Hi there,
I am researching my family, Burrowes, but I have hit something of a rut. About a decade ago, my parents paid a third-party firm to look through records, but the results were unsatisfactory; starting with my grandfather, Robert William Burrowes, here's what they found:
Robert William Burrowes (born in Rialto, Dublin, 2 November 1904 - 16 February 2002),
son of
George Burrowes (a ward master in Dublin by occupation, born in an uncertain location, perhaps Leitrim, 1863 - 29 April 1909),
son of who we presume to be,
William Beresford Burrowes.
The trail goes cold there.
Unfortunately, there is no birth certificate for George, and the only reference to his date of birth is on his death certificate. Concerning William Beresford Burrowes, there is no direct evidence that he is indeed George's father, but family tradition has always included this unusual Beresford link, and indeed, the landed Burroweses of Cavan have strong connections with the Beresford family, though I am not sure how or if we are linked. What is equally curious is that an 1855 entry to the records of the parish of Tomregan in Co. Cavan registers the baptism of another son of William Beresford Burrowes, Robert William, also the name of my grandfather. This seems to link William Beresford and George; perhaps George named his son after his brother?
According to William Beresford Burrowes' marriage certificate (31 May 1854) he was a 'land sub-agent' of Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim, son of William Burrowes, a tax collector; William Beresford married Mary Ann Pringle of the Clifton townland of the parish of Tomregan in Co. Cavan, the daughter of Robert Pringle, a farmer.
So, that's it really. The family has, supposedly, a connection with Belturbet in Co. Cavan, which is about 20 miles from Ballinamore in Leitrim, where William B. and his family resided.
I'm not sure where to go from here. I'd really like to find out about William Beresford Burrowes, his father, and prove or disprove his relation to George. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!