I'm a Fitzgerald from Liverpool researching my family tree on dad's side (he passed on 2yrs ago) and I'm trying to find our Irish place of origin.
Mum (still alive at 80yrs young) reckons dad's original Irish ancestors comprised 4 or 5 brothers (and possibly families) arriving in Liverpool probably in the early to mid 1800s but I just can't find a family in liverpool to match. I suspect they split up with Lancashire - Bolton possibly - and Liverpool being the centres of settlement.
I go back as far as Thomas Fitzgerald born in Ireland probably turn of 1800s who declares himself a "weaver" on his son Michael's marriage certificate. Michael married in Liverpool to Ellen Winn (Wynne) and his occupation states "mason" although in census sources he declares himself a "labourer". The marriage certificate puts Michael as born mid 1830s in Ireland but notably Ellen's father - Bartholomew Winn - fits the timeline only in Bolton when Ellen was a child. In addition Ellen and their 2 children - Thomas and Bridget - end up in the Bolton Union Workhouse for a few months about a decade later. I assume because Michael is dead, 2 death records one in Warrington and another in Liverpool either of which fit this assumption.
Don't know what happened to Ellen or daughter Bridget after the workhouse but young Thomas ends up back in Liverpool as an Iron Moulder and marries Mary McCrink whereupon they have 13 children the youngest of which became my grandad - John Fitzgerald!!
Of the 13 children William Fitzgerald emigrated to australia and his brother Thomas to New Zealand both enlisted in the armies of both countries during the first world war - William was medically discharged and appears to have settled in or around Adelaid. Thomas was a labourer in auckland and joined the Otago regt and was killed in action. Another brother Austin ended up in Montreal Canada enlisting with the Canadian army, he survived and eventually returned to Liverpool.
Sort of hoping some of this might register any anecdotal information might help perhaps cousins in Australia, NZ or Canada might just know of a great, great uncle Bill/Tom/Austin Fitzgerald who mentioned the original bloodline come from?
in Ireland.
Thanks in advance
Edit: Ellen declares her birthplace as Roscommon Ireland
