Hi Gadget - it's complicated! Ideally I would like to find info on my g/g/g.father Francis Traynor, b.c 1836. All I know about him prior to his marriage in Hull in 1866 is that his father's name was Bernard (dec'd by 1866). I don't know when he came to England. Francis' son - William Bernard, my g/g.father - always said his Francis was from Monaghan & I have found a couple of baptisms/births around the right date in Monaghan with a father Bernard, but nothing I could substantiate. However, one small note in one version of WB's own story, states that Francis had been a Merchant Seaman, although all other references & census have him as a flax dresser. Also, although the majority of census have Francis' place of birth just listed as Ireland, on one it is down as Belfast. Therefore when I came across the Family Search info, it reminded me of the Merchant Navy reference that I had hitherto ignored. I am clutching at straws here I know but have been banging my head on this brick wall for so long that any new possibility is worth pursuing.
That is probably much more than you wanted to know, but appreciate your interest!
