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researching Bradley and McWilliams in Bancran Glebe

Ballynascreen (Derry)

My gg grandmother, I believe, came from Bancran Glebe. Her name was Bridgit McWilliams.  Records indicate that she married John Bradley in 1855 and they raised their children in Bancran Glebe. Their last child was baptized in 1873. The next record I could find on the family was the 1901 census which shows 4 of their children still living together in a house in that townland. I'm trying to determine if she and her husband died by the time of that census or if they emmigrated to the US with some of their other children. Does anyone know what cemetery was used by the residents of Bancran Glebe? Also, which school they used (the census indicates they could read and write) and which church. When I visited Ireland several years ago, I was told the name Bradley indicates they were from England, so it surprises me that they were Roman Catholic and living on a RC churchland. Any insights on that would be appreciated as well.   

con@pa.metrocast.net

34 replies

Connie,

The following is from the Surnames of Ireland by Dr. Edward MacLysaght:  Third Edition 1978

BRADLEY - Though this is an English name it is seldom of English origin in Ireland where it is a synonym of O'Brallaghan

(O) BRALLAGHAN - O Brollachain (from Brollach, and old Irish personal name presumably derived from brollach, breast).

Mainly Derry, Tyrone and Donegal. There is a Cork branch which is called Bradley

Regards,

McCoy

There is a record of John Bradley’s marriage to Bridget McWilliams on 20.2.1855 in Ballinascreen parish. They were cousins (3rd degree of consanguinity).

https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000632987#page/151/mode/1up

I searched for death for John & Bridget Bradley in Ireland. I found this for Bridget in 1885 showing she was a widow then:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1885/06281/4799750.pdf

Informant was her daughter Margaret.

I don’t see a death for John Bradley that definitely fits.  I assume this is the family in the 1901 census:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Londonderry/Bancran/Boncran_Glebe/1543159/

The Valuation revision records on the PRONI website show John Bradley on plot 59a in Bancran Glebe. It changed from John to Bridget in 1880, and to reps of Bridget in 1890, then to Laurence in 1897. So that points to John dying around 1880.

I don’t know for certain which school the family would have attended but there was a school in Bancran so that seems the most likely. It’s records don’t appear to have survived. (The old school appears to be a B & B now). PRONI have attendance records for 3 in the parish of Ballinascreen: Moneyeena National, Sixtown National and St Eugene’s aka Carnamoney National. The records are not on-line and so a personal visit is required to view them. (Or you might get a researcher to do that for you).

The nearest chapel looks to be Straw, and it has a graveyard, so I’d search there first for family graves. The parochial office or the Ballinascreen Historical Society might also be able to help.

https://ballinascreenhistoricalsociety.com

Bridget’s will is on the PRONI wills site. She left the farm to Laurence and asked her executors to give the rest of the family what they judged to be their respective share.

The Will of Bridget Bradley late of Bancran County Londonderry Widow who died 17 July 1885 at same place was proved at Londonderry by James Reid of Bancran Farmer one of the Executors.

Other probate abstracts for Bradleys from Bancran Glebe:

Probate of the Will of James Bradley late of Bancran County Londonderry Farmer who died 3 April 1901 granted at Londonderry to Charles M'Kenna Schoolmaster.

Probate of the Will of George Bradley late of Bancran, Co. Londonderry, who died 20 June 1919, granted at Londonderry 11 February 1920 to Dan Kelly, Farmer. Effects: £24 0s 0d.

Bradley Mary of Bancran Draperstown county Londonderry spinster died 10 July 1931 Administration W/A (limited) Londonderry 28 June to Lawrence Bradley farmer. Effects £10. Limited Grant.

Bradley Rose Ann of Bancran county Londonderry died 18 December 1945 at the Mater Hospital Belfast Administration Belfast 8 March to Thomas Bradley farmer the husband. Effects £104 5s. 8d.

Bradley James of Bancran Draperstown county Londonderry farmer died 23 November 1949 at Gransha Mental Hospital Londonderry Administration Londonderry 20 September to Brigid Bradley spinster. Effects £143 15s.

Bradley Mary of Bancran Draperstown county Londonderry spinster died 10 July 1931 Administration W/A (limited) Londonderry 28 June to Lawrence Bradley farmer. Effects £10. Limited Grant.

