Thomas & Mary Jane Thompson

Sue:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

The Catholic church for the area is the Church of the Holy Rosary in Ashford. The parish was constituted in 1864 and available records start in September 1864. http://www.dublindiocese.ie/parish/ashford/

I was unable to find a baptismal record for Joseph on Roots Ireland. He likely was baptized in another church possibly in Wicklow town based on the info on the Ashford link above.

I did look at the 1854 Griffiths Valuation head of household listing for Killiskey civil parish and there was a Thomas Thompson in Grange North townland. http://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/wicklow/killiskey.htm

Did your family leave Ireland? I did find a Thomas Thompson civil death index record in the Ratdrum registration district which may be for your ancestor if he stayed in Ireland.

First name(s)ThomasLast nameThompsonAge at death64Birth year1816Registered year1880Registered quarter/yearApr - Jun 1880Registration districtRathdrumVolume2Page941CountyWicklow

Roger McDonnell

Hello Roger,                                                                                                                                                                           Thank you for that.  I know that Joseph was baptised as Joseph Michael Thomson on 16th Sept 1864 (but it's possible the date is a typo as his birth certificate says he was born on the 17th).  The baptism record says Parish/District: Wicklow  County: Co Wicklow   Denomination: Roman Catholic  Father: Thomas Thomson  Mother: Jane Lawless  Sponsor 1: Christopher Lawless  Sponsor 2: Julia Foley.                                                                                                                                

I'd love to think that was him on the Griffiths, but I think it's unlikely - the first information I have of him being in Ireland was when he married in Dublin in Jan of 1864 and there is a likely candidate for him on the 1861 Census in Middlesex (although that's not definite).   I would imagine the Death Record and the Griffiths could be the same Thomas Thompson.

The whole family (including Thomas's mother-in-law Maria Lawless) leave Ireland for Wales sometime between June 1869 and April 1871 for Dollgelly in Wales, where unfortunately both Thomas and Mary die in 1878/1880, leaving 6 children in the care of their grandmother.  Very sad!

We're desperately trying to find out what happened to Mary's father Archibald Lawless.  He didn't go to Wales with the rest of the family, but we can find no record of him after that, not even a death record.  we believe he was a coastguard in Wicklow - but he literally just disappears off the face of the earth.  The last record we have for him is being involved in a Court Case in Bray in 1855.  Mysterious!!    

I think a visit to the area may be on the cards!!!

Thank you for your help.

Best wishes,

Sue