Looking for birth records or parish location for Alexander Hoy. I have information that he was born on 10 or 15 March, 1858. Born in Belfast, Antrim County, Shankill Parish???? Not sure about the parish so looking for some help or answers. I have all his records when he arrived in the US etc. but no information on his parents names, which I know would help, on any of my documents. Any help would be appreciated.
Friday 29th Mar 2013, 01:51PM
Message Board Replies
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Hi,
Thank you for your message.
Yes Belfast is in Shankhill parish so you are in the right place!
As civil registration did not begin until 1864 you will have to look in local church records for Alexander?s birth record. Most Catholic records are held locally so you may need to write to the local parish priest for possible assistance. One website that you may find useful is the Irish Times where they give an overview of what records are available in specific parishes. It also shows you where copies of the records are available. For Belfast, follow this link:
Most surviving Church of Ireland records are still held by the local clergy, although some are in the National Archives of Ireland and others are in the Representative Church Body Library in Dublin. Here are their websites: http://www.nationalarchives.ie/ and http://ireland.anglican.org/about/42
Lists of these surviving registers can also be found at the National Library of Ireland.
It may be an idea to contact the Ulster Historical FOundation for some assistance, however a fee may apply. Here is their email: enquiry@uhf.org.uk
I hope that this is helpful. Please be patient - as our programme has only begun to rollout across the island of Ireland and volunteers in some areas may not yet be organized.
Kind regards,
Genealogy Support
Thursday 16th May 2013, 11:13AM