George McAlroy

Chris:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

Spelling in the 19th century was less exact compared to now. I think all of the records relate to Tibohine.

The RC records for the area are split into to parishes Tibohine/Fairymount and Frenchpark. The records for the Frenchpark parish start in 1866 so if your family was from that parish no records would be avalable. I did find records for five children of George McElroy and Maria/Mary Kelly in the Tibohine/Fairymount parish but no Anne so I'm not sure this is the right family. The five children were John 1844 Joannem (possibly Joanne or maybe another John) 1846 Mary 1849 Ellen 1853 George 1857

The 1855 Griffiths Valuation head of household listing for Tibohine civil parish does not show a George McAlroy/McElroy record. In fact no McAlroy/McElroy records https://irelandxo.com/ireland-xo/history-and-genealogy/ancestor-database   I did find Matthew Pritchard and a John McLoughlin record. Possibly George was a very small farmer who sub leased a plot of land or maybe he was a labourer.

I did find a death record for a 60 year old George McElroy who died June 21 1865 in Tibohine. He was a labourer, married and his wife was Mary. Likely this reocrd is for the family above.

Do you think the family above is a connection to your family?

Roger McDonnell

Dear Roger,

Thank you so much for the information that you sent.  I am clutching at straws because all I know is the name of my Irish great grandparents x2 , when they married and that they both came from Roscommon. They married in Bolton, Lancashire in 1871 and had four children together.  By 1879 Michael Freeman was dead, but had spent six weeks in Strangeways prison so I know his height, hair and eye colour and other personal details.  My great grandmother x2 Annie Freeman must have been a total survivor since she brought up her family by herself.  In the 1911 census she gives her place of origin as Tebocan, Roscommon.  I was so delighted to find  a place of origin then, of course, I couldn't locate it.  In the church marriage record Annie's father is down as George McAlroy.  When he appears in 1844 in The Tybohan Loan Ledger I thought this could be our man.  Tybohan is given in the record as an alternative name to Tibohine. I think he probably was a small scale labourer. (Incidentally, Mathew  Pritchard was a farmer who appears in practically every loan application as a guarantor.) I think Annie Freeman, nee McAlroy, probably spoke litte English on her arrival in Lancashire. To my untutored ears  Tybohan could sound like Tebocan to a non- Irish speaker like me.   if you can point me to a place called Tebocan I'll be delighted.

Annie Freeman was working as a hawker in 1911.  My dad said his Irish great granny sold fish door to door and lived to a good age.  He also said that his aunties used to go over to Ireland for holidays when they were young.  Annie was living in Bolton with her son, Luke, in 1926.  I have great admiration for her determination and courage.

I have no knowledge so far of her brothers and sisters nor those of her husband Michael Freeman.  His dad was called Thomas. When this dreadful Covid virus has abated I'll go and look again at the church records in my home town of Bolton.  Roman Catholic records aren't always as easily accessible. Sponsors  can often give links to familial relationships. 

When I do come across more I'll gratefully use the information that you've provided.  I look forward to visiting your beautiful area in the future. I've only visited Dublin and Cork.  Always wanted to visit the Wild West.. 

Best wishes,

Chris

Chris:

All the best with your research! Let us know if you need more assistance.

Roger