Bradford?Greer (Grier) family search

Volunteer notified

Hi,

I checked on rootsireland.ie and there was no record of the marriage of William and Elizabeth in April 1851. Based on the lack of any record on rootsireland.ie, I suspect that the marriage may have been in Broadford Co. Limerick. I looked at the marriage records for both parishes on the national library site. The records for Broadford, Co. Clare seem to be extant for 1844 to 1883. However, there seems to be a gap in the records for Broadford, Co. Limerick. The records from September 1850 to October 1851 are missing. Based on absence, it may be a fair assumption that Limerick is the place?

Other avenues of research may be to look for marriages of any siblings of William and Elizabeth around the same time, or the birth of any children.

Any other information like occupations or sibling names would be a help, and I could do a bit more for you.

Best wishes, Kieran

Hi Kieran,

How lovely to have received a reply - thank you for doing research to help me in my quest for answers. I've researched in Scotland where I live - records go back to William Bradford and Elizabeth Grier (Greer/ Grear??) both originally from Ireland. Their youngest child was Mary - born in Scotland as shown on Census records - all other children born in Ireland....Thomas, Hendry, Euan and Isacc. On Mary's marriage certificate her parents William and Elizabeth as listed as married 20/4/1851 in Broadford Ireland.

On 1881 census William - an argricultural labourer is 59 and Elizabeth is listed as age 47....

William died in 1883. He was aged 63 on his death certificate.

1891 census Elizabeth Bradford is listed as age 40 this seems incorrect...

1901 census she is listed as age 65

Williams parents are listed as David Bradford and Agnes Simpson (Simson?)

If you can access confirmation of County Limerick or otherwise I would be most grateful.

Appreciate your assistance greatly

Hi,

I had a look at the church records for Ireland on the pay site rootsireland.ie and there were no children of the names given with parents William and Elizabeth recorded. There were no children of the name Bradford (with any parents names) born in Limerick or Clare in the timeframe given. The family could have moved to a parish where there are no records for that time.

I also looked for other Bradford marriage records in Clare and Limerick. The only one recorded in Clare within the timeframe was John Bradford who married Barbara Duncan in May 1841.  He was a National School inspector. The marriage was reported in newspaper (Clare Journal) but it seems to be a Limerick marriage. There is no record of a Greer marriage in Clare (including different spellings). There was only one marriage of a Greer in Limerick and that was James Greer who married Margaret Fitzgerald in November 1843. It was a Church of Ireland marriage and James was a sub-constable. Even though the marriage was recorded in Limerick, he was from Clare and she was from Killeely (which may be near Clarinbridge in Galway).  There was one Bradford marriage in Limerick and that was John Bradford who married Barbara Duncan in May 1841. I suspect that this is the same marriage reported in the Clare newspaper. In Limerick the marriage was reported as a Church of Ireland marriage and John’s occupation is given as Gent (gentleman).

Not much to go on there! In the absence of any results for Bradford and Greer, I suspect that the Limerick option is the best to date. Its not definitive though!

Best wishes, Kieran

Thank you Kieran,

Another researcher has found what may be the ancestors I refer to. They found them married in Bryansford, Co Down - correct names and having two children which match their family names. Ive sent them documentation to see if it is a match and I have my fingers crossed. 

I do appreciate the time and effort you put into helping people such as me - once you start this quest you need help to get over hurdles.

My sincere regards and appreciation.

Granny Millar