Ireland XO
Back to Message Board

Mary Jane Hawkins B. abt.1906, Ireland

AntrimTemplecorran (Antrim)

Greetings from Canada!

I am researching my Great Grandmother Mary Jane (Molly) Hawkins who was born abt. 1906 in County Antrim, possibly near Larne. The 1911 Irish Census says that Molly would have been 5 years old at the time. She was living with her parents Thomas Hawkins b. 1871? a labourer, and Mary Jane Hawkins (maiden name possibly Gillis?). Molly's siblings were: Thomas (b.1902), James (b. 1903), Boyd (b.1909), Sarah Elizabeth (b. 1910). The census says that the family was Presbyterian. The census also says that they lived in: County Antrim, Poor Law Union: Larne, Townland: Blackhill and Parish: Templecorran.

Given that Molly's younger sister, Sarah Elizabeth was only 6 mos. old at the time of the 1911 census, I think she at least may have been baptized at a Presbyterian chapel within Parish Templecorran.

Ultimately I am trying to find out if any parish records exist that might confirm dates of birth for my Grandmother, Molly as well as her siblings. This could also shed additional light for me on her parents, Thomas and Mary Jane, who I don't know very much about.

The only other information I currently have is that Molly's parents, Thomas and Mary Jane appear in the 1901 Census living in County Antrim, Parish: Shankill on Glasgow Street in Belfast. They had probably only been married for a couple years at most at this point. The 1901 Census indicates that Thomas was from county Antrim and that Mary Jane was from County Cavan.

Any information you may find that relates to the above would be very exciting for me to receive. If you have any questions, please let me know.

Thank you, Chris Hall

IrelandXO member

10 replies

Chris:

Below are the civil birth index records for your grandmother and Sarah. Do you want the records for the other siblings? Note the 1901 census was taken on March 31st 1901 so 1905 makes sense presuming she had a birth month between April and December.

Roger McDonnell

First Name Mary Jane
Last Name Hawkins
Year 1905
Registered Quarter/Year Jul - Sep 1905
Registration District Larne
Volume 1
Page 606
First Name Sarah Eliza
Last Name Hawkins
Year 1910
Registered Quarter/Year Jul - Sep 1910
Registration District Larne
Volume 1
Page 582
Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Roger,

Thanks for your speedy reply...this is terrific!  May I ask where you found the above indexes so that I can cite my soucres?  I had no such luck when I searched for these on ancestry.com.

Yes, if you don't mind, could you also send me the indexes for Molly's siblings (i.e. Thomas, James, Boyd, Margaret, Eileen).

Also, would I be able to obtain the original records from the GRO using the above index?

Thanks again,

Chris Hall

 

IrelandXO member

Chris:

You can get copies of these records for around 4 euros each from the GRO. Follow the instructions below the index records. I located the record for Boyd and found a record for James in late 1902 which I assume is correct. There was also a James in 1901. Did not find a record for Thomas in the Larne registration district. Possibly they were living outside of Larne then? What year was Margaret born approximately? There is a record for a Maggie Ellen in 1912. Also did Eileen have a different name?

Roger

First Name Boyd
Last Name Hawkins
Year 1908
Registered Quarter/Year Jul - Sep 1908
Registration District Larne
Volume 1
Page 577
First Name James
Last Name Hawkins
Year 1902
Registered Quarter/Year Oct - Dec 1902
Registration District Larne
Volume 1
Page 549

Go to this link http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Apply-for-Certificates.aspx In the middle of the page there are links for birth, marriage or death certificates. Hit the link for the form you want. You will likely get a screen asking for a User Name and Password. (This is a program bug that the GRO has to correct). Hit cancel and the appropriate form should come up. Print the form and complete the requested information. Also provide the information from the index record--quarter/year of the event, registration district and the volume and page number where the event is recorded. Make sure you ask for a copy which costs around 4 euros. ( A cert costs closer to 20 euros). You can also ask the GRO to e-mail the copy back to you.

 

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Chris:

Reread your initial message and saw that the parents were in Belfast in 1901. Checked the Belfast district and found a Thomas Hawkins born in the last quarter of 1901.

Roger

 

First Name Thomas
Last Name Hawkins
Year 1901
Registered Quarter/Year Oct - Dec 1901
Registration District Belfast
Volume 1
Page 417
Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Greetings from Canada!

