Look up Please - Quarter Sessions, County Down. SMITH Margaret 1879

[EKAnnie]

Hi Looking for help with a look up.  It's my Gt Gt Gran (possibly) who I know was living in Down during the date of the newspaper article. 

Margeret Smith or Smyth
27 August 1879
Banbridge Chronicle
Banbridge, Down, Northern Ireland

Margaret was accused of deserting her child on 19th July of 1879 the registrar was Edward Orme and the JP was James Heron Esq.  Ultimately she was sent to the workhouse awaiting trial at the next Quarter Session.  I have the article if you need more info.  According to the article she used an alias of Cooper, which was, coincidentally, her father's occupation! 

She married a man earlier in 1878  (William Stratton) so I'm not sure if I've found the correct lady.

I believe these records are held in Belfast at PRONI.

Please let me know if you need any more info.  Thanks in advance.   

Always happy to help reciprocate here in Glasgow.

[Jon_ni]

I doubt there is anything as detailed as in a newspaper report. Would be Crown & Peace under the respective county abbreviations in PRONI's eCat. That is the same place as Coroner's Inquest records/reports.

DOW Down Crown and Peace
DOW/1/1 Criminal Jurisdiction. Title:Quarter Sessions/County Court. Dates:1893 - 1979.
and all those are subsequently name catalogued for searching under sub-codes.
DOW/1/2 Assizes and Dow/1/3 Winter Assizes also start later than you require.
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/services/search-pronis-ecatalogue

Seems PRONI don't have anything to consult for 1879.
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/family-and-local-history-records#toc-8
Court records "Some criminal records date back to 1822, with the majority dating from the 1880s and 1890s."

[EKAnnie]

Thanks for such a detailed reply. I thought there may be a reference to her husband or family so that I could confirm or deny that it's her. Thanks again for taking the time to help

[heywood]

She was charged as Margaret Smith/Smyth alias Cooper, is that right, with no mention of Stratton?

[EKAnnie]

Yes, I can send on the newspaper clipping if needed. Ta

[heywood]

No, it’s ok, thankyou.
Did Margaret already have a child when she married?
I haven’t yet found a birth to her and William by 1879.

[EKAnnie]

Yes she had an illegitimate child to a chap named James Mathews and married William Stratton. The child is registered under Smith or Smyth but he baptism mentions the father's name as Mathrwws

[Jon_ni]

Is not just a Banbridge Chronicle article - there are 6 newspapers in Co. Down & Belfast (Antrim) that carry reference. https://www.rootschat.com/links/01til/

Referred  to as Margaret Smith alias Cooper in July/Aug and the other way round in Oct.

The child (William Cooper, aged under 2) was brought by a constable to Downpatrick Workhouse 19 Jul 1879 having been found in the neighbourhood of KILLYLEAGH. The mother was admitted Downpatrick Workhouse some 2 hours later then later to Newtownards Workhouse under the name of Cooper. The child was left at the door of Mrs. O'Hare & the prisioner Margaret Cooper alias Smith waited till the child was taken in. Robert Johnston Q.C. Downpatrick Quarter Sessions, considered it an imprudent/improper act but discharged her (Northern Whig 8 October 1879). The mother had 2 children.

Had Margaret been married to William StrattEn 16 Jan 1878 (a year and a half previously, aged 34) I think the newspapers would have mentioned or referred to her as Margaret Stratten.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1878/11087/8057816.pdf

This is probably the birth of William https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1876/03037/2113384.pdf

Downpatrick and Newtownards Workhouse Admission Registers would record her religious denomination along with dates of admission & discharge.
The format is fairly universal throughout Ireland eg https://www.wicklow.ie/Living/Services/Arts-Heritage-Archives/Archives/Collections/Digitised-Collections/Rathdrum-Workhouse-Records

You would need to visit PRONI yourself or avail of their research service (ordering, reading, photographing and emailing such items is time consuming for anyone, even if local - I'm not) https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/proni-enquiry-service
Consult the eCat for references and ledger availability as survival rates & dates vary.

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/publications/poor-law-records
BG/12 Downpatrick, Co. Down have Indoor Relief Registers from 1842 [input BG/12/G* into the PRONI Ref box]
BG/25 Newtownards, Co. Down

[Jon_ni]

William Streaton [Stratten] army pensioner died Downpatrick Workhouse Infirmary 1896, his estimated age was 49 vs 41 at marriage 1878.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1896/05910/4677483.pdf