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Searching for Spencer/Appleyard family in Balbriggan

Aloha-

I am a member of the Spencer,and Appleyard families that were in the hosiery mill at Balbriggan.

My Great grandmother was:

Eliza Letitia SPENCER-her daughter Norah Letitia Riley MacDougall is my grandmother & immigrated to Michigan in 1920

B:25 Apr 1882Balbriggan Parish, County Dublin, Ireland

D: ~ 1928 in Michigan

My great great gran was:

Ellen Matilda APPLEYARD

B:1848Balbriggan Dublin, Ireland

D:Mar 1927Dublin South, Ireland

My grandmother Norah-born in Leicestershire UK, visited Balbriggan several times in the 1970's and 80's. Shevisited a cousin named Richard Spencer (I think this is his surname)who worked as a manager in the Hosiery Mill. My mom Ann MacDougall Murray kept in touch with Richard at Christmas- however we lost touch in the 90's.

I would very much like to re-connect with cousins in Balbriggan. Please advise if any of you know about the Hosiery mill managed by the Spencers or Appleyards in Balbriggan & their descendants.

On my dad's side I am Irish Catholic - my grandfather William Francis Murray was born in Boston- he is a descendant of immigrants from County Mayo- however his parents (Patrick & Theresa Murray) family came over to America mosty likely during the great famine- so my grandpa did not know much about his ancestors in Ireland and never travelled.I would love to know more about my Murray side ancestors in Ireland too.

I was born in Michigan and now live in Hawaii. I am ~ 40% Irish, 25% Scot, 25% German & 10% English.

If you can, please reach across the 2 oceans with any news from Balbriggan.

Best of health to you all...

Lisa Murray Diaz

Lisa Murray Diaz

2 replies

Hi Lisa,

I'm not related and do not have any information about reconnecting with your Spencer and Appleyard cousins in Balbriggan, but I did find the birth record for the person who may be your grandfather. This birth record however, shows that William Francis Murray was born in Woburn, Massachusetts, not Boston. He was born on 11 November 1905. His father is Patrick F. Murray, who was also born in Woburn. William's mother was Teresa Reddy. She too was born in Woburn. At the time of William's birth the family had been living at 74 Broad Street in Woburn. Patrick's occupation is recorded as, "Clerk."

Was your grandfather born in 1905?

If you think this baptism record pertains to your grandfather William Francis Murray, I can send you a copy of his birth index, as well as a copy of the original Woburn, Mass birth register entry for him. I'll also see if I can find more information about any siblings William had, and then look for the marriage of his parents, Patrick Murray and Teresa Reddy. Have you come across the surname Reddy in any of your research?

I may not be able to get back to you until sometime later in the week, possibly as late as next Saturday or Sunday, as I am currently assisting a lady with locating information about her Tipperary Ancestors.

With Kind Regards Lisa.

Dave Boylan

davepat

Hi Lisa, saw your query and was in Balbriggan recently and took some photos of the factory as it is now, I hope to put them in the site building section in the next week, there is also some old interesting pictures of the factory on the National Library site digital photos section here https://www.nli.ie/digital-photographs.aspx search Balbriggan. If you wish to email me at my site email it is stpeters@irelandxo.com and I will forward the ones I have, I also have a book on the history of Balbriggan which includes a short chapter on the factory listing but not including your names, of some families that worked there, I can scan and include the piece if you wish, written in the year 2000 I think, do not want to upload as it is someones work and this is a public forum. 

Oddly I know a lady who I meet occassionally whose family came to the factory as yours but because of the lockdown here the place we met has stopped opening, too many elderly meeting up close is not really recommended but I hope to get in touch with her and will query your names, another friend told me he knows an Appleyard familiy in Dublin, about 20 miles south of Balbriggan, not sure if he will be in contact with them though.

Good Luck with your Mayo Murrays, it is a difficult to trace the name as it appears in almost every county, think it is the 8th most common surname here, have some myself too and it is tricky, however there are some Mayo Genealogy and also DNA matching private Facebook pages that are fairly active, was shocked to find I matched so many there myself as I have no family link that I am aware there. 

You can see a lot of civil records here for free, church records not so much, but civil from 1864 and most entries are viewable but not all, sign in but free https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/ 

I sailed through the Hawaii islands in 1977 on a cargo boat, lovely evening and we had a barbecue, my daughter was there during the volcano recently on that island with her husband, the photos were great.

Stay Safe,

Pat

St Peters LouthIrelandXO Volunteer

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