Hello, I am looking for any info on Arthur Watson born 1859 in Ballycalre, Antrim, Northern Ireland
His wife Mary Moore born 1861 in Ballycalre, Antrim, Northern Ireland
They where married 1881 at the Bethel Chapel in Doagh and Grange
They moved to Canada about 1907
Any info on Arthur or Mary would be appreciated
Susan Watson
The name of the town where the couple came from is probably Ballyclare (not Ballycalre).
Is this the family in the 1901 census:
I looked at the statutory birth records for children whose parents names were Watson & Moore, in the Ballyclare area (Antrim town registration district). I saw the following: Alexander 8.3.1882; Elizabeth 13.3.184; Agnes 9.2.1887; Maggie 3.3.1889; Arthur 30.10.1891; Mary 16.6.1894 & Annie 25.9.1896. William was born in Belfast and there’s a likely birth there on 7.1.1899. You can view the original certificates on-line on the GRONI website, using the “search registrations” option:
You will need to open an account and buy some credits. It costs £2 (sterling) to a view a certificate.
The children’s birth certificates should give you the townlands where the parents were living at the time, and you may then be able to locate the exact house from the revaluation records:
http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/search_the_archives/val12b.htm
Arthur was evidently Church of Ireland. If he was born in Ballyclare he may have attended either Donegore or Kilbride churches. Unfortunately both those churches records were destroyed in the 1922 fire in Dublin so you won’t find his baptism. You should however have his father’s name from his marriage certificate and you may be able to trace a little further with that.
Mary was evidently Presbyterian. There are about 8 or 9 Presbyterian churches in the Ballyclare area. To trace her baptism may involve searching through each set of records. The records are in PRONI and you might need a researcher to assist you if you cannot go in person as the records are not on-line.
Susan,
Likely Presbyterian churches in the area for the Moore girls baptisms are Ballyclare Non Subscribing Presbyterian (baptisms start 1857), Donegore 1st (1806), Donegore 2nd (1848), Kilbride (1848), Templepatrick NSP (1796), Hydepark (1861), Lylehill (1830) and Templepatrick (1831). They are not on-line so far as I am aware but there’s copies in PRONI in Belfast.