McGowan

Couples marriage:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_re…

This looks to be Mary in 1911. Note 5 children born, 3 still alive at that date:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Londonderry/Londonderry_No__5_Urban/Spencer_Road/607150

Family in 1901:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Londonderry/Waterside/Fountain_Hill/1540310/

Looking at the statutory births on the GRONI site, I see the following births, all apparently to this couple (there may have been more):

Patrick Joseph 7.5.1898

William 22.1.1904

John 17.6.1906

James 18.9.1911

Mary 26.8.1913

Catherine 22.11.1914

This may be Thomas’s birth in 1867:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1867/03475/2276594.pdf  If so, his mother was Catherine Dillon.

There is a death registered in Londonderry  on 2nd Jan 1940 aged 72. You can view that on the GRONI website for £2.50. If it’s the correct death it’ll tell you whether Mary was still alive which may help searching for her. Derry City council keep pretty good burial records. It might be worth checking with them to see if they have his burial records and who else is buried with him.

Thanks so much for all your help Elwyn. This information is very helpful. 

I will definitely check on GRONI. I did find on PRONI that my great-grandfather Thomas passed away in 1940 at the age of 72. He left his estate to his younger brother William so I assume that Thomas' wife Mary had already passed away. I did notice that she was still alive for the 1911 census. When Thomas signed up in 1915 for the First World War, Mary McGowan is named as well.

Their son, Patrick Joseph (my maternal grandfather) died in 1935 and is buried at the Derry City Cemetery. I visited the grave last September.

Once again, thanks so much for steering me in the right direction.

Brian Gallagher (Canada).