Hi, I’m trying to find information on Robert Lavery. Im led to believe he was born around 1913. He also had 4 daughters and 1 son with Jeannie Dornan/Lavery. In 1946/1947 I presumed he lived in the Carrickfergus area as that is where one of his daughters were baptised. Im also aware he was a seaman in the Merchant Navy. Robert is known to be deceased in late 1963, so could have been prior to this.
Any help would be hugely appreciated. Thank you
Robert & Jeannie married in Belfast on 4.11.1933. You can view their marriage certificate on-line for £2.50 on the GRONI site. You will need to register and buy a few credits. The reference is:
M/1933/B1/560/2/75
If you let me know Robert & Jeannie’s fathers’ names, occupations and their addresses in 1933, I’ll see if I can trace back a bit for you.
Looking at deaths in NI between 1947 and 1963 the only likely Robert Lavery death was on 31.3.1947 aged 33, registered in Belfast. Again you can view that on the GRONI site for £2.50. There were quite a few others but they were much older or much younger than your man born c 1913.
SupermanJnr:
You did not provide parents names but the first record at this link could be your Robert https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/files/civil/birth_returns/births_1913/01434/1588028.pdf
We do not have online access to Northern Ireland civil events after 1921. You will have to contact the Public Records Office for Northern Ireland (PRONI) https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/public-record-office-northern-ireland-proni for a marriage and/or death record.
Roger McDonnell
SupermanJr,
If the birth Roger has found in 1913 is correct then this is the same family in the 1911 census:
Belfast Telegraph of 4th July 1938 reported Jim Lavery of Irish Quarter South in Carrickfergus helped save the life of a boy - John Wright - who had fallen into the harbour.
Larne Times of 8th Oct 1942 reported that Patrick Lavery of Irish Quarter South had been in Carrickfergus Magistrates Court for disorderly conduct. Fined 2/6. He was in the same paper on 9th Dec 1943, this time in court for riding his bicycle at night with no lights. Quite the recidivist.
Belfast Newsletter of 6th Feb 1930 reported a civil case involving Robert Lavery and his son Charles, both of Irish Quarter South. It hinged around a quantity of fruit that Patrick Collins, fruit merchant, had not been paid for. Court ruled in favour of Mr Collins.
Ballymena Weekly Telegraph of 22nd Feb 1941 reported that Catherine Lavery of Irish Quarter South had been fined 5 shillings for not observing the wartime blackout regulations properly.
Belfast Telegraph 11th April 1940 reported the death of Robert Lavery (wife of Catherine) on 10th April 1940. 24 Irish Quarter South. Burial in Prospect Cemetery, Carrickfergus.
You could ask PRONI to look up the 1939 Register for 24 Irish Quarter South to see who was living there at that time. (The service is free).
Without a marriage record which might identify Jeannie's father. I found this record on RootsIreland (paid subscription). I have found nothing else on Ancestry or RootsIreland.
| Name: | Jennie Dornan | Date of Birth: | 22-Dec-1913 | |||
| Registration Date: | 26-Dec-1913 | |||||
| Address: | 12 Coolderry St | Parish/District: | URBAN 4, BELFAST | |||
| Gender: | Female | County | Co. Antrim | |||
| Denomination: | Civil Parish / District | |||||
| Father: | Thomas Dornan | Mother: | Eliza Boyd | |||
| Occupation: | Labourer | |||||
| Sponsor 1 / | Informant 1: | Thomas Dornan | 12 Coolderry St | Sponsor 2 / | Informant 2: | |
| Notes: | ||||||
ASSISTANT REGISTRAR A MORRISON.
SupermanJr,
A possibility- In 1911 census there was an Lavery family living in Antrim. Joseph, the father, was a rifleman in WWI. He was killed during battle in 1914. His pension record shows a son, Robert Joseph, born in 1912. He might not be your Robert who died in 1963.
