Genealogy Chat

Some information, please.

Am I right in thinking that Dublin's National Library is where bmd records for the whole of Ireland would be kept? I am particularly interested in tracing some Catholic ancestors, dates would be between 1850-1900.

I have no way of going there myself to look up names, and I believe that the National Library does not offer a research service, in which case, can anyone personally recommend a researcher I could use.

Thanks.
K

Hi, I just got a birth certificate for my grandfather who was born 1903 in Belfast from government's records office -GRONI. They have a website but if I remember correctly you can't order online. Check it out but they should hold birth records.

Do you know where/when ancestors born? If not there is a search site now but I can't remember how expensive it is. I'll look for it for you.

No, the National Library doesn't hold BMD records, there are at the General Registry Office. Their research facility is at 3rd Floor, Block 7, Irish Life Centre, Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1.

It does, however have other records such as micro-films of Parish registers.

The IGI does have quite a few BMD's on-line so worth having a look there. From the search drop down go to record search pilot, Click on the Europe map then scroll down to Ireland

http://www.ancestryireland.com/database.php

you can also look at this site. I find it's very expensive to look for ancestors in Ireland especially and the records are so incomplete it's a nightmare. You can also look at the Public Records Office where I think they keep census returns. I think again they won't do searches for you but if you've got any specific addresses they can send you a census return for a fee. The census records are very incomplete though. Good luck - I've spent a long time searching for mine and I find Ireland is very difficult.

K....If you want to post some names etc. I will see if I can find anything in my records which may get you started.....
An important factor is what Religion they were and the Townland /Civil Parish if you know it...

Thanks Margaret, and everyone for all that help.
My problem is that I don't know where my man was born.
All I have is his name and year of birth, and his father's name....the proverbial needle in a haystack, which is why I need to search, or the services of a researcher.

K

EDIT:
The man I'm looking for is John Samuel Mitchell (a Catholic) born 1897 or 1898, his father's name was Peter Mitchell, an Ironworker.
I know John was living in London UK from 1920-1927, as that's where he got married, but latest findings lead me to believe he was born in Ireland.

For ref: on the Pilot Site of Family Search John Samuel Mitchell Registered Belfast Jul-Sept.Quarter 1890...

Thanks Erin and BrinsleyS,
I had a look at FamilySearch, didn't even know about that way of searching so many thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

Erin, I saw the John S Mitchell of 1890, and am wondering about it, even though his marriage cert of 1920 states his age as 23... which is where I am getting his approx birth year. However, we all know mistakes can be made, and there seems no other close match.

I also looked on the site which Margaret gave, AncestryIreland, and although I didn't come up with any match, I have again discovered a search site totally new to me.

So, again, many thanks to all of you.

K

Karen..It may be worthwhile you trying to locate the John's Marriage entry in the Church Records (His MC should tell you which Church)..There should be a notation in the Register regarding where and when he was Baptised...

Thanks Erin, but no can do - John S Mitchell got married in London in 1920, in Church of England, (his wife's local church).
That's how we know he was Catholic....because she remarked on the irony of it, that when she married for the second time, she converted to the Catholic faith for the sake of her new husband, another Irish Catholic!!

This man has been my brickwall for years. I keep putting him on the back burner, but have come to the time when I need to find out about him now, for the sake of an elderly and sick member of my family.

K

Karen...Looks like its back to the drawing board...!!!
Have you thought about trying to locate any WW1 Records...he would be of the age to serve and and its a possibity his records may be there somewhere...I have not access to GR/Ancestry but its worthwhile trying....

Erin,
I've tried searching WW1 records in the past, but no harm in taking another look with fresh eyes. I'll give it a go.
Thanks,
K

Karen...Going back to the Church Records...I am not familiar with Non Catholic records but I have a feeling that the same applied for the C.O.E regarding having to show evidence of Baptism whether it was duly recorded in the Register I dont know....
Was John living in London when they married..?
It has also just come to mind if he did serve in WW1 he may have enlisted in NI...

Erin,
I must extend my thanks that you keep looking back at this thread and encouraging me to keep at it!!!

In answer to your last posting, without going to London and looking at the actual register I won't know, but I've never seen baptisms recorded on marriage registers before in England.

When John and Mary married in 1920 he stated her family home as his address, not an unusual thing to do as they married in her local parish church (Marylebone). However, after they married, they went to live in another area of London, Battersea.
So, either John lived in Battersea already, and used her family home address so they could marry in her church. Or he may have been lodging at her family home and then they found this place in Battersea to go to after they were married.
I've come to this conclusion because just 6 weeks after their marriage in Marylebone, Mary gave birth to a daughter in Battersea - I have the child's birth and death certs, their address is given as Battersea, John registers the birth & death.

On to WW1. I've been looking at records on Ancestry and found medal cards for several John S Mitchell's, but one in particular stands out ...it's for a John Samuel Mitchell who enlisted in the North Irish Horse, Machine Gun Corps, Tank Corps.
Unfortunately it does not give date of birth, but gives other information (none of which I understand, as it's abbbreviated and in military terms) . It gives an enlistment date of 20.8.14 and his address at the time is Claragh, North Rd, Belfast.
I suppose if this is 'my' John S Mitchell b.1897/8 then he could have enlisted at the age of 16 or 17?
I guess I need to backtrack now, and look for this chap in the 1901 and or 1911 census to see if his father is Peter.

Any other ideas? Keep them coming, I really appreciate it!
K

Karen...Good to hear you seem to be making some "possible" headway and of course its all posibillities at present but who knows where it may lead...
If I recall people did have to be resident in a particular "District" for a given time to allow for a wedding to take place..something to do with the banns being called...which may account for his address being her parents home...
I will have a look to see where the NI Horse Reg.recruited but I have a feeling it was Belfast....
If you want to to PM the abbreviations from John S. Military card I will see if I can decifer it...

Karen..North Irish Horse....Have found the details...It was a Cavalry Division of Special Reserves ..made up of 5 Squadrons..A-F..established following the Boer War...Based in Belfast...
Have tried to attach History and details but unable to do so...

Hi Erin,
I'm going to pm you.
K

It would be worth having his army records, Karen. If you are on family tree forum, there is a very good researcher there who obtained some for me from the National Archives at Kew.

Cheers Joy, will look.
K

Sent another PM to you, Karen.