1830 Marriage Record Wilson-Hamil in Belfast

[Pilgrims Progress]

Hi From Down Under, 

Would some kind person be able to check the marriage record of -

John Wilson who married Mary Ann Hamill

27 May 1830

St Annes, Belfast, County Antrim
 
I found reference to this event on the LDS IGI Index-

Batch Number: 7017520 Sheet: 64 Source Call No.: 0538443 DS.

I wondered if there was any additional information that would enable me to trace this couple further.

Many thanks to anyone who may be able to assist,

Pilgrims Progress    

[TheWhuttle]

Hail Pilgrim, G'Day!

John WILSON is a very common name.
[There are 4109 references in the Belfast News-Letter between 1828 & 1900!]

However, every great journey starts with the first (sometimes small) step.
[Recommend copious application of Dr. Flavius’ Dutch ginever to soothe your aching bunyans!]

These leads look potential-full …

----
On Wednesday last,
by the Rev. Mr. Hincks,
Mr. JOHN WILSON, spirit merchant,
To Miss Mary Ann Hamill,
both of this town.

Ref: Births, Deaths, Marriages and Obituaries .
The Belfast News-Letter, Tuesday, June 1, 1830; Issue 9700

----
On Thursday last,
by the Rev. Samuel Watson, of Killinchy,
Mr. JOHN WILSON, of this town,
to Mary, second daughter of Mr. William Campbell, Lisbarnet.

Ref: Births, Deaths, Marriages and Obituaries .
The Belfast News-Letter, Tuesday, February 19, 1833; Issue 9984
----

A John WILSON seems to have been a prominent member of the Belfast merchant community.
[e.g. Petitioning the Sovereign, serving on Grand Juries, etc.]

However, he was a tad coy in advertising his business location.
[I'll keep trawling for you ...]

Capt. Jock

P.S. Shame about the cricket. 
Please send the buckets full of tears to the 40,000 in Norn Iron who are without water just now …

[Pilgrims Progress]

G'day Captain Jock, 

Many thanks for this most valuable contribution to our family history.

What a super sleuth you are! The correct reference is the first mentioned couple. I love the occupation "spirit merchant". 

The couple John Wilson and Mary Ann Hamill appear to have produced 10 children -one of which I am tracing- Walter Scott Wilson b c:1839 in Co Antrim appears to have married at least twice - the first marriage in America and again in Belfast 1869 to Jane Cunningham. They emigrated to Dunedin New Zealand as did several other of WSW's siblings whilst several others went to America.

If, as you have indicated there might be some more records of John Wilson and his family in Belfast we would be delighted to be enlightened.

Even when we are winning I don't know much about cricket- my husband knows enough though to be very embarrassed.........I find the game of pyjama genealogy far more engrossing.


Once again many thanks for your generous help and we will look forward to hearing from you should you be able to find any more information on the Wilson family,

Warm regards,

Pilgrims Progress   

[TheWhuttle]

G'Day again Pilgrim,

Dealing in spirits (strong liquors) had just become a hot line of business in 1830.  Your John Wilson may have jumped on the bandwagon!

A new Whig (Liberal) government had just taken power with a very strong mandate from the electorate, fed up with the previous Tory (Conservative)administration.
It introduced much radical legislation to address pressing economic and social problems.

Gin had been invented in Holland as a linament to ease the pain of the skin sores that plagued marching soldiers during the Napoleonic wars.  As it contained strong alcohol the soldiers naturally took to applying it internally, despite its unpalatable taste (neat)!  They brought their liking for imbibing it when they returned back home after 1815.  The end of the war also caused a drop in demand for many products, with linen goods (one of the mainstays of Ulster's wealth)particularly badly hit.  Much poverty ensued.


The habit spread to other family members, with mothers and children becoming regular drinkers.
[The drink became known pejoratively as "Mother's Ruin".]

As a result huge quantities of cheap gin flooded in to the country, creating a huge balance of payments problem for the Exchequer.

The new government's solution was to encourage the production and sale of locally produced alcohols, for local consumption and for export, like whiskey and beer.  Tax was taken off the latter for 50 years! Points of Sale were boosted by reducing the cost of grocer licences, and of spirit licences - pay 2 guineas and you could start serving from your front room!
[This why many old pubs date from around this time, and frequently have a small "just like home" room or nook.]

The scheme took off rather too successfully, and had to be reined in by further legislation in 1832 - when retailers had to decide to become off-licences (hole in the wall vendors) or publicans (hosts).  Limits on opening hours and content strengths/measures were strictly imposed/monitored.
[Some of the OS Memoirs of the time illustrate the effect well, with villages containing e.g. 1 baker, 2 butchers, 1 blacksmith, 7 spirit retailers ...]

