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My GGrandmother was Agnes Dempsey b1872. She may have been born in or around Loughrea. Her family apparently owned a mill in the Clifden area. Does anyone know of this family, or the mill?

Regards

Shaun

 

Savobien

Tuesday 22nd Jan 2019, 06:57PM

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  • I checked for possible civil births for Agnes around 1872 but found no promising matches in the Clifden or Loughrea areas or anywhere in Co. Galway... do you have the name of Agnes's father, e.g. from her marriage cert ?

    Slater's 1870 directory of Ireland lists three Mills in Loughrea, John, Richard and James Finn of Main Street; Patrick Nokeley of Kilmeen and Walter Plunkett of White Mills, all apparently Corn Mills, no mills are included in the listing for Clifden.

    Shane Wilson, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Wednesday 23rd Jan 2019, 02:27PM
  • I've no further information on Agnes. However, my aunt has told me that that the Dempsey Woollen mills did come to Clifden with Richard (Dick) Savage and Agnes Dempsey, but he wasn't able to keep it going so sold it to Albert  Miller(Millar). Millers/Millars did have woollen mills in Clifden up until a few years ago. Do you have anything to support this?

     

    Savobien

    Friday 25th Jan 2019, 09:23PM
  • Only close matches I can see are in the early 1900s on the two census returns

    1901 Dempsey Household, Bowling Green Galway town, with head of household a Mary Dempsey 'Woollen Manufacturer 'age 55 a widow and several children including a Henry an 'Apprentice in the Woollen Factory'
    and on the 1911 a Dempsey household Market Street Clifden, with brothers John and Henry both 'Woollen Manufacture' and single

    There's no sign of the Dempsey brothers in Clifden on the 1901 census or in Slater's 1894 directory listing for for the town, so either too small a business to be included or had not yet been set up.

    A Richard Savage married an Agnes Dempsey in 1905 at Castlegar Galway, Richard is listed as a 'Slater', father to Agnes is shown as John Dempsey deceased, occupation "Woollen Manufacturer". John died in 1892 in Galway (town), an Ellie Dempsey daughter was the informant.

    According to a likely match for the couple on the 1911 census Agnes would have been born c1882 if the age given was accurate ?

    Shane Wilson, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Sunday 27th Jan 2019, 08:06PM
  • A possible starting point for your Dempseys - birth of a 'Henry Joseph Dempsy' (poss. the same Henry mentioned above...) on the 8th July 1882 at Bridge Street, Loughrea Co. Galway. Parents John Dempsey and Mary Burke (pos. that widow I mentioned above) - John's occupation is shown as Weaver. Also a birth for Ellen/Ellie to the same parents at Tobermore, Lougrea on the 15th May 1875.  No sign of Agnes, possibly her birth was register under a different name, or her birth was not registered.

    Shane Wilson, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Sunday 27th Jan 2019, 08:23PM
  • Thanks. That is information I couldn't find. Your service is helping me a lot to track down the elusives.

     

    Savobien

    Monday 28th Jan 2019, 10:17PM
  • Thanks. That is information I couldn't find. Your service is helping me a lot to track down the elusives.

     

    Savobien

    Monday 28th Jan 2019, 10:17PM
  • Millar’s Conamara Wool and Tweed in Clifden , My dad’s grandfather owned (now is a clothing store), his name was Robert Millar. I would love to find more information about his life. 

     

     

     

    deidre

    Wednesday 29th Apr 2020, 02:53PM
  • Robert James Millar was my father's, )David Maurice Albert O'Connell) grandfather on his mother's side, his mother was Phyllis Jane Millar. She married Desmond Charles O'Connell and they had 5 children, David is my father. Robert James Millar was born in 1883 and moved to Clifden and started his Mill that made the Famous Wool Sweater and also tweed. His son Albert Millar, ran a bus depot that used to be the Station House. In the early 1950's he convinced his father to move the Mill to where the Station House was when he bought the property in the late 1940's or early 1950's. It ran for a while and when Albert'sson Ronnie took over the Mill, it closed and Ronnie opened Millar's Connemara and tweed. The shop is in Clifden and open today. Robert Millar was born in Sept of 1883 and died in Clifden on October 31st, 1973. His grave is at Christ Church in Clifden. My grandfather on my dad's side was The Very Rev. Desmond Charles O'Connell. He attended Trinity College in Dublin where he received his PhD in Philosophy. Any help with the history of older Millar Family prior to 1883 would be wonderful, especially of Robert Millar and his Mill or pictures would be priceless!

     

     

    deidre

    Saturday 9th May 2020, 03:19AM

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