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Connelly

DownHolywood (Down)

I am looking for information on an Archibald Connelly who lived in Holywood County Down in 1861. He is identified on the Griffiths Valuation for 1861 as a tenant who rented a house and bakery in1861. There is a newspaper article in the Northern Whig for a notice of an Archibald Connelly who died and is buried in the Holywood graveyard October 27, 1862. He has a daughter Jane who died March 28 1908 and is also buried in the family plot in Holywood. I'm not sure which graveyard this would be but perhaps someone would know which graveyard it would most likely be based on the timeline 1861. Would that be the Holywood Priory Graveyard?

I am wondering if there is any online information on graveyard inscriptions or if there is anyone who can connect me to someone who could give me more information on the graveyard to see if there is more information on this family. My ancestor is also named Archibald Connelly and was possibly from this area so am trying to see if there is any connection.

I also found a George P Connelly who died in October 1834 and is buried in a Connelly family plot in Holywood. I'm wondering if this is the same Connelly family. He was 46 years old. This information is from the Northern Ireland Gravestone inscription index found in the Linen library

If anyone can offer any suggestions of how I can find out more information on Archibald Connelly buried in Holywood I would welcome your input.

jconn39@rogers.com

8 replies

Julie,

Jane Connolly’s death certificate tells us she was 62, single a retired school teacher. The informant was her nephew C. Connolly. Both lived at 77 McClure St, Belfast.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1908/05507/4543309.pdf

This looks to be her with a brother in 1901:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Cromac/McClure_Street/970154/

This looks to be Jane’s brother David in the 1911 census with his new wife:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Shankill/Harry_Brooke/151566/

David married Catherine Jane Reid in 1909. He was a widower then. His father was Archibald Connelly (deceased), painter.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Shankill/Harry_Brooke/151566/

This may be Catherine’s probate abstract. The age at death was 85 which fits.

Connelly, Catherine Jane of 33 Harrybrook Street Belfast widow died 9 February 1960 at Purdysburn Hospital Saintfield Road Belfast Probate Belfast 11 March to Vincent Teague shopkeeper. Effects £237 9s. 5d.

The will itself should be in PRONI (in paper format).

I looked at the Valuation revision records for Holywood (on the PRONI website). Archibald Connelly remains tenant of plot 65 in Holywood High St until 1876, so that might not be the same person who was buried in 1862.

The UHF have a number of graveyards on-line on their site but I did not see Archibald listed. Findagrave has Holywood Priory gravestone on line. No Archibald Connolly/Connelly there.

Can’t help you with information on which graveyard is the most likely. Family were Church of Ireland, going by the 1901 census but they aren’t always buried where you would expect.

You could contact the local council and ask which cemeteries there are in Holywood. I think it’s Ards & North Down Council:

https://www.ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

Possibly worth going through Holywood Church of Ireland records to see if you can locate this Connelly family, if that’s where they come from. Baptisms start in 1806 and marriages and burials in 1823. There’s a copy in PRONI.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you Elwyn for all this information. I didn't think to check 1901 and 1911 census for Jane which was a great lead into this family.  Thanks also for the Griffiths Valuation information regarding Archibald Connelly from 1861.still being a tenant in 1876. He was renting a house and bakery so perhaps he is a different Archibald Connelly to the painter. I thought being that they were both from Hollywood they might be the same.. My Great Grandfather would have been 6 years old in 1861 and his name was Archibald Connelly born around 1855, Belfast, so was hoping to find a lead. I don't know his parents names but I know he was born in Down, Belfast area..As Archibald isn't that common a name in Ireland I thought he might have been named after a relative.

I have been through Church of Ireland records for Belfast at Proni when I was in Belfast last year but didn't get a chance to go through Holywood records. I guess this will have to be my next step.

Thanks so much for all your help. 

 

jconn39@rogers.com

In following up on your suggestions Elwyn, I was able to contact the Ards and North Down Council and find out that Jane Connelly, David Connelly and his wife Catherine are all buried in the Old Priory cemetery in Holywood. However their father Archibald Connelly does not appear to be buried there. I was advised that the cemetery did not open until 1875. which is after he had died. The other cemetery that is administered by the Council is Redburn which did not open until 1958 so he would not be buried there. I wondered how to find out what Church of Ireland churches were around in 1862? Would you be able to suggest any churches that might have attached burial grounds or other resources that might assist with possible burial sites prior to 1875?

jconn39@rogers.com

Julie,

There’s a list of all the known graveyards in Co Down on this site. It’s free to search for the graveyards though some of the other information they hold is pay to view.

