hello need help on olivers

[chris111]

hi, thanks, would love to know any info at all. Do u know where that Oliver line came from?Were they Greyabbey people?  My grandfather was Anthony, he was brought up in Ards.Eleanor McAvoy lived on Mid Island Greyabbey. I think George Oliver was a weaver. Any info would be great!!! Thanks.

do you have Genes Reunited

if you dont have it ill put them on here

[LKR]

Hi no don't have Genes Reunited,sorry.

[FionaMcDonald]

If anyone is looking information on Newtownards Olivers, I live in Newtownards and my step great-grandmother (ie the woman my great-grandfather Hugh McDonald married in 1905 after my great-grandmother Sarah McIlroy died) was Jessie Oliver (c1880-1946).  They married in Greenwell Street Presbyterian Church Newtownards, which must have been the bride's choice as the McDonalds have been Methodist since pussy was a kitten.  Hugh and Jessie had a large family, one of whom is still alive.

This Oliver family lived in Corry Street (aka Corry's Quarter or Corry's Deed) and some of them lived in house attached to the Masonic Hall (Union Star 198).   

In 1901 the Oliver household at house No. 5 Corry Street consisted of:Elizabeth Oliver - Head - Widow - 49
Mary Elizabeth Oliver -Daughter - 28 - darner
Agnes Oliver - Daughter - 26 - Vice-holder
Jessie Oliver - Daughter - 20 - Vice-holder
Thomas Spiers Oliver - 14 - occupation illegible
James Wilson Oliver - grand-son - 3
Violet Anna Oliver - grand-daughter - 7 months

In 1911 the same Oliver household (Jessie McDonald now lived elsewhere on the same street) all Presbyterian consisted of:
Mary Elizabeth Oliver (Head) age 37 - Embroiderer
Thomas Spiers Oliver (Brother) age 24 - Hosiery Finisher
James Wilson Oliver (son) age 13 - Handkerchief Cutter
Violet Anna Oliver (daughter) age 10 - Scholar

I'm not saying this is definitive, but other Newtownards Olivers I spotted in the 1901 Census were:

House No. 100 Francis Street - All Church of Ireland
Robert Oliver - Head - 47 - Plasterer
Sarah Jane Oliver - Wife - 42 - Housekeeper
Martha Oliver - Daughter - 21 - M. Spoker
M. Ann Oliver - Daughter - 19 - Folder
Robert Oliver - Son - 17 - Plaster
S Jane Oliver - Daughter - 11 - Scholar
Maggie Oliver - Daughter - 9 - Scholar
Thomas Oliver - Son - 6 - scholar
Lizzie Oliver - Daughter - 3 - scholar

House No 131 East Street Newtownards
George Oliver - Head - 50 - Weaver
Jane Oliver - Wife - 45 - Embroiderer
Jane Oliver - Daughter - 22 - Winder
Lena Oliver - Daughter - 23 - Warper
George Oliver - Son - 21 - Ex-soldier, 27 Inniskilling Fusilliers
James Oliver - Son - 18 - Weaver
William Oliver - Son - 16 - Weaver
Lizzie Oliver - Daughter - 13 - Weaver
Henry Oliver - Son - 8 - Scholar
Winnie Oliver - Daughter - 3 - Not fit for school

I hope that's of some use to somebody.

Fiona McDonald

[chris111]

Hi Fiona,
The information on the Olivers living at 131 East street was of great help. Thank you.
Do you know if George Oliver senior owned the weaving buisness?
I wondered if the other Newtownard Olivers were Georges' siblings families.
Guess I will have to wait on that one.
Regards ChrisChinnIII

[FionaMcDonald]

Hi Chris,

It probably wasn't a weaving business like a factory, if that's what you're thinking.  There were an awful lot of people in Newtownards weaving in their own houses in those days.  Some of my family were doing so right up until the 1950s and my dad gave one of my great-granda's looms to the Ulster Folk Museum at Cultra, although it's not one of the ones on display.  My lot actually sent tartan to Scotland (a bit likes coals to Newcastle) although they wove linen as well as wool.

I forgot to post the 1911 Census info for the East Street Olivers (I take it you're aware the Irish National archives have now put 4 counties, including Antrim and Down, online)   It reads as follows:

George Oliver - Head - 59 - Linen Weaver
Jane Oliver - Wife - 58 - Married 40 years - 14 children born, 10 still alive
William Oliver - Son - 25 - General Labourer
Lizzie Oliver - Daughter - 23 - Wool Weaver
Minnie Oliver - Daughter - 13 - Scholar
(I must have mistranscribed this as Winnie in the 1901 Census)

Minnie is normally a pet name for Mary by the way as I see someone else had suggested Wilhelmina (that would ususally be Mina).

Jane Oliver gave her religious affiliation as Methodist, George just put Christian and the others refused to say what they were.  I'm in the process of going through the Newtownards Methodist records for Olivers and will post the results once I've put them in some kind of order.  I don't know for sure if any of the Olivers I'm connected to were related to the East Street Olivers but, if I can connect them, I'll let you know.

There are 37 Olivers listed in Newtownards in the 1911 Census, so it's not that common a name.

I was interested to read that you're connected to the McAvoy's of Mid-Isle as  I know a couple of members of this family.  I was on the island last summer when they had an open day which included Will McAvoy telling folk about wildfowling and what it was like growing up on the island. 

All the best,

Fiona