The above probate files are not on-line but should be in PRONI. They will copy them for a fee or you can go in person and view them free.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Oh my heavens!, Thank you both so much for all this information, I’m sure it’s going to be very helpful in my quest

con@pa.metrocast.net

My Aunt visited Ireland and identified the property at 59 Bancran Glebe as where my gg grandfather Laurence Bradley lived with his wife Ann Quigley.

I am unsure how she identified they lived there. I checked the proni records and Laurence Bradley lived next door to John Bradley in 1859. And thereis a 59+59a Bancran Glebe. But I am unsure of how they were related. It looks like by 1880 Laurence Bradley and his children were gone and the whole of the property went to John, then Bridget and then their son Laurence. 

I am at a brick wall, so any help would be appreciated... And I would love to know if we are related Connie 

Ann Quigley and Laurence Bradley were married 25 Dec 1862. 
Their children were born in Bancran, Draperstown, Ireland. 
John Bradley born 6 Oct 1864 
Mary Bradley born 12 Apr 1866 
William Bradley born 26 Jul 1867
Elizabeth Bradley born 19 Mar 1869 
Patrick Bradley born 3 Mar 1872
Katherine Bradley born 12 April 1877 (my great grandmother)
Edward Laurence Bradley born 18 Aug 1878 
Agnes Bradley born 18 Apr 1880
 

soraya

Soraya,

You ask how your aunt was able to say that she had found the Bradley farm (plot 59). The answer is likely to be from the maps attached to the Griffiths website which show where each property was. There is a slider bar in the top right hand corner which allows you to overlay a modern map, and also an option to look at the area using a satellite image.

As you say, Griffiths (1859) shows Laurence on 59a and John Bradley on 59b. They each had a house but were farming the land together (23 acres and 5 perches). They presumably had a joint lease.

Looking at the maps today, 59a is shown clearly. It’s at the bottom of the townland near a small burn. 59b is not marked on the map but was obviously within the boundary of 59. 59a looks derelict to me with no signs of anyone living there in recent years. There is a shed or barn and some walls. You would need to walk over 2 fields to get to it. Access looks possible from Glengomna Lane.

The Valuation Revision records on the PRONI site take Griffiths forward. They show that John Bradley’s farmhouse changed to Anne Bradley in 1880 (suggesting he had died) and her name was deleted by 1902 with the property being marked as “down” ie it had collapsed. The plot was then occupied by Laurence Bradley with a note saying “waste” indicating nothing was standing.

Laurence junior in 1901:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Londonderry/Bancran/Boncran_Glebe/1543159/

This looks like Ann Bradley’s death in 1884, aged 54. She was a widow. Informant was her daughter Mary.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1884/06318/4811960.pdf

I don’t see a death for John Bradley. Can’t assist in how John Bradley was related to Laurence (senior) but evidently there was a connection if Laurence (junior)  acquired the site after Anne’s death. There were several other Bradley families living nearby in the townland so some of them may be related too, though finding out how may prove challenging.

In the 1831 census there were 11 Bradley households in Bancran Glebe. This may be Laurence senior. In 1831 his household consisted of 3 people, 2 males and 1 female.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1831/Londonderry/Loughinshollin/Ballynascreen/Bancran/51/

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Do I understand it correctly that Bancran Glebe was land owned by the Roman Catholic Church which leased plots out to farmers who then farmed the land to support the church and their family. When the person on the lease died they could specify in their will who would take over the lease. If I have that understanding right, it would be the records of plot 59 from the early 1800's that might be helpful. Correct?

Connie

 

con@pa.metrocast.net

Connie,

A glebe is normally church land. Given to a clergyman to increase his income.  Bancran Glebe was not owned by the Roman Catholic church, but by the Church of Ireland (Episcopalian). As you say, they then leased it to local tenant farmers.

Precisely what happened when someone died could depend on the exact terms in the lease. There were leases that expired when the tenant died, but in most cases the farmer was free to say in his/her will what was to happened to their farm. It could be passed to family or it could be put up for sale. (With it being leasehold, what was being offered for sale was the unexpired portion of the lease – which might contain a clause allowing a renewal in appropriate circumstances and so offering security of tenure – plus the crops in the ground, animals, tools and other equipment, stored seed and often  the contents of the farmhouse and outbuildings.)

The plot numbers were allocated by Griffiths Valuation clerks in the mid 1800s, so won’t be found in any earlier documents.

