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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: bourke-shaw on Saturday 28 June 14 11:18 BST (UK)
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Can anyone help me to find out about my gt grandmother please? Family stories say she was born in London. Married Martin in Listowel, Co Kerry, Ireland in 1861 and after having several children, they emigrated to New Zealand. I can find no shipping reference for them for this voyage, although family say it was on the Otago.
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Hello and welcome :)
I see there is a civil record for the marriage. This would indicate that it was not a Catholic one as civil registration did not begin until 1864 for Catholic marriages.
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FYM3-GMH
You can apply for a photocopy of the register entry for 4 euros - see here (https://www.welfare.ie/en/downloads/Marriage_Civil_Partnership_Form-English.doc)
There may be a bit more information there e.g. her father's name
Regards
Heywood
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The problem is that most passenger lists don't start until 1890 and they are likely to have gone before this. It might be worth posting your request on the New Zealand board to see if anyone there can find them after their arrival.
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Thank you for your welcome, and also your welcome information, heywood and groom. Most appreciated. I am fortunate in having what appears to be the Bishops transcript of Martin and Sarah's wedding in Listowel in 1861, but Sarah's father's name is not included (or simply faded away). One can almost make out his occupation as a coachman, but even that is a bit of guesswork. Can you please tell me where I could get a more detailed certificate - happy to pay!
And thankyou, groom, for that suggestion - I am very new to this, so will try to find the "New Zealand board"----
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Hi again,
if you look back at my message there is a link marked 'here' - click on that and it brings up the page.
If it doesn't work, the site is here https://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/General-Register-Office.aspx
heywood
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Do you have her details in New Zealand?
There is a death for a Sarah Bourke aged 74, 1914/408.
Two Martin Bourkes,
1) 1916/3264 aged 79
2) 1895/3637 aged 49
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Thanks Bevj - my Sarah Bourke (nee Keeling) died 5/12/1924 - I have found her and Martin's grave at Linwood Cemetery - broken from the earthquake but still readable! The first Martin that you found is the correct one - died in 1916. Martin came from Ireland; the family told me that Sarah was from London, but I can find nothing to prove this - even their marriage certificate (of which I hold the transcript of) doesn't show a father's name. Sarah and Martin were married in Co. Kerry where she was nursery governess to the Kitchener family.