Ballinasloe workhouse

[GRHunt54]

Hello
I’m trying to find out more information about my grandmother. She was born Mary Connor in Ballinasloe Workhouse on October 31st 1902 ( but on her marriage certificate she is called Mary Josephine O’Connor ). Her mother was Margaret Connor but no father is listed. As a teenager she was brought to Chertsey in England to work for the wealthy Burke family ( who also owned property in Ireland ).  She cut all ties with her Irish family and, while alive, she refused to ever speak of them or her time in Ireland. If anyone can offer any information or point me in the direction of sources I’d be most grateful.
Many thanks
Graham

[Kiltaglassan]

Welcome to RootsChat 

Here's some information about Ballinasloe Workhouse.
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Ballinasloe/
....and a GeoHive map of the workhouse and surrounding Ballinasloe.
https://bit.ly/3kxZtTe

Link to Mary Connor's birth record in 1902....she was illegitimate.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1902/01886/1733117.pdf

KG

[Maiden Stone]

1911 Census Ireland.
These girls were a bit young.
Residents of house 46.3 in Society Street (Balinasloe Urban Galway)
A Mary Connor, aged 6 was a pupil at the Industrial School, Society Street, Ballinasloe.
www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Galway/Ballinasloe_Urban/Society_Street/448525/

A Josephine O'Connor aged 5 was in house 33 Brackenagh (Ballinasloe Urban) with widowed mother, Mary.

[heywood]

There is an 8 yr old female M C in the workhouse.
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Galway/Ballinasloe_Urban/Society_Street/448481/

[GRHunt54]

Thanks for this information. The M C is almost certainly my grandmother. Does anyone know whether there are any workhouse records or immigration records I could use to track her story from the age of 8 onwards?

[Kiltaglassan]

You would need to contact the local archives in Galway city.
http://www.galway.ie/en/services/more/archives/contactus/

They may not be offering services at the minute due to COVID-19.

KG

[GRHunt54]

Many thanks to everyone who has replied. Very helpful

[Maiden Stone]

There is an 8 yr old female M C in the workhouse.
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Galway/Ballinasloe_Urban/Society_Street/448481/

She had suffered from spinal disease for a year and was in the hospital wing.
The workhouse was in Society Street, the same street as the industrial school. The industrial school was probably St. Joseph's.
Industrial schools were for abandoned and neglected children. Girls were trained in domestic skills, fitting them for jobs as servants. There were many industrial schools in Ireland.
Ballinasloe Poor Law Union catchment area included part of County Roscommon. County boundaries were altered in 19thC. It's possible that Margaret Connor came from outside Ballinasloe.

[Maiden Stone]

Thanks for this information. The M C is almost certainly my grandmother. Does anyone know whether there are any workhouse records or immigration records I could use to track her story from the age of 8 onwards?

Moving from Ireland to England was internal migration, not immigration, so no need for documentation.