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Because of my inexperience in searching Irish records, I am having difficulty in finding out more about my Great-Grandmother Catherine McKenna.

All the English Census Records from 1851 to 1881 merely state that she was born in Ireland, but the 1891 Census states that she was born in Dublin.  Catherine was born around 1835, her father was Richard McKenna, a Corn Factor.   Two Richard McKenna’s, (or maybe one, with two farms), have been identified in the Irish Townland of Swords in Dublin, in the Tithe Applotment Books 1823-1838; either or neither, could be the father of Catherine McKenna.

As far as I can determine Catherine had at least one brother and one sister, John McKenna born around 1826 and Margaret McKenna born around 1821.  Margaret McKenna married Bernard Hughes, a Policeman in Birkenhead, Cheshire, probably in Ireland, around 1842.  I have conducted enquiries around the Birkenhead, Cheshire and Merseyside Police Force areas, in the hope of obtaining some lead which might link to Margaret McKenna, but unfortunately no Recruitment Records going back as far as the 1840’s seem to have survived.

Can anybody help?

This photograph is of Members of a Bowling Club in Rochdale.  I found the photograph amongst some old possessions of my late father, who said that his father, John Thomas Taylor, was on the photograph.

On the back of the photograph was written the address “171 Whitworth Road”, on which information I have dated the photograph around 1897, as he was last living there during that year.  It has been suggested however, that the photograph was taken at a much later date than this.

Any ideas?

I have lost Henry Crossley from the 1861 Census for Castleton, Rochdale.  Henry was born in 1847 in Elland, in Yorkshire and in 1851 was living with his Grandparents, Henry and Sarah Wood at 51 Oldham Road in what was then Castleton, Rochdale.

In 1868, still living on Oldham Road, Henry Crossley got married.  In 1871 Henry was living with his wife, Eliza and their 1 year old son William, at 22 Back Oldham Road.

Because of where Henry was living in 1851, 1868 and 1871, I feel sure he must have been living in the Oldham Road area of Rochdale in 1861.  But I cannot find him.  Neither can I find the whereabouts of his Grandparents, Henry and Sarah Wood.  Can anybody help.

Two of my ancestors, William Taylor and Catherine McKenna came over from Ireland in 1840’s, and were married in Liverpool in 1854.  I am trying to identify the places of birth of both William and Catherine, but all subsequent census returns merely state that they were born in Ireland.

It has been suggested to me that by matching with my DNA, this will indicate what part of Ireland they came from.   Is this correct, or will the results merely confirm Ireland as a source of my ancestors, which would in fact leave me no further forward than I am now.

If DNA is not the answer, can anyone suggest any other nontraditional means I could use, that would do more than just carry my research back across the Irish sea.