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Sarah McConnell Quigley, daughter of John and Martha McConnell

AntrimBelfast (Antrim)

These two women! Daughter Sarah and Martha in the chair. Looking for the mother (Martha) of my GGgrandmother Sarah McConnell Quigley, born about 1850. Her marriage certificate at St Anne's in 1867 lists her father, John McConnell of Belfast as a weaver. Interestingly, in the 1901 census, John Quigley, Sarah's husband, put her place of birth as Belfast, but when she filled it out herself in 1911, she put Dromore. I am assuming County Down. It is so frustrating to have these labelled photos of these women but know nothing about them! i do have all of Sarah and John Quigley's children. John was the Supervisvor for Belfast Tram system for over 20 years. Trying to identify Sarah's parents and grandparents. County Antrim?  County Down?  I don't know...

Jill Hunter Rumbarger

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Since Sarah filled out the 1911 census herself, I’d say it’s fairly likely she knew where she was born, so I would favour Dromore over Belfast. Tradition was to marry in the bride’s church, after which she’d normally attend her husband’s. St Ann’s is Church of Ireland. I’d be inclined to search the Church of Ireland records for Dromore, Co Down for her baptism. They start in 1784 and there’s a copy in PRONI in Belfast.

Incidentally John McConnell’s occupation on the 1867 marriage certificate looks to me to be Miller, not weaver. Belfast refers to where the couple were living in 1867. It’s not necessarily where they were born. (Irish marriage certificates don’t record where someone was born).

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

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