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Evictions in Bailiesborough

CavanBailieborough (Cavan)

Hello, I am trying to find out "why and how"my great grandfather Edward Bell left Bailiesborough and headed over to Scotland where he died. I have previously posted couple f years ago asking about my 2x great grandfather John Bell and thanks to the help of board members visited Ireland and found a wealth of information about him. For some reason his son Edward Bell left Cranfield and relocated in Bailiesborough. An oldfamily story handed down says their home was set on fire and they fled across fields in the middle of the night.

I have tried to find out why they left by looking for eviction notices for the area and I have searched ships passenger lists to see when they left and where they sailed from/to.

Edward Bell born 1848 Bailiesborough died Dundee 1916.Edward Bell is mygreat grandfather He married in 1867 in Knockbride to Rose Ann McCall 1846 to 1928. His father was John Bell 1818 to 1840 his mother Mary Ann Britton 1820 to xxxx and they lived in Cranfield County Antrim (I found this out thanks to Ann Marie from Mallow in Cork and Elwyn who both pointed me to Cranfield). I have visited Cranfield and found the old family home on the banks of Lough Neagh and gravestones thanks to Paddy McAteer a local historian and conservationists.

Any information would be much appreciated.

Kind Regards

Tony

Tony.dance1@nt…

7 replies

Hi Tony

According to www.rootsireland.ie a subscription site, Edward was baptised on 6 July 1844 in Randalstown parish in County Antrim

Parents John Belle and  Mary Ann Brittain

The address given on the baptism record is Cranfield

You can find the original record here https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000633168#page/1/mode/1up

Unfortunately I can not locate the marriage record, this normally gives information on the grooms occupation

 

Hope this helps

 

Anne Marie

Mallow CorkIrelandXO Volunteer

 

 

Hi Anne Marie,

I cannot thank you enough for your help. I and other members of my family have been trying for years to find out where our Irish ancestors (Bells) were from. I have even had help from a friend who runs the family history society here in Leicester and she very kindly traced my mother’s line back from the east end of London to Scotland and over to Bailiesborough and Knockbride in Co Cavan. The news you have given us regarding John Bell and Mary Ann Britton living in Cranfield, Randlestown and the spelling of the names gives me renewed hope that we will one day find out where we are from.

As an aside I have been playing Irish music for some 40 years in bands and sessions and am a member of the Comhultas here in Leicester. I have visited Ireland many times Cork, Dublin, Derry, Belfast, Skibereen, Tiparary, Galway, Mayo, Ennis, Dingle to name a few. Just had a quick look at a map and seen where Cranfield is and think I may have passed close to it on a several occasions. I will make a point of staying in the area when I am next over. Although I don’t have an address it will be nice to walk the area and think about my ancestors and what made some move to Scotland and some to Pensilvania where they all died in the great flood of Johnstown.

Once again Ann Marie, thank you so much.

Kind Regards

Tony Dance

Tony.dance1@nt…

Tony,

The marriage is in the RC parish register for Knockbride, for May 10th 1867. Townland appears to be Corravilla, but I am not 100% sure of that.

https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000634882#page/38/mode/1up

It doesn’t appear that the marriage was notified to the civil registrar (which did happen in the early days of civil registration) which is a shame as obviously some information is lost.

Tithe applotment records for 1833 list a John Bell and a James Bell both farming in Cranfield, Co. Antrim.  Griffiths Valuation for 1862 lists a James Bell in Cranfield. He had plot 12, a 13 acre farm. No sign of John which fits with a death in the 1840s. (You have Edward’s father dying in 1840, some years before his birth, which doesn’t seem to be right. Anne Marie’s baptism in  July 1844 suggests the father was still alive in  around October 1843 anyway). Bell family grave might be in Cranfield graveyard. Failing which, try Cargin.

Some Bell probate abstracts from the PRONI wills site:

Letters of Administration of the personal estate of Charles Bell late of Creggan County Antrim Farmer deceased who died 12 February 1879 at same place were granted at Belfast to James Bell of Cranfield (Randalstown) same County Farmer a Brother of said deceased.

Probate of the Will of John Bell late of Cranfield County Antrim Farmer who died 12 October 1910 granted at Belfast to William Gribbin Farmer and John Duffin Publican.

Bell Hugh of Cranfield Randalstown county Antrim farmer died 25 January 1959 at the Massereene Hospital Antrim county Antrim Probate Belfast 11 March to Charles Gribben retired school teacher and William Gribben pig dealer. Effects £696 3s.

1901 census:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Cranfield/Cranf…

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

 

Hi Elwyn,

I am blown away by both Anne Marie’s and your generosity in sharing your expertise and time with me. Thank you so much. I am not at all skilled in tracing ancestors via the multitude of sites. However with the things you have uncovered for me I feel I owe it to my family, living and past, to follow these nuggets of information and see where it leads me. 

Once again thank you for your help and generosity it really does mean a lot to me.

Kind Regards

Tony Dance

Tony.dance1@nt…

Hi Tony, only stumbled on this today. If you are related to the Bells of Cranfield Randalstown Co Antrim I can give you some info as that is where I live. The old Bell family home is now in ruins and there are no longer any direct descendants in the immediate area.of Hugh Bell, the last of the local Bells, is remembered by some older local people. Paddy

pgmcateer@gmail.com

Hi Paddy,  I’m so sorry for not replying sooner but I have just seen your post today 24th August 19. I have not logged onto this site since 2018. Thank you for takeing the time to write to me. I was trawling through graveyard records and so referred to Irelandxo to see what dates previous members had given me and that’s when I found your post. I would be really most grateful for any information you have on the Bell family history, especially the location of the family home in Cranfield. All I know is that two brothers had a small holding “Plot 12” but I have no idea where that would have been. I’m I nterested in finding out any info on what life would have been like for people of Cranfield. Talk about a co-incidence I was only looking at flights to Belfast from East Midlands or Birmingham yesterday. I was going to stay in Belfast for a couple of nights and have a trip out to Cranfield and Randalstown for a look around and try a few local pubs. Ryanair strike stopped me. Thanks again Paddy, I’m probably a bit too excited but will logon every day from now on. Sláinte

 

 

 

 

Tony.dance1@nt…

Hi tony. No problem about the delay. If you can make your way to Randalstown I’d be happy to show you around Cranfield and the ruins of the house where Hugh bell lived and anything thing else I can do. If you want to email me ( pgmcateer@gmail.com) i’ll Send you a photo of the ruins. Regards, paddy

pgmcateer@gmail.com

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