PRONI hold some documents relating to Buncran Glebe that may relate to your families. For example:

D3666/C/2A

20 March 1883-18 January 1887

One of a number of documents, comprising copy memorials, affidavits, Equity Court orders, conveyance etc. Relating to a mortgage and purchase of land in the townland of Owenreagh. Parties are Robert Graham, Owenreagh, plaintiff, and Dominick McWilliams, townland of Bancran Glebe, parish of Ballynascreen, Co. Londonderry, defendant.

The Registry of Deeds records might also contain leases of legal documents relating to the families. Those records are on FamilySearch but can be a bit fiddly to search. Search the indexes under the townland and look for your surnames. That gives you a reference number for each document which you then have to look up.  Often quite lengthy documents written in legalese but they tend to be formulaic and are fairly easy to follow once you work out the format.

 

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

thank you elwyn for that information. And yes Soraya it does appear that we are most likely related to some degree. If I run across any information on Laurence and Ann in my search I'll be sure to post it here for you

 

con@pa.metrocast.net

Sorry for my delayed reply. Thank you so much for the information.

I found a death entry for Laurence Bradley in 1885. That death entry said he was a widower.

I rechecked the records and found an Ann Bradley of Bancran who had died in childbirth in 1883. Their baby, Ann, also died and is the next death entry. I checked the birth records and the baby Ann was the daughter of Ann (nee) Quigley and Laurence Bradley. 

So the Ann that moved into John's house maybe a sister or mother of Laurence and John, but not my Laurence's wife.

At the time of Laurence's passing the youngest known child, Agnes, was 5years old - so it is unclear where the children went. 

...

Nothing has come up in my research regarding a John Bradley m Bridget McWIlliams yet, nor in my dad's DNA - but in that area Bradley is a very very common name. I am working on the theory that your John and my Laurence were brothers. So I will keep looking.  

...

My Aunt took a photo of the house when she visited and I managed to get a copy, so thought you may like to see it Connie - it should be attached below.

Soraya

soraya

Thank you Soraya for the picture, it's very interesting to see what their homes looked like. If it's of any help to know as you do your research, the info on my gg grandparents is as follows: John Bradley m Bridgit McWilliams February 20, 1855. The baptismal records of their children are as follows:

Susan - December 30, 1855

Mary - July 10, 1857

Margaret - June 5 1860

Alice - September 15, 1862 (my g grandmother)

Ann - August 30, 1864

Rose - December 17, 1866

Laurence - November 25, 1870

Catherine - January 15, 1873

con@pa.metrocast.net

Is it unusual for people to have lived/farmed on a church land that supports clergy of the church of ireland when they themselves were members of the roman catholic church?

con@pa.metrocast.net

Connie,

Nothing unusual about that at all. All the population with any land had to pay tithes to the Church of Ireland regardless of what denomination they were, or indeed if they were of no faith. As you might imagine, paying tithes to a church you weren’t a member of was deeply unpopular but it was quite common across Europe, not just in Ireland. Latterly in Ireland it was the landlord who paid the tithes, not the tenant, and the practice of collecting tithes stopped altogether in the 1850s when the Church of Ireland was dis-established.

There was considerable resistance to paying tithes to the Church of Ireland and not just by Catholics. Presbyterians and similar dissenting denominations objected too. There were some minor uprisings and protests eg:

https://www.encyclopedia.com/international/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/tithe-war-1830-1838

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Very interesting Elwyn. Thank you so much for that information/understanding.

con@pa.metrocast.net

I am still unable to locate birth or baptism records for John Bradley, Brigid McWilliams, or Laurence Bradley, Ann Quigley (which would be around the 1840's, maybe 1830's for John) ...

DNA seems to indicate relatives all around the foothills of the Sperrin Mountains ....

I would really like to figure their parents and/or family line

Has anyone else had any luck or ideas where to look?

thanks in advance ...

soraya

Connie,

I probably should have mentioned in my reply that the Church of Ireland owned huge chunks of land. The land was taken off the Catholic church by King Henry VIII in the 1500s when he dissolved the monasteries and it was given to the newly created Church of Ireland. As a result many tenants were paying rent to the Church of Ireland. As is probably still the case today. 

