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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Louth => Topic started by: yelkcub on Monday 07 May 12 11:56 BST (UK)
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I have no experience of researching in the Republic - I'd be grateful for help / hints.
I'm interested in CHRISTOPHER BUCKLEY, death registered in Drogheda, 1953 (exact date not known).
I'm still trying to trace my paternal grandfather who left his family around 1932, when my late father was six or so. A family tradition has it that he went to live in Ireland, though he had no family connections there. He was born in Rochdale in December 1895. Any clues, hints gratefully received on how I might find whether the Christopher Buckley who died in Drogheda in 1953 was or was not my grandfather.
Ian
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The Irish BMD Index is available on the FamilySearch website and covers Southern Ireland upto 1958. See :
BMD Index - Ireland (http://www.rootschat.com/links/0c8o/)
If you locate a possible match, then you can use the references to order a death cert from the GRO. Be aware that death certs dont include much detail, so you may need additional clues from other sources e.g. (deceased's occupation, address etc) to verify a link.
see : Ordering Certs from GRO Roscommon (http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,599538.0.html)
Details included on a Death Cert (http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,433043.0.html)
and : Introduction to Irish Records (http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,442233.0.html)
Shane
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Thanks for that - I did as you suggested and looked at the Irish BMD, discovering that the Christopher Buckley who died in Drogheda in 1953 was the right age. Certainly worth further investigation.
My family tradition (dimly remembered) has Christopher going to Limavady to work in a 'pot shop', which I realise can mean either a bar or a shop selling china. Of course, I may have misremembered and the family story may be just that - a story. He was a joiner by trade. His own father died in 1943 in Rochdale, Lancashire. The informant named on the death certificate is 'C Buckley, son'. I was perfectly possible during the war to travel from Ireland to England.
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Do you mean the Limavady in County Londonderry? it's nowhere near Drogheda. The online civil registration index only goes up to 1921 for Northern Ireland counties.
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As I said - Limavady features as a detail in a not-very-believable family story. Besides - if my grandfather went off to Limavady in the early 1930s, there's no reason why he might not have moved to the Republic at a later date.
I ought to have added in my first post that my grandfather was christened CHRISS Buckley (unusual spelling), though the authorities may have preferred the form 'Christopher'.
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I though from you original post that you weren't sure exactly when Christopher Buckley died or even where he was after 1932?
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Hi Ian,
Just reading between the lines.....did your family tell your that Christopher died in Ireland and are therefore looking for a death cert to tie in with this story ??
Where did you get the year 1953 from, was this from family or just the only cert you found to match his birth year ?
Even if you do order the death cert for 1953, there would most likely be very little on it confirm whether of not he was your grandfather.
Irish Death certs for that time will just give you the person's name, where they died, what they died of, and who registered the death. So if he was in Ireland with no family, it's unlikely you will get many leads. Sometimes occupation at time of death is entered, so you could hope that it says Joiner, but again you said he went to work in a shop (or this is the family's story), so again may not get any leads from this.
Is there a chance that he actually returned to Britain too and may have died there ?
Tara
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So far the only death of a Chriss, Chris or Christopher Buckley that ties in with his year of birth is the 1953 death in Drogheda. There are no exact matches in the England BMD, though there are a couple of near matches in the Manchester area. Research has led me to rule out one of them - the other remains a possibility. I have to say, I would be quite surprised if the Drogheda death was my grandfather, but in view of the family story about him going to Ireland, I have to try to find ut more about the Drogheda Christopher Buckley. I was someone on a Lancashire mailing list that alerted me to the Drogheda death.
You are right - I don't know anything for certain after his disappearance from my father's life in 1932 - except that I'm 95% certain he was the informant named on his father's death certificate, Rochdale 1943.
It's possible that my grandfather found another wife (or 'wife') and had a second family. As you say, I'm not likely to learn much from a death certificate.
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Quite often the death certificate lists name and residence of the informant- no further clues on it? If you had a location in 1943 your search would be much easier.