https://www.ancestryireland.com

You can search by parish and even by townland.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Elwyn

I'm revisiting the information on this family again. I had a question regarding the Valuation records. You had mentioned that Archhibald Connelly, who lived at 65 High Street in Holywood was still listed as tenant in 1876 in the valuation revision records and therefore is most likely not the same Archibald Connelly of Holywood who died in 1862 and is buried in Holywood .. I am wondering if it is possible for his name to still be down as tenant after 1862, because his widow is still living at the property as tenant.. His widow, Jane Connelly dies in 1886, so she may still be living at 65 High street after he dies up until 1876. Is it possible the property just remained in his name?   When she dies her address is listed as Church Street in 1886. I'm just wondering if this might be possible if there was no change in actual tenant...

The Ulster and Belfast  Directories  list an Archibald Connelly, painter and grocer who is living in Holywood in 1846, & 1856,. I am assuming this is the same Archibald Connelly, but the directory doesn't list a street for Archibald Connelly of Holywood. I'm trying to find out if Archibald Connelly the painter and grocer is the same one who is tenant on High Street or if there are two Archibald Connelly's in Holywood in the 1860's.. Any  suggestions of how I might be able to confirm this or what other records I might be able to pursue. I am restricted to what is online as I am in Canada. Thanks.

Julie

jconn39@rogers.com

Hi Elwyn

I'm revisiting the information on this family again. I had a question regarding the Valuation records. You had mentioned that Archhibald Connelly, who lived at 65 High Street in Holywood was still listed as tenant in 1876 in the valuation revision records and therefore is most likely not the same Archibald Connelly of Holywood who died in 1862 and is buried in Holywood .. I am wondering if it is possible for his name to still be down as tenant after 1862, because his widow is still living at the property as tenant.. His widow, Jane Connelly dies in 1886, so she may still be living at 65 High street after he dies up until 1876. Is it possible the property just remained in his name?   When she dies her address is listed as Church Street in 1886. I'm just wondering if this might be possible if there was no change in actual tenant...

The Ulster and Belfast  Directories  list an Archibald Connelly, painter and grocer who is living in Holywood in 1846, & 1856,. I am assuming this is the same Archibald Connelly, but the directory doesn't list a street for Archibald Connelly of Holywood. I'm trying to find out if Archibald Connelly the painter and grocer is the same one who is tenant on High Street or if there are two Archibald Connelly's in Holywood in the 1860's.. Any  suggestions of how I might be able to confirm this or what other records I might be able to pursue. I am restricted to what is online as I am in Canada. Thanks.

Julie

jconn39@rogers.com

Julie,

Normally when someone died the Valuation records are changed and reflect the new tenants; name.  If a dead man’s wife remains as the occupant, then normally her name appears instead of his. The Griffiths clerks went round about every 2 years so sometimes there’s a year or two where the wrong name appears.  I have seen odd cases where a name has remained against a property long after the person was dead.  The system wasn’t perfect.

I looked to see if there were any other Archibald Connellys in Holywood in Griffiths. (It’s not a common name. There were only 5 Connelly in Co Down. Archy in Holywood and 4 in Donaghadee. Connolly is more common though). The only thing I found was an Archibald Connolly who was renting land in Ean Hill St in 1861. It was 2 roods and 3 perches (so just over half an acre). No house there, land only. So somewhere to grow your vegetables.  There’s no way of knowing from Griffiths who this was. I had a go at finding the property in the Valuation revision records (to see how long it remained in Archibald’s name) but could not find it. The town expands dramatically in size after 1861 and there are pages of properties. Not all the pages were numbered in some of the books. You might want to have a go though.

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/services/searching-valuation-revision-books

I searched the deaths across all of Ireland 1864 – 1901. Only 2. Archibald Connelly died in Antrim town registration area 1869 aged 73, and Archy Connoly died in Ballymoney registration area 1876 aged 72. None in Belfast.  I suspect the painter died before death registration began on 1.1.1864.

Archibald, the painter in 1861. No street address:

https://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/PT_EGHKpage601.htm

No sign of a baker. I suspect there was only the 1 Archibald in Holywood. I wonder if your Archibald rented that property (including the bakery) but used it for something else eg storing his tools etc? Maybe it was a previous tenant who used the bakery?

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thanks for your reply Elwyn. Sorry I didn't see it sooner. I will look at these resources as you suggested. Thanks for your input.

Julie

jconn39@rogers.com

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