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Fresh from successfully identifying someone whose signature appears on a book owned by my grandfather some 30 years later, I open an original copy of "A History of Banbridge" (1935) sent from a distant second hand bookshop in the west of Ireland and immediately see a signature - A M Meneely. I know exactly who this is because she taught me the finer points of the English language at Banbridge Academy, Co Down in 1960s. Alice Marjorie Meneely, "Miss Meneely" to generations of reluctant scholars

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1909/01605/1644321.pdf

Along the way, the book was bequested in 2011 to the The McClay Library of Queens University Belfast by the estate of James McAllister BSc BA a Lecturer at Queen's between 1973 and 2007 (this on a label)

An intriguing  surprise. The book must have had an interesting journey.

This inscription is on the flyleaf of a copy of "Scott's Poetical Works" which belonged to, and was also signed by my maternal grandfather, Matthew Davidson, in 1931. The latter was a tailor, lived in Banbridge and was involved with its Literary Society in the early 1900s. It is possible that the book was in the possession of that society or its predecessor Banbridge Reading Society. I have failed to identify William Robinson and his maiden aunt Miss Moore and it is unclear if the middle name is a second forename or the first half of a hyphenated surname. I am not entirely sure what the middle name actually is.

The inscription is clearly in an adult hand. It reads

"To Miss Moore
A small token of gratitude from her affectionate nephew
Wm... puzzle word... Robinson

Dec 1871"

Anyone recognise this family ? The book could conceivably have come from anywhere in Ireland.

Hi

I have been trying without success to trace the marriage of William James Dickson Walker , born Tyrone c1855, to Barbara Paterson (born Scotland ) and also the details of his parents. It is likely the marriage took place c1883.

W J D lived for a time (1880s - early 1900s) at Lawrencetown near Banbridge, Co Down, where he was a Linen Merchant , a partner in the Hazlebank Weaving Co with his cousin Thomas Dickson ( whose family tree is shown in "Linen Houses of the Bann Valley" by Kathleen Rankine ,P231). He had two children Norah, born Aug 20th 1886 and William Eric born June 28th 1885, both Lawrencetown. He was also an "Industrial Inspector for the Congested Districts" and had a keen interest in Technical Education which led him to become the driving force behind the foundation of Banbridge Technical School in 1902. Later he moved to Drogheda and became a prominent businessman there until his death (in Belfast) in May 1926. The Northern Whig records his funeral to "the family burial place at Benburb". Is there a family tombstone extant ? He was awarded the Honour of CB (Companion of the Bath) in 1911.

The Banbridge Technical School is opening in a brand new building (for the second time in its history) in 1920 and are planning a timeline exhibition of the school. The researcher for this asked me (as an occasional contributor to Banbridge local history) if I had any info on its history. I hadn't a lot, but needless to say I soon got sucked in.

Neither wife nor children are with him in the 1901 census for Ireland but Norah is oddly living with her step grandfather Frederick Burton in England. In 1911 she turns up in British Colombia and marries William James Cole Hamley with her mother as witness. In 1926 wife and daughter are in Belfast (?) as executors of their father's will, but neither outlive him for long, both dying within months of each other in 1928, at which time Nora was also granted a divorce from Hamley. William Eric Walker became a Lt Col in the Territorial Army, married Dorothy Redmayne , was awarded OBE, and died in 1949.

WJD is recorded in the newspapers of the day as being a keen photographer - a member of Belfast YMCA Photography Club, and it is an intriguing possibility that some early photographs of the creation of Banbridge Technical School may exist forgotten somewhere

I would be grateful for any help with the ancestry and marriage details of William James Dickson Walker

Matt

Hi

I am trying to determine if the Henry Sinclair and Ann Gray who married in Braddan 27/8/1816 and had a son Henry baptised 14/6/1818 are the same Henry and Ann Sinclair who the had children Mary Ann 1820, John 1823, Esther 1824, Robert 1827 and William 1829 all baptised in Liverpool. Henry was a blacksmith and is probably the Henry who died in a Liverpool workhouse in 1838, aged 45. That is all I presently know about him and the spacing of the children makes me think it highly likely that the two couples are one and the same. What details are given for Henry in the marriage entry. All help much appreciated

Regards


Matt

From the Chester Chronicle of 23rd May 1817

“To be sold by auction ….. 26th May.. all the modern household furniture and other effects of Dr A Bankhead, White Friars, Chester”.

An enquiry to the Cheshire Record Office a few years back revealed that they unfortunately do not hold any trade directories for that year (Pigot starts in 1818, drat) and could offer no additional info. Neither have I been, over years of research, able to find any other record of this mysterious medic. There was only one Bankhead line of the period with the wherewithall to have doctors in the family (sons of Rev John Bankhead) , but none (that I know of) have the initial A and there is no obvious connection with Cheshire. There is no equivalent advert in the Chester Courant of the time. Suggestions anyone ? I am wondering if the doc was either deceased (but he is not described as "late") or bankrupt?