----

There are some interesting potential leads for you in the 1843 Belfast Directory  http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/alphanames1843N2Y.htm among which are:

Wilson, Guy Stone, Rectifying Distillery, 11 Mill Street, residence, 25 Chichester Street.
Wilson, James, Wholesale and Retail Grocer, Tea and Wine Dealer & Aerated Water Manufacturer, 27 Church Lane.
Wilson, Robert, Publican, Lower Malone.
Wilson, Robert, Ship Master, 9 Earl Street.
Wilson, Mrs. Mary, Grocer, Spirit Dealer, etc., 2 Great Edward Street.
Wilson, Thomas, Grocer, 36 Trafalgar Street.
Wilson, John, Publican, Falls Road.
Wilson, Denis, Publican, New Antrim Road.
Wilson, John, Grocer, Baker & Forage Contractor, 77 North Queen Street.
Wilson, John, Publican, 89 North Queen Street.

----

More soon ...

Capt. Jock

[Pilgrims Progress]

Hi Capt Jock, 

Many thanks for this scholarly summation of the times in which John Wilson spirit merchant of Belfast was setting up and conducting his business. It was very absorbing.

John Wilson seems to have become even more successful- becoming a ship supply contractor if the life and times of one of his sons published in 1914 is to be believed. Actually three sons of John Wilson fought in the American Civil War albeit on the Confederate side. Two remained in America whilst the third and lesser known Walter Scott Wilson b 1839 Belfast who fought in Hoods Texas Brigade and was wounded at Second Manassas, returned to Belfast, remarried there in 1869 and shortly after emigrated to Dunedin, New Zealand. Here he settled with other Wilson brothers as a contractor of some sort and sunk into relative obscurity. Leaving his descendents completely in the dark about his earlier exploits until just recently.

If Walter Scott Wilson’s brother Hugh had never risen to such prominence in Grimes County, Texas we would be none the wiser about the little vignettes we glean about his father John Wilson back in Ireland. Do you think there may be any newspaper reports of the times in which John Wilson was facing financial ruin which seems to have occurred sometime before 1861? If so how would I access them ?

I am sorry if this sounds rambling but I find this family irresistible and would love to know more if you or anyone else could assist I would be so grateful.
Pilgrims Progress

.........Hugh Hamill Wilson born Ireland, January 9, 1838, His father, John Wilson, was a ship-supply contractor in Ireland, and had several vessels engaged in the trans-Atlantic trade, and it was on one of these boats of his father that Hugh H. Wilson gained his first experience on the sea, in the meantime attending school and partly finishing the course of the high school in Belfast. He had made several voyages and when a lad of fifteen and on his third trip to the United States landed from the boat at New York and went to New Orleans. At New Orleans news came to him of his father's business failure. From there he proceeded to Houston, Texas, and then learned of the completeness of the misfortunes which had overtaken his father, involving even the sacrifice of the old home to the interests of his creditors. Thus deprived of his father's resources, Hugh H. Wilson went to Anderson,Texas, and found work as a typesetter in a printing office, and continued that occupation until the outbreak of the war. Mr. Wilson enlisted in Company D in one of the regiments comprising Walker's Division, and was commissioned a lieutenant of his company........published 1914

[TheWhuttle]

For methods of online access to copies of the Belfast News-Letter 1828-1900 see http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,463971.msg3249066.html

Suggest harranging your local county authority's library service to get them to subscribe on behalf of all their members.

----

You might be better to place your request for a physical lookup of the details of the marriage on the Antrim Lookup Requests board.  Folks on the ground will then pick it up.

[aghadowey]

With all the budget cuts happening at the moment library services are more likely to be cut back rather than expanded.
No need to start a new topic looking for the marriage information- most people reading the Antrim lookup requests also read this Antrim board.

Correction- is this not already the marriage details from the Belfast Newsletter?

On Wednesday last,
by the Rev. Mr. Hincks,
Mr. JOHN WILSON, spirit merchant,
To Miss Mary Ann Hamill,
both of this town.

Ref: Births, Deaths, Marriages and Obituaries .
The Belfast News-Letter, Tuesday, June 1, 1830; Issue 9700

[Pilgrims Progress]

Hi The Whuttle and Aghadowey,   

Many thanks for your suggestions. The online newspapers seems a good way to proceed tracing this family further and it would seem the cost is fairly good value. We are spoilt here in Australia - our online archived newspapers are free.

Thank you again,

Regards,

Pilgrims Progress