1871/1881 Census

[miked86]

Thanks again guys. Sorry for misunderstanding Valerie. I've checked all available bmds and no match. The poorhouse thing could be a possibility. Thanks for the advice. Thought the mcalpines may have helped solved it. I'll look into RC church because as you say the Shea's most likely were.

Regards,
Michael

[valeriec]

Reg Year 1876 Book 1811 page 201 Number 1236
Birth 25 December 1876
Emily France
930 or ?30 Agricola St
Father - Joseph France, Policemean
Mother - Mary Shea
I can't make out the informant's name


The minister at the marriage of Joseph France and Mary Shea was a Rev. ? C Cockran/Cochran/Cochrane - It was hard to make out.

Is it possible that the Agricola Street address was for Joseph France and not Thomas/Mary Shea?

Is it possible that Thomas and Mary may have gone to where Mary and her husband Joseph settled.

The most common Anglican church in the area of Agricola St would have been St. Paul's Anglican church but I still haven't found a connection for the marriage at that church. They do have an online site and may be able to answer questions if you contact them.

[J.J.]

It looks to be either J.C. Cohrane or I.C. Cochrane in some signatures... but there are references to a J.C. Cohrane/Cochran so likely the right one and Anglican-( free pew) Trinity Church  http://www.trinityhalifax.ca/index_files/Page1455.htm
If the right reverend ( ) He was just retired that year..and elderly http://biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?id_nbr=4904

[valeriec]

I went back to view the birth registration for Emily and it definitely states 93 Agricola St.
I went to the McAlpines Directory for 1874-75 to see if I could find them listed. The names for 93 Agricola is Joseph J Francis, policeman and Charles H. Francis, brass moulder. Same names through to 1880/81. Then Joseph J. Francis is at Bedford Row.
I am trying to find this particular Joseph on the census to determine if this could be the husband of Mary Shea or the father of Joseph France.
No Shea surname on Agricola St in any of McAlpines that I have checked.

[valeriec]

I can't find any relation between the Joseph Francis, police sergeant and Joseph France, policeman. It leads me to think that Joseph and his wife Mary probably lived (boarded) with the older Joseph Francis and his family at 93 Agricola. I did go through the McAlpine directory looking for Mary's parents Thomas and Mary Shea and didn't find anything conclusive.

If when she remarried, she stated that her father was a farmer that is a far cry from a barber when she married. On her marriage registration, it has her place of residence as Halifax but doesn't list a place of birth that I could see. Joseph France listed his place of residence as Halifax and his place of birth as Lancashire?

I can't find a death or burial for Thomas or Mary Shea. I checked the catholic burials in Halifax and came up with nothing. I suppose if they were in the poor house asylum, there may not be a record of burial but I would have thought I might find a death for at least one of them.

Sorry that I haven't been much help
Val

[miked86]

Thanks JJ and Valerie.

You've been of great help and I'm extremely grateful. Unfortunately this case isn't as simple as I'd have liked it to be.

I've found the birth of Emily which is where I got the Agricola address. Through looking at census and mcalpines I've come to the conclusion he was a boarder with Joseph J Francis. Mr Francis seems in a fairly good position within the police so he may have taken Joseph France under his wing. Boarding with Joseph Francis may suggest Mary's parents could already be deceased at this time.

In the English Census from 1881 onwards Mary's place of birth is consistently given as Halifax, Nova Scotia. I've not pinned down her date of death yet but I'll be at the local library today in search of an obituary and hoepfully some clues.

I've also requested more info on the 87th regiment in Nova Scotia as Joseph met Mary while he was still serving there and may have been some way away from Agricola Street. Agricola is the only locality I have so hoped maybe they'd not have moved far.


Thanks again for your help. I'm determined to crack this but it's going to take some time and the links provided by all have helped to atleast rule certain possibilties out.


If Mary's parents survived I'm not sure if they came to England or not. I've not found any mention of them I'm afraid.

Reagrds,
Michael

[valeriec]

If you can get a map of downtown Halifax, you will see that Agricola St is very close to the Garrison Grounds, York Redoubt and Citadel Hill which would be the area where the battalion would be at. Citadel Hill is just off Brunswick St at the top of the hill overlooking the harbour. I'm not sure where the old police station was in Halifax but the new one is very close to the citadel as well.
From memory so I may miss a street, Brunswick St, Agricola St., Barrington St, Granville St., Hollis St, Bedford Row, Lower Water St are all parallel to the waterfront. (Probably not in the right order) The old post office was on Bedford Row. The navy dockyards are off Barrington St closer to Bedford Basin but within walking distance to downtown Halifax. The navy base Stadacona is located between Barrington and Gottingen Sts. also within walking distance.
I think you should contact the Halifax Library and see what they may have that could help. Also, contact Trinity Anglican church to see if the marriage did take place there. I'm not sure what records they hold but they probably know where the records are if they exist. The church records may be held at the Nova Scotia Archives.

The catholic cemeteries that I checked were Mt Olivet, Heavens Gate and Holy Cross. A lot of Shea's buried there but not Thomas and Mary. I do think the Thomas and Mary Shea on the 1881 census may be the correct ones but then they disappear.
Good luck. Val

[miked86]

Thanks Val,

You're knowledge is much appreciated. I think you're probably right regarding the 1881 census. Labourer could still mean farm labourer. I don't know Halifax or even Nova Scotia very well but is there or would there have been farm land around at this time?

I think my next step is to do as you say and start contacting Libraries/Archives and Churches.

Many thanks for your help and mostly your time and patience it is greatly appreciated.

Kindest regards,
Michael

[valeriec]

In 1881 downtown Halifax, labourer would probably mean working in warehouses or the docks. that was the main business district of Halifax, where the ships landed, goods taken ashore, etc. Labourer could have meant any type of work that he could get. As a farm labourer, he would have left Halifax for another area and that is why I think they must have moved if he is down as farmer when she remarried.

I found an old post to Genforum that stated that Joseph, May and Emily left Halifax for Ireland where the next child Frances Jane was born in 1878/79. The 87th was the Royal Irish Fusiliers if my history is correct. Do you know where she was born in Northern Ireland as I can't find her birth?

I would look at Ancestry for incoming passenger lists to Great Britain for the time period 1876-1881 to see if Thomas and Mary Shea went to join them in either Ireland or England.