Looking for Bridget Watters family

Angela:

I located a civil birth index record for a Bridget Watters in the Dundalk registration district. Possibly this could be your Bridget. However, there were also records for a Bridget Watters in 1876, 1880 and 1881. The actual record would show the names of the parents and where they lived in 1879. You can get a copy of this record from the General Register Office for around 4 euros. I can forward instructions if you want to get a copy.

Roger McDonnell

Dear Mr. McDonnell - gosh that was a prompt reply - thank you.  Yes that was my problem as according to her marriage cert. and her death certificate we have a variance between the dates   If you can forward the instructions that would be great.  Thanks for your advice.  Angela

Angela:

I looked on www.familysearch.org for Watters children born to John Watters from 1864-1880. Their records do not go beyond 1880

I found four children born to a John Watters and an Elizabeth Dean(e) in Dundalk. John 11/13/1873, Thomas Joseph 11/30/1875,Alice 10/10/1877 and Mary Anne 12/30/1879.

If this is the correct family then Bridget could not have been born in 1879 but more likely 1881.

I also found a civil marriage index record for John Watters and likely Elizabeth Deane.

Let me know your reaction.

Roger

Angela:

As my second note indicates the 1879 record may not be the correct person based on the other information. I gave you the 1881 index record. Instructions below.

Roger

Go to this link http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Apply-for-Certificates.aspx In the middle of the page there are links for birth, marriage or death certificates. Hit the link for the form you want. You will likely get a screen asking for a User Name and Password. (This is a program bug that the GRO has to correct). Hit cancel and the appropriate form should come up. Print the form and complete the requested information. Also provide the information from the index record--quarter/year of the event, registration district and the volume and page number where the event is recorded. Make sure you ask for a copy which costs around 4 euros. ( A cert costs closer to 20 euros). You can also ask the GRO to e-mail the copy back to you.

Thank you for that info.  I will look into those names and dates.  So manay Bridget Watters born in Dundalk around that time.  Depending on the date of death of these 'fathers' will narrow it down as John Watters was shown as deceased before 1904.  Angela

Dear Roger, here I am 3 years later still researching Bridget Watters.  Just this week I have spoken on Facetime to a granddaughter of my Uncle Paddy Quigley's sister Winifred, but unfortunately she was unable to fill in the gap between Bridget and Paddy.  She was going to contact her sister to see if she knew a bit more.  I wait with bated breath.  I am visiting Dundalk for a week at the end of May in a last desparate search in church records and the National Archives in Dublin.  I know where Thomas Watters was married in the Ravensdale church - would there be records re the families there?  Angela

Angela:

Welcome back to IRO!

Bridget is a real puzzle. Last year, the Irish government placed the images of civil birth records online for free for the years 1864-1915. Marriage images are available starting in 1882 and death records starting in 1891. You can find these records at www.irishgenealogy.ie  I searched for Bridget from 1875-1883 and there were six records in the Dundalk district but none showed a father named John.   I also searched Roots Ireland which has the Dundalk RC records up to 1900. I looked for children of John Watters with a mother with the surname Deane and got nine records. In addition to the four names provided back in 2014, I located the following records: Patrick James 1882 Michael Joseph 1883 Anne Mary 1884 Edward 1889 Elizabeth 1893. By the way, this search was for all of Co. Louth.

Here is the 1901 census record for the John Watters family  http://census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Louth/Dundalk_Urban_No__2/…

and 1911  http://census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Louth/Dundalk_Urban_No__2/…

John Watters died September 27, 1904 You have to sign-in to see this record

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

Did Bridget marry after September 27, 1904?

Roger

Dear Roger, Well I just got back from my visit to Dundalk and the good news is that I have solved the mystery of Bridget's birth and also met some new cousins there.  I visited the library in Dundalk and when going through the databases there, Dermot the Ref. Library gentleman came up with a record for me.  I had realised that the exact date of birth on the 1939 Register in England showed 3 March, 1879 and when putting that date into my search it always came up with a Thomas Watters as a father.  I had dismissed it but he checked the wife, Margaret Grant, and discovered she had died 10 March, 1879 - a week after Bridget's birth.  I knew of a Thomas Watters in my tree connected to Bridget through the Quigley family.  He was married to an Elizabeth McDermott, but now it appears that he had a previous wife.  Also his father was John Watters!!  This is where we figured out that his parents brought up Bridget as their own (not uncommon in those days) and then a few years later he had remarried and had 4 children.  One of the grandchildren was Paddy Quigley who always came to visit her at our house in the 1950's!!  So mystery solved.  I had also connected with Paddy's niece in the last few weeks through FB and we met and had a great time - going around cemeteries looking for headstones!!  Unfortunately they were very old and couldn't read anything.  So lots of names and dates to add to my tree!  Thanks for your help.  Angela

Angela:

Thanks for the feedback and great to hear you had a lot of success in Dundalk. All the best!

Roger