MAY, Castleblayney

[ronnoco100]

Are there any records in Castleblayney that would indicate when my Grandaprents lived there.. I've found them on the Irish 1911 census but really need to find out when they moved to Ireland.

This is crucial as I recently discovered Grandma was married to someone else in 1908 and on the 1911 census she is living in Castleblayney with  Granddad and their new baby - stating they had been married 4 full years.

Would there be any rent records or anything else that would indicate their length of stay.

They are Harry May and Beatrice Fanny May with baby William Edward Blayney May - they are listed as Church of Ireland.

Any advice would be welcome

Thanks

Anne
 

[hallmark]

The only thing coming on stream is 1901 census. As he appears to have come over to photograph several big houses in Monaghan I wonder who asked him to!

There might be clues in the photos...Whose houses did he photograph? Why? Starting when?

What happened to the "someone else"? Did they live together for a while somewhere?

Who is listed as father of other children on bapt certs? You definitely have a nice mystery. Usually someone in the family knows but often won't say!

[shanew147]

According to the census building returns (form B1) for Drumillard, Little West Street, Castleblayney, the landowner for most of the street (including the section where the May family lived) seems to be someone named Lord Hope.

see : Form B1, Page 3

not sure if there is anyway to follow that up but it could be a clue..

Also the family is sharing the address with a Patrick Malone, wife and family - Malone Family


Shane

[ronnoco100]

Thank you Shane

That is really interesting - I know Granddad took photos of the gentry and their staff - so maybe there is some link there.

It's amazing what you can find out isn't it - I'll  be following it up when I visit Castleblayney later this year

Kind regards
Anne

[shanew147]

It looks like that Lord Hope is the guy who gave his name to the famous diamond!


Shane

[ronnoco100]

Shane

I knew it rang a bell.

Dear Hallmark

Strangely enough - the last of Granddad's children died in September and a few weeks later I discovered Grandma and Granddad on th 1911 Irish census - thanks to rootschat - and from that Gran's marriage to another man.   it came as a big shock to Aunty Jeanne (Uncle Ron's wife) and she lived wth her in laws for 20 years, and as she said Gran looked down her nose at everyone so the thought that she was living over the brush with Gfranddad is mind blowing  - as the Grandchildren have come together to discuss this it appears we all have slightly different stories.. but we all have the feeling that there is an Irish connection and that our name was changed from Mayo to May when they (?) came over from Ireland - I'm really hoping that a trip to Ireland will clear up the mystery.

We have no photos  from that period as at one time there was flood damage and a lot of things got thrown out - but hopefully we can be cheeky and ask Aunty Jeanne if we can look through any old papers.

I get the feeling that I'm going to find a real skeleton in the closet.

Anne

[hallmark]

Well as Shanew says you now have Hope!  ..

It looks like they were living above a shop renting rooms from the Malones on West Street. Just beside a Pub run by Ruddens so it should be reasonably easy to locate, via Town Planning Maps etc, maybe they are still there....

Often locals have a great deal of knowledge about their area and may be able to locate Malone descendents who might have snippets, you just never know! The Malones might have kept proper accounts, incl rent...maybe a descendent has them.

Reckon it's down to good luck and detective work!

[Maud Monaghan]

Hi Anne,

I've just come across this thread as I'm new to rootschat for another family reason.I'm interested in the fact that you think your grandfather was over in Ireland photographing the Big Houses.Did these photographs survive? I would love to know and see them.

The fact that they called their child Edward Blayney is unusual.Edward Blayney was granted land in County Monaghan in the 17th century and he became Baron Blayney in 1621.The Blayney family lived in the town which took their name until the last Lord Blayney,Cadwallader who sold his estate to Henry Thomas Hope in 1853.The Hopes as previously suggested  were the owners of the Hope Diamond that was supposed to bring bad luck to the family.The Hopes were popular in Castleblayney and were good to the estate workers .They finally left Castleblayney in1916.

Hope you have had some success with your search for your family.I may be able to get more information regarding your family.I'll come back with that if I find out anything.

[ronnoco100]

Hello Maud

Many thanks for your message - strangely enough and although Granddad was a photographer we have very few photographs and none (to my knowledge) of Ireland.  I know a lot of the photos were dispersed amongst their children and as they have passed into other generations they seem to not want to share them or perhaps not realise their significance.

We hope to visit Castleblayney - I think it holds the key to the mystery of Granddad's life.  I didn't know much about the Hope family in Ireland - it sounds very intriguing doesn't it?

I'll keep asking the family for any photos that they have.. Recently I was sent one of my Gt Grandparents via a history site link and when I showed it to my Uncle Ron (The last of Gran and Granddad's children) he said that he had the same one upstairs - we've never even seen it!

Sadly Uncle Ron has since died so that last person with the knowledge of their early life is now gone and when we meet as a family it is strange to see how our recollection of what we were told is so diverse.


Are you in Ireland?

Best wishes
Anne

The family history is that Granddad had an Irish background but wouldn't talk about his past - I think Ireland is the key!!!!!