RootsChat.Com
Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Down => Topic started by: aghadowey on Saturday 27 November 10 09:47 GMT (UK)
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**NEWS**
This thread now replaces the Down Resources & Offers board. I have included all the information that was there and added a few more resources for County Down but if anyone can supply other links that will help other Rootschatters please let me know (a link as well as an explanation as to contents please). The contents of your topic will then be edited into to the relevant category topic and your original posting will be deleted. (This may result in you receiving a "deleted" notification e-mail but will keep this thread tidy and easy to use)
Resources and Links in this thread organised by the following categories:
General sources for research
Census Records
Church records
Graveyards & Gravestones
Land Records & Maps
Directories
Places
People & Families
Libraries, Museums & History Groups
Schools, Workhouses, Institutions, Occupations
Books, Newspapers, Magazines
Misc. & General Sources
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General Sources for research
Irish Genealogical Project- Down (http://www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/down/index.htm)- lots of links
Newry & Mourne Ancestry (http://www.bagenalscastle.com/ancestry/index.htm)- includes extracts from marriage and deaths notices in Belfast Newsletter, 1738-1800, for Newry (PRONI T/1584).
Ancestry Ireland (http://www.ancestryireland.com/index.php?ai_home) (formerly Ulster Historical Foundation)
Various Co. Down links (http://www.ukisearch.com/down.html) includes- misc. Co.Down records, names of Co. Down- information on over 450,000 people, monumental inscriptions, Land Owners 1866 (pdf document), Land Deeds 1876, Official Authorities 1834, misc. births baptisms marriages, research interests of subscribers to rootsweb.com Co. Down newsgroup, Flax Growers 1796, 1836 charity subscribers, NIR-DOWN Genealogy Mailing List at RootsWeb, Co.Down International Genealogical Index (IGI) Batch Numbers, and lots more.
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Census Records
census returns & substitutes (http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/browse/counties/ulster/down1.htm)
1841-1851- Old Age Pension Claims: the introduction of old age pension (min. age 70) c1909 meant 1841 and 1851 census returns were checked as claimants were born before civil registration of births started in 1864. Extracts from these census searches are in the pension claim files (PRONI).
It is sometimes worth checking for people slightly younger than pension age (surprising how many people weren't as old as they said!) or older siblings whose details can fill in family details such as names of parents and year of marriage, townland, etc.
Article about Old Age Pension claims (http://www.bagenalscastle.com/ancestry/01_where/02c_old.htm) gives "A detailed list of the surnames for which there are extracts from the 1841 and 1851 census for the parish of Newry."
1901 and 1911 census (http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie)- now on National Archives, Dublin website (free) with links to scanned images
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Church Records
This section for links to Co. Down churches (many of the links taken from scattered threads here and regrouped).
Ardglass & Dunsford Churches (http://www.ardglass.net/churches.htm)
CHURCH OF IRELAND:
Church of Ireland website (http://www.ireland.anglican.org/)
Church of Ireland records (microfilms) in PRONI (http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/search_the_archives/online_indexes/church_of_ireland_index.htm)
Church records (http://irelandgenealogyprojects.rootsweb.ancestry.com/Old/coirecs.html)
Diocese of Dromore (http://www.lisburn.com/books/dromore-diocese/diocese-1.html)
"A Story of Garvaghy Parish, Co. Down" (http://www.lisburn.com/books/garvaghy/garvaghy-1.html) project of Select Vestry of Garvaghy Parish
Hillsborough Parish Church (http://www.hillsboroughparish.org.uk/aboutus/history.htm)
Drumbeg Parish Church (http://www.lisburn.com/books/drumbeg/drumbeg1.html), and here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/yourplaceandmine/belfast/drumbeg_graves.shtml)
ROMAN CATHOLIC
www.from-ireland.net/dow/rc/downrcindex.htm
METHODIST:
Portaferry Methodist Church (http://www.portaferrymethodistchurch.org)
Dromore Methodism (http://www.lisburn.com/books/dromore-methodist/dromore-methodism.html) - A Short History 1779 — 1979 by J. Lennox Booth. The Souvenir Booklet to commemorate the Bicententary of Dromore Methodism was published in 1979 by the Chronicle Press, Ltd, Banbridge.
