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Hi all,
I am after some desperate help! I am trying to trace my paternal family, My Father John Begley B.1951 was born to a James Begley B.1919 and Agnes McDonald B.1923-1925. I have managed to obtain their marriage certificate which gives me my grandfathers names of Owen Begley and Laurence McDonald and both provide addresses on the Wirral at the time of their marriage. It also states on their marriage cert that Laurence McDonald was deceased at the time of my grandparents wedding. Also Agnes was living with a witness to their wedding a Agnes Rice who Agnes left her estate and two children to when she past and also left half the estate to Agnes Rice sister Elizabeth Rice who married James Semple. I am also struggling to find a tie between these two families.

My Grandparents were married in Birkenhead in July 1950. Unfortunately they both died in 1961 James in the April And Agnes in the July. My father and brother were just the ages of ten and seven at the time of their parents deaths ad were both born on the Wirral.

Therefore, neither of them have very much information for me to go on. I understand that my grandfather used to play Gallic football which not sure if I'm right isn't played over here. They also know that the family owned land in Forkhill Ireland. The only reason they are sure of this is that they received a payment when a relative past away.

They have also told me they had an Aunt called Mary but unfortunately I'm not sure if this was a sister of Owen or James. My father seems to think that there is a possibility that Mary could also still be alive, I'm not too sure but he is adamant that she knows all the information about the family and land in Forkhill. I believe the land owned was actually a farm.

I have tried to obtain my grandfathers birth certificate but unfortunately without knowing his mothers maiden name they won't supply me with a copy. I have the same trouble obtaining my Grandmothers birth cert too I know this is a massive reach out but I and my father are so desperate to find out where our family came from. Any help that anyone can give us would be appreciated.

There seems also to have been a daughter born to Begley/McDonald

What was Owen Begley's occupation?

Just for info


Deaths Jun 1961 (>99%)
BEGLEY James 42 Birkenhead 10a 38

Deaths Sep 1961 (>99%)
BEGLEY Agnes 36 Birkenhead 10a 5

If you think the Begleys were Irish, look for info on the censuses

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search/

Found this family in the area,

Residents of a house 83 in Shean (Forkhill, Armagh)
Show all information
Surname Forename Age Sex Relation to head Religion Birthplace Occupation Literacy Irish Language Marital Status Specified Illnesses Years Married Children Born Children Living
Begley Owen 43 Male Head of Family R Catholic Co Armagh Farmer Cannot read - Married - - - -
Begley Anne 35 Female Wife R Catholic Co Louth - Cannot read - Married - 13 4 4
Begley Patrick 11 Male Son R Catholic Co Armagh Scholar Read and write - Single - - - -
Begley George 5 Male Son R Catholic Co Armagh Scholar Read and write - Single - - - -
Begley Peter 3 Male Son R Catholic Co Armagh Scholar Cannot read - Single - - - -
Begley Owen 2 Male Son R Catholic Co Armagh Scholar Cannot read - Single - -

Not sure if connected but a tree on ancestry has this.




Owen Begley
Birth 2.6.1868 in forkhill. Armagh, Ireland
Death


Birth
1868 2 Jun
forkhill. Armagh, Ireland

Residence
1901 31 Mar Age: 32
Forkhill, Armagh, Ireland
Relation to Head of House: Son

Census
1901 Age: 33
Forkhill. Armagh, Ireland
Farmer's son

Residence
1911 2 Apr Age: 42
Forkhill, Armagh, Ireland
Relation to Head of House: Son

Census
1911 Age: 43
Forkhill. Armagh, Ireland
Farmers son

PARENTS


Peter Begley
1823 – 1894

margaret Begley nee Murphy
1843 –

Hi Jacquelin

That's them, I found them on the probate leaving their estate to Agnes Rice, on their marriage cert it tells me Owen was a general labourer as was James Begley.

Thanks for looking into it for me, I believe I have found James Begley as being registered in Newry which I believe is not far from Forkhill??

I've been looking into this for weeks but the more I search the more lost I get!