 

Over the last few years I have been searching for the birth date and parents of my Great, Great Grandmother, Mary Jane Gillis.  This has proven a tough nut to crack, and I was hoping to get your thoughts!

 

I have created a bit of a timeline which shows what I know to be true of Mary Jane Gillis...

 

  • Death - 8 Jan 1931 Blackhill, Co. Antrim.  The death certificate (attached) from the General Register of Northern Ireland (GRONI) indicates that Mary Jane was 49 years old when she died, however her death notice (also attached) says she was 48.  This suggests a birth date of about 1882-1883.

 

  • 1911 Census - The 1911 census indicates Mary Jane was 30 years old, which gives a birth date of about 1881. It also says that her birthplace was Co. Cavan.  In 1911 Mary Jane and her husband Thomas Hawkins were living in Blackhill, Co. Antrim with their five children.

 

  • 1901 Census - The 1901 census indicates Mary Jane was 22 years old, which gives a birth date of about 1879.  It records her birthplace as Co. Cavan.  In 1901 Mary Jane and husband Thomas were living in Belfast on Glasgow Street.

 

  • 5 September 1899 - Mary Jane Gillis marries Thomas Hawkins in St. Anne's, in the Parish of Belfast, Diocese of Connor.  The marriage record (attached) indicates that Mary Jane was a 21 year old servant at the time, giving her a birth date of about 1878.  It also indicates that her father's name was John Gillis, a Butler.

 

  • Children - I also know that Mary Jane and Thomas Hawkins had 7 children.  The first two were born in Belfast, and the others were born in Ballycarry, Co. Antrim.  Their names and birth dates are as follows;  Thomas (b. 18 Sept 1901), James (b. 1 Nov 1902), Mary Jane (b. 27 July 1905 - ), Boyd (b. 27 Jun 1908), Sarah (b. abt. 1910), Margaret Ellen (b. 5 Dec 1912) and Eileen (b. 7 Nov 1918).

 

I recently found a birth record for a Mary Jane Gilliece (attached) which is dated 19 June 1877 in Rakeelan, Co. Cavan.  It records that her father's name was John Gilliece, a servant, and the mother's name was Mary Cassidy Gilliece.

 

Question: I'd like to learn how to prove (or disprove) whether or not this is the birth record of the correct Mary Jane.  Although the census says that she was a Presbyterian, we know from family sources that she was actually a Catholic who left Co. Cavan in search of work.  The variations in birth date and the spelling of the surname 'Gillis' has made her challenging to trace.  I think this particular birth record is promising as her father, John Gillis, was a servant when Mary Jane was born in 1877, and was recorded as being a butler when she married in 1899.

 

Looking forward to your thoughts:)

 

Chris

 

 

IrelandXO member

Chris:

Everything points to the 1877 birth record being for your ancestor. I also located the baptismal record on Find My Past. The family was living in Scottown and the baptism was held in Kildallen RC http://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0819  The spelling of John's surname was Gillis.

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Roger and Chris

 

i found this thread by chance and I have also started my family tree.  The information regarding Thomas Boyd is great as he is my great grandfather my grandad was Boyd his son born in 1908.  Chris if you wish to share some of the informatiobn as I have found relatives in Carrickfergus and also Boyd went to live in the UK in ww2 so my dad Johnstone Marshall Hawkins, Anne Hawkins and Boyd Hawkins were all taken with him to live in the UK.  I will be focusing on my grandmother Elizabeth Howie Hawkins nee Marshall who I need to find a birth and death date.

 

Thanks Nadia Shannon nee hawkins

 

 

nadia.shannon4…

Hi Nadia

If you look on the free online site "Irishgenealogy", there is a birth for Elizabeth Howie Marshall on 25th June 1912, born at Prospect Street, Carrickfergus. Her father was William Marshall, a joiner and mother Agnes Marshall nee Marshall. The informant was Elizabeth Marshall, Scotch Quarter, who was present at the birth.

Jenny

jfe.banks@ntlw…

Hi Jenny
That was very kind of you. I have now got quite far with every ones help regards
Nadia

nadia.shannon4…

Still busy with family tree. My father johnstone hawkins said his cousin was in the irish rovers. I think it must be George millar as dad did look like him. I wrote to relatives in vancouver island canada so this could be plausible. Tried looking but at a standstill with this as not sure which of Thomas hawkins and mary jane kids could be the connection

nadia.shannon4…

Reply

Reply
One image file up to 2 MB.