Ireland XO
Back to Message Board

John Poole

Killyleagh (Down)

Hi Everyone, My name is Narelle from QLD Australia and I'm searching for any information on my 2nd great granduncle and his family- John Poole B.1864 in Shrigley, Killyleagh, Down, Northern Ireland to parents John Poole and Ann Crouston. he married 19 Nov 1887 in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland to Mary Anne Courtney. They immigrated to Australia in 19 Sep 1888. John D.6 Dec 1892 in Grove Estate Albion, Caboolture District, Queensland, Australia. I know nothing of his family in Ireland. His brother my 2nd great grandfather Alexander Poole, his details are sketchy. Any help would be much appreciated.

Rell

8 replies

Possibly this is John Pool’s death in 1891, aged 65. Informant was his daughter Marianne Heaney:

https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/files/civil/deaths_returns/deaths_1891/06075/4732384.pdf

A census of Shrigley Village in 1891 lists John Pool with son David. House number 43.

https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~rosdavies/genealogy/WORDS/KillyleaghInhabitantsP2.htm

This looks to be David Poole with his sister Marianne and family in the 1901 census:

https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Killyleagh/Shrigley_Village/1231020/

David in 1911:

https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Killyleagh/Shrigley_Village/240452/

Heaney family in 1911:

https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Killyleagh/Shrigley_Village/240376/

Mary Anne Poole married in Killinchy Presbyterian church so may have been baptised in that denomination. Note that a Samuel Poole was a witness.

https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/files/civil/marriage_returns/marriages_1878/11087/8057798.pdf

Killinchy Presbyterian has baptism records from 1835 onwards. There’s a copy in PRONI in Belfast. (Personal visit required to view them). Not sure if they are on-line anywhere. Those records might contain the baptisms for John, Alexander and any other siblings. Statutory birth registration started in Ireland in 1864. Prior to that we need to rely on church baptism records.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Elwyn, Thankyou for all this information it's much appreciated. Now to investigate and add to my tree. Kind Regards Narelle.

Rell

Death registration started in Ireland in 1864. John Poole was a widower in 1891. I searched for Ann Poole deaths in the Downpatrick registration area 1864 to 1891 but did find any at all. Suspect therefore she died pre 1864. Perhaps in childbirth? 1 in 8 women of childbearing age died in those times either giving birth or as a result of post-natal problems.

I’d keep an open mind on Ann’s maiden name of Crouston. That is completely unknown in Ireland. None in the 1901 Irish census (4.5 million people), let alone in Co Down. I tried looking for variant spellings but without success. So either it was unique (unlikely) or it’s got corrupted somewhere between Ireland and Oz.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thanks Elwyn,

That's definitely a possibility Ann died pre 1864.

Yes I couldn't find anything on Ann's maiden name Crouston. Google says the surname Crouston is of English and Scottish origin which is interesting. Narelle

Rell

Being of Scottish or English origin would not be at all odd for someone from Co. Down. The country was swamped with Scots, English & Welsh settlers in the 1600s. Over 50% of the modern population of Co Down will have that background. Especially likely when the religious denomination is Church of Ireland or Presbyterian, rather than RC. (Presbyterianism was brought to Ireland by Scots settlers. Church of Ireland was essentially the Church of England in Ireland).

Poole will be an incomers name too. It’s not native Irish as far as I can tell.

The Scottish coast is only about 20 miles from Donaghadee, Co Down. England is maybe 45 miles. You can see them both clearly on a good day. These were not big journeys.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

I’m pretty sure that our Poole descendants were all Presbyterianisms. So that’s interesting, they possibly came from England. Good to know. 

Thankyou for all your help Ellen it’s much appreciated 

Narelle 

Rell

Narelle,

If Presbyterian, they are more likely to have come from Scotland. Killinchy has particularly strong Scottish links, going back 400 years. See attached article from a 2010 Ulster-Scots Agency publication.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Very interesting read. Religion has been a very big part of human history.

Killinchy and Stranraer are very close, I had a look on goggle maps. 

Rell

Reply

Reply
One image file up to 2 MB.