Meaning of initials Ireland 1873

[aus*jen]

Would appreciate help with the meaning of the initials after the name John Jones in the attached news notice from The Belfast News, 28th. June, 1873.  John Jones has previously been described as Esq.,
gentleman of Whitefort House, Tipperary.  Is it Thomas Jones or John Jones that these initials relate to?


Regards,
Jen.

[maddys52]

TCD is Trinity College Dublin.   AB is probably Bachelor of Arts. 

I think the initials refer to the father. (ie John)

[aus*jen]

Thanks Maddy,  I thought the same but had read the 'C" as a 'U' and wondered if it
                       had been referred to as a university in the 1870's as it is now.  John Jones, father
                       of the groom had been deceased for 16 years by 1873.  The father of the bride was
                       from Ballybritt castle and I wondered if he was adding this for a touch of prestige
                   
Regards, 
Jen.

[shanreagh]

I wouldn't have thought so.  A person with a degree especially from a well regarded university such as Trinity would stand a person in good stead especially when education to higher levels was not available to all. His children could also be expected to be well educated and thus the equal of any one whether they lived in a hovel or castle or where ever.  Some families prized education over just about anything, including titles. I know my ancestors did though being an Admiral was OK after a high degree of education. 

'Trinity College Dublin is one of the seven ancient universities of Britain and Ireland,[16][17] and it is a sister college to both St John's College, Cambridge, and Oriel College, Oxford,[18][19] and by incorporation, a graduate of Dublin, Oxford or Cambridge can be conferred the equivalent degree at either of the other two without further examination.' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_College_Dublin

[aus*jen]

Hi Shanreagh,  You make some good points regarding the value of education.  It is the father
                       of the bride who has placed this notice in the Belfast Times not the father of the
                       groom who has been deceased for 16 years by 1873.  Maddy has suggested
                       that the Bachelor of Arts refers to the groom's father.  These 2 families are from the
                       landed gentry and making a good match for their daughters is uppermost, you only
                       have to read through the dozens of marriage settlements that I have to realize that.
                       My comment to Maddy was merely in passing and not particularly relevant but in 
                       my opinion the inclusion of those qualifications in the marriage notice was by design
                       to add prestige to the family his daughter was marrying into.  It is an unusual
                       addition, one I have not seen previously.

                       My objective when posting was to have other opinions on the initials in the notice
                       and Maddy has given me a satisfactory answer, any other comments I have made
                       were not intended to be taken too seriously. 

Regards,
Jen.

[shanreagh]

Sorry got the bride & groom mixed up but the point still stands.

We actually don't know who placed the ad in the paper unless you have definitive proof that the father of the groom placed it.  It was the custom in many areas, including here in NZ, up until the 1970s at least that when marriages were announced that the announcement was 'lead off' by the family who was in the location. 

So a groom from Wellington and a bride from Auckland would have the announcement in the Wellington papers lead off by mention of the groom/grooms parents first while in Auckland the announcement was lead off by the bride's parents first.

The degree belongs to the groom's father and also you could investigate if the Rev AB Jones who took the service jointly may have been a relation of the groom's father as well ths cementing education plus church. 

One of the great benefits of Rootchat is the little extras that posters come up with.  I am sure you would not want this to stop....

[aus*jen]

First of all thankyou for your interest Shanreagh but I have neither the time nor the inclination to
pursue this further.  The Rev. Jones reference is a typographical error, his surname was James.
I am not sure of the intent of your last statement but precise, accurate answers from those with expertise are the cornerstone of Rootschat and I can't see that changing anytime soon.
 
Jen.

[shanreagh]

Others may be interested in the marriage announcement customs that were in play for many announcements in newspapers in times gone past. 

So seeing a BDM announcement wrtten in the way that this one was does not necessarily indicate that it was placed by the groom's family as the families may have been following the usual custom of tailoring the ad to whichever of the family was living in the area covered by the newspaper circulation.

[aus*jen]

I have never suggested that this notice was placed by the groom's family, read the posts again
you are still confused    I will make no further responses on this subject to you Shanreagh, this
topic is completed.