Can anyone find a connection between Shaws & Grays or Shaws & Millers?
I'm trying to unravel a small note left by my Mother's researches in the early 1990's. This relates to her Father's Gray/Miller Family.
The Note said: Dad (William Gray born 1907 Coatbridge Lanark) visited cousins called Shaw that had a farm (may have been called "Greenbanks" or something similar) it was near the Giants Causeway - they bred Trotting Ponies- a further comment says not sure whether related to Gray or Miller side of the Family.
The timing of the visit must have been around 1911/13 as there is also a note that he a small boy wearing his kilt, and he had wandered off, they found him sitting on a post box watching the fighting - (this may have been in Belfast?).
William's father was Alexander Gray (born 1871 in Machester Eng)
Alexander's Father was William Gray - born 1837 Ireland (place unknown) & Mother was Mary Miller - born 1842 Belfast. William & Mary married in Manchester in 1868. William's Father was shown as William Gray (Farmer) & Mother Helen Gray - (perhaps this was the Farming/Horse Breeding connection). Mary Miller's Father was shown as Joseph Miller (StoneMason) Mother Mary Boyd.
In the notes also was reference to a Daisy & Katie Shaw (Mum was unsure whether Aunts or cousins) Daisy & a sister Helen ended up in Canada and have traced them back to a family living at Northbrook St Windsor Belfast in 1911 - Head of Household Robert Shaw - Tailor (born c. 1863) Wife Annie Helena ( born c. 1864) total of 11 children. 1901 Census shows them as living at Tate Street, Windsor Belfast - It also show that Robert the Father was born in Ballymena. I also have some evidence from my Mum's cousin (now in Canada) of Addresses for some of the children then grown up (poss c 1940/50s) from her Mother's diary whilst she was living in Coatbridge Scotland.
I also have found another family of Shaws James & Wife Annie who are living in Ballymagarry (which I believe to be on the outskirts of Belfast) with a family of 8 children (I think Births registered in Coleraine Dist c 1885-1889). James is a Farmer born c. 1859 and has his Mother Rebecca Shaw aged 79 living with them. By 1911 the family have moved to Urbalreagh (Nr Portrush) they attend Ballywatt Pres. Church & have added 2 more children to the family - one is possibly named Alfred Gray Shaw (birth Jan-March 1902 Ballymoney Dist). This family have one daughter named as Tillie (suspect real name Matilda).
So I'm wondering if there is any connection between James Shaw (Farmer) born c. 1859 and Robert Shaw (Tailor) born c. 1863 ? and this is how somehow the families are linked?
Just in case anyone reading this thinks they may recognise Robert Shaw's family - one of his daughters was always referred to as "Tottie" Shaw married name have been Tullen or similar sounding name (can't read handwriting) and she still lived on Northbrook Street Lisburn Rd Belfast.
I would be so grateful if anyone has any kind of connection to any of these families or has any local information that may help to try and unravel all these threads of information.
I'm coming over to Northern Ireland in late September and would love to try and sort the mystery of this farm out, especially as my Husband wants to visit Giant's Causeway and it seems to good an opportunity to miss!!
My apologies for being so long winded, but tried to get as much information down as possible........Thanks for staying with it too the end!!
Hope to hear from someone soon.......................
Lynn
