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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Laois (Queens) => Topic started by: corisande on Wednesday 15 April 09 20:54 BST (UK)
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I am looking for any connections to the Blongs (also written Blanc) of Portarlington, Laois.
The family were Huguenots, Le Blanc, and gradually the name altered. Even in official records it varies both with inscription and transcription.
I am trying to sort out the relationships of my direct ancestor, George Blanc. I give below a tree, can anyone add or clarify anything on the Blongs of Portarlington
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Ronnie Matthews is the expert on that and is in Portarlington, a 'Huguenot' town.
Just type in Ronnie Matthews, Portarlington and his home page will come up.
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There were two families of Le Blanc in Portarlington about 1699, that of 'Le Noble Homme Louys Le Blanc, Sieur de Perce, Capitanie pensionne' and Claud Le Blanc, "boucher". The latter family were still existing under the name of " Blong" when Sir Erasmus Borrowes wrote. This change of name seems to have been early effected, for Peter " Blang" places a tombstone to mark the burial-place of his family in 1756, and was laid there himself three years later. Elizabeth Phelan, his daughter, was also buried there, from which it would seem that they, unlike most of the early colonists, married outside the French stock.
Theodore Le Blanc, minister of La Rochelle, who was attained in 1685 for having received a 'relapse' into his Church, and fled to Denmark, was, Sir Erasmus Borrowes states, probably of the same family as La Blanc, " the gentleman". The name however, seems to have been localized elsewhere in Ireland at the same time. for an Andrew and a Mark Le Blanc, merchants from Ales, took Oaths and received their naturalization in Dublin in 1704. It is still extant in Portarlington.
(To add a sad note to that, a man named, Jim Le Blanc was kllled in a car accident on the 12th May 2008 in Portarlington, and left a wife and children)
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Hi
Thanks for the info. It is a small world with the Blongs - I have been in touch with Ronnie Matthews for number of years, and met him in Portarlington in February.
Ronnie & I have exchanged as much information between ourselves as we can. What I ma trying to winkle out here is anyone with contacts to other Blongs/Blancs from Portarlington - for example I know some went to the USA
Thanks again for the input and for Ronnies email
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Hi,
I've been doing a bit of family research and my g grandmother was called Christina la Blanc. She was born in Portarlington c1875. I know that her father's name was William and that he was a butcher, and that she had a brother, also called William, born c 1883.
She married in Castlebar in 1897 to an English soldier. Her brother was also in the army and served during WW1. I know his address abt 1925 was Grouse Lodge, Derry Villa, Portarlington.
Don't know if this may be any connection for you. Have very little other info I'm afraid but I'd love to find out more.....
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Mariano
Thanks you for that bit about your ancestors from Portarlington.
The real challenge with the Blongs is to sort them out in the period around 1800. The problem is that they were all butchers, they are even mentioned in Joyce's Ulysees as butchers, and a lot were called William Blong.
You should be able to get your Christina's parents, but it will be more difficult to get her grandparents.
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BLONG, JAMES. Rank: Lance Corporal. Regiment or Service: Connaught Rangers. Unit: 1st Battalion. Age at death; 24. Date of Death:23-November-1914. Service Number; 10338. Born in Mountmellick, Queen's County. Enlisted in Curragh Camp while living in Portarlington. Killed in Action. Supplementary Information; Son of James Blong, of Spa Lane, Portarlingdon, Leix. Grave or Memorial Reference: Panel 43. Memorial: Le Touret Memorial in France. Pas de Calais, France.
BLANC, JOHN. Rank: Private. Regiment or Service: Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Unit; 1st Battalion. Date of Death:14-October-1918. Service No:22754. Born in Edenderry, King’s County. Enlisted in Bolton while living in Manchester. Killed in Action. Age at Death;29. Supplementary information; Son of John and Elizabeth Blanc, of 7, Queen St., Hulme, Manchester. Native of Edenderry, Leix. Grave or Memorial Reference: V. D. II. Cemetery: Dadizeele New British Cemetery in Belgium.
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So that anyone researching the small number of Blongs.Blangs in Ireland follows various threads, I have put some more on this thread now
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,416477.0.html
which is under Offaly
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The Blanc's, butchers, transmitted the business from father to son for more than 150 years, and the names is still recognisable at Portarlington under the name Blong.
Regugees from France threw aside their French names, or rather translated them to english, Le Blace-White.
Old Lea cemetery, Portarlington
Susan Blanc; 1854
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Seanmac, there were actually about 6 different butchers shops in Portarlington at one time, all run by different Blongs
...and even gaining a mention in James Joyce's Finnegan's Wake. Finnegans Wake by James Joyce has a reference to them "Blong's best from Portarlington's Butchery, with a side of riceypeasy " Book III chapter 1.
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Laois History (Portlaoise Library)
A cavalryman Claude Le Blanc, who retired on half-pay from Miremont's squadron of Dragoons, opened a butcher shop; became, in 1732, Inspector of butcher-stalls throughout the borough, and sired nine children before his death in 1754.
Le Blanc, and his family (some of who Anglicized their surname to Blong) have secured immortality for them selves in the line of Joyce's Finnegans Wake.
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Thanks seanmac
That is very interesting. I knew that Claude was the supposed founder of the butchers line, but had not been able to authenticate it
For the interested the origins of the Blongs in Portarlington are here (http://www.grantonline.com/grant-family-individuals/blong-george-1790/blanc-george-1790.htm)
Basically the Huguenot records existed before 1735 and after 1805, so one has to plug that gap. What I am left with is the chart at the top of this page with my known descendants. And in addition the page linked in this post, which has a chart giving Claude's descendants through to those born circa 1735. The man on the chart on the top of this page called "common ancestor" is undoubtedly one of Claudes grandchildren, I suspect William (1726 - 1807) in as much as the name William contines in my family, while Peter (Pierre) or John (Jacques) or Daniel or Carson do not.
