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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Topic started by: Wodgemac on Tuesday 03 November 20 13:26 GMT (UK)
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Could anybody help or give advice how to find out why my Great Grandfather, John McGrory would move all the way from Pettigo in Donegal to Camlough in Armagh, between the years of 1873 and 1901?
Was it a common thing?
He was born in 1872 in Pettigo to parents John McGrory and Bessy Young.
Not sure when his father died, but he's not on the 1901 census and Bessy is a widow also living in Camlough with other family members, but she's reverted to being called Eliza.
In the 1911 census John has added an e into the surname making it McGrorey, (nobody knows why, maybe a mistake that stuck??)
The story through the family was that they had to keep moving to search for work. I know times were hard in Ireland in those days with the wicked landlords, but it does seem quite a long way...
They did move to Scotland between 1911 and 1920
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Richard McGrorey
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Below looks very like the death of John McGrory senior.
Death of John McGrory on 20th February 1891 ,weaver aged 45 of Edward St. Lurgan notified by his widow Eliza McGrory.
Link;
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1891/06075/4732508.pdf
Presume they moved to seek work.Looks like the whole family were employed in the linen/wool trade from 1901 census.
Fathers profession is given as herd on John's birth entry in 1872.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1872/03248/2190220.pdf
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Below looks very like the death of John McGrory senior.
Death of John McGrory on 20th February 1891 ,weaver aged 45 of Edward St. Lurgan notified by his widow Eliza McGrory.
Link;
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1891/06075/4732508.pdf
This is actually the death of John McCrory
Name JOHN MCCRORY
Date of Death 1891
Group Registration ID 3583537
SR District/Reg Area Lurgan
Deceased Age at Death 45
He married Eliza Bunting in 1873.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1873/11285/8139920.pdf
KG
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Not sure when his father died, but he's not on the 1901 census and Bessy is a widow also living in Camlough with other family members, but she's reverted to being called Eliza.
Are these the extended family in the 1901 Irish census?
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Armagh/Camlough/Frederick_Street/1036206/
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Armagh/Camlough/Fountain_Street/1036048/
His wife Cassie and two of the children born in Co Tyrone.
KG
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Yeah, that's his wife, Catherine McGarrity.
I have some details of their marriage.
I presumed John senior was a sheep herder.
I was told he was a farmer...
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A herd was someone who looked after cattle or sheep. So he would have worked on a farm.
Looking at an Old Bradshaw, Pettigo to Lurgan by train was just over 3 hours. Not a huge journey.
Lurgan and the surrounding area was full of linen mills and provided quite a bit of employment not available in Donegal. It’s likely they moved there for work.
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In the 1911 census John has added an e into the surname making it McGrorey, (nobody knows why, maybe a mistake that stuck??)
John didn't write the 1911 census form...it was the constable as the enumerator. John is Xed and 'his mark' added by the constable.
Look at the William of the constable's signature and compare with young son William.
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai001610835/
KG
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Ahh yes I see that now...
He was down as unable to read and write.
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I'm trying to find the birth records of their children, just to see if it will give me the towns they were born in rather than just the county, which the census has.
I'm only on ancestry and I can't find any, which would be the best site to search for them?
Also if I can find out where the first children, Mary Ann and Sarah were born in County Tyrone, I might have a chance of finding their mothers birth records in Tyrone???
