3 Harland Street, Belfast

[Wendl]

Good Morning all,

Hoping someone may be able to help here....This fellow I'm searching is a bit of an enigma at best!!! The last missing link in my immediate tree.  Here is what I know so far....John Close b. 2Apr1877, was a fraternal twin, married Helen Wilson 1906 Grovenor Methodist hall, at the time of his marriage resided 6 Selina street....appears to have signed the Ulster Covenant while residing at 75 Upper Newtonards Road in 1912( his mother's residence), worked as a Riveter at Harland and Wolfe.....According to the street directories( thanks Mary)...resided at 3 Harland Street from 1940-1953...then disappears(possibly died?).

Have credible information from a relative in Australia that this fellow was married 3 times and outlived all his wives.... the last wife being buried in Dundonald cemetery...however, I don't know when or what her name is.  Attempting to locate the names of wife #2, #3...Any insight? or information on Harland street would be appreciated. 

Thanking you in advance...
Wendl

[RosemaryJoan]

Had two days left on my Emerald Ancestors subscription and this is what I found.
John Close married Esther Anne Gregg, 1902 , Belfast
ditto                          Elizabeth McCready in Newtownards, 1905
John L. Close                          Isabella Addis , 1906, Belfast
John Close married Nellie Wilson, 1906, Belfast
ditto                           Sarah Hughes, 1910, Belfast
ditto                            Sarah Dunleavy, 1917, Lisburn
ditto                           Catherine Crossey, 1920, Belfast

I assume that Nellie Wilson is the Helen you mention.
Hope this of help.
Rosemary                         

[Wendl]

Hi Rosemary...

Yes Nellie is the Helen....I have the entry for this marriage.  I'm thinking when I'm home to Belfast in September...I'll have to go to the GRO...and search for the marriages for John Close between 1907-1950?...I'm beginning to think he may have died sometime between 1953 and 1959...so gives me a wee bit of a time frame to look at...I'm hopefull if I find his death I may be able to sort the Grave at Dundonald....here in Canada where I live...they have an index system where if I go in and request the Close graves in the cemetery they can pull them for me...unfortunately, this does'nt appear to be the case for Dundonald...need to know the name and time frame they  died.  I sincerely thank you for taking the time to look for me tho!! Appreciate it.

All the Best
Wendl   

[Wendl]

Hi All,

Okay, so have had new info regarding this fellow forwarded to me....Resided at 3 Harland Street, was a Riveter at Harland and Wolfe, Appears to have only married twice...second wife was a Margaret Murdock, they married 15 Mar 1932 at St. Anne's in Belfast. Accordingly, Margaret died in 1951, and was buried in the Newtonards Road Cemetery 20 Jun 1951, John died in the Belfast City Hospital, 23 May 1955....and is buried in the same grave. Now....we have another puzzle....there are two people in the grave with them....a James Lyttle, 61 yrs, buried 22 Feb 1976, and what I believe would be his wife Elizabeth Lyttle, 71yrs, 28 Aug 1986....beginning to wonder if maybe Elizabeth could be a daughter to John? 

Any insight??? anyone??? 

[RosemaryJoan]

So, now you need to get the marriage of the Lyttles which will give Elizabeth's maiden name, OR perhaps the death cert. details of both which will give you the death address and who registered it (hopefully a member of family).  You can get the death details from Family Ulster for £6 , but the marriage will be more difficult until you can narrow it down to a specific year.   Perhaps you can get someone to check the Street Directories to see who lived in 3 Harland Street after 1955. RosemaryJoan

[Wendl]

Thankyou for your insight...have thot the same thing, and have a cousin in Belfast looking into the Lyttle situation...have also made inquiries for the Obituaries for John Close from the Belfast Telegraph...sometimes they have a wealth of information that can lead to another branch.

Once again thankyou for taking the time to respond...appreciate your effort.

All the Best
Wendy