1916, both children of Rosanna Reilly, formerly Butler, but neither showing the father's name, again. Could this be because he was travelling and wasn't allowed to be named?
I cannot for the life of me find a 1901 or a 1911 census record for Andrew, Rosanna or even Mary.
Nevertheless, I wanted to dig further into Andrew and Rosanna's Irish roots. After years of wondering if Andrew was a made up person, Ancestry finally popped up a RC marriage record of Andrew REILLEY and Rosanna BUTLER with subsequent parents names (Lawrence Reilly/Margaret Farrelly and Luke Butler/Mary Behan) with addresses in DUBLIN at Great Clarence St and North Cumberland St.
Married 8 Nov 1896 at St Andrews, Dublin City.
A son, Lawrence John REILLY, born 5th Feb 1897, 9 Lower Gardiner St, Dublin, appears in both RC parish registers and civil records. All awesome information. Another male child born 26 Dec 1900 at the Rotunda Hospital, is also great news. He was possibly named Luke, if we can assume the Irish naming tradition continues. Though, is there a reason for no name on the record?
But that's where this magical trail ends and I am still no more closer to understanding who Andrew is, where he died, why I can't find any records of him living in the UK. He is an elusive figure!
But yes, he did at one stage exist concreteley, as I actually found his birth in the parish records.
Andrew REILLY born 21st July 1869 at CROSSBANE, Co. CAVAN...where it appears the REILLYs had several other children whilst living in Mullagh and nearby Kells....but that's getting into other territory.
If anyone has any knowledge of the once-whereabouts of Andrew REILLY, a travelling salesman of smallwares who ended up in Salford, but never appeared in any record there...I could put this enigma to bed.
Thank you! Yvie