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Descendants of Cunningham or Burns

AntrimAntrim (Antrim)

I am trying to trace any descendants of my Great Grandfather Edward Cunningham born 1869 in Lisburn. He was a stable lad and later a Jockey riding at the Maze and Curragh. He had a brother Thomas who died as a result of a fall from a horse. Edward married Margaret Burns (also from Maze) on the 8th September 1896. Witnesses at the wedding were Robert McGuigan and Mary Jane Burns. They left Ireland and moved to Ayr in 1898. They went on to have 5 children - Edward, Margaret, Sarah, Elizabeth and Helen. Edwards father was John Cunningham (a soldier) and Margarets father was Anthony Burns (a weaver).

They left Ayr and came to England approximately 1910. Edward sadly also died at the young age of 37 of pneumonia - contracted whilst he was nursing a sick horse back to health and sleeping in the stable with it. My Great Grandma stayed in England until her death in 1954(?)

My Grandma Margaret always said that the family wanted her Mother to return to Ireland but she would not. I would dearly love to know more about them.

IrelandXO member

4 replies

Afternoon

Apologies for the dealy in getting back to you. I have passed this to an Antrim volunteer, I hope she will be in touch shortly

Best wishes

Clare Doyle

Genealogy Support 

IrelandXO member

I searched the revaluation records for the Maze c 1896. No Cunningham households listed and no Anthony Burns. There was however a Hugh Burns (plots 3 & 6b).

http://applications.proni.gov.uk/dcal_proni_val12b/ImageResult.aspx

I looked for Edward Cunningham?s birth c 1869 in the Lisburn area. None is listed in the Irish civil indexes. What?s the source of the information that he was born there? What denomination was he?

I looked for Anthony Burns death in Lisburn 1864 to 1901 but did not find one., No Anthony Burns in the area in the 1901 census.

I looked in Griffiths valuation for John Cunningham. The only one in the Lisburn area (Blaris) was in Taghnabrick townland. Plot 18 which was a small farm of 5 acres.

Tradition was to marry in the bride?s church (which will be on the 1896 certificate unless it was a Registry Office marriage). That may be the place to look for her baptism and that of any siblings.

Your information is that Edward died aged 37, ie c 1906. That would seem to place him in Scotland, if the family moved to England in 1910. Scottish death certificates contain both parents names, so if that?s where he died you might want to investigate that. However I have had a quick look at the SP site and I don?t see any death anywhere in Scotland that fits c 1906.

Ahoghill AntrimIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi

I have a copy of the marriage record between Edward Cunningham and Margaret Burns for the 8th September 1896. Both were Roman Catholic. Parish/District is stated as Maze for both and County is stated as Co. Antrim.  Edwards father is John Cunningham Occupation is listed as soldire. Margarets father is listed as Anthony Burns and stated occupation is weaver.

The church is given as Lisburn Roman Catholic by licence The Rev John Rooney.

The date `1869 is taken from the Directory of Irish Family History Research - Cunningham, Edw., 1869-, Lisburn, Blaris, Co Ant., m Margt BURNS, moved to Ayr, Scot, jockey.

That was why I thought he was born in 1869. That would have made him 27 years old when he married.  They left Ireland 2 years later (this is stated in the same Directory under her name). All of their children were born in Scotland (Ayr). I have no exact date of when they moved to England but the last of their children were born in 1907. Edward Cunningham died in England in 1909.

I don't know if this additional information will help with any further research. I get so far and then seem to hit a brick wall. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Many thanks for your help.

Maggie

IrelandXO member

Thanks Elwyn. Good luck with your research Maggie!

Best wishes
Clare
Genealogy Support

IrelandXO member

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