Hi there :)
I am trying to research my great great grandmother & her family. My great great grandmother's name is Margaret Fittis born Approx 1839 (There are various spellings of this name in various records) Margaret's listed place of birth (on her death cert) was Longford/Langford Lodge, Antrim. Her parents were listed as John Fittis and Ann/e Stewart. In 1863 Margaret arrived in Australia (named spelled as Fettis on ship manifest) and married Joseph Worland. Sadly Margaret died in Warrnambool 1896. I am wondering if anyone has any information that could aid us in researching & history of Margaret and her family. Any help would be appreciated.
Raesy
Friday 28th Jan 2022, 10:02PMMessage Board Replies
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Langford Lodge is in the townland of Gartree, in the parish of Killead.
During the war a US base was built nearby in the grounds of the estate, with the Lodge being used to accommodate the senior officers. The airfield is still used occasionally for light aircraft. It’s very close to Belfast International Airport and over the years one or two commercial flights have landed there by mistake, causing red faces for the crew.
The Lodge itself is gone now. According to the 1901 census it had 30 windows at the front, so gives an idea of it’s size. No Fittis in the townland in 1901. I'd guess that at one time Margaret's father worked on the estate.
https://wartimeni.com/location/co-antrim/crumlin/langford-lodge-airfiel…
In Griffiths Valuation c 1860 the occupant of the Lodge was the Rev Arthur Pakenham. There were a number of labourers cottages but no Fittis (or variants listed).
I found a Jane Fittis living fairly nearby when she married in 1870 but her father was William so not your immediate line:
A portion of the 1851 census of Killead has survived. It does not include Gartree but it does include Ballyclan. I note an Anne Fitts there, aged 52, probably a widow, with a daughter Margaret aged 13. That might be your family. Couple of siblings in the family. Ballyclan is about a quarter of a mile from Gartree, so very close.
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1851/Antrim/Lower_Massereene/Killead/Ballyclan/10/
A 73 year old Betty Fittis still in Ballyclan in 1901:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Ballynadrentagh/Ballyclan/916788/
(That could be the 25 year old Elisa in the 1851 census). She died in 1905:
This might be Henry Fittis marrying in 1853 in Belfast:
Henry’s death in 1897:
This looks like a nephew’s death that same year:
Widowed Isabella in 1901:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Court_Ward/McTier_Street/965386/
I’d guess the family was Church of Ireland. There is a COI church in Gartree. Unfortunately it’s early records were lost in the 1922 fire in Dublin. The main church in the parish is Killead and it has records from 1838 onwards. Always worth checking them. There’s a copy in PRONI in Belfast. I don’t think they are on-line anywhere. There’s a tree with Henry & Isabella on Ancestry (Robert Fittis (Belfast)). You might want to make contact with the owner.
Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Friday 28th Jan 2022, 11:58PM