Mary Ann Clarke and John McKay

[gilbertlouise]

I wonder if anyone can please help?
I have Scottish and Irish DNA on my Dad's side. My Great Granddad, John Cowan, was born in Ayr. I have traced his Cowan roots but when researching his Mum's family, I have got stuck.
It's good that on the Scottish birth record of his Mum, Annie McKay, born 1874 in Wilson Street, Renfrew it gives the marriage of her parents, Mary Ann Clarke and John McKay. Married 16th May 1873 in Belfast.
When I looked for the certificate of their marriage, I was really excited! Yay! I've found my Irish roots!
Problem is, even having asked the people at St Anne's in Belfast, I can't get any further back than just names for Mary's parents and this was because they were on her death cert when she died in 1876. Mary Ann's mum is Francis, as was recorded. She has 3 surnames it seems. McKay Clarke and maiden surname was written as Beattie. Mary Ann's Dad is down as being John Clark. On Mary Ann's marriage he was a Clerk. On the death cert, he was a Police Clerk.

John McKay's  Dad on the marriage cert is down as John Mackay who's job is written as Blast Furnace.
It is estimated that Mary Ann was born 1854 and John McKay 1850...
On the marriage cert John is an engine fitter. On the death cert, a ship finisher.

I have no idea how to take them back further? I don't know for sure if they are actually Irish or if John and Mary Ann were just living in Belfast because of work? I have searched for Frances in both Scotland and Ireland but its all guess work. I have nothing on any of the others either.

Can someone please give me pointers? How will I know if they are Scottish or Irish? How do I search accurately for Francis if she has 3 names? Where is the best place to search for Irish info if they are Irish?

I would really appreciate some help please?

Thank you.

[aghadowey]

For reference, here's 1873 marriage in Belfast-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1873/11269/8132803.pdf
Mary Ann is 19 and father given as John Clarke, clerk; John is 23 and father given as John MacKay, blast furnace.
Since the couple would have provided the details for the marriage they are more likely to be correct than details an informant provided on death certificate. It's possible, of course, that Mary Ann's mother was married more than once or one or more of the surnames is that of a partner(s).

Since marriages usually take place in the bride's church, Mary Ann Clarke was probably Church of Ireland (John may have been also). However, she may not have been from Belfast originally. There is no central database for church records and not all records are online (or microfilmed in PRONI) so it's very difficult to know where to search next.

I'm a bit confused by this bit- "Mary Ann's mum is Francis, as was recorded. She has 3 surnames it seems. McKay Clarke and maiden surname was written as Beattie." Do you mean her Christian name is Frances? Does the McKay/Clarke/Beattie bit refer to Mary Ann or to her mother Frances? (Francis is the masculine form of Frances).

[Dundee]

The death cert has her mother's first name spelt incorrectly as 'Francis'.  Attaching a snip, and note that Mary Ann's name was written as Mary Ann Clark McKay.  Her husband was the informant

Debra 

[aghadowey]

Thanks for that snippet, Dundee.

There is a John Clark, clerk, in 1868 Belfast directory living at Angelsea Street (no way to tell if this is Mary Ann's father)-
https://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/alphanames1868c.htm

[gilbertlouise]

Thank you so much everyone...Have only just seen your replies.
What I meant was that Frances' name was written as Francis, incorrectly, I assume. Her maiden name is written as Beattie, like the snippet shows.
John Clark, on the marriage of Mary Ann is mentioned as a Clerk, yet on the further doc it says he is a Police Clerk.
We, (My cousin and I) have found an 1871 Scottish census,  with a Mary Ann Clark from Ireland and her mother Fanny Clark also from Ireland, living in the home of Margaret Moodie, Mary Ann's sister. Margaret is married to Robert Moodie. They live at Quoad Sacra Parish of Martyrs. They have a daughter named Frances Moodie, which gave us the thought that maybe she was named after her Gran. I have purchased the Scottish certs of Frances Moodie's birth and Margaret and Roberts marriage but there were a couple of question marks arisen. 1. John's job is a clothier, not a police clerk and 2. Frances has now got the maiden surname of McKay, spelt Mackie and has lost the Beattie. Today however, we noted that John is deceased on Margaret's doc but not on Mary Ann's. It can't be the same person if he was deceased because Margaret's wedding was in Neilston, Renfrew 1864.

I have been told by Scottish People website that documents had errors on alot, where maiden surnames were different, but I'm thinking, due to the other differences, it can't be the same people?

Thank you for looking for me.

[gilbertlouise]

Would anyone know the best way to find John Clark through his employment please? Maybe that would be a good place to start? Did all men in Belfast have to be a part of the army? Like maybe National service back in the day?

Thank you

[Jon_ni]

Would anyone know the best way to find John Clark through his employment please? Maybe that would be a good place to start? Did all men in Belfast have to be a part of the army? Like maybe National service back in the day?

That is not a viable route. Conscription did not even apply to Ireland WW1, all who served volunteered to do so; neither did something akin to the post-WW2 National Service.
Scotland'sPeople info accuracy is depentent on the knowledge and quality of the info supplied by the informant. A groom provided his parents names on a marriage but a grandchild, who perhaps never met them being long deceased, and half-remembered some fireside stories, may provide different especially maiden names when he registers his father or mother's death.