Vanishing Relatives

[northernsearcher]

I have had some brilliant help from RootsChat people in tracking this family but now I am totally stuck. Can anyone help either finding or perhaps helping me understand why whole families can disappear for 20 years then reappear? I have trawled every census using different spelling, wild cards etc but they remain hidden.  I have listed the info. I have below (sorry its so long) but the essential mystery to me is where did they go for 20 years?

1.1863
On the 13th of December 1863 Patrick Mullaney married Elizabeth Jane Bluett at the registry office in Stoke Damerel Devon.
Rank or Profession;Private in the 2nd Queens Royal Regiment
Residence at time of marriage:   Raglan Barracks Devonport
Father’s Name and Surname;   John Mullaney
Father’s Rank or Profession;   Harness maker (master) Dublin Ireland
2.1865Birth of John Mullaney in Devonport
3.1866Birth of Patrick Mullaney in Elizabeth Cork
4.1867Birth of Robert Alfred Mullaney in Milton. On the 23rd of November 1867 Robert Alfred Mulleney (Mullaney) was born in Church Road, Murston, Sub –district, Milton, Sittingbourne, Kent.Occupation of father;A General Labourer
5.1871The 1871 census records Patrick Mullany (Mullaney) Elizabeth and the children living at 1, Alice Street, Plymouth, Devon.  The birthplace of the fourth child Peter (3 months old in census) is recorded as Plymouth.
Rank or Profession    (Patrick);      Travelling Tinker   
Rank or Profession    (Elizabeth);    Chair caning   
This census record is the only source of information on Patrick’s birth place. The script is very difficult to read as the first half of the word is covered by a pencil line. word looks like or could be Castlereah (see copy in documents). Suppose it could be Castlereagh Belfast or Castlereagh Co. Mayo, or Castlerea Roscommon.
RG10; Piece: 2120; Folio: 96; Page:27

No further census records for any of the Mullaneys for 20 years i.e. until 1891.   There is a possible record for John in 1881.  Living at the Barracks, Barrack St Sunderland Durham John is a Private.  RG11; Piece: 5001; Folio:25; Page: 43

6.1885 On the 12th of September 1885  Robert Alfred Mullaney married Sarah Davison at The church of St Albans, Heworth, Durham  (Heworth also known as Windy Nook). 
Fathers Name and Surname;William Patrick Mullaney   Rank or profession;   Miner
7.1891censusRobert Alfred Mullaney  and family living 3 Oxford St Hindley, Wigan, Lancashire
RG12; Piece: 3058; Folio 122; Page 38
8.1901censusRobert Alfred Mullaney and family living  6 Frank St Monkwearmouth Sunderland Durham, RG13; Piece: 4723; Folio: 244; Page:36
9.1911censusRobert Alfred Mullaney and family living  114 Hood St Monkwearmouth Sunderland Durham

[jorose]

Okay, possible; in Durham in 1881 there are a family who are indexed as "Linsky", at Hedworth Monkton & Jarrow

William Linsky, 29, b. Winlaton, Durham  (in 1871 he is a boarder in Durham)
Elizabeth, 32, b. Exeter
Patrick, 15, b. Cork Ireland
Robert, 13, b. Kent
Peter, 10, b. Plymouth (Plymouth birth of Peter Mullany)
Margaret, 8, b. Plymouth (Plymouth birth of Margaret Mullaney)
Elizabeth, 6, b. Plymouth

Patrick Mullan(e)y + William Linsky, miner = "William Patrick Mullaney, miner"?

http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html then shows several christenings of Linskey children with mother Elizabeth Blewett/Bluett

I think William Linskey and Elizabeth Mullaney finally married in Gateshead district in 1893. What happened to Patrick is not clear.

[northernsearcher]

Jorose Thank you so much for this, it looks like a real winner.  I am going to check it out right away.
Jen

[northernsearcher]

Jorose I am very grateful for this.  I have looked at the 1881c and the 1891c.  The information in 1881 does fit the ages and birth places of the 4 Mullaney boys. William Linskey and Elizabeth are in Heworth on the 1891c and although none of the sons are there.  Heworth is where Robert married in 1885.

How did you find the 1881 record?

[jorose]

I looked for Peter b. Plymouth 1871, no surname, and saw there was one living in Durham, then noticed the siblings and mother's names matched.

http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html does show Elizabeth Jane Mullaney marrying in 1899 in Gateshead, father William, who might be the 6 year old girl listed in 1881 but I can't see a birth for her as Mullan(e)y or Linskey.

Having another look at freebmd there's a 41 year old William Patrick Mullaney death in 1879. The boys might have (like John had perhaps already done by 1881) felt the need to get out of the house and earn their own way as soon as possible, for one reason or another.

[northernsearcher]

Thank you again Jorose, that is a really good tip, I will use it again if I am in the same or similar situation with other relatives. 

If William Patrick died in 1879, two years before the census then I suppose Elizabeth, the widow Mullaney, being quite young would look for another husband, otherwise how was she to support herself and six children, a very long way from Exeter and any relatives and the Welfare State in a long way distant future it must have been dreadfully hard.

Very selfishly however, in the "modern" world this has really helped me to continue to piece together the journeys that Patrick, soldier, travelling tinker and miner and Elizabeth, lace maker, chair caner and miner's wife made in their world.

Thanks Jorose really appreciated
Jen

[northernsearcher]

Jorose - just a quick one. What is family search? I get info. from Ancestry, do I have to pay for family search? Only been doing family research since February 2010 so I would welcome any advice as to which data base holds what.  I also have to add that I am becoming obsessive and won't let go until I can find that link.
Jen

[sillgen]

Hi
Thought I would answer as Jorose is offline.  www.familysearch.org is a site we all use.   It is free and provided by the LDS church.  It has many parish records on it and if they are marked as extracted they are usually accurate.  You need to be wary of member submitted ones as they may be just guesswork.  Have a look at the tips on the Beginners' board and you should find other ideas to help you search too.  Usually our various county Resource boards have lots of links too.
Regards
Andrea

[northernsearcher]

Thanks for that sillgen, is that the Latter Day Saints site? I will check it.
Jen