Worrell Family

Hi

i joined this site only recently and have just seen your messages. I don't know how much information you have on your family in the 18th & 19th centuries but the earliest mention I have come accross is of 4 children born to James and Hannah Worrell between 1710 and 1717. They are John, James, Margaret and Mary. In 1766, John & James were among the more prominent farmers in the Mountrath area (about 20 miles from Rosenallis).

Unfortunately, the earliest church recordsin Mountrath from this period date from 1749 and it's clear from checking tehm that there were more Worrell families in the area. It's likely that a number of people in that area of Laois would have settled in Mountmellick where there was a prominent weaving trade. My great-great-great grandfather, George Worrell was a weaver living in Summersgrove (not far from Rosenallis) in 1840. I can't find anything else about him, unfortunately, and can't say if he was related to your ancestor.

George's daughter, Mary Anne married a Daniel Worrell whose father, Thomas, lived in Irishtown, just outside Mountmellick. Hopefully, there wasn't too much inter-cousin marriages going on. But it appears that there were at least two and possible three or more, Worrell families living in the area by the 1830s/1840s

Best wishes with your research and I do hope you enjoy your holiday in Ireland

Fiacra Worrall

Hi

Thanks for posting a message.  This is as far back as we have gone.  I am presuming you can see the initial message about William and Mary Worrell.  They are great, great, grandparents.  I would have presumed William had siblings so we could be related somehow.  It is all very exciting.  I will try to get in touch with as many as possible between 31st May and 4th June.  Thank God for email.  I presume you live in Ireland.  I live in North Queensland, Australia.  This time next week we will be in Dublin for a tour around the whole country.  I will send your information to all the Australian second cousins as they will be very excited.  We are staying in Rosenallis at a b & b suggested by Rev Ruth.  I will try to attach photos later.

Hi

 >Thanks for posting a message.  This is as far back as we have gone.  I am presuming you can see the initial message about William and Mary Worrell.  They are great, great, grandparents.  I would have presumed William had siblings so we could be related somehow.  It is all very exciting.  I will try to get in touch with as many as possible between 31st May and 4th June.  Thank God for email.  I presume you live in Ireland.  I live in North Queensland, Australia.  This time next week we will be in Dublin for a tour around the whole country.  I will send your information to all the Australian second cousins as they will be very excited.  We are staying in Rosenallis at a b & b suggested by Rev Ruth.  I will try to attach photos later.

Yes. I live in Dublin. Unfortunately, due to a family curse of having to work for a living, I don't have as much time as I would like for family history.

I've been stuck recently on the Worrall end and have been working on other branches. However, because Worrell (and all its variants) is an uncommon name in Ireland, I've been keeping notes on all I come across, especially those in Laois or surrounding counties. Since the 1840s there has been a steady migration to Dublin from all parts of Ireland (as well as emigration to the UK, USA & Australia). So Dublin records are important as well but these include migrants from other parts of the country as well as immigrants from the UK and there were a lot of Williams, Thomases, John & James' around in those days, so Dublin records have to be approached cautiously.

The following records may be of interest to you but these are details I picked up from the web and I don't guarantee their 100% accuracy:

Thomas Worrell, born 1839/1840 was recorded in the UK censuses for 1871, 1901 & 1911. He lived in Essex in 1871 & 1901 and his address was further refined as Colchester, Essex in 1911. (from UK census records)

Maria Wirrell, daughter of William Wurrell, married Henry Chawner in Tullamore District on 23 October 1866. Tullamore District is a few miles north of Rosenallis. It appears that Maria was christened on 25 September 1841 in Rosenallis. (from familysearch)

Note the spelling of Maria's surname and that it differed from her father. Worrall/Worrell is very uncommon in Ireland and on many occasions, rather than admit ignorance, it seems church record keepers spelt just spelt their parishioners' names phonetically.

The census for 1901 further shows that Henry Chawner (age 60) and his wife Maria (age 56) lived at Earl Street Tullamore with their two daughters, Marian & Annie (Maths may not have been their strong point). neither Henry nor Maria show in the 1911 census. (from national Archives of Ireland)

Go mbeadh turas l?n sasta agaibh (May you have a very enjoyable holiday)

Fiacra Worrall

Hi Jennifer,

I just came across your posts - hope your travels went well. Annie was my great grandmother and I would love to learn more about her. She had quite a tribe. My grandmother Olive was one of the younger children.

There is also a branch of the family under the name Wirrell in Western Australia.

I have been told that Annie and Joseph were initially headed to the US but because of shipping problems ended up in Australia.

We live just north of Sydney.

Regards,

Richard.

Hi Richard,

Great to hear from you.  I will send you an email also.  I am having trouble with the site as I have forgotten how to get around.  My Grandmother was Catherine.  She married Walter Harper and they lived in Waverley.  I have a fair amount of information mainly due to other relatives, most of whom live in Sydney.

Will try the email now at it is more private.  Mark, if you are reading this, I will email you sometime also.

regards

Jennifer

Hi Richard

Joseph was Annie's older brother.  He had a job in Australia as a policeman.  Their parents died so he took Annie with him.  As far as I know they were shipwrecked somewhere off US.  They were picked up by another ship and ended up in Australia where he died in Maitland during his worklife.We do not know too much more about him.

I emailed you a couple of days ago using my school address which is fine to use.  You can use my other address which is.  I don't think it should be a problem posting it on this site.

jennyborello@hotmail.com

Just north of Sydney?  Not Newcastle?  I lived there for 3 years from 1973. Looking forward to hearing from you.

regards

Jennifer

Hello all!

I am actively researching my ancestors, the Warrell family, that moved out of Co. Donegal in the 1820's. It would seem that this is a difficult bunch to track down! My research has led me to James Warrell and Sarah Ann Wilson (both born in the 1780's) marrying and moving to the states, but I can find NO info on the generation prior. I'm not sure if there was a spelling change or whatever, but I have hit a very firm brick wall. Just wondering if anyone here has encountered the "Warrell" spelling in their research? Thanks all!

---Matt

Hi

There are a number of different 'Warrell/Worrall/Worrell' families in Ireland all enjoying numerous spellings (not only do the vowels vary but sometimes one of the 'r's or 'l's are omitted. There are no hard or fast rules on spelling but generally speaking 'Worrall' was the preferred spellig in Limerick & Dublin, 'Worrell' in Laois (Queens Co) and 'Warrell' in Fermanagh and Donegal. James Warrell married Sarah Wilson in Convoy, Co Donegal in 1815. Convoy is close to Strabane in Co Tyrone (and the border with Northern Ireland). This family emigrated to Pennsylvania in the 1820s.

Its quite likely that James was related to a Robert Warrell, born in Convoy in 1806. Robert married Sarah Pollock and they and their children emigrated to Australia in 1841. Robert's parents were Thomas Warrell and Elizabeth McGill. This family were Presbyterians.

I'm not related to this family and have little information on them but they appear to br related to the Warrell family who lived in Co Fermanagh. There were Worralls/Wirrels in Fermanagh from the 1620s but I can't say that the families were the same. Apart from the USA and Australia, a lot of Fermanagh Warrells emigrated to Canada. Quite a few probably went to Britain as well but in the 19th century travel to Britain was not considered emigration and would not be recorded. Best wishes with your researches.

Fiacra Worrall

Hi Fiacra!

So sorry for the late reply. Thank you for the information though! I still am at my brick wall currently, but I haven't given up yet. I have a strong hunch that the Thomas you mention and the James of my lineage were brothers, which is a good start, but the trail ends there.