Hi Everyone, My name is Narelle from QLD Australia and I'm searching for any information on my 2nd great-grandfather Alexander Poole, his parents, siblings and his possible 1st marriage. I know nothing about his life before he emigrated to Australia. I know he was living in Australia by 1876 as that's when he started his family with my 2nd great-grandmother in QLD Australia. They married later in life on 24/03/1913. Info in his marriage certificate has his DOB around 1850 birthplace Antrim, Ireland. His parents are John Poole and Ann Crouston/Cronston. (I'll attach their marriage certificate) Alexander was killed accidentally in QLD Australia 05/10/1932. Coroner's report states Alexander birthplace was Killyleagh, Ireland. (I'll attach death certificate, his son was the informant) His brother John Poole was born 1861 in Shrigley, Killyleagh, Down, Northern Ireland. John married Mary Ann Courtenay 19/11/1887 Downpatrick, Ireland (I'll attach marriage certificate) and died 06/12/1892 in QLD Australia. (I'll attach death certificate, Alexander was informant) Any help would be much appreciated. Thankyou
Rell
Friday 7th Jul 2023, 10:42AMMessage Board Replies
-
Rell,
Here’s a possible death for a John Poole who was a labourer and lived in Tullyveery townland, which includes the village of Shrigley. Could well be your John & Alexander’s father.
Informant was his daughter Marianne Heaney (Haney) also of Tullyveery. This looks to be her marriage in 1878 in Killyleagh Presbyterian church;
Tradition was to marry in the bride’s church so that suggests the Poole family were Presbyterian and that would be the relevant set of records to research if trying to take the family back a bit. The Killyleagh Presbyterian baptism & marriage records start in 1693 but there’s a gap between 1757 and 1835. Copy held in PRONI in Belfast. Presbyterians generally didn’t keep burial records. And labourers families are unlikely to have a gravestone.
Can’t see a death for Ann Poole but death registration only started in 1864 so if she died before that, there is no record. I looked at the statutory births 1864 onwards and did not find any children to John & Ann so suspect she may have died. There was a Mary Ann Poole death in 1868 aged 48. That year is still pay to view so can’t give you the details but you can pay to view it on the GRONI site if you want:
Here’s the family in 1901, by which time they are Church of Ireland (indicating Joseph was probably that denomination). Mary Anne was born in Co Down c1862:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Killyleagh/Shrigley_Village/1231020/
Doffer is a process in the linen making industry. Note David Poole lodging with the family. Presumably another brother.
Joseph Heaney in 1911:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Killyleagh/Shrigley_Village/240376/
Mary Anne died in 1909:
Odd that Alexander was apparently born in Antrim. If accurate, presumably the family moved for some reason. Finding his baptism without any idea of where in the county it took place will be challenging. But I'd also check Killyleagh records in case that's where he was born. Can’t see a marriage for his parents so assume they married before April 1845 which is when marriage registration began.
Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Friday 7th Jul 2023, 11:17AM -
Thankyou so much Elwyn for your time to reply with so much information. I'll definitely look into all of this. Much appreciated Rell.
Rell
Sunday 9th Jul 2023, 02:53AM