It would take a lucky break to prove it!
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:)This is most interesting and fantastic for the person trying to work back to the Huguenots. I only started today to look into this for our side of the family.
My brother and I are extremely Francophiles and the only ones from all our cousins to be like that so we think there may be something from the Delaney side which I think came from Delauney or Delaunay.
I have often seen signs in Normandy and northern France for Delaunay and often wondered.
If anyone has information about Delaunays or Delauneys in the Portaoise area, back to the Huguenots and related to Delaneys, I would love to hear back! Great grandfather was John from Lough Teague (Teagh?) area but that is all I know - his son Patrick Joseph went to Belfast and died up there.
Thanks.
Moderator's Note: if anyone can help please see separate thread-
www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,468598.msg3287634.html#msg3287634
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Monastrevin cemetery, Kildare.
Blanc Arthur Robert; 27/2/1984 (55)
Sarah (wife);11/2/1999 (77)
Ross (baby); 3/9/1995-8/9/1995 (son of Daphane & David)
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The Brisbane Courier 1896;
Blanc-on the 29th October at her residence, Mary st Brisbane,
Elizabeth, dtr of late Roe Sweeney O Donnell, Dunmore house
Dunmore County Clare, and widow of the late Christopher Blanc
Portarlington, Queens County Ireland.
Thy Will be done.
Jack
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New South Wales Convict records; Queens County, Ireland
Blong Henry; 29, 1827 trial, life, 1789 born, stealing money, married 2children, butcher.
Jack
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Eng/Wales census;
(all born Ireland)
1911 census information removed
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,355484.0.html
1901;
Blong Peter; 44, head, General lab
52, Dock st-Widnes
Blong Patrick; 11, son
28, Waterworks st Boole Derby
Blong Annie; 30, wife
28, Waterworks........
Blong Thomas; 30, head, Tanners lab
28 Waterworks...........
Blong Margaret; 34, wife
80, Dock st Widnes
Blong Michael; 35, head, Chemical lab
80, Dock st
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1891;
Blong Peter; 36, head, Alkali lab.
58 Dock st Widnes
Blong Margaret; 26, wife
84, Terrace rd Widnes
Blong Michael; 26, head, Alkali lab
84, Terrace rd Widnes
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1881;
Blong John; 28, head, Discharger Chemicals
2 Gerrard st Widnes
Blong Maria; 26, wife
2 Gerrard.........
Blong Christopher; 24, lodger, Chemical lab
2 Gerrard.......
Blong Peter; 24, head, Alkali lab
8 Lancs Widnes
Blong Mary; 26, wife
8 Lancs Widnes
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1861;
Blong James; 46, head, Chelsea OAP & Militia Sergeant
Military Depot
St Mary Suffolk
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1851;
Blong Thomas; 21, lodger, Soldiers son Castlebar Mayo
Chapelry St Mary
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1841;
Blong Jean; 20
Leeds Boar lane
Blong Mary; 15, juvenile
Bent st Manchester
Blong Julia; 50
Bent st Manchester
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Jack
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1911 Census Information Removed
1901;
Blanc William; 18, Soldiers son (private) Portarlington
Essex
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1871;
Blanc Robert; 27, lodger
London Middlesex
Blanc Anne; 22, servant
Lancs Liverpool
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Jack
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Griffiths Valuation gives the surname Blong surname to
Margaret-Richard-Abraham-William-George-Jane in
Lea-Ballymorris
Lea-Coolterry.
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Jack
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Headstones in Mountmellick RC;
Samuel James Blanc; Dunlaoghaire Dublin
10/3/2001
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Richard (Dick) Blanc; Emmet St Mountmellick
20/6/1980
wife-Eileen; 14/5/1992
son-Jim; 11/5/2008 (53)
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Jack
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Blanc/Leblanc Baptisims; Portarlington
Marie Leblanc; 1700
Pierre Blanc; 1709
Pierre Blanc; 1731
Pierre Leblanc; 1696
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Jack
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The big problem at Portarlington is that the Baptism Registers are missing from 1732 to 1805, which means that 2 generations are missing.
So although one can draw up trees for pre 1732, it is virtually impossible to tie these to post 1805 trees
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Hi, I am new to this thread. My great grandmother was Ellen Blanc born 1867 in the district of Mountmellick (Kilbride). Her father was Henry Blanc (farmer) and her mother was Elizabeth Doyle. From what I can gather Henry Blanc is deceased by the 1901 census. Ellen is working for George Richards Graham a Clerk in Holy Orders at Ballybrittas, Queen's County. Ellen's surname is given as Blane on the website of the census but close examination of the actual record reads as Blanc. I am unable to locate any information on Henry and Elizabeth as regards their marriage etc. Ellen Blanc married William Johnston possibly in 1905/06 but by the 1911 census they have two children the youngest of which is my grandmother. They are again working for the CoI Clergy, a Canon Charles Irvine Graham, but this time in Celbridge, Co. Kildare. I think the two Arthur Blanc's in the 1901 census are relations of Ellen's. My uncle (since deceased) was named for the youngest one according to my mother. Arthur Blanc died 1939 and is buried at St. Paul's in Portarlington. There are furher Blane's (Blanc's) at Kilbride who may be Ellen's mother and sisters. Any help greatly appreciated.
dask