1901

Residents of a house 8 in Shanroe (Forkhill, Armagh)
Show all information
Surname Forename Age Sex Relation to head Religion Birthplace Occupation Literacy Irish Language Marital Status Specified Illnesses
Begley Margaret 58 Female Head of Family Roman Catholic Co Armagh Farmer Read - Widow -
Begley Owen 28 Male Son Roman Catholic Co Armagh Farmers Son Read and write - Not Married -
Begley Thomas 8 Male Grand Son Roman Catholic England Scholar Read and write - Not Married -



1911

Residents of a house 1 in Shanroe (Forkhill, Armagh)
Show all information
Surname Forename Age Sex Relation to head Religion Birthplace Occupation Literacy Irish Language Marital Status Specified Illnesses Years Married Children Born Children Living
Begley Margaret 71 Female Head of Family Catholic Co Armagh Farmer Read and write - Widow - - - -
Begley Owen 43 Male Son Catholic Co Armagh Farmers Son Read and write - Single - - - -
Begley Thomas 18 Male Grand Son Catholic England A Company Traveller Read and write - Single - - - -

The couple in the 1911 I posted had only had 4 children................no doubt there were several more before the woman became too old for childbearing

However, if the Ancestry tree is accurate, the mother in that one has the worng name.............unless Owen snr married twice

Also, the occupation doesn't tally with the marriage cert info

Hi Alviegel

I also found this but this would have made him 50 when he had my grandfather. What also confused me is I found a family with a father as Owen and also a son called Owen :-S

Men don't have children........his age is irrelevant, as long as he's old enough

right ok, thanks for your help I just need to try and tie in Mary now that will definitely get me a step closer :-)

Is this the Agnes and Elizabeth Rice? Father is Peter Rice 32, Ireland who is a fireman and is at sea.


1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
21 Taylor St Birkenhead, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England

Learn more
Print transcription View image
Household Members
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Occupation Age Birth year Birth place
Bridjet Rice Wife Married Female - 29 1882 Ireland
Transcription
Mary Cathran Rice Daughter - Female School 5 1906 Birkenhead Cheshire
Transcription
Alice Rice Daughter - Female - 4 1907 Birkenhead
Transcription
Elizabeth Rice Daughter - Female - 3 1908 Birkenhead
Transcription
Agnes Rice Daughter - Female - 1 1910 Birkenhead

England & Wales marriages 1837-2008 Transcription
Print transcription View image Attach to tree
First name(s) ELIZABETH
Last name RICE
Marriage quarter 4
Marriage year 1936
Registration month -
MarriageFinder™ ELIZABETH RICE married
JAMES SEMPLE
Spouse's last name SEMPLE
District BIRKENHEAD

Births Dec 1924 (>99%)
McDonald Agnes Brannigan W.Derby 8b 807


Marriages Jun 1914 (>99%)
Brannigan Rose McDonald Birkenhead 8a 1223
McDonald Laurence Brannigan Birkenhead 8a 1223

Births Dec 1914 (>99%)
McDonald Catherine Brannigan Birkenhead 8a 875

Births Jun 1916 (>99%)
McDonald Arthur Brannigan Birkenhead 8a 826


Births Jun 1918 (>99%)
McDonald Lawrence Brannigan W. Derby 8b 587


Births Jun 1921 (>99%)
McDonald Thomas Brannigan W.Derby 8b 718


Births Dec 1922 (>99%) **************************************************
McDonald Mary R Brannigan W.Derby 8b 597


Births Mar 1926 (>99%)
McDonald Margaret Brannigan W.Derby 8b 817

Births Jun 1930 (>99%)
McDonald Ellen Brannigan W.Derby 8b 826

Births Sep 1932 (>99%)
McDonald Francis Brannigan W.Derby 8b 765

alviegal

You are spot on with the Agnes Rice, My grandma Agnes Mcdonald lived with her at the time of her marriage,

I can't help thinking she was possibly orphaned, either that or they were definitely related but I can't figure out how

1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
33 Alfred Road Birkenhead, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Occupation Age Birth year Birth place
William Whitaker Head Married Male Steamship Clerk 43 1868 Birkenhead Cheshire Transcription
Evelyn Whitaker Wife Married Female - 32 1879 Bradford Yorks Transcription
Leslie Whitaker Son Single Male School 7 1904 Liverpool Lancashire Transcription
Hilda Whitaker Daughter Single Female - 4 1907 Birkenhead Cheshire Transcription
Rose Brannigan Servant Single Female General Servant Domestic 17 1894 Keloonan Ireland

I'm really not sure about rose brannigan,

I don't have anything to go on to definitely say either way, I know there were a few Agnes McDonalds born around the same time as my Grandma I don't know wether I should cross reference each of them with Laurence McDonald and see if I get anything that way.

Owen
Ireland Births and Baptisms
Name: Owen
Gender: Male
Christening Place: 935, FORKHILL, ARM, IRE
Birth Date: 31 May 1868
Birthplace: Forkhill, Arm, Ire
Father's Name: Peter Begley
Mother's Name: Margaret Murphy