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My Grandmother Annie Fleming was born in the Belfast Union Workhouse in 1890. Her parents WIlliam Fleming & Ellen Boardman were married at St. Stephen's church in Belfast a few weeks after Annie was born. They had her Baptized shortly after the marriage. Six years later (and four babies all born in the workhouse and perished) Annie, her mother Ellen (Boardman/Fleming) & Grandmother Sara (Galbriath/Boardman) left from Moville on the Anchoria headed for Chicago.

Ellen Boardmand was born in Derry in 1868 to John Boardman & Sarah Galbraith. John & Sarah were married in Glendermott church in Derry in 1863. I do not know John Boardman's father was James Boardmand, mother unknown. Sara Galbraith's father was Joseph Galbraith, mother unknown.

We are traveling to Belfast the first two weeks in February, we are hoping to find out more when we visit.

Farrellkuhn

Monday 20th Jan 2020, 12:32AM

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  • You might find a little more information on the Fleming/Boardman couple from the workhouse admission records in PRONI in Belfast.

    The 1863 marriage certificate shows John Boardman living in Lismacarol, and Sarah Jane Galbraith in what I am fairly sure is Gortica. Looking at Griffiths Valuation for 1858, I see a Joseph Galbraith living in Gortica. He had a house and garden (plot 4f). I also see David Boardman living in Lismacarol. He had a labourer’s house plot 1c. There was also a James Galbraith nearby on 4c with a house and office (outbuildings).

    http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=nameSearch

    Looking at the birth records for the 1860s, I notice the birth of an un-named illegitimate male child to Sarah Boardman of Lismacarol on 11th August 1864. Witness was Ann Galbraith also of Lismacarol. Same mother had another illegitimate child named Sarah in Lismacarol on 12th June 1868. Witness was Eliza Orr of Lismacarol.

    Lismacarol is a townland on the edge of the city of Derry, between the Belfray Country Inn and Drumahoe, on the road from Belfast. Gortica is immediately beside it, on the modern Tirbracken Rd.

    You can follow through to see how long those properties were occupied by using the Valuation revision records on the PRONI site. https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/pron

    Statutory birth registration only started on 1.1.1864. Prior to that you need to use church records where they exist for baptisms. Tradition was to marry in the bride’s church so Glendermott/Clondermott 1st Presbyterian may be the Galbraith family church. Unfortunately, looking at the PRONI guide to church records, that church doesn’t appear to have any baptisms for the period you are interested in.

    No Galbraiths or Boardmans in Gortica or Lismacarol in the 1901 census.

    Labourers moved around a bit to follow available work. They can be tricky to trace.

    Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Monday 20th Jan 2020, 03:37AM

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