Adairs of Derry 1901 census?

[cbrad]

Yes the marriage is my grandma, I have the certificate and her sister and brother in law, who I knew, were witnesses. I never heard her called anything but Annie and there is only Annie on her marriage cert.

[cbrad]

Some success at last. I looked up Matilda Adair on the covernent (declaration) using the Governor Rd Address and there below was Matilda Adair of 4 Clifton St, Waterside, Londonderry. This must be my G grandmother as someone signed for her - she had a cross which makes sense that she probably could not write. However, try as I may, I could not find an entry for John Adair at the same address. It did occur to me that this Matilda could be my grandmother's sister who lodged with her? I tried a search with just the address but could get nothing.

[aghadowey]

PRONI site is down again- getting 'service unavailable' message now. Perhaps John was dead by 1912 or just didn't sign the Covenant.

[cbrad]

He was definitely alive. I have his burial papers for many years later in England and my mother remembered him living with her mother in old age. I cannot believe he did not sign it unless he was ill at the time? The web site was very erratic and I could not find my Matilda using her name or address with many tries so he may be there lurking somewhere. I will try again at some point.
Thank you for your mention of this document. I would not have  known anything about it.

[rob elliott]

Cbrad
I think the Governor Rd Adair's are a different family. This was quite a comfortable off area, not like the background you describle.Also its on the Cityside off the Strand Rd not the Waterside.
There was a William Adair still at 32 in the late 1920's.
John Adair who was killed was the son of William. He had a brother William too.
Both John [aged 17] and William [aged 37] were members of Derry City Ulster Volunteer Force in 1914 with an address of 32 Govenor Rd.
As detailed in the information provided by Aghadowey in post 7, which i believe, was taken from the work of Trevor Temple for the Diamond War memorial project [Londonderry] web-site.
John is remembered in the C of I Church, yet your family appear to be Presbyterians.
Interestingly there was a John Adair of the 11th Inniskillings killed [as mentioned above] who was born in Omagh but lived in Londonderry, so may not have qualified to go on the City war memorial.
There is also a William who served and survived who served with the 10th Inniskillings. He came from the Strabane Old Road Waterside.
Rob

[rob elliott]

Just been checking. Clearly a different family as i see it.
The Governor Road Adairs' did not move from this address as can be seen from the Covenant, UVF muster list and street directories.
The Waterside Adairs' moved around a bit and by chance there are two families here.
During the First War one was from Ebrington Terrace and the other from Florence Street.
Both had sons William who served, with one having a John and the other a James who also served.
William and John were from 23 Ebrington Terrace and are both listed on Ebrington Presbyterian Church Roll of Honour, with John shown as being killed with the Inniskillings and William as being in the Royal Field Artillary.
By coincidence James was in the Artillary too with his brothe William being in the Inniskillings.
Rob

[cbrad]

Thank you so much for your efforts and sorry for the delay in replying as I have only just returned from holiday.
This gets more and more interesting!
Now the Ebrington Rd family sounds a possibility assuming that the family later moved to 4 Clifton St, Waterside (the address given when they signed the declaration and the address on my grandmother's wedding certificate). There was definitely a John who was killed in WW1 serving in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers )believed - pvt.14849. 11th bat, died 1st July, 1916. We are pretty sure this is the correct one (we have the memorial plaque) but although there was a brother William (Billy) he was known to have emigrated to USA and I don't know if he served in the War or not. I found details of a William Adair who emigrated at the age of 21 in 1909 to New York from Londonderry and thought this must be him (he actually ended up in Chigago). We know he was deported during the depression as an 'economic alien' and that he had worked for the postal service in USA. He came to join the majority of his family by that time in England  during the thirties, with an American wife and a small son. He died in his late fifties during WW2 of a heart attack as a civilian in London. The dates did seem to roughly fit. I am sure there were more siblings but I only knew the names of those two boys with a Matilda/Tilly, Jeannie/Jinny and Eleanor/Nell as girls. Both Annie and Eleanor married british soldiers from the Royal Scots Fusiliers who were stationed at Ebrington Barracks.
I don't suppose there could have been another family Adair. The first names seem very common for the time?

[aghadowey]

Can't see a William Adair age 21 in 1909 Londonderry to N.Y.

There is William Adair arr. NY 6 JUne 1909 but born Belfast.

1920 U.S. Census found in Chicago, Cook, Illinois a Wm. Adair age 36, born Ireland, to US 1906 chauffeur with wife Ida 29 born Illinois and daughter Florence age 9 months born Illinois. But this William is possibly son of William + Jane Adair (1910- Biggsville, Henderson, Ill.).

[cbrad]

Wow you are quick! How do you get your information so fast?
The details I have are William J Adair, age 21 years. Sailed 29th May, 1909. Londonderry to New York on the ship 'Columbia' - Anchor line. Official number 115682, master FH Wadsworth. 170 passengers on voyage.
My elderly aunt  (the wife of a son of Eleanor Adair)  told me that he had been a USA postal worker (probably a postman). She was positive that he had lived in Chicago.