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Another thing to bear in mind is that online death records for the South of Ireland only go up to 1958.
Christopher could have still been in Ireland yet died after 1958 - just another possibility.
I think this is the Christopher Buckley that died in 1953
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Louth/Fair_Gate/Georges_Street_East/571398/
Tara
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From St. Peter's Parish Cemetery by James Garry:
"BUCKLEY - Christopher Buckley, Bolton Square, 21st January 1953. His son Ephraim, 24th November 1953. Mary Ann Buckley, wife of the above Christopher, 14th April 1978 aged 82 years. Their son, Christopher (Buckley), 25th January 1983 aged 62 years"
also
"BUCKLEY - Erected by Mary Ann Buckley, Bolton Square, in memory of her father John Ruddy, 15th May 1928. Her mother Rose, 26th May 1951. Her sister Margaret, 23rd November 1907. Her grandson Declan Grogan, born and died 16th December 1961. Also her daughter, Celine Grogan, (mother of the above Declan) 16th May 1983 aged 54"
That might help in deciding if the above Christopher is the "right" one.
Regards,
Brendan
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Tara - I think you are likely to be correct, and the person you found in the 1911 census is, in all probability, the Christopher Buckley who died in Drogheda in 1953. My grandfaher was definitely born in Rochdale (parents Charles and Mary Jane). Looks like the Drogheda CB is not my grandfather after all!
On the 1943 death certificate the informant ('C Buckley, son') has an address in Rochdale - a lodging house. I have asked the Local Studies Library in Rochdale to see if they have an documents / records relating to that address.
I'd like to thank those who have contributed their expertise to this thread - much appreciated
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Thanks Brendan - only just seen your posting. Is there any way of determining when Christopher Buckley and Mary Ann [Ruddy] married? If before 1932, that really does effectively eliminate any possibility that this was my grandfather.
Ian
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Hi yelkcub,
It's sounds like it must have been a very hard time for your father and grandmother.
Hopefully with time you will get the answers you need :)
Tara
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Thanks Brendan - only just seen your posting. Is there any way of determining when Christopher Buckley and Mary Ann [Ruddy] married? If before 1932, that really does effectively eliminate any possibility that this was my grandfather.
Ian
According to gravestone details posted earlier Christopher & Mary Ann's son Christopher would have been born c1921 and Christopher (Sr.) was single in 1911.
Likely marriage: Christopher Buckley July/Sept.1914 Drogheda registration district volume 2 page 398- Mary Anne Reddy on same page.
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Oh well - that seems to rule him out. Once again, a sincere thankyou to all who have given their time and expertise to my posting. As you say, it was a very difficult time. My father remembered having to stand up in court soon after his parents separated - he had to say which of his parents he would rather live with. At six years old! Hard to believe that so recently the legal system could have been so insensitive. My grandmother lived the rest of her life alone. Among her effects I found some tiny snapshots of her, with Chriss, before their marriage. He was tall, slim and handsome. His genes must have passed me by!
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What a sad memory for your father- I'm sure it wouldn't have been easy for your grandmother either.
Wonder if there would be voting lists for Rochdale to trace Christopher before and after 1943?
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Oh, that's heartbreaking.
I suppose you can take solice fom the fact that it sounds like Chriss was trying to give your Dad the option to live with him. There's many who didn't try.
Tara
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Oh well - that seems to rule him out. Once again, a sincere thankyou to all who have given their time and expertise to my posting. As you say, it was a very difficult time. My father remembered having to stand up in court soon after his parents separated - he had to say which of his parents he would rather live with. At six years old! Hard to believe that so recently the legal system could have been so insensitive. My grandmother lived the rest of her life alone. Among her effects I found some tiny snapshots of her, with Chriss, before their marriage. He was tall, slim and handsome. His genes must have passed me by!
My great aunt married a Buckley in Drogheda she was Alice campbell they went on to live in Dublin I check the Buckley on there side for you may help good luck
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Thanks, Kathleen, that's very kind of you.