1812 Baptism Belfast

[lucybella]

Hello

Can anyone think of a way to get more information on a Baptism St Malachy's Church,  Belfast in 1812.  It was for a man aged 70, so was probably a death bed conversion to Catholicism?

Thanks

Lucy

[aghadowey]

Do you have the information from the church record already?

[lucybella]

Hello Aghadowey

I found a certificate on the Irish Family History Foundation website.  It was for an Isaac Rodgers, baptised St Malachy's Church, 1/1/1812.  Aged 70.  There were no other details, no address, father's name, etc. 
As I have a later Isaac Rodgers in my tree, same area, born 1830's, died 1892,(correction- 1882) I feel there may be a connection, but am unable to link them without further details of the 1812 person, who was born 1742 or so. 
I am wondering what resources there are to look for in that timeframe?         Grateful for any suggestions,
Thank you
Lucy

[aghadowey]

Early baptismal records usually have little detail- date of baptism and name is common so there probably won't be anything else in orginal record.
Other records for early 1800s are sparse but you can have a look in ANTRIM RESOURCES to see if any items are of interest and perhaps others here will be able to make suggestions.

[lucybella]

Thank you Aghadowey, will do.  And hopefully something will turn up.

Lucy

[akanex2]

Hi Lucybella

Perhaps you should check up on the original record as it seems a little odd -  St Malachy's Church didn't exist in 1812

The first Roman Catholic church in the town of Belfast opened in Mill Street in 1769 in leased premises and was used until St Mary's on Chapel Lane was opened on 30 May 1784.  St Mary's was the sole RC Church in the parish until St Patrick's on Donegall St opened on 5 March 1815, so a baptism in Belfast in 1812 must have been in St Mary's.  Until 1812 the RC parish was united with neighbouring Derriaghy, so it's possible a baptism for Belfast may be included in the Derriaghy records up to this time.

St Malachy's was the 3rd RC Church in Belfast and opened on 15 December 1844.

Hope this helps

[lucybella]

Hi Akanex2

That is really interesting.  Thank you for your reply.  I actually purchased the certificate from the Ulster Historical Foundation, and it clearly is printed as St Malachy's!
It must be an error of transcription. 
The only other information on the certificate is the Priests name - Rev E Hassett, and then the figures 0 2 6  70year old. 
I suppose the next step would be to contact PRONI, as they would probably hold the 1812 Church Records for St Mary's. 
I am wondering if there would be any other records for Isaac, prior to 1812, as to what Church he previously belonged to, any marriage records I could find etc..  I presume there were many churches around the area, who's records still exist for the mid 1700's?
Thanks again for that information
Lucy

[akanex2]

Regarding the clergyman who performed the baptism, I cannot find him serving in the Parish of Belfast.

In 1808 the Parish Priest of Belfast and Derriaghy was Father Hugh O'Donnell, assisted by 2 curates - Rev Peter Cassidy & Rev Richard Curoe.  By this time Father O'Donnell was elderly and sought to have his parish split by the Bishop.  As a result Father William Crolly was appointed Parish Priest of Belfast in August 1812, but did not take possession of his charge until November 1813, with Rev Bernard McAuley as his curate.  Rev Denis Magreevey was appointed to Derriaghy at the same time and Father O'Donnell died in January 1815. Other curates of the period were Rev McQuoid, Rev John Devlin, Rev Arthur O'Neill and Rev Charles Hendron.

Regarding other churches in the town of Belfast in the mid 1700s, the records of St Anne's Church of Ireland survive from 1745 and cover the church in High Street now known as St George's (which was originally a Chapel of Ease but became a Parish Church in it's own right in 1816).  The early records have been published in book form and may be available in libraries as well as on microfilm in PRONI.

Belfast also had 3 Presbyterian congregations in this period.  Rosemary Street (Non-subscribing) Presbyterian in the city centre dates back to the mid 1600s, with baptismal records from 1757 (and marriages from 1790) in PRONI.  Another Non-subscribing congregation (All Souls, Elmwood Avenue) was founded in 1708 as the Rosemary Street congregation was too large for it's church buildings.  All Souls' records in PRONI  start in 1771 (marriages only - baptisms commence 1782).  Finally the mainstream Presbyterian congregation (confusing called Rosemary and now situated on North Circular Road) was established in 1721 (over the issue of subscription to the Westminster Confession of Faith) and its baptismal records survive from 1723 (again on microfilm in PRONI).

PRONI hold RC records for Belfast starting from 1798, but the reference book I got this from says they are the records of St Patricks.  This seems strange as the Church of St Patrick's wasn't even planned at this time.  The site of St Patrick's Church was leased to the parish of Belfast in 1809, construction began in 1810 and the roof was completed in 1811.  Although newspaper reports show that public meetings were held in the new church in October 1812, it remained uncompleted for some years - probably due to the advanced age of the existing clergy when construction commenced and the inevitable bedding in of the new team.

Hope this helps

[Kanga]

http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/

In the 1861 Belfast/Ulster Street Directory: Isaac Rodgers, labourer, 1 Seymour Lane (off Seymour Street)

LDS pilot website online indexes:

http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#p=collectionDetails;c=1408347

I noticed the year of death in the index is 1882 not 1892.

Name: Isaac Rodgers    Registration district: Belfast Record type: DEATHS
Registration date - quarter and year: Oct - Dec 1882   Estimated birth year: 1830
Age: 52    Film number: 101591    Volume: 1 Page: 241

http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/

1880 Belfast/Ulster Street Directory:
ALFRED STREET
(May Street to Blackstaff River)

 20. St. Malachy's Presbytery, Rev. G. Brennan, Adm.
St. Malachy's R. C. Church, Peter Lynch, sexton

1901 Belfast /Ulster Directory:  See Rev Edmund Hassett below.

GLENARM
PLACES OF WORSHIP

Church of Ireland - Rev. Sheldon F. Dudley-Janns, A.M., rector
Presbyterian - Rev. Charles M. Cowden
Roman Catholic - Rev. Edmund Hassett, P.P.; Rev. Hugh Hefferon, C.C., curate
Unitarian - Rev. T. W. Scott

1911 Census: Parish: Ringagonagh, Townland: Knockinpower Upper. Division: West Waterford.
Edmond Hassett, RC, age 46, Catholic Priest, born Waterford. Name on index actual comes up as Edward Edmond which is not what is on the actual census form.

Re akanex2 information about St Malachy's was the 3rd RC Church in Belfast and opened on 15 December 1844, and if this is the same Rev Edmund Hassett in the street directory and census, and who performed the conversion baptism for Isaac Rodgers, then may be the date should be 1882 and not 1812, being due to a transcript error by the volunteer who transcribed the St Malachy's Church record.

Ages listed on Death Certificates etc are not always correct.

All the best with your research.