1911 census
| Lavery | Joseph | 36 | Male | Head of Family | Roman Catholic | County Antrim | Labourer Dock | Rd and write | - | Married | - | 9 | 3 | 2 |
| Lavery | Catherine | 34 | Female | Wife | Roman Catholic | Co Antrim | Domestic House Etc | Rd and write | - | Married | - | 9 | 3 | 2 |
| Lavery | Catherine | 2 | Female | Daughter | R C | Belfast | - | Cannot read | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Lavery | Mary | 1 | Female | Daughter | R C | Belfast | - | Cannot read | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Lavery | Mary Anne | 72 | Female | Relative | R C | Co Antrim | - | Cannot read | - | Widow |
@@@@@@@@@@@
WWI Pension Ledger
| Name | Joseph Lavery |
| Gender | Male |
| Rank | Rifleman |
| Record Type | Military |
| Death Date | 27 Oct 1914 |
| Service Number | 2728 |
| Corps, Regiment or Unit | Royal Irish Rifles |
| Title | WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers |
| Description | Other Ranks Died Lathbury A-Lavis H |
| Reference Number | 12/W/571 |
| Next of Kin (Name)Relation to Soldier | |
| Joseph Lavery | |
| Catherine Lavery | Widow |
| Catherine Lavery | Child |
| Mary Josephine. Lavery | Child |
| Robert Joseph Lavery Birth 22 July 1912 | Child |
@@@@
| Name | Joseph Lavery |
| Birth Place | Shankill, Co. Antrim |
| Death Date | 27 Oct 1914 |
| Death Place | France and Flanders |
| Enlistment Place | Belfast |
| Rank | Rifleman |
| Regiment | Royal Irish Rifles |
| Battalion | 2nd Battalion |
| Regimental Number | 8728 |
| Type of Casualty | Killed in action |
| Theatre of War | Western European Theatre |
| Other Records | Search for 'Joseph RoyalIrishRifles' in other WWI collections |
| War Diaries (France, Belgium, Germany) | Search for 'Royal Irish Rifles P152S110' in other WWI collections |
| War Diaries (Gallipoli) | Search for 'Royal Irish Rifles P152S110' in other WWI collections |
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Relooking at the information I provided, the birth Roger presented makes more sense.
Mary
Marriage of Robert Lavery and Catherine Doghtery
Record from Irish genealogy- click on record image
Irish Genealogy - Explore your Family History
| Party 1 Name: | Robert Lavery |
| Party 2 Name: | Catherine Dogherty |
| Date of Event: | 23/11/1905 |
| Group Registration ID: | 2059688 |
| SR District/Reg Area: | Larne |
| Image path: | marriage_returns\marriages_1905\10180\5703979.tif |
| View record image |
1901 Census, Robert's family
| Lavery | Alice | 17 | Female | Daughter | R Catholic | Belfast | Flax Spinner | Read and write | - | Not Married | - |
| Lavery | Patrick | 41 | Male | Head of Family | R Catholic | Londonderry | Coach Painter | Read and write | - | Married | - |
| Lavery | Robert | 16 | Male | Son | R Catholic | Belfast | Apprentice Painter | Read and write | - | Not Married | - |
| Lavery | Charles | 12 | Male | Son | R Catholic | Belfast | Scholar | Read and write | - | Not Married | - |
| Lavery | Catherine | 41 | Female | Wife | R Catholic | Belfast | Flax Spinner | Read and write | - | Married |
@@@@@@@@@@
Another sister of Robert born in 1913
Irishgenealogy
| Name: | Alice Lavery |
| Date of Birth: | 20 May 1915 |
| Group Registration ID: | 575269 |
| SR District/Reg Area: | Larne |
| Sex: | Female |
| Mother's Birth Surname: | Doherty |
| View record image |
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Maybe Patrick and Catherines' son Charles from 1901 Census
| Name: | Charles Lavery |
| Year of Birth: | 1889 |
| Group Registration ID: | 8475942 |
| SR District/Reg Area: | Belfast |
| Mother's Birth Surname: | Null |
| View record image |
Unfortunately I don’t have any other records. I had no idea to the father, until I ordered a marriage certificate of one of Robert’s daughters stating his name, and occupation. I also have no other records of Jeannie, except her children (whom was all born in Ireland as far as I’m aware) and her grave in Lancashire, England but that is under a different surname. I feel at a complete loss with it all, like my research has hit multiple brick walls.
SupermanJr,
I suggest you look at the 1933 Lavery-Dornan marriage and let us know what information it contains. That’s the first step in identifying the family with any certainty.
I’ve looked at the 1933 marriage, and there is a high possibility that this could be the Robert Lavery, and Jeannie Dornan that I am looking at finding more information about.