If you think about modern life, landlords for big blocks of flats are often financial institutions like banks or insurance companies. In Co Derry a lot of the land was owned by London Livery companies like the Salters & Drapers (as in Draperstown) who had used venture capital to develop the county in the 1600s (ie new roads and public buildings). So it was that sort of tenant - landlord relationship in Bancran Glebe.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Soraya,

One possible explanation for not finding your family is that there is a big gap in Ballinascreen RC parish records. The records start in 1825 but there are no baptisms between 1835 & 1846, and other years may not necessarily be complete. They have presumably been lost over the years. No easy way round that. It's a common problem. Few RC parishes kept records before the 1820s and even after that there are gaps for one reason or another. Co. Donegal is the worst with many parishes there not starting till the 1860s.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you Elwyn for that further understanding of the tenant farmer/landlord relationship in ireland.

con@pa.metrocast.net

Soraya, have you found any of the burial plots for your family members? I have not found the burial plot for any of my relatives that are directly from Ireland.

con@pa.metrocast.net

Thanks Elwyn

No Connie,

I haven't at all - have you managed it .....

I suppose not know exact names, it makes it very difficult.

Also the book for the Bancran graveyard is out of print. - I haven't located an online source.

When Dad went over he found a gravestone "Pray for the Bradley's of Bancran" ... but no one was sure what the story was behind it, but I am not even sure when the gravestone was placed or who is buried there.

Bradley is a very very common name in the area.

Did your ancestor, Alice marry an Adams ?

I know your great+ uncle, Laurence Bradley - Alice's brother married a Clerkin - and her relatives are still in the area, tho they had no children.

Your great+ uncle Laurence sold the farm to an O'Hagan.

And an Ann Bradley who was a spinster lived in my Laurence and Ann's house and later their daughter Elizabeth Magee (nee Bradley) returned and sold it. I am not sure who the Ann was, as my Ann Quigley died in 1883, along with an infant daughter, Ann.

So I am guessing it is my Laurence's and your John Bradley's sister ....

My great great Uncle Laurence Edward Bradley (or Edward Laurence Bradley) also, married a Susan McTeague/Montague - but he died in his forties and his wife and children emigrated.

I haven't located Laurence and Ann's son William or any descendants yet, and I think their daughter Mary Bradley may have died in 1886, a year after Laurence and Bridget. ...

Both my Dad and Uncle have had their DNA done, so I am also trying on that end , but that seems to be slow progress -

do sing out as I am happy to share any research etc. or help any way I can

x

Soraya

soraya

To answer your question Soraya - yes my great grandmother Alice married a Frank Adams in Philadelphia. And what comes to my mind when reading your note about an Ann Bradley who was a spinster is that I have been told by family members that none of John Bradley's children married with exception to Laurence and Alice.

con@pa.metrocast.net

Soraya, do you have any members in your family tree research with the last name of Haran or Herron? The notes passed down from my family mention that our g-grandmother Alice had a cousin May Herron (or Haran) in Philadelphia.

con@pa.metrocast.net

Hi Connie,

Nothing jumps out - do you know if Herron/Haran was maiden or married name, approximate timeframe or whether born in Ireland or Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ?

For sure, there are many many DNA matches in Pennsylvania. so I may be able to find a link in with more information.

I am fairly sure there are two sisters Mary Quigley born abt 1830 (who married a Patrick Francis Clark) and Catherine Quigley born abt 1834 (who married John McDevitt) who ended up in California, are either first cousins or older sister to our Anne Quigley ...

Is there any record in your family of them?

Also Laurence + Ann's son Edward died in Ireland, his widow and all children went to New York in 1930's - except their son Edward Bradley and his wife Mary Monahan who lived in Pennsylvania.

Alice would have emigrated earlier than them?

soraya

Hello Soraya,

thanks for the response. No, the notes from the family just mentions that my great grandmother had a cousin May Herron in Philadelphia. I have not run across any Quigleys in my research thus far. I believe Alice emigrated in the 1880's and was naturalized in 1896. She came with her sister Mary but it is suspected that a number of the Bradleys came over around that time and settled in Pennsylvania. It looks like Alice and Mary were the only children of John Bradley's that came. But I'm thinking that your Laurence's children/family and my John's children/family were probably quite close so some of those Bradley's that also came over may have been from your Laurence's family/children.

con@pa.metrocast.net

Hi Connie,

I have a couple, Francis Bradley born 1875 in Plumbridge - died 1960 in Philadelphia + Mary O'Kane born 1886 in Omagh - died 1922 in Philadelphia ...

they had a daughter, Mary Rita Bradley born around 23 sept 1920 in Philadelphia who married a Donald Heron. My notes have that she passed in 1975.

