Hello, I am researching a family tree for a friend and have found her Great Grand parents John Moffatt and Mary Rooney, who apparently were born in Ireland, which is according to the 1881 English census all living in Yorkshire at the time. That unfortunately is all the data I have. I have tried searching for these two with no success.
Thanks very much.
Peter,
If you have found John & Mary in the 1881 census, perhaps you could give us their ages, and details of who else they were living with?
Thanks, sorry it was the 1891 census, copy attached. You can see that it shows John Moffatt snr borth about 1837, Mary born about 1845.
I have the birth certificate for John Jnr that shows his parents as John and Mary Rooney. John Jnr was born Jun 12 1878.
I qm unaware who the others are in the household.
I think John & Mary married in Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, Apr – Jun 1867 Volume 7a, page 203. That certificate should give the couples fathers’ names and occupations which may help get back a little further. If they met in England, then of course they may well come from different parts of Ireland.
There are no birth certificates in Ireland prior to 1864 so you’ll be reliant on church records. So I need to know their denomination. I’d guess Mary was RC but Moffatt in Ireland is often a Protestant name, so he might not necessarily also be Catholic. Do you know what precise denomination he was?
If either was still alive in England in 1911, check that census. In that particular year people often put more than “Ireland” as their place of birth. You sometimes get a town or parish.
Thanks very much will get back to you.
John and Mary were my GG Grandparents. Both died in Denaby South Yorkshire in 1910. My G G Gomersall was their second daughter Margaret ( Maggie) other kids were Mary eldest, Catherine then Ellen then John as stated born 1878. Mary and Ellen’s married names were both Prendergast.
I’m trying to hunt their birthplaces as we speak. I have both Dads names Patsy Moffatt and John Rooney. I think John ended up in Leicester with his wife Margaret.
I can see Mary Moffitt born 1868 Ashby de la Zouch then Margaret Moffatt born 1870; Catherine 1872, Ellen 1875, all in Wakefield. Then John in Doncaster 1876. (Source is GRO Southport).
Thanks Elwyn. Just trying to work out where John and Mary were from. Not necessarily the same place. I’ve always presumed John was working at Whitwick Colliery when he met Mary Rooney. I’ve also presumed ( I bet wrongly ) that Mary’s family were in Leicester ( I found a John and Margaret Rooney there) living on Green Street. Who knows.