Donaghadee Methodist Church, including baptisms 1826-1849 (http://donaghadeemethodist.com/page9.htm)
PRESBYTERIAN:
Ballynahinch Presbyterian Church (http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~rosdavies/WORDS/BallynahinchPresbyterianBirths.htm) registers
Clonduff Presbyterian Church (http://www.clonduff.co.uk/Clonduff_web_pages/Clonduff_home.htm)
Donaghadee 1st Presbyterian Church (http://www.1stpresbyterian-donaghadee.com/page2.htm)
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Graveyards & Gravestones
The gravestones are near the Church of Ireland at the Ulster Folk Museum. (http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~stephenbarnes/folktransmus/index.htm) It's some time since I've been there so I'm not sure if the church came from Dromore, Co. Down or Dromore, Co. Tyrone. I checked some of the townland names on the stones by using thecore.com/seanruad They are not shown there. There was a discussion when
I posted this site on Belfast Forum. A couple of stones are from Co. Meath but there's one from Dromore, Down.
Ireland's Gravestone Index (http://www.irish-world.com/gravestones/index.cfm)- pay site but search is free and can be quite useful (although there are some errors with people being listed twice in wrong parishes)
Those who go down to the sea in ships: seafaring connections and Ulster gravestones (http://historyfromheadstones.com/index.php?id=777)
NEW View maps for location of County Down graveyards- you can filter by denomination and other N.I. counties are also available. http://historyfromheadstones.com/index.php?down
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Land Records & Maps
Townlands, Parishes, etc.
Counties are made up of parishes and parishes are made up of a group of townlands. If you are doing any research in Ireland these divisions become extremely important.
For further information:
http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/browse/records/land/townland.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Townland
http://www.ancestryireland.com/database.php?filename=townlands
To find townlands and parishes in Ireland: www.thecore.com/seanruad
Be sure to change default setting from 'exact match' to search for part of a word.
Also: www.logainm.ie/?menuItem=about&uiLang=en
Map of civil parishes (http://applications.proni.gov.uk/geogindx/down.htm)
Map of Baronies (http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/local_history/geographical_index/baronies_.htm)
Map of Church of Ireland Diocese (http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/local_history/geographical_index/dioceses.htm)
Some maps linked to Griffith's Valuation (http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/)
Northern Ireland Place-Names project (http://www.placenamesni.org/Index.html)- maps and various search options. NEW 25/4/11
Administrative Division of Ireland (http://ireland.kiwicelts.com/irishMap/ireMap.html)- this site can be hard to use at first and not complete for everywhere in Down but well worth persisting to see if the area you are interested in is included.
Dual Maps (http://www.mapchannels.com/DualMaps.aspx) display two maps side-by-side for single location (Google Maps + Microsoft Virtual Earth Maps). Also includes new Google Street View option to view ground level imagery of Belfast.
Multimap (http://www.multimap.com/index.htm)
Google Maps (http://maps.google.co.uk)
"The Geograph British Isles project (http://www.geograph.org.uk) aims to collect geographically representative photographs and information for every square kilometre of Great Britain and Ireland."
Weather maps (http://weather.uk.msn.com)
Map of County Down parishes with links to list of townlands (http://www.raymondscountydownwebsite.com/html/index2.htm)
The Northern Ireland Valuation and Lands Agency (http://pip.vla.nics.gov.uk/districts.asp) gives the names of the District Councils throughout the Province, the names of the Wards in each Council and the names of roads and streets within those Wards.
