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Hi, I have been researching my Leatham ancestors. I have found my Gt Gt Gt Grandparents Castor and Esther Leatham in Culcavy (near Hillsborough) parish of Blaris County Down. On the register for St Malachy, parish church of Hillsboroughchurch of Ireland. I found three of their childrens christenings, Castor, 1833 Esther 1836and Eliza. 1838 However their brother Garret my Gt Gt Grandad was christened (1831) in st Anne’s parish church which is now the Cathedral in Belfast.

Castor was a Miller on the Hillsborough christening registers, I visited Culcavy recently and there is still the old Mill in Millvale road Culcavy.Its now converted into a house.

The family appeared on the 1861 cencus in Liverpool Esther was now a widow, the children were now William 1831 Castor 1833, Eliza 1838 and Alice 1843.(did not find William or Alice on the St Malachy register)

Garret appeared on the 1871 Liverpool cencus (Married to Catherine Macmahon in 1862)one of his sons was names Castor, another Garret James, William, John Thomas, daughters were Esther ,Eliza and later Catherine.

Garret James named one of his sons James Garrett (my Grandad) and he named one of his 2 sons James Garrett (my Uncle)

There were many other Leathams on the Hillsborough register including a few Hercules Leathams I assume named after the Mill owner Hercules Bradshaw.

I cannot find a marriage for Castor Leatham and Esther Tudor on St Anne’s register Belfast or St Malachy Hillsborough and I couldn’t find a death for Castor I assume he died in Ireland as I cannot find a death for him in England. Perhaps someone may be able to help with that or add to the information about the corn mill in Culcavy, I’m wondering why they left Ireland to live in Liverpool. Castor may have been a member of the Orange Order …However his son Garret married a Catholic woman and his daughter Eliza married a Catholic man and emigrated to New York. I do remember my Grandad saying of his Grandparents that one was orange and one was green and thats why Garret and Family moved to Bolton Lancs in the mid 1870’s.

Anything that anyone can add to the above would be most appreciated.

Margaret Bailey

Margaret B

Sunday 7th Aug 2022, 04:57PM

Message Board Replies

  • Margaret,

    Death registration only started in Ireland in 1864. If Castor died there before that (as seems evident from the 1861 census) then there won’t be a death certificate. He might be in Hillsborough Church of Ireland burial records (copy in PRONI) but they are rarely comprehensive and many deaths were not recorded.

    I searched the British Newspapers Archive for any mention of Castor or the mill in Culcavy but without success. Don’t see any mention of him in PRONI’s e-catalogue either.

    Griffiths Valuation for Culcavy (1863) lists an old distillery building, corn-mill, kilns, stores, yards & millpond belonging to Hercules Bradshaw. It was unoccupied at that date which fits with the family being in Liverpool by 1861.

    Perhaps Castor’s death was in some way the trigger for the family move to Liverpool. Possibly the family didn’t feel able to keep the mill on after his death?

    Tradition was to marry in the bride’s church, after which she’d attend her husband’s, so you often find a marriage in one church and then children’s baptisms in another.  TUDOR is not a common surname in Ireland. Only 15 in the 1901 census, from a total of about 7 households. Only 6 of them were born in Ireland, so I’d wonder if Esther was born outside Ireland and whether she and Castor also married outside Ireland. But even if they married in Ireland, many pre 1845 marriage records are not on-line, and many early records are lost, especially Church of Ireland ones (due to the 1922 fire).  Tracing the marriage may prove very difficult.

    Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Sunday 7th Aug 2022, 06:10PM
  • Hi Elwyn, thankyou for your prompt repy and advice. I have looked for their marriage in Lancashire but no luck.
    Re the marriage of Esther Tudor and Castor Leatham… I have found on Griffiths for Derryhale townland, Parish of Kilmore, County Armagh an Anne Tudor, John Tudor and William Tudor.

    Derryhale is not that far from Culcavy so might be worth pursuing?

    Any thoughts?

    Regards

    Margaret Bailey

     

    Margaret B

    Monday 8th Aug 2022, 09:40AM
  • Margaret,

    Certainly worth a look. Kilmore Church of Ireland has baptisms from 1820 & marriages & burials from 1822. (Copy in PRONI).

    Thomas Tudor farming in Derryhale in 1833:

    http://www.irishgenealogyhub.com/armagh/tithe-applotments/kilmore-parish.php

    PRONI’s on-line name search lists a William Tudors of Derryhall, Armagh who had probate granted on 4th Nov 1818. The will itself was destroyed in the 1922 fire but the index information tells you that William died around 1816 and lived in Derryhale (Derryhall).

    Derryhale Tudor household in 1901:

    http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Armagh/Richhill/Derryhale/1018742/

    Wife Margaret died 1892:

    https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1892/06038/4719779.pdf

    They married in 1856, her maiden name was Farquhar and his father was John Tudor(s).

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

     

     

     

    Probate abstracts:

     

    Probate of the Will of William Tudor late of Derryhale County Armagh Farmer who died 2 March 1902 granted at Armagh to John Graham and William Rea Farmers.

    Tudor Sarah of Derryhale county Armagh died 29 December 1926 Administration Belfast 8 August to John Tudor farmer the husband. Effects £268 5s. 6d.

    Tudor William John of Derryhale county Armagh farmer died 29 November 1936 Probate Belfast 12 January to William John Somerville farmer. Effects £595 10s. 10d.

    Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Monday 8th Aug 2022, 11:48AM
  • Hi Elwyn

    thank you for all that information, certainly seems to be quite a few Tudor connections in the Derryhale area,

    hopefully some link to Esther and Castor might turn up. I’ll follow up on the leads you have found.

    Thanks again

    Margaret

    Margaret B

    Monday 8th Aug 2022, 04:23PM

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