Do you think this could be your May Heron?

Do the dates seem right or is this too late ?

(Francis parents were Michael Bradley + Mary Ann McCullagh McCullow and we have DNA relatives on both Bradley + McCullow sides)

(Mary Ann O'Kane's parents were Bernard O'Kane + Susan Mullin, and there are loads of Mullins + O'Kane's surnames in family trees of DNA matches

and I had found a birth entry for a Ann Quigley, daughter of Hannah O'Kane and Patrick Quigley - but as yet have been unable to confirm thats our Ann's birth record)

Mary O'Kane - Bradley had a sister, Ellen O'Kane who married a Cormack Taggart and they also moved to Philadelphia ... but this may not show up in your records if the connection was on the McCullagh/Bradley side

soraya

Hello Soraya,

So do you know how many and which of Laurence's children emigrated to the US?

To answer your question, yes, I'm thinking those dates for May Heron would be too late, but I'll keep it in mind. I think it's interesting that some of the residents of Bancran Glebe have the last name of Haran.

Hope you have a great Easter.

con@pa.metrocast.net

Hi Connie, 

We have been unable to trace John, William or Mary - I suspect Mary, may be the Mary Bradley housekeeper of Bancran, who died at 21. 

None of the others came to America, but most of Edwards children did. Edward himself died at 36years, Agnes died at 21 years.

soraya

Hello Elwyn,

When I go into the NLI catholic parish registry for Balinascreen parish for baptisms 1825 to 1834 the residence of Bancran does not seem to be listed for anyone. Do you know if Bancran had a different name before the 1840's or it was in a different parish at that time? Thank you for any help with clarifying this point. 

con@pa.metrocast.net

Connie,

The placenames NI website (placenamesni.org) says Bancran has been in use (with variant spellings) as far back as 1609. No mention of any alternative names for it. It was called Bancran in the 1831 census eg:

https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1831/Londonderry/Loughinshollin/Ballynascreen/Bancran/1/

I am puzzled about you not finding any Bancran baptisms. I have had a look at the parish records and found several references to Bancran on one random page. Here for example is a baptism on 10th November 1835 for a Bradley whose parents were Owen Bradley and Rose Burns, of Bancran. The next baptism was also a Bancran family. I can see 3 more further down the page, and some on the next page:

https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000632987?locale=en#page/49/mode/1up

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you for your response Elwyn. Bancran is listed as a residence in the records for 1840's but I did not find it in the records for the 1830's. The page that you sent me as an example with parents Owen Bradley and Rose Burns was 10th November 1846 from what I can see. But thank you so much for the info on the history of the name. 

con@pa.metrocast.net

Connie,

I can see the occasional "Glebe" in the earlier records. It's full name is Bancran Glebe so it looks as though at least one priest was inclined to shorten it to Glebe.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Searching for Ballinascreen parish baptism records dating before 1836. I had searched through NLI, in the baptism records for before 1840’s, but when examining the records again I realized that the earlier records are for the Dungiven parish not Ballinascreen. The Ballinascreen records are only from June to Sept of 1836 then begin again in 1846. I'm wondering is there anywhere else that the baptism records for ballinascreen parish prior to 1836 might be available. Any tips would be appreciated. Thank you.

con@pa.metrocast.net

According to John Grenham’s website, the baptism and marriage records for Ballinascreen from 1825 - 1834 are on the National Library site you have been searching and also on Ancestry and FMP. PRONI and rootsireland only have records from 1836 onwards (baptisms) and 1834 (marriages) plus some burials for 1831/2 and 1848 - 1851.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you for the feedback Elwyn, I will keep trying to get the records from NLI to upload and double check. I have another question. When I was searching the parish records, I came to realize that all the McWilliams in Dungiven parish records are married to either a person with the last name of Donnelly or Bradley during the 1820’s and early 30’s. And all the McWilliams in the Ballinascreen parish records during the 1840’s were married to either Donnelly or Bradley. Does that surprise you? Is there something significant to draw from that?

con@pa.metrocast.net

Connie,

I wouldn’t read too much into the names. They are all common name sin the area. And cousins often married cousins.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

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