Gilmore Family, Portaferry, Ballyphilip, Balygalget

Possible marriage here for Francis Gilmore to Matilda Kerr in 1875. Francis was living in Cloughey and born c 1852.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1875/11191/8101202.pdf

I see 3 possible children to that marriage on the GRONI website: Robert 28.9.1875; Eliza 27.12.1876 & Mary 27.2.1883. All registered in the Newtownards regn district. 

There are at least 2 trees on Ancestry with the family. Francis appears to have died in Co Down in 1911. Daughter Elizabeth was the informant:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1911/05390/4504999.pdf

Family in 1911. Note they had had 4 children but only 1 was alive in 1911.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Ardkeen/Cloghy/241054/

And 1901:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Ardkeen/Cloughey/…

Possible marriage for Elizabeth Gilmore, born c 1846 to David Gilmore in 1868:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1868/11446/8204420.pdf

2 possible children: David 22.1.1869 & James 26.11.1870. Again registered in Newtownards. There are at least 2 trees on Ancestry with the family. The family appear to have moved to Ayrshire between 1870 & 1873 as they have a child born in Ardrossan in 1873. David died in Ayr town in 1902 and Elizabeth in Ayr in 1916.  There were several more children born in Scotland.

I don’t see a marriage in that area for Robert Gilmore.

This may be Patrick Gilmore’s death in 1878 in Cloghy, by which time he was working as a fisherman. His son Francis was the informant.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1876/020599/7227655.pdf

Jane died in 1881. Again Francis was the informant:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1881/06454/4855056.pdf

The Valuation revision records on the PRONI website show that Patrick had a house and small garden on plot 1c in Cloghy. The tenant’s name changes to Francis in 1878.

Further to the above, this looks like James Gilmore’s death in 1886, aged 73. Francis was the informant. Wife Ellen had pre-deceased him.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1886/06264/4794127.pdf

I don’t see a death for Ellen 1864 to 1886, so suspect she died before the start of death registration in 1864.

Hi Elwyn, 

Thank you for all the information you have given me, it is much appreciated as I would not have been able to find actual death and marriage certificates. Robert Gilmore was married in Irvine, Scotland to Ann Jane Gilmore, Elizabeth's sister.  Ellen Gilmore, James Gilmore's wife moved to Scotland and stayed with David and Elizabeth in Ayr, Scotland.  She appeared in the 1881 Scottish Census then the whole family seem to have disappeared.  David and Elizabeth then appeared again in the 1901 Scottish Census, but no Ellen.  I wonder if they returned to Ireland.

Two of David and Elizabeth's children were born in Ireland, the rest including my grandfather were born in Ayrshire.

I don't know if Patrick and Jane had any more children apart fro Eliza, Robert, David and Francis. And I don't know if James and Ellen had any more children apart from Elizabeth and Ann Jane.

Thank you once again for all your help, keep up the good work.  I have had a look online at the Portaferry area and it looks lovely.

Regards

Winnie Mclauchlan

Winnie,

There was an Ellen Gilmore died in 1887 in Dundrum. Widow. Occupation: “lady.” She was 76. Age is about right. Dundrum’s not too far from Cloghy. 

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1887/06207/4775909.pdf

The informant looks to be Mary Ann McAvery or McAbery. Possibly this lady:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Dundrum/Dundrum/1…

Irish 1891 census was destroyed.

HI Elwyn, once again thanks for the information you have given me. I was finding it difficult to find information until you stepped in, all the relations I had who could maybe have helped are now deceased.

I understand that there was no census in 1921, a blow to all family history researchers.

Regards

Winnie

Winnie,

That’s correct. No census in Ireland in 1921 due to civil disorder. There was one in 1926 but the portion for Northern Ireland is lost (there’s no clear explanation but it was reportedly lost due to German bombing in WW2). The portion for the Republic of Ireland does still exist and will be released in 2026 but that’s not much use to you.

Hi Elwyn, 

Thanks again for all your help, you have certainly helped with my family history.  My paternal family all came from Ireland,  My father's mother's relations came from Tyrone and most of them settled in Wigtonshire, though some came to Ayr.

Regards

Winnie

My Gilmore family (or some of them)  seems to have last live in Clough (Loughinisland) County Down in the 1880s before emigrating to the Hudson Vally in New York. But a researder cousin has extended the family tree back to Portaferry and Priestown. So this would have been a John Gilmore (1818-1894)  and Rose Mason (1823-1900) with children James, Rose, Wiiliam John, John Mary Ann, and Patrick. Patrick (1867 -1920) ended up in Clough then New York.

I've got no idea if this helps. It'd be great if anyone had more information for me! People seem to have been more mobile than I expected.

Matthew Gilmore

Matthew,

John Gilmore seems to have resided in Priest Town since the 1860s. He is there in 1863 in Griffiths Valuation and he died there in 1894. John & Rose married in 1851 at which time his townland was Ballyquintin.  That’s a mile or two south of Portaferry, at the tip of the Ards peninsula.  Not very far from Priest Town.

Statutory birth registration started in Ireland in 1864. I found 2 births for children from your couple:

Mary Anne Gilmore 27.8.1864

Patrick Gilmour 12.7.1867

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1864/03609/2331425.pdf

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1867/03478/2277918.pdf

The family farmed in Priest Town, near Downpatrick. John died there in 1894:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1894/05952/4691729.pdf

Rose died there in 1900:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1900/05775/4632622.pdf

Son William John was the informant. Here he is in the 1901 census:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Ards_Upper/Priestown/1231887/

There was another Gilmore family nearby who presumably are related:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Ards_Upper/Priestown/1231883/

Griffiths Valuation lists John Gilmore on plot 6a in Priest Town which was a 23 acre farm. That property today still looks to be  a farm. It’s up a dead end lane off the Marlfield Rd, a mile or two north of Portaferry.

Letters of Administration (with the Will annexed) of the personal estate of John Gilmore late of Priestown County Down Farmer who died 11 October 1894 at same place were granted at Belfast to William John Gilmore of Priestown Farmer one of the Residuary Legatees.

The above will is on-line on the PRONI wills site. It mentions sons William John, John, Robert & Patrick as well as his wife.

Probate of the Will of Hugh Gilmore late of Priestown Portaferry County Down Farmer who died 27 March 1902 granted at Belfast to John M'Convey and William Breen Farmers.

Probate of the Will of Rose Gilmore late of Priestown Portaferry County Down Widow who died 20 September 1907 granted at Belfast to John McConvey Farmer and Rebecca Breen Spinster.

Above wills are also on-line.

Hi Elwyn and Matthew,

Thank you for the above information.

I am sure there will be a connection between my Gilmore family and Mattthew's, but just have to find out what the conection is.

The common christian names in my family are Patrick, David, James, Francis, John, Robert, Ambrose, Elizabeth Mary, Ann Jane, Eliza and Minnie.

Perhaps your John Gilmore would have been a brother of either Patrick (paternal  side) or James Gilmore (maternal side) who were born around the1800's, and as I can find no information further back, it is a bit of a mystery.

Happy researching

Winnie

Thanks very much for your imnformation. I will followm up. 

Matthew

Hi Elwyn and Matthew,

Regarding your post about John Gilmore and Rose Mason, you are related to my Gilmore family.

John Gilmore was the brother of my great great grandfather Patrick Gilmore who was married to Ellen Creen.  He would have been the uncle of my great grandmother Elizabeth Mary Gilmore. John and Patrick had other siblings. I cannot find the names of his parents, maybe there will be no records available.

Elwyn, hope you are well.

Regards

Winnie