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Mary Anne McGrory 23rd April 1897
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1897/02128/1808644.pdf
Sarah Jane 17th May 1898
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1898/02084/1794943.pdf
John 25th May 1899
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1899/02044/1783005.pdf
Births/marriages/deaths available on Irishgenealogy.ie
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/civil-search.jsp
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Mary Anne McGrory 23rd April 1897
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1897/02128/1808644.pdf
Sarah Jane 17th May 1898
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1898/02084/1794943.pdf
John 25th May 1899
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1899/02044/1783005.pdf
Births/marriages/deaths available on Irishgenealogy.ie
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/civil-search.jsp
Mary Anne born in the townland of Sheridan SE of Irvinestown.
https://www.townlands.ie/tyrone/east-omagh/magheracross/sheridan/
Sarah Jane born in the townland of Coolback roughly east of Irvinestown.
https://www.townlands.ie/tyrone/east-omagh/kilskeery/coolback/
John born in the townland of Clogharevan which is in Bessbrook.
https://www.townlands.ie/armagh/orior-upper/killevy-upper-orior-portion/clogharevan/
Note that all the families were living in Bessbrook at the time of the 1901 Irish census.
KG
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Note that all the families were living in Bessbrook at the time of the 1901 Irish census.
The families were living in Frederick Street and Fountain Street. If you want to see the location of Frederick Street and Fountain Street, enter the
PRONI Historical Maps Viewer.
https://apps.spatialni.gov.uk/PRONIApplication/
Click on ‘Agree terms and conditions’
Icons top right – click on ‘Layer List’
Select OSNI Historical Third edition (1900-1907)
In ‘Find Address or Place’ (top left) type Clogharevan.
Click 'Clogharevan (Killevy)'
Zoom in (4 clicks) and pan to Bessbrook to see the two streets and Bessbrook as a whole.
Some more information about the history of Bessbrook in Killevy parish.
http://www.placenamesni.org/resultdetails.php?entry=14681
KG
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Oh wow, Thank you so much.
I've even cleared up when and where my Grandfather Thomas was born.
I thought it was 1904, but it's actually 1905
I see McGarrity is spelt McGaherty on John's birth, is this a mistake, or is this a reason I can't find any records for Cassie?
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I see McGarrity is spelt McGaherty on John's birth, is this a mistake, or is this a reason I can't find any records for Cassie?
When John was born, his father registered the birth and probably spoke with a mixture of Donegal and Tyrone accents. No doubt, the registrar (living near Newry) didn't fully understand his accent, hence McGaherty.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1905/01777/1698826.pdf
When Thomas was born in 1905 (at Bessbrook), it was his mother Catherine who registered the birth and she probably spoke with a different Tyrone accent (hence her maiden name McGarrity). The registrar was still the same person- Benjamin A Palmer (a physician and surgeon) and registrar for Mullaghglass R.D.
Note that John's occupation was now farm labourer.
KG
Edited to add:
As an aside.... Death of Benjamin Armstrong Palmer 1919
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1919/05146/4418413.pdf
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Apart from your GF Thomas born 1905, there were five more brothers born up to 1912.
Hugh 1902, Daniel 1904, Patrick 1907, William 1909 and Francis 1912.
MMN McGaherty, McGarty and McGarrety.
https://www.rootschat.com/links/01q0b/
KG
Edited to add:
Here they are in 1911, still in Frederick Street, Bessbrook. (at reply #6)
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Armagh/Camlough/Frederick_Street/306583/
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Hi,
I'm just having a good search now on the site. I know my Granddad had a lot of siblings, several of them died. It's good to know the names of them.
I've found the births of several of their cousins, (John's brothers, James and Daniel's children to wives Mary Corrigan and Isabella Wakelem?) with various family members present in Sheridan and in Bessbrook.
It's interesting that some of the family also lived on Fountain street which by looking on the map you sent, it's very close to Frederick street. My father used to visit his cousins in Charlemont Square in the fifties, which is right next to Frederick street.
I see Benjamin Palmer was a very busy man and he died of cardiac arrest!!
Hopefully if I keep going sideways I might find a clue to help me back further.
Thanks for your help I really appreciate it.
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Yes thank you I did already have that record. The family moved to Scotland before the First World War.
I have just found a death record for a John McGrory in 1880, aged 95 in Pettigo, profession a farmer.
What are the chances of him being a Grandfather to my Great Grandfather John McGrory born in Pettigo in 1872?