We are an Australian couple who will be visiting Ireland in early June and would like to meet up with some family historians or relatives if at all possible. I am hoping someone in Armagh will be able to help us with our research.
We are trying to trace our relative Katherine O’Neil. The only official record we have for her is the 1911 census in St Pancras, London, taken on 2/4/1911 when she was a 32yo House Maid Hotel in London, est. birth 1879 in Armagh, Ireland. Also on the census is Katherine’s first child, Freda Hope Agnes O Neil, a 3 months old baby born St Pancras, London [born on 6/1/1911]. They were visiting Mary Ann Drinkwater at 146 Seymour Street, N W London, who was 61yo.
When Katherine’s second child William was born in, she lived in Eastbourne and the child’s father was named as William Thomas Perkins. When Katherine’s third child Harry was born in 1915, she lived in Eastbourne and the father was also named as William Thomas Perkins.
It is thought that Katherine died in England about 1928.
I have done extensive research and think that her birth record is most likely to be: Catherine O'Neil Birth: 10/11/1879 Armagh, Armagh, Ireland / F: John O'Neil / M: Catherine Hanratty O'Neil.
Is it possible to be put in touch with someone who may know of her family or could help us further with our research?
Many thanks, Robyn Tassicker
Monday 4th May 2015, 08:32PM
Message Board Replies
-
Robyn,
I assume from the information you have given that Katherine never married? If she did marry, it?s worth getting a copy of the marriage certificate to get her father?s name.
I can see a marriage in the GRONI indexes for John O?Neill & Catherine Hanratty inn Armagh on 18.5.1873.
In addition to the birth you have found for Catherine O?Neill on 10.11.1879, I see further children to parents named O?Neill and Hanratty:
Mary 2.3.1874
Catherine 13.6.1878
Ellen 16.8.1882
John 4.10.1884
Patrick 13.5.1887
All the above were registered in Armagh, plus
Daniel 16.11.1897, registered in Lisburn (might be different parents).
So you?ll see a second Catherine O?Neill born in 1878. She appears to have died on 19.8.1878, and the parents then used her name again, as was common practice at the time. They liked to keep family names alive, literally.
You can view the certificates on-line on the GRONI website, using the ?search registrations? option:
(You will need to open an account and buy some credits. It costs ?2 to a view a certificate).
Using the addresses from the certificates, you may be able to trace the family in the 1901 census.
If you post the address from the certificates, together with the father?s occupation, I?ll see what additional information I can find for you.
Elwyn
Ahoghill Antrim
Tuesday 5th May 2015, 06:18AM