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Great Grandfather born Magheragall

Hello everyone. I have posted before about my great grandfather, Joseph Thompson. However, I have still not got any further with this brick wall and am appealing for your help once again. 
Having had another look at his RN attestation papers, they mention he was born in Magheragall, Lisburn. (July 1854), Antrim. 
I have been concentrating entirely on Magheragall and wonder now if I should have been searching for his birth records in Lisburn. 
I know Magheragall is a parish but I believe was a township as well. Lisburn I know is now a city. Back in 1854 would it have been in Magheragall parish or was the township of Magheragall in the parish of Lisburn.  I have to admit getting very confused with Ireland parishes and wonder if anyone can help.  Thank you. 

OliveB

6 replies

OliveB,

Magheragall is a parish of 15 townlands. It is near Lisburn but quite separate to it (it’s in the parish of Blaris).

You haven’t said what denomination your ancestor was. That’s important to know to ensure you search the correct records.  If he was Church of Ireland (ie Anglican) then Magheragall has records from 1776 onward (with some gaps). Rootsireland has some years on it’s website but to check comprehensively you would need to look them up in PRONI.

Methodist baptisms for Magheragall start in 1827. They are not on-line so far as I am aware and a trip to PRONI would be required to check them.

Magheragall Presbyterian church has no baptisms for the 1850s so if he was baptised there sadly you won’t find any record.

The RC records start in 1840 but are not on-line. The parish appears to hold the only copy.

Griffiths lists about 12 Thompson households in Magheragall in 1860.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you for your prompt reply Elwyn. 
 

I live in England and there’s no way I can get to Ireland at the moment, although it is on my list of places to go. 
I will have a look at Roots Ireland.  Do I actually have to go to PRONI in person or is anything on line? 
 

My thinking is that Joseph was Church of Ireland but really the only substantiation for this is the fact that he was married in an Anglican Church in England.  Some years ago I contacted Magheragall church but the only baptism record about that time was for a Francis Thompson. 

 

What I don’t understand is why Joseph would have written on his RN papers his place of birth as Magheragall, Lisburn, Antrim.  The question was state the town, parish and county. 

Any other thoughts would be gratefully received. It does help to have someone else’s views

Thank you

Olive

 

 

OliveB

Olive,

Yes you have to go to PRONI if you want to view their records. If you are unable to go yourself, you could employ a researcher. Researchers in the PRONI area: http://sgni.net

Some Magheragall Church of Ireland records are on rootsireland (it doesn’t say what years). The Methodist records are almost certainly not on-line.

He probably gave Lisburn as part of his address as it is a major town. Magheragall is a little known rural area and on it’s own may not have meant anything.

What was Joseph’s father’s name and occupation (from the English marriage certificate)?

 

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

His name was William Thompson, Mechanic. I’ve found plenty of William’s but mostly farmers. No mechanics. 
I’m leaning towards Joseph’s mother being a Gillespie as one of Joseph’s children was named George Gillespie Thompson. 
I have found a marriage, in Lisburn registry office for a William Thompson and Prudence Gillespie, living in Anahilt. 1853. 
I have now joined Roots Ireland and found a baptism record for a William Thompson - May 1855 - parents William, mother surname of Gillispie.  Loughaghry Presbyterian which I see is in Anahilt.  I know Anahilt isn’t far from Magheragall.   Long shot I know - but is it possible Joseph was named after his father and down the line he called himself Joseph. I know this happened a lot back then. 
 

 

OliveB

Farmer to mechanic seems a strange career move to me.

William Thompson who married Prudence Gillespie lived in Ballymurphy. His father was also a William. This looks to be that father’s death in 1873 aged 52, when he was still a farmer, not a mechanic.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1873/020691/7259871.pdf

The Valuation revision records on the PRONI site show the farm (plot 25 – 8 acres) changed to "reps of Wm Gillespie" in 1874 and then to John Gillespie in 1876.

This might be Margaret’s death in Kilcorig, Magheragall in 1884. Informant was her son William. (Margery/Margaret are interchangeable).

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1873/020691/7259871.pdf

So where was your William living in 1884? If outside Ireland then this may not be your family.

 

Prudence Thompson died at Ballymurphy in 1871 aged 37:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_retu…

The only William Thompson in Magheragall in Griffiths, in 1862, was a small farmer on plot 13 in Kilcorig. He had plot 13 which was 5 acres.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Hello Elwyn

Thank you for that information.   I did find 2 other William’s who were in Magheragall at the time of their marriage. One who Married Margery Belshaw - she was from Kilcorig and another marriage to Elizabeth Walsh, living in Hillsborough Parish but at the time William lived in Magheragall. 

I have quite a few DNA matches with Walsh on their tree but also quite a lot with Gillespie on their tree. Some have Thompson as well. 
I just can’t stop wondering why Joseph would have called his son George Gillespie if there was no family connection. 
The other ‘spanner in the works’ is that on Joseph’s RN attestation papers he father has signed himself as Joseph Thompson. That could have been confusion on his part of course or was his actual name Joseph William?  
The whole thing really is a mystery. 

in answer to your question, at the moment in time I have no idea where William was when he died, or when he died, because I don’t know which William I’m looking at.

I guess I need to be looking at all Williams and their deaths and see if there is any connection?

Kind regards , Olive
 

 

OliveB

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