Ancestor search - James Douglas, Co. Down, 1853/1854

[Kitty123]

Hi,
I'm trying to trace my Great, Great, Great Grandfather and his parents but have been unable to as census/birth information does not appear to be online for the year in question.

My Great Grandfather (X3)was called James Douglas and he was born 1854/1853 in County Down, possibly Downpatrick.

According to his wedding certificate of 1877, he was married in Belfast and his Father was called Alexander Douglas. Residence was given as Great Edward Street, Belfast so this was probably Alexander's home.

I'm not sure of his Mother's name.

His spouse was called Elizabeth Burns and she came from Belfast. They had a few children including a son James in 1889. Residence was given as Malcolm Street, Belfast on his birth certificate.

Young James then married, Martha Gilpin in 1912 in Belfast.

I would be grateful if you could do a search to see if there are any birth records for James and any details for his parents Alexander & spouse.

Thank You 🤗
Karen

[aghadowey]

Civil registration of births, deaths & Catholic marriages started 1864 (from 1845 for non-Catholic marriages). The best you could hope for is baptismal record but not all church records for pre-registration survive and of those that do not all are online.

Other than possibly Downpatrick what other details do you have so far? religion? occupation of James and his father?

[aghadowey]

1877 marriage of James Douglas & Elizabeth Burns was in St. Ann's, Belfast (Church of Ireland) which may have been the bride's church. Unfortunately his father Alexander listed as labourer so will be harder to track down.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1877/11139/8079327.pdf

Is this the family in 1901? listed as Christian Brethren so you are unlikely to find church records online.
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Ormeau/Emerald_Street/1210000/
same religion in 1911-
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Ormeau/Bendigo_Street/210521/

[aghadowey]

In 1911 census the family were at 47 Bendigo St. (not at that address in 1910 Belfast directory but still there in 1924) and the street seems to have survived the Blitz with houses not changed too much in the last 100 or so years - https://www.rootschat.com/links/01qjm/

Elizabeth (Burns) Douglas died 19 Aug.1922 at 47 Bendigo St. and from death notice it looks like burial was in Drumbo.

The next directory on Lennon Wylie (1932) has Miss Elizabeth Douglas listed (still in 1960 directory)-
https://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/bcomplete1932.htm

[Kitty123]

Hi Aghadowey and thank you for your help, I'm really grateful.

I have been searching for James and his Father Alexander for quite a while now but I just seem to keep hitting a brick wall, it's so frustrating and driving me a bit nuts now tbh as I'm sure your research does at times too! lol anyways ....

All info I have on them is in my 1st email.
Regarding occupations, Alexander appears to have been a labourer and I'm guessing born around 1835/36 but that really is a stab in the dark.

James appears to be listed as a ship yard tabrish and felt worker labourer and they had 7 children altogether - 3 boys & 4 girls and yes the census for Emerald and Bendigo Street are the correct family. 

The listing for the place of birth for James snr is county down but I do remember reading somewhere, sometime of a JD in Downpatrick in and around the same time so I may even be in the wrong place and have the wrong JD! aaaaaaaaarrrrrgggghhhg 🤦‍♀️ ah well back to the drawing board for me, hopefully something concrete will turn up, someday 🙏🙏

As the religion is Christian Brethren is there somewhere I can see/check these records?

Anyways, thanks again for your help.
Karen .... keep safe 😊

[aghadowey]

PRONI, Belfast has copies of lots of church records but I can't see anything for Brethren-
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/publications/proni-guide-church-records

Here are some current ones in Belfast area-
https://www.joinmychurch.com/denominations/Christian-Brethren/Belfast/County-Antrim/United-Kingdom/1/
https://www.joinmychurch.com/denominations/Christian-Brethren/County-Down/United-Kingdom/1/ (Castlereagh in County Down area)

Some of these may be recent and older ones might no longer exist or have merged with others.

One thing I would suggest is getting this topic moved to COUNTY ANTRIM board (where Belfast queries belong), Just click on 'report to moderator' and ask for it to be moved there for you.

Will have a look at a few online resources to see if anything useful.

Added- the first complete census for Ireland is 1901- only small fragments of earlier ones for a few places survive.

[Kitty123]

Hi again aghadowey, wow  this is great work and very much appreciated. I'll certainly check out the links that you have sent me. As you suggest I'll get the topic moved into the other board.
Once again, many, many thanks, you're a complete star!