Looking for mary Flanagan

Hello Lee

Many thanks for leaving a message. I will forward your information to the volunteers in the Mountbellew area and see if they can get any info for you. Have a look at the Griffiths valuation below. Moylough is near Mountbellew. There could be a connection.

http://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/galway/moylough.php

This is the contact for the local parish newsletter. Maybe if you drop a line to the local parish priest, he can post this genealogy message on the parish newsletter for you.

Moylough - Mountbellew Parish Newsletter

Parish Priest: Fr. Padraig O?Connor     Contact No: 090-9679235

Parish email address: mbmnewsletter@eircom.net

Best of luck with your research.

Paula

Ireland Reaching Out HQ

Hi Paula,

Thank you for that  I will follow up on your suggestions.

Lee

Hello Lee

I suspect it is your Mary Flanagan that arrived with my Mary Dooley in Western Australia 1853 on board the Palestine.  If it is the one and the same, I suspect the girls were known to each other prior to their arrival.  We have only recently found our Mary Dooley in the Mount Bellew Workhouse in 1852 and was possibly even transferred from the Ballinasloe Workhouse prior to arriving in Mount Bellew.  It was said our Mary Dooley was an orphan from Clonbrock, and more than likely a victim of the Great Famine.

Patria McWalter from the County Galway Archives may be able dig out some more information for you.

I hope I have been of assistance.

Kind regards

Kerryn

PS our great great grandmother settled in the South West, but many of the other Palestine girls found their way to York and Toodyay.

Hi Paula,

There are a couple of Flanagans on the Griffiths could be relations there is no Thomas though.

Emailed the Parish preist but haven;t had areply as  yet.

Patria McWalter has sent us an email saying she has spoken with you about our Palestne girls that is great.

Hi Lee,  I'm also researching Mary Flanagan/Flannagan and her husband George Armstead Smith AKA Henry George Armstead Brown. They are my GG Grandparents.  I have copy of their Marriage Register from Bunbury  Western Australia (Jan 1854) which also notes that Mary arrived on the Palestine in May 1853.  I too am trying to find out more info on her parents.  Also how it was that GA Smith came to be in WA and when he arrived.  Curious as to when they left WA for Victoria and why if you have been able to find this out.  Cassie

Hi cassie

 Sorry i have taken so long to answer but have been in hospital. can you let me know where you fit into Mary and George ( Henry's) family). I would love to share info. with you.

Kind regards

Carole (LEE )

Hi Carole

Sorry to hear you have been out of action but thank you for responding.

I am (one of) their great, great Grandchildren on my mother's side of family.  Their son Frederick Ernest was my Great grandfather. His son, Thomas Francis was my maternal grandfather.

What about you?

I have copies of  birth, death and marriage records for most of the family. Trying to understand when George came to Australia and whether or not he was a convict or not.  I have his and Mary's marriage certificate (in WA) and birth cert of eldest daughter also born in WA.  With such a common name it has been a bit of a challenge trying to trace him, and even Mary for that matter.  Also intrigued as to why he left Western Australia to settle in Victoria.  Since he kept changing his name on the birth records of his earlier children, wondering if he was trying to 'hide' from the authorities.

I'm pretty sure that I've made the right connection through the ARMSTEAD line of the family - his mother's family but at a dead end with the paternal side.  Have you also investigated this side of family?

Similarly with Mary, the only info I really have is from a posting that you made on Ancestry a few years ago.

Happy to share information and look forward to hearing from you.

Cassie

Hi Cassie,

Lovely to hear from you we must have travelled the same path,I have been researching Henry and Mary for nearly 30 years and have never had contact with any dcsendants.

I have only just resently found their marriage in WA, I have no idea why Henry made so many name changes I thought perhaps he was a convict but have found nothing to prove he was.

You know his mother was Rebecca Armstead and father was John Smith and Rebecca's father was George Pitt Armstead.

My grandmother  was Alice Lousa Brown, Henry and Mary's their youngest daughter she was born at Browns Plains in 1872.         Henry was dearly loved and respected from all accounts.

I shall write more but cant sit for too long at computer as I have a back problem at present

Tell me more of your search ?

Regards Carole

Hi Carole

Please find attached info I've collected so far.  I have a public family tree on Ancestry.com.au if you are a member.

It has been an enjoyable journey finding out about my ancestors. Always something new to find with one branch or another.  However,  I really am stuck with the Flannagan branch in Ireland.

I have visited and have photos of grave of HGA and Mary Brown at Ballarat cemetary. Spent a week in the area visiting and finding out info re the Browns and Everards - my Great Grandparents.

Enjoy the attached - you may already have this info but happy to share. You wouldn't happen to have any photos of HGA and or Mary would you?  I have photo of my great grandparents - Frederick and Agnes that I can send if you are interested.

regards, Cassie

Hi Cassie,

I have all the birth ceificates for Henry and Mary's children I was hoping to get some clues ob Henry (George) ,

I have 1 photo which I will try and send to you of Mary when she was young I am not very good with sending things on the internet.

I would love a copy of your Frederick I think I can remember my Mum mentioning an uncle Fred,

I do have other photos which I can't put on computer but I could get copies and send them to you.

Any d ocuments on Richard Armstead  (baker ) would be great.

Thankyou very much for information you sent even though I had the same it was nice to confirm we both had the same.

I still can't sit for too long but let me know if you want any info. and we can share what we find.

Are you in Victoria ?

Regards Carole (LEE)

Hi Carole

I am sympathising with you not being able to spend much time at the computer.  It's challenging doing this type of research without sitting up at computer!  Get well soon.

Yes I do live in Victoria - Melbourne and work close to the CBD.   And you?

I've attached the indenture record I found for Thomas Armstead, which notes his father as Richard Armstead, Baker (deceased).   Do your best to read this document. It is fascinating.