There are several different systems of land measurement in place in Ireland at various times
Statute acre (or English acre) = 4840 square yards
Cunningham acre = 6250 square yards (a Scottish measurement. Cunningham acres need to be multiplied by 1.29 to convert them to English, statute acres). See here (http://www.clancunningham.org/photos/Settlement6.html)
Irish acre = 7840 square yards. See here (http://www.sizes.com/units/irish_acre.htm) and here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acre_(Irish))
conversion table: www.convertcenter.com/convertunit.aspx/area/irish_acre/all/56/0/1
This may explain the differences in the acreage of a farm which seems to have changed in size.
Possibly also worth mentioning is what “A.R.P.” means.
It stands for acres, roods & perch. There are 40 perch to a rood, and 4 roods to an acre.
These subdivisions apply to both Statute (a.k.a. Imperial) and Irish systems of measurements.
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Directories
1820 General Directory (http://www.libraryireland.com/Antiquities/Newry.pdf)
1824 Pigot's directory (http://www.failteromhat.com/pigotu.php)
1843 directory (http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/BSD1843.htm)
1846 Slater's directory- Ulster (http://www.failteromhat.com/slateru.php)
1852 directory (http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/1852Historical.htm)
1856 Slater's Directory- Kilkeel (http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~donaghmore1/kilkeel.html)
1861 directory (http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/BSDStart.htm)
1877 directory (http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/BSD1877.htm)
1880 directory (http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/BSD1880.htm)
1884 Ulster Towns Directory- Killyleagh (http://www.killyleagh.org/history/dufferin-chronicles/article.asp?ID=11)
1886 Bassett's Co. Down Guide and Directory (http://www.libraryireland.com/articles/OfficeBearersDownBassett/index.php)
1901 directory (http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/BSD1901.htm)
1907 directory (http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/BSD1907.htm)
1910 Ulster Towns (http://www.libraryireland.com/UlsterDirectory1910/Contents.php)
1913 telephone directory (http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/1913PhoneDirectory.htm)
1915 Kelly's directory of the leather trade (http://www.failteromhat.com/kelly1915all.php)
For Belfast listings see here: www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,369534.0.html
Some Directories added to PRONI site- see here for contents:
www.proni.gov.uk/index/search_the_archives/street_directories.htm
Resource guide to Belfast & Ulster directories- NEW 3/8/11
http://www.liscni.co.uk/docs/Belfast_and_Ulster_Street_Directories.pdf
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Places
Raymond's County Down Website (http://www.raymondscountydownwebsite.com/html/index2.htm) with links to information on Aghaderg, Banbridge, Dromore, Dromara, Kilkeel, Newry, Loughbrickland, Mourne, Kilcoo & Maghera, Rathfriland, Seapatrick
Came across this site on the history of Banbridge and district. Some interesting articles on local history can be found on this site. The Site is now up for sale 2014, only an archive copy remains
http://web.archive.org/web/20090401013721/http://www.bvph-museum.com/index.html
The Newry, Donaghmore, Loughbrickland and Banbridge Genealogy site (http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~donaghmore1/cover.html) covers the
area in Western Mourne and along the Newry Canal in both Co. Armagh and Co. Down.
Patrick Clarke's History of Drumaroad website (http://www.drumaroadhistory.com/index.html) contains interesting local historical information about the parish of Drumaroad & Clanvaraghan, sometimes called Drumaroad. It also records some of the interesting historical features of the parish, the families and personalities who lived and passed through it in the course of the centuries. The site contains articles about the Forde Estates and Drumaroad, the Franciscans of Drumnaquoile, Charles de Gaulle, the McCartans of Kinelarty and the Savages of Drumaroad.
The Portavogie History site (http://www.ladyisle.com/portavogie.htm) contains several articles which should be of interest to people who have ancestors from that area of Co. Down including the Portavogie School Roll (http://www.ladyisle.com/portavogie%20school%20roll.htm) (transcribed by James Mahood) which covers the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century as well as a list of people in the village who signed the 1912 Ulster Covenant (http://www.ladyisle.com/portavogie_ulster_covenant.htm)
Newry Mourne & Gullion Visitor's Guide (http://jonnymc.tripod.com/history.htm) includes history of the area
Members with ancestors from Warrenpoint may find some useful information on www.oldwarrenpointforum.com.
