Mary Ellen Downey

Angela:

Can you clarify if John was Roman Catholic or another religion.

The subscription site Roots Ireland has Drung RC baptismal records from 1847-1920 according to their index. I searched on Roots Ireland and did not find a Mary Downey baptismal record anywhere in Co. Cavan with a father John. I also did not find any Downey baptismal records in Drung parish with a father John.

Possibly she was born in another county since policeman moved around and at some point she was in Drung which may have confused her on her birth location.

Civil registration for births started in 1864.

Any other info on the family such as siblings?

Roger McDonnell

Angela,

Subscription site www.findmypast.ie  has a record of a Sub. Constable John Downey being stationed in County Sligo 1871 and in County Roscommon in 1873. His first name is not recorded in the transcription, but is in the court record.

A Sub. Constable James Downey is recorded in Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan in 1865.

Regards,

Hello Roger

Thank you for your reply.  Not sure of religion of John Downey, but Mary Ellen Downey married Edward Parry in St Nicholas Church which I belive is Anglican.

Sorry I do not have any other information about parents or siblings; Only her marriage certificate, 1911 England Wales Census which states that she is still married and having been born in Co Cavan and the 1939 Register where she is noted as a widow and her birthdate is noted as 25 June 1862

Thank you McCoy. I do have a subscription to Findmypast UK. But without any background information about John except noted as a police officer on his daughter Mary marriage certificate, find it difficult to reconcile anything. I live in Australia.

Mary Ellen (Downey) Parry is buried in Ford Cemetery (Catholic?) Liverpool

Angela,

Regarding John Downey, Policeman, Ancestry UK has a list of 13 RIC 1844 - 1908. Out of that number there are 4, based on year of enlistment, who may be of interest:

1,  John Downey, Born Co. Kerry, 23 years on enlistment in 1855

2.  John Downey, Born Queens County (Laois), 23 years on enlistment in 1855

3.  John Downey, Born Co. Limerick, 24 years of enlistment in 1846

4. John Downey, Born Co. Limerick, 20years on enlistment in 1848

Normally, Policemen were not permited to marry until thety had 7 years of service.

Their record will show the name of their spouse and what County she was from.

Records are stored in the British Archives in Kew and ithe National Archives in Dublin  www.nationalarchives.ie

Records are supplied at a fee

Regards,

Angela:

Roots Ireland does not have Drung Church of Ireland baptismal records around 1862.

According to this reference document, The Drung baptismal records for that period (1862) are maintained at the Representative Church Body Library in Dublin. 

 https://www.ireland.anglican.org/cmsfiles/pdf/AboutUs/library/registers…

Roger

Hi Angela,  I worked on the premise that John was still alive when Mary married and I looked for his death & I found the following on Irishgenealogy.ie ( a free site)  

Name JOHN DOWNEY Date of Death 1886 (Feb 28) Group Registration ID6628062SR District/Reg Area Sligo Deceased Age at Death 54, he was a Constabulary Pensioner.  

Letter of Admin were taken out and the details are here http://www.willcalendars.nationalarchives.ie/reels/cwa/005014901/005014…  

Using this information you could ask for help from a facebook page Royal Irish Constabulary1816-1922 -A forgotten Irish Police Force, they are extremely helpful, if they can find his record, which should also be on findmypast, you should be able to eliminate or confirm that this is the man you are looking for.  

I hope this helps push your research further.  

Regards Carmel

Angela,

Sub Constable John Downey married Henrietta Knott (Knot) of Derrybeg, Co. Sligo in 1874. There is a record of the birth of a John James Downey in May 1875 in the Civil records and subscription site www.rootsireland.ie. His father recorded as Joh Downey and his mother as Henrietta Knot. Civil record attached. It is unlikely that they are the parents of your Ellen Downey.

I did not find any sibling for John James, or the death record for his mother.

Credit: www.irishgenealogy.ie and www.rootsireland.ie

Regards,

Angela,

Attached records for a John Downey, Sub. Constable in Bailiboro (Bailieborough County Cavan) in June and July 1870 and February 1871 as a witness in the local magistrate court.

Worth a follow up!

Credit:  www.findmypast.ie

Regards,