Great Grandfather Thomas Kelly

[marlin1]

I am trying to find out more about my Great Grandfather, Thomas Kelly. I know a reasonable amount about the middle of his live. I know he lived in Salford, Lancashire between 1911 & 1918. I know he worked as a railway Ostler. I know her married ALICE Dowling (née Ferguson) in 1911 and had four children Margaret, Bedelia, Thomas Richard, & Kathleen.

But have been able to find very little about his early and later life. I know he was born ~1879 and died between 1918 & 1939. But do not know, his place or date of birth (family rumour suggests he was born in Ireland), who he worked for, if he was in the services or his date and place of death, etc.

Everything I have to date has come from Ancestry, but I have now reached a dead end. I would appreciate any steer and suggestions regarding sourcing further information.

[heywood]

Hello and welcome 

Do you have his marriage certificate with his father’s name and occupation? Maybe not if you are just searching through Ancestry.
Lancashire BMD shows that the marriage took place in a register office or registrar attended. Did they marry in a Catholic Church?
http://www.lancashirebmd.org.uk/index.php

Heywood

[CaroleW]

Welcome to Rootschat

Have you found him in Salford in 1911?

The marriage to Alice was in the December qtr 1911 so he may have been in the area when the census was taken. 

[CaroleW]

We cannot post 1911 details - you have to look it up yourself.  There is a likely candidate living in South Manchester born 1881 London.  Take a look at the entry - particularly his occupation

[heywood]

I am just posting a link to the same one Carole  looks promising but still vague

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWBR-2JX

[CaroleW]

and died between 1918 & 1939.

That's quite a wide range.  Is that because Kathleen was b 1919 but Thomas is not on the 1939 register?

There is a Thomas Kelly death in Manchester in 1946 - birthyear 1881

[marlin1]

Thank-you both for your replies.

I have Thomas' marriage  certificate, his fathers name was Richard, but Richard's occupation and birthplace are not listed.

Thomas & Alice were married in a Catholic Church (St John the Evangelist).  Two witnesses at the wedding share Thomas' surname (Christopher & Christina Kelly), but I do not know how they relate to Thomas.

I calculated Thomas' birth year from the fact that his age is said to be 32 years on marriage certificate (from Dec 1911). He is said to be a bachelor.

His address at the time of marriage is 4 Drayton St, Salford. After the wedding he moved to Cleminson Street, Salford.  By 1919 the family live at 3 Browning St, Salford.

As you say, the date range I have for his death comes from the birth date of his youngest child (Kathleen b. 1919) and the fact that Alice is listed as a widow on the 1939 register.

I have looked on the 1911 census, but struggled to find a unique match.  From what I can see in Ancestry the censuses from the 30's & 40's don't seem to cover Lancashire - I presume that they were perhaps lost in WWII ?

[trish1120]

There is a Christopher and Christiana Kelly in Lancs in last Censys, both born c 1887 Ireland

[aghadowey]

I have looked on the 1911 census, but struggled to find a unique match.  From what I can see in Ancestry the censuses from the 30's & 40's don't seem to cover Lancashire - I presume that they were perhaps lost in WWII ?

The last available census for England is 1911 so you won't find later ones anywhere.