"Lightbody" family in Bangor, Co.Down, Northern Ireland - any ideas about that?

[Frank Vincent]

Hi George,

Good to hear from you after all these years!
It was indeed Walter that I remember, as soon as I saw " Hayford and the Primacy " in your latest  post the pieces all fell into place!
It was only by chance that I came across this blog and seeing your name associated with Lightbody led me to join really in order to contact you.

Regards

Frank

[George Gordon]

Frank

I tried to reply personally to your message but got an error message. It may be that I have to have so may posts so I am hoping this counts as the third and I will try again tomorrow.

All the best

George

[betken]

Hello.

[betken]

My name is Lightbody.  My grandfather was John Lightbody who was born in Portovo.  He was in the Royal Marines.  He had 2 brothers William and James and three sisters Agnes, Jean and Laura.  His father was Hugh Lightbody.  I have often heard my grandmother saying we were related to half of Bangor.  I know there were some relatives who lived in Castle Street, Market Square etc but I'm not sure if we are related to any of those mentioned here.  Some of you may know my uncles and aunties.  Archie, Jack, Hugh, Brian, Madge, Elsie and my mother Gladys.
Regards

Betty
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[George Gordon]

Betty

Although my mother was a Lightbody and lived in Castle Square in Bangor I do not think we are related. My mother came from Belfast and her father was William John and she had a brother William James. Confusingly there is a family in Bangor with a father William John and a son William James and they both appear in the 1901 and 1911 Census at the same time - so are different. When I first started to take an interest in the family I made the mistake of thinking the two families were the same (it is a rare co-incidence to have the names the same).

I have often wondered where my grandfather came from but I have have not managed to get a birth certificate as yet. All I am pretty certain about is that he was not born in Northern Ireland as there is no record in the GRO in Belfast - only the William John from Bangor.

I took a quick look at the Census for 1901 and 1911 and there are indeed plenty of Lightbodys in Bangor. If you have not looked they are online free from the National Archives in Ireland. Just google "census ireland 1901" and go to the nationalarchives website. You may find names that you know immediately. It took me a while to be sure about some of the relationships but if I can do any more to help let me know.

All the best

George

[aghadowey]

I'm a bit confused reading this thread.
"William James was the son of William John who was born in Bangor on 4th July 1869. He moved to Belfast where he worked as a silver engraver..."
and
"I have often wondered where my grandfather came from but I have have not managed to get a birth certificate as yet. All I am pretty certain about is that he was not born in Northern Ireland as there is no record in the GRO in Belfast - only the William John from Bangor."

William John Lightbody born 4 July 1869- parents John Lightbody and Agnes McMillan-
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FPNX-M35

The 1901 and 1911 census both say that William John Lightbody was born in Belfast-
www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Victoria/Larkfield_Road/1222261
www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Woodvale/White_Rock_Road/183331

So, is the 4 July 1869 birth correct and both census mistaken or was William John born in Belfast (as per census) and the 1869 birth for the 'other' William John?

[George Gordon]

This has been a source of confusion for me as well. I did believe originally that my grandfather William John Lightbody had been born in Bangor in 1869 and moved to Belfast where he died in 1912 (buried in Belfast City Cemetery). However after a trip up to the GRO in Belfast and a look at the Census (as you have pointed out) there are two Lightbody families in the census for 1901 and 1911 - one in Belfast and one in Bangor with a father William John and a son called William James. To add to the confusion my uncle William James and his brothers and sisters all moved to Bangor at some stage after their parents died.

Although the census states that my grandfather was born in Belfast I can only find one birth record for a William John during the right period. My grandfather was 41 when he died on 2nd October 1912 so he was born about 1871. The William John at the GRO was born on 4th July 1869 and the birth was registered in Newtownards so that is probably the one living in Bangor.

I verified his marriage at the GRO. He was married to Ellen Elizabeth Ward from Leicester at St Anne's in Belfast on 28th December 1891. His father was William, an engineer, and her father was Frank William Ward, a compositer (the Ward family all seem to have come from Leicester so he may have met Ellen there).

I have tried familysearch.org and they have his death right but only an estimate for his birth. So what I am looking for now is a William John Lighbody born about 1870 with a father called William.

[aghadowey]

It could be that William John Lightbody's birth was registered as William or John, as 'male' without a name being chosen or even under a completely different 1st name(s).

[aghadowey]

What was William John Lightbody's address when he married in 1891? What about names of both witnesses?