Rookings of Shankill and at 196 Snugville Street

Ruth,

This is the only Rooking in Ireland in the 1901 census. I assume it’s your family:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Shankhill/Snugville/949939/

I can’t see anyone named Rooking(s) in Snugville St or anywhere else in Ireland, in the 1911 census:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Shankill/Snugville_Street/

In 1907 196 was Joseph Niblock. In 1916, 196 Snugville St was Wm Ramsey, a plater. See:

http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/scomplete1918.htm

Joseph Rooking married Ermenilda Diamond on 23.12.1891 in Belfast. First child Elsie was born 1.10.1892. There was an Eliza born 28.12.1894 who isn’t in the 1901 census and so probably died. Last child in Ireland seems to have been Benson 24.11.1902, suggesting the family left Ireland after that. You can view the original certificates on-line on the GRONI website, using the “search registrations” option:

https://geni.nidirect.gov.uk

You will need to open an account and buy some credits. It costs £2.50 (sterling) to a view a certificate. 

Joseph sailed alone from Londonderry to Quebec on 13.5.1904 on the Parisian. Ermenilda and the children followed on 12.5.1906 on the Tunisian from Liverpool to Montreal.

That's the gang. Joseph Rooking is my great grandfather. He was a master plasterer who worked in churches and public buildings.

His wife Erminilda. My great grandmother, followed her husband to Canada with their children.

Benson is my grandfather in 1906.. Their children were Joseph (my uncle Joe, my auntie Rose, Benson Hamilton (my favourite Uncle Jack) and the baby my mother Beverley Maude.

They are all deceased as of 2012.

The family settled in Toronto.

I am Beverley's daughter, Ruth.

I obtained my North Ireland citizenship in 2005 and am in the process of renewing my second passport.

I am planning a trip home with the next year or so.

I would have like to have met family but I guess that won't happen. I am coming anyway. I want to see their home.

Daniel Diamond married my Aunt Norah late in life. He was a successful miner in Northern Ireland and owned a small island of the coast of Belfast when he and Norah lived.

Thank you for the information. It is very helpful. We had thought my grandfather landed in Halifax where he worker as a plasterer. I guess we were wrong.

It's too bad about the Rookings. I am the last surviving Rooking and I had hoped to connect with some family.

Thank you so much.

Ruth Rooking

Checking the street directories for 1897 to 1900 (on the PRONI site), they show a Mrs Rooking at 169 Snugville St. She was a dressmaker. So 169, not 196. (The number 121 in the 1901 census is the enumerator’s private numbering system and does not relate to any postal address).

http://streetdirectories.proni.gov.uk

Snugville St is off the Shankill Rd. There has been some redevelopment in that area in recent years, and I couldn’t say for certain whether no 169 is still standing. No doubt you’ll find out when you get there. The area is famous for Loyalist murals, so you’ll find plenty to photograph.

Your remark about Daniel Diamond being a successful miner in Northern Ireland is intriguing since there isn’t really much to mine. There was a very small coal mine on the north coast near Ballycastle which was pretty well exhausted by 1911, and a little iron ore mining in the Glens of Antrim which again fizzled out in the mid 1900s, but that apart there’s nothing much in this part of Ireland to mine at all. Most miners from Ireland worked in Scotland or England which both did have big numbers of coal mines. Possibly Daniel made his money there.

The only islands off the coast of Belfast that I am aware of being inhabited are the Copelands. There were 3 families on the main island in 1911:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Bangor/Copeland_Island/

Plus lighthouse keepers on the adjacent small island:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Bangor/Mew_Island/260395/

Today the lighthouse island is uninhabited (the lighthouse is now automatic), there’s a bird observatory on an adjacent small island, and a few holiday homes on the main Copeland island. You can get there from Donaghadee harbour, by arrangement.

There are also some inhabited islands in Strangford Lough, but that’s a bit further from Belfast.

Thank you again.

I do know that Danny Diamond and my Auntie Norah Doherty lived on an island somewhere off Belfast because she tokd us stories about having to go to Belfast for shopping and I've seen pictures of the house.

She spoke of navigating through the various checkpoints in Belfast to attend doctor's appointments and other such errands.

Danny Diamond did quite well for himself. Perhaps he owned a mining company that was located elsewhere.

They married late in life. I know that my Auntie Norah (nee Doherty) was a bit reluctant to move to the island but once she moved. there, she never wanted to leave.

They eventually moved back to Ontario, Canada as she missed her large extended family - six siblings and dozens of nieces and nephews She never had children of her own.

I don't know about the confusion of the island but I do know family visited her there and remarked at its beauty.

I can't explain the disconnect.

My mother, Beverley Rooking, and I had a trip planned but she became ill and we never made the trip - much to my regret.

The friend I was planning to travel with just cancelled yesterday. I have traveled a fair but by myself so I will come alone. I assume that's quite safe - a woman travelling alone.

I can't thank you enough for your help. It's a but sad to know that no family remains but I am coming anyway.

Thank you so very much,

Ruth

Ruth,

The only island near Belfast that would have had any houses on in modern times is the main Copeland Island off Donaghadee. About 10 miles from Belfast.  Locals in Donaghadee would know if anyone named Diamond had lived there in the 1970s or 1980s. Going further afield, there are about 10 inhabited islands on Strangford Lough in Co. Down. A mix of farms and holiday homes. That’s about 35 miles from Belfast. Going further afield there’s Rathlin Island off the north coast of Co. Antrim, near Ballycastle. 100 people live there. It’s about 70 miles from Belfast.

The only other place that I can think of is Islandmagee. It’s not actually an island. It’s a peninsula but is named Islandmagee for some reason or other. It’s rural agricultural land. That’s about 15 miles east of Belfast near Larne, and probably has several hundred homes on it. If you are coming to Belfast, you could go to PRONI, the public record office, and look at the street directories for the 1970s and 1980s (which are not on-line as far as I am aware) to see if you can find Danny Diamond listed. That might give you a clue. Likewise old telephone directories.

Yes a woman on her own would be completely safe in Northern Ireland. There are lots of single travellers. Book a hire car well in advance. I have an Australian friend staying at present who didn’t and has just been quoted an outrageous price for a short notice hire, based on the fact that it’s the holiday season and they are really really busy.

Thank you for your advice.

I am rebooking my trip for the spring of 2017.

Ruth Rooking