Loftus / Joyce Loughrea 1843

HI Claire,

I happened to have the baptismal records for Loughrea out from the LDS right now so I check this moring. I did not see a sign of Peter in the years ranging 1842-1844. In fact no sign of any Loftus in the year range. Do you have a date of birth for Frances?

I checked another website that I use and could only find these names in Galway:

Lofftus, Honor 1843

Loftes, Michael 1843

Loftus, Henry 1843

Loftus, Patrick 1843

Unfortunately you have to pay to see the actual records that might have the parent's names Sorry this isn't very helpful!

Alison

HI Claire,

I contacted someone living in the Loughrea rea who has a keen interest in local history. He has sent me the following information for you:

"I have shown your email to some of the town elders.  Loftusnot known in Loughrea but a Mayo name and perhaps link to RIC personnelstationed at Loughrea.  Joyce a Galway Tribe name but again not a Loughreaname of note 1930?s to date.

However, I have located a rather large tomb in GarrybreedaCemetery( Roman Catholic) and it is located within the old church area. You can see the large tomb inside the small door of the church, left ofthe rose bush, (this is a photo from 2009) ? the area is all cleaned upnow. Must have been a wealthy family- as this is the only tomb of this size inthe graveyard and inside the church area.

Today I read the stone as follows: RIP William Joyce  bornDecember 1810 died 25th. November 1872.     Wife : Mary Joyce Comyns born 1798 RIP 26th December1878.   There are no symbols on stone etc to show trade oroccupation."

He also sent on a few more images of the Joyce tomb at Garrybreeda cemetery.

You could also try checking the land records called the Tithe Applotment Books (1823-38) or the later Griffith's Valuation (1848-64). Griffith's is freely available here: www.askaboutireland.com or here: www.failteromhat.com Failte Romhat has lots of other useful links you could try looking at. Tithe Applotment Books (1823-38). Microfilm copies of the books for all of Ireland are available at the National Archives of Ireland (NAI) http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/tithe-applotment-books-and-the-primary-griffith-valuation/ or the Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS).

You can information about the frequency of the name in the mid-19th century and any other variant spellings of the name here: http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/surname/

Hopefully someone living in the local community will recognise the family names and be able to help you further.

Please make sure you link anyone else in your family who is interested in their Irish heritage to our site - and indeed anyone else you know of Irish heritage.

Kind regards,

Sinead Cooney

Genealogist (Ireland XO)

Dear Alison

Thank you for your response. I was surprised to receive a response so quickly.

Unfortunately I don't have year of birth for Francis Loftus but he was the oldest child of the family, so possibly born 1833, but this is only a guess, but Francis did serve in the East India forces returning to England in 1860. So perhaps I should try & obtain his East India forces records, which are probably archived somewhere. This perhaps would give their parents names, year of birth ect. I also want to find the records of the Loftus family being evicted by the Earl of Clanricarde, who torn down their cottage & turned his estate into a hunting reserve. Any suggestions where I could obtain these records?

Do you live in Loughrea?

Kind regards

Claire Loftus

Dear Sinead

Thank you for your response with photos of Joyce grave stone. Interesting and very much an old headstone.

I will check out your suggested websites. 

I've had another response from Alison who had the LDC baptimal records out and she couldn't find Peter Loftus 1843 but I will keep searching. What I need to do is find out his parents christian names. Peter's oldest brother Francis joined the East India Forces returning to England in 1860. So perhaps I should try and obtain Francis' East India records, which hopefully might state his parents names.

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

Kind regards

Claire Loftus

Hi Claire,

I was born in Sydney but have lived most of my life in Cincinnati, Ohio. My parent's are from New Zealand and my father's family (Dignan) came from Loughrea and immigrated to Auckland, NZ in the early 1840's. I am not sure where to find the records for the Earl of Clanricarde but I can try and find the brother who moved to Seattle. Do you have any other bit of information about him? Also, there are a few sites (pay-per-view) where you might be able to find military records. I also found a census record of a Loftus family in 1851 living in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire. The parent's James (1797) and "Rossana" (1813) were born in Ireland and the rest of the children have Stafford as their place of birth but this could be wrong! The children are John (1834), Charles (1836), Francis (1839), Peter (1845). This probably isn't the right family as you said Francis was the olderst but I thought that I would mention it. I can upload the page if you would like to have a look.

Alison