There's an article about the Linen Houses of the Bann (http://www.banbridge.com/template1.asp?parent=206&parent2=212&pid=386&area=1) on the Banbridge District online website. It mentions properties owned by the Christy, Cowdy, Crozier, Dickson, Ferguson, Green, Hayes, Richardson, Sinton, Smyth, Uprichard, Watson and Weir families.
1919-1921 Ballykinlar Internment Camp (http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,155610.0.html)
Dundonald village (http://www.dundonaldrail.co.uk/dundonald.htm) NEW
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People & Families
Search Dictionary of Ulster Biography (http://www.ulsterbiography.co.uk/) for people born in Co. Down- just put 'Down' as Location in search box.
Chapter Six of the Brennan Family Chronicles © Christopher Earls Brennen tells the story of The Palmer Family of Portavogie. (http://www.dankat.com/brennen/chap6.htm) The story mentions James Palmer who died on 13th May 1857 at the aged eighty two. In 1913 James purchased a Manx Nobby which had been built in1904 by Neakle & Watterson of Peel, Isle of Man. (http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,270273.new.html#new)
Gray families (http://www.graytrees.com/Alltrees.html) came from the following areas of Co. Down ... Ards, Dufferin, Lower Castlereagh, Kinelarty, Lecale, Lower Iveagh, Mourne, Newry, Upper Castlereavh and Upper Iveagh
Prisoners - Australia (http://www.downcountymuseum.com/prisonersaus.aspx?area=1&aName=Home&textsize=) This database includes information on over 1300 convicts who were originally from
County Down and were transported to New South Wales and Van Diemen’s Land. Some of them were
held here in Downpatrick Gaol before transportation.
Crossle Abstracts (http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~donaghmore1/crossle.html) carry an unusual detail of the families of Newry and surrounding area in the 1800's- includes addresses, family members and occupation information. Coverage does include some families beyond the area of Newry Town.
WORLD WAR I list of those killed and injured from Lisburn area (http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,375146.0.html)
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Libraries, Museums & History Groups
The Local Studies Collection, (http://www.seelb.org.uk/libraries/loc-his.htm) located in the South Eastern Education and Library Board Headquarters, Windmill Hill, Ballynahinch, Co. Down contains books, maps, newspapers and illustrations on the history, topography, industry, transport, literature and culture of County Down and South Antrim.
Down County Museum (http://www.downcountymuseum.com/template.aspx?pid=213&area=1&aName=Home)
‘The Blair Mayne Research Group’. was formed in 1995 by some local amateur military historians in the Newtownards area to research the life of Lieutenant Robert Blair Mayne, DSO (Three bars). When the Group had completed their research of the life of Lieutenant Blair Maybe (better known as Colonel Paddy), and a statue had been erected in his honour in Newtownards, it was re-named ’The Blair Mayne Research Society’, (http://www.blairmayneresearchsociety.com/index.htm) with the aim of continuing research into the lives of all Servicemen and Servicewomen from the "Ards" area who served the crown from the 1600s up to the Korean War.
The members of the Society have received many enquiries and have succeeded in finding a great deal of information. If you would like help please feel free to contact the Society.
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Schools, Workhouses, Institutions, Occupations
19th century Co. Down schools (http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~rosdavies/WORDS/SchoolsParishOrder.htm)
More information of Co. Down schools (http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~rosdavies/WORDS/Schools.htm)
PRONI have many school registers and materials relating to education
www.proni.gov.uk/index/family_history/family_history_key_sources.htmin their collection. (see bottom of page)
www.proni.gov.uk/introduction__education_archive-2.pdf
A free school was founded at Annahilt (http://www.from-ireland.net/dow/lewis/anahilt.htm) in 1796 by Thos. Jamieson
Assumption Grammar School (http://www.assumptiongrammar.org.uk) in Ballynahinch opened 1933
Banbridge Academy was founded as a private school in 1786
Two schools in Carrowdore were founded prior to 1837.