I have 3 documents relating to the Marriage of Thomas Armstead to Anne Ward.  One of which notes his occupation as baker.  I'm hoping I've made the right connection.

I'll send these, together with photos of Frederick Brown direct to your email address, as there's a 1mb limit for this website.  Hope that's ok.

I'll send them today. If you don't receive them via direct email, let me know. 

Enjoy.    Cassie

Hi Cassie,

I received everything  thank you very much I hope you got my email ok.

Regards Carole

Hi Carole

I can see from reading the message board threads, you have got some information on your ancestors.... Well done.

Out of interest, how do you know for certain that Mary Flanagan was from Mountbellew? The reason I say this is..l

A lot of girls went from the workhouse over that period of time, went to Australia and could be from originally any townland surrounding Mountbellew. So it may be worth looking for a Thomas Flanagan on some of the griffiths valuations and also looking at the Tithe applotoments. http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/pagestab/Galway/Moylough/.

http://www.failteromhat.com/flax/galway.htm

Let me know how you go.

Paula

Ireland XO

Hello Carole and Cassie,

I have researched the single girls who came to Western Australia from Mt Bellew workhouse on the Palestine in 1853, Mary Flanagan being one of them. I have noted the information below (some of which I haven't had the chance to confirm) but thought you might be interested in the newspaper articles. I too have always been interested as to why the surname change. I have also been in contact with descendants who have also been trying to discover the reason for the name change. I hope you find this interesting and if I find any further information I will let you know.

Best wishes,

Anne

Mary Flanagan (recorded age 18, b. 1834, Mt Bellew)

Father Thomas Flanagan

m. George Armstead Smith/Smyth (aka George Armstead Brown after 1865) in 1854, Bunbury. He was born in the UK in 1831 and died 1909.

George was the Inspector of Public Works for Ballarat and Marlborough. (See his death notice in the Argus (Melbourne) 2/2/1898.

Moved to Victoria soon after marriage and first child.

Had 10 children:

• Emma Anne Smith (born Smith, but married as Brown) b.1856, Bunbury. She married as Emma Brown in Victoria in 1885 (married Hickling) and died 1942.
• Arthur William Smith b.1859, Indigo, Victoria
• Edwin John Smith, b1861 , Beechworth, Victoria (d. 1862)
• George Armstead Smith b.1863 Beac? Victoria
• (Childrens’ registered surnames change to Brown)
• Alfred John Brown b.1866, Sydney, Victoria
• Charles Henry Brown b.1868, Belvoir Victoria
• Julia Mary Brown b.1870
• Alice Louisa Brown b.1872
• Frederick Earnest Brown b.1876
• Francis Albert Patrick Brown b.1877
• Horace Walter Thomas Brown b.1879

Mary died in 1898, Ballarat, East, Victoria.

Based on the article below, it looks like Mary advertised her move to Victoria to find her siblings. The Browns moved to Victoria between 1856 and 1859, based on their children’s ages and birthplaces.

The Argus (Melbourne) Wednesday October 20, 1858

MOUNT BELLEW, Galway.-ANNE or PATRICK

FLANNIGAN,-If you are in Victoria, you

will hear of your sister Mary, by addressing a letter to

Mary, care of this paper.

I haven’t had any luck trying to determine why they were Smith/Smyth in Western Australia and Brown when in Victoria. It seems they changed their surname between 1863 and 1866 based on their children’s names.

The name change may have had something to do with a will and/or inheritance, based on the notice regarding an insolvent state below:

The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956), Wednesday 18 January 1865, page 2

IN the INSOLVENT ESTATE of WILLIAM

GEORGE ARMSTEAD BROWN, of Beechworth,

in the Colony of Victoria, Carpenter.-Whereas

the estate of William George Armstead Brown,

of Beechworth,* In the colony of Victoria, carpenter,

was on the 7th day of December, A.D. 1864,

placed under sequestration in my hands, by order of

His Honour Mr. Justice Williams, one of the Judges

of the Supreme Court of the colony of Victoria, and

who by further order under his hand did appoint

John Goodman, Esq, of Melbourne, one of the

Official Assignees of Insolvent Estates, to be the Official Assignee of and for this Estate, I hereby appoint

a PUBLIC MEETING of the CREDITORS of the said insolvent to be holden before rao, at tho Insolvent Court House, Lansdale-street, Melbourne,

on Wednesday the 8th day of February next, at

the hour of eleven o'clock in the forenoon, for proof of

debt', and for the election of an Assignee, if

necessary, to act with the Official Assignee ; and unless

it shall be shown at such meeting that the goods and

effects of the said insolvent shall exceed the sum of

one hundred pounds, I shall summarily proceed to

rank the debts which shall then be proved against the

said estate, and direct the proceeds to be distributed

accordingly.

Dated at Melbourne the 17th day of January, A.D.

1865.

WRIOTHESLEY BAPTIST NOHL, Chief Commissioner

of Insolvent Estates, .

Gippsland Times (Vic. : 1861 – 1954)

Friday 17 February 1888

BROWN - BEARD. - On the 8th Feb., at St. James' Cathedral, Melbourne, by the Rev. A. C. Kellaway, Arthur William, eldest son of Henry George Armstead Brown, of High-street, Maryborough, to Minnie Louisa Gerrard, third and youngest daughter of the late Henry George Beard, of Macarthur-street, Sale.

Hello,  

Mary Flannigan and Henry George Armstead Brown/Smith were my great, great, great grandparents.  Reading through the threads now, has answered many questions for me.  Just so interesting.  His son Arthur William Brown married my GG grandmother Minnie Louisa Gerrard Beard, who my father remembers.   Thank you for posting this information for others to see, very much apprecaited.

Regards

Pam Elford