where might I find any information about a possible childrens home/orphanage that might have existed in the Lisneski area in the 1930's. My brother, born out of wedlock, was a possibly lodged in some sort of facility during the mid to late 1930's. Any help would be appreciated.
I can’t see anywhere in Ireland named Lisneski. Did you mean Lisnaskea in Co. Fermanagh?
Do you have your brother’s birth certificate? If so, where and when was he born?
Hello Elwyn,
Thank you for your reply. Apologies for the spelling error, you are right, Lisnaskea in Co Fermanagh is where my mothers family originated from and I am assuming that my mother gave birth to my brother in or around this area. Thats my assumption . After his birth he was left with an aunt and my mother moved to England. From the little I know from past family he was at some stage moved to a home or possibly a religious institution. Francis was born in June 1932, that's when we always celebrated his birthday. My mother married my father (jeannie or Jean) in 1939 at which stage Francis would have been around 7 years of age and then in 1945 he was adopted by my farther when he came to England to become a permanant member of our family. I do have a copy of his adoption papers. Francis passed away several years ago and according to his three children there where no old records or paper work left behind in his effects. I am not sure where to start trying to find a record of his birth. or where he might have lived after he left his aunts. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your consideration
Don Chambers
Don,
If you are looking for Francis birth certificate, and he was born near Lisnaskea in 1932, then it ought to be held by GRONI in Belfast. Birth records within the last 100 years are not on-line. They are available to the public but not on-line. If you live near Belfast you can search them in GRONI or PRONI if you go in person. If not, you would need to contact GRONI and ask them to search for you. (There might be a search fee). Contact details for ringing or e-mailing GRONI:
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/contacts-az/general-register-office-northern-ireland
(I am not sure what service they are offering during the Covid restraints).
Looking at the 1911 census for Fermanagh there were 86 people named Farry. All were RC, so I assume that was your ancestor's denomination. The only Jane/Jean in 1911 in the county was this:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Fermanagh/Ely/Brackagh/514456/
Brackagh’s on the far side of Enniskillen and not near Lisnaskea but given she was working as a servant we don't know where she was born in the county. I searched for other Janes/Jeans born after that but did not find any. There was a Jane Farry born in Omagh registration area (Co. Tyrone) on 23.10.1911 but I did not see any others after that up to 1919 anywhere in Northern Ireland.
If Frances wasn’t adopted until 1945 in England then the arrangements for his care in Ireland in the 1930s must have been informal. (So possibly no records survive). Often these were family arrangements, whereby a family member took responsibility for the child. Frequently a sister or aunt of the mother, who was willing to take another child into her family. Worst case scenario was the workhouse. Lisnaskea workhouse closed in 1940 when the inmates were transferred to Enniskillen workhouse. The surviving records are held in PRONI in Belfast but my understanding is that they are closed under the 100 year rule. However it is possible to make an FOI application if you are closely related. If information is released then you usually get redacted details.
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Lisnaskea/
Alternatively the church may have been involved. You could try contacting the RC parochial offices for Enniskillen and Aghalurcher to see if they can suggest where someone might have been placed. Lisnaskea itself is in Aghalurcher parish but I see quite a few Farrys in Lisbellaw (a few miles from Lisnaskea) in 1911 which is in Enniskillen parish.
Hello Elwyn,
Thank you for your information which has certainly helped me about where to start looking. You say that you found a Jane Farry born in Omagh registration area on the 23/10/1911. That was my mothers birthday. I have been in touch with GRONI in Belfast and I am still waiting for a reply. Hopefully they will be able to assist, I certainly hope so.
Once again Elwyn, thank you for your assistence
Don.
PS. Whilst I would love to visit Irelad again, living in New Zealand makes it a bit of a journey. But one never knows
Here’s a link to Jane Farry’s birth in 1911:
Her parents in the 1911 census:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tyrone/Carryglass/Carryglass/871490/