Donaghadee parochial school was founded by Lady Mount-Alexander pre 1837
Guiness Primary School, Dunmore, near Ballynahinch, was founded 1848. It was a small rural school, staffed for the greater part of its existence by two teachers. Guiness closed its doors to pupils for the final time this year (2008?).
Southwell Charity Schools (http://freespace.virgin.net/mp.hearth/Dpatrick.html) and Almshouses were built by Edward Southwell in 1733 to provide almhouses for six men and six women with schools for ten poor children.
The IGP Co. Down site (http://www.igp-web.com/down/Education.htm) has a section relating to Education in the county which contains a number of photographs with the names of pupils.
WORKHOUSES: Banbridge (http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Banbridge/), Downpatrick (http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Downpatrick/), Kilkeel (http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Kilkeel/), Newry (http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Newry/), Newtownards (http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Newtownards/) note: direct links added 12/11
Subscribers’ names to the Newry Dispensary and Fever Hospital for 1827 (http://www.irelandoldnews.com/Newry/1828/18280205.html)
Pubs in Newry (http://www.newryjournal.co.uk/content/view/1097/38/)
Co. Down coastguards (http://www.ladyisle.com/county_down_coastguards.htm) broken link 29/11/10
Those who go down to the sea in ships: seafaring connections and Ulster gravestones (http://historyfromheadstones.com/index.php?id=777)
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Books, Newspapers, Magazines
Lots of online books & journal information containing a wealth of individual names, histories, personal memories by individuals, pictures
http://www.lisburn.com/lisburn_books.html
Content Examples:
Reprint of book "Betsy Gray or Harts of Down a tale of ninety eight " by W.G. Lyttle, 1896
Lisborn Historical Society Journals v6, pt.3
List of Voters (Names, Addresses) at the Lisburn election held February 21, 1863 (even lists for whom they voted for) Intresting note added about John Brady and Thomas Corry re the voting process. With the success of Mr. Barbour you wonder if there were other attempts much more successful.
Dromore Historical Society - Vol.1 - Some Are Gone But Not Forgotten
Places which have either disappeared or their names are fading from common usage- i.e.
PURGATORY : A pleasant walk-way running between Lurgan Rd and Lower Quilly Rd, passing through Mill buildings
McQUAIDE'S ROW : The row of old houses on Hillside which is now redeveloped
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Misc. & General Sources
Ards Borough Council (http://www.ards-council.gov.uk)
Banbridge District Council (http://www.banbridge.com/template1.asp?parent=116&parent2=431&pid=442&area=1)
Castlereagh Borough Council (http://www.castlereagh.gov.uk/portal/alias__Rainbow/lang__en-US/tabID__1/DesktopDefault.aspx)
Newry and Mourne District Council (http://www.newryandmourne.gov.uk)
North Down Borough Council (http://www.northdown.gov.uk/home.asp)
ALEC BÁN MAC CONAILL's Co. Down Genealogy (http://www.alecbanmacconaill.co.uk/genealogy.html) site contains details of Saul R C Parish Records, Strangford Estate Book 1874, Tenants of de Ros 1862 - 1874, Map of Strangford circa 1870 and more. See also this post (http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,248016.0.html).
Many Co. Down items on Peter J. Mearney's site (http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~meaneypj/Co_Down_Stuff/Co_Down_Stuff.htm)- well worth a look.
This link includes twelve ships from Newry http://freespace.virgin.net/alan.tupman/sites/irish.htm
More ships sailing from Newry (http://www.newryjournal.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=239&Itemid=31)
1847 Famine Map (http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/users/ireland/past/famine/distribution.html)
Chronology of the famine in Co. Down (http://www.graytrees.com/famine.html) from "The Down Recorder"- 2000 people left Co. Down for the USA on 14th April 1849