Ireland XO
Back to Message Board

Hugh and Eliza Long Thornton Death Records

Thanks for all you do to help find our Irish Families.

I am trying to locate the death records of my 4th great-grandparents, Hugh and Eliza Long Thornton. I have searched IrishGenealogy.ie, the NLI Church records, but nothing is listed. They belonged to the Parish of Saint Nicholas (Without). Now, Francis Street parish. Their children, Charles, Edward, Richard, and others were baptized at Saint Nicholas. Edward Joseph Thornton, my 3rd great-grandfather, was baptized on 27 April 1828.

I am *assuming* they lived in the Liberties section of Dublin. Hugh Thornton, I am fairly certain, was a haberdasher. Their deaths would have occurred sometime between 1860-1890.

Any guidance is greatly appreciated.

We were in Dublin in September 2021 and we are returning late November 2023

Greg Thornton

gregthornton1225@gmail.com

gregthornton12…

5 replies

Hello Greg,

As you likely know, civil death records started in 1864, so if Hugh and Eliza died before then, there would be no record.

You might  look for an obituary or death notice at irishnewsarchive.com.

Sometimes churches kept death or burial records. If they were buried in the parish graveyard related to St. Nicholas Church, the church may have records.

I hope this is helpful.

glanvil3@aol.com

If you use Ancestry, it shows several public member trees for the Thornton family. There is one that says Hugh died 1865 and Eliza 1870, but I don't see supporting documents.

 

glanvil3@aol.com

Thanks, Patricia, very much. Some of those Ancestry trees are ones I have accounts for and those few others, I think used that information. I am not at all sure they are correct and wrote "possible" alongside the entries.

We have been to St.Nicholas, but, I surely don't remember a parish graveyard there.

I will look into the irishnewsarchive.com

Great thanks,

Greg Thornton

 

gregthornton12…

I found a burial of a Hugh Thornton in 1865 in Glasnevin cemetery, possibly the source of the 1865 death on those trees, the reported age is 60 and the location is "North Brunswick st." - this address is Northside of the city, Francis street is Southside.

The website for Glasnevin is www.dctrust.ie , with a few credits you could access the full record, unfortunately the early burials do not give much detail.

The mention of North Brunswick Street is a clue - it was the location of a complex of buildings including an Asylum, several Hospitals and the North Dublin Union Workhouse. A check of the Workhouse Admission registers on FindMyPast show a likely match for this Hugh Thornton - first admitted in 1864 with an address at Tenter Lane to the South Dublin Workhouse at James' Street, discharged in October 1864, and in February 1865 with an address at Mary's Lane and admitted to the North Dublin Workhouse. In both cases he is noted as Catholic, a widower, born c1800 and occupation Currier - i.e. involved in the Tanning industry - so possibly not your Hugh....

The North Dublin Workhouse record ends with a note that this Hugh died on the 6th of March 1865.

By the mid 1850s most burials took place in the 'new' cemeteries on the outskirts of the city as the old city graveyards were closed. Most Catholic parishes did not keep death/burial records, and in most cases the Catholic churches in the city did not have attached graveyards.

 

 

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

Shane,

   Thank you very much for your reply and for all of this information. Regarding Hugh Thornton, I did find the record you cited when I searched the Dublin Cemeteries Site, though when I accessed that information the address for Hugh Thornton DOD 1865 was not listed . Thank you for that. I also found the Workhouse record for Hugh Thornton noted as Catholic, a widower and a Currier. I am grateful for the address confirmation you listed.

He may very well have been a Currier as his sons and grandsons were in the clothing and haberdashery industries.

I did find an Elizabeth Thornton buried in Glasnevin, as well, in the year 1870, listed as living on Great Britain Street, which I believe is on the North side (Now Parnell Street, I believe). But Hugh, being a widower in 1865, and this Elizabeth Thornton, being 76 at her death, indicates they would not be a couple.

I have contacted the Church of Saint Nicholas in the hope that they may have some information.

Again, great thanks.

Greg Thornton

gregthornton1225@gmail.com

gregthornton12…

Reply

Reply
One image file up to 2 MB.