Mary Ellen Chisim Nee Dornan - Belfast

[jdchisim]

Hello all,

First post here. I was wondering if anyone would have any information or matches on their tree with Mary Ellen (also Eleanor/Elinor) Chisim nee Dornan?

I have the following information:

There is a record for her (widowed) in the 1901 census. She was living at EDIT: Sidney Street, Belfast with her children, Jane, Mary Theresa, Christina, John, Samuel David and Thomas James (my great grandfather). Her husband John Chisim died in 1899 and Thomas was born in 1900 the following year. This census shows her as being born in Belfast city.

Mary herself died on the 6th May 1905 aged 41 (though i've seen mixed sources saying aged 40). This would put her DOB as roughly 1864 which as i'm sure most people here know is the end of the GRONI records for births. Her death record states her profession as a house keeper where she died on Great Victoria Street, Belfast and resident at Hampden Street.

John Chisim married Margaret Mulholland in Antrim 1st Presbyterian 2nd Oct 1868 and moved to Belfast. Unfortunately all their children bar 1 died and Margaret herself died on 5th Aug 1881. Not long after, on 30th Apr 1883 Jane Chisim was born to Mary and John.

They were resident in the Sailortown area of Belfast - mainly New Andrew Street and Trafalgar Street where most of the children were born. They then relocated to Conlig Street and Hampden Street in the Shankhill area.

I can't find any record of the marriage unfortunately. The census notes Mary as a Methodist, yet her husband John was Presbyterian. The children later were all Church of Ireland.

She is buried in Belfast City Cemetery along with some of the other Chisim family. Unfortunately upon going to visit the Cemetery with the grave number I was unable to locate the grave. I would say it was either unmarked or has been destroyed over the years - the last burial in it was in the 1970s so I would have hoped it to be pretty fresh. Though maybe I just didn't see it.

I can't find any information to link her to other Dornans. She took the Chisim name so must have been married. Though the age difference between her and John was a bit unusual as he would have been in his 40s when she was 18 - maybe this wasn't particularly unusual for the time.

I have searched Agnes St Methodist in the Shankhill which shows records of Chism baptisms (there's lots of variations to the name, Chisim, Chism, Chisholm) but the records are in local custody.

If anyone has any information that they would be willing to share (particularly birth or marriage) I would be very grateful.

Many thanks.

[Sinann]

Welcome to RootsChat
Lots of information in your post which is great, I'm just breaking it down a bit for anyone able to help.
Is this the lady you are looking for,
Mary Elinor in 1901 living in Sidney St.
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Shankhill/Sidney_Street_West/950012/
Her children living in Hampden st in 1911
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Shankill/Hampden_Street/151519/

You're looking for her birth and marriage, yes?

[jdchisim]

Many thanks for the reply.

Yes, that's correct. Also yes, it was Sidney Street not Hampsden St in the 1901.

I'll post links to the Census records in the future.

EDIT: This is the burial records I referred to:

https://ssl.belfastcity.gov.uk/burialsearch/BurialSearch.aspx?GraveSection=M1&GraveNumber=42&CemeteryName=City%20Cemetery

[Sinann]

As you said,I can see Margaret's death in Aug 1881 (her daughter Margaret born July 1881)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1881/06432/4848135.pdf
No sign of marriage to Mary
But is this Mary as mother to Margaret dying aged almost 3, Dec 1883
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1883/06347/4820717.pdf
Also birth of Jane in April 1883
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1883/02739/2007012.pdf.

John needed a mother for young Margaret only a babe when her mother died, and any other children, so a marriage fairly soon after his wife's death would be expected, but as you say where is it?

Not registered or never happened?
I would think not registered is the more likely.

[jdchisim]

I've never seen any instance of non-registration but I guess it could be possible - albeit a bit strange. Maybe the age difference could explain it. Or maybe she just took the surname.

A part of me questions if it is actually Dornan and not Doran but I just don't know. I can only hope that someone has found her in their tree and can link her. There's Mary Dornans born in 1864 but it would be guesswork as to which one she is without any other information.

[aghadowey]

Just in case you haven't seen these reports-

Belfast Newsletter, 8 May 1905, p.10:2: Sudden Death In Belfast.- A woman named Mary Ellen Chishulm, residing in Hampton Street, dropped suddenly in the street on Saturday night. She was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital, where it was found that life was extinct. An inquest will probably be held.

Belfast Newsletter, 9 May 1905, p.3:5: ...The coroner held an inquest in the Royal Victoria Hospital concerning the death of Mary Chism, aged 40, a widow, residing at 1, Hampden Street, and the jury, on the testimony of Dr. Keller, found the cause to be syncope.

[jdchisim]

Many thanks for posting that. I hadn't seen that before!