Ireland XO
Back to Message Board

Information About Belle Johnston - (Margaret Marie Therese Isobel Johnston) Married Name Walker

LouthDundalk (Louth)

I hope somebody can help - I am trying to find out the names of my mother's parents.

Like many other Irish citizens who now need their passports, I have to obtain a copy of my mother's birth certificate.  Unfortunately, she died in 1987 and I no documents are held by the family.

She was born in Dundalk on 8th March 1918 and was named Margaret Marie Therese Isobel Johnston.

She became a Nurse and worked in Gibraltar, where she met my father Peter Walker, whom she married in 1948.

I know her brother (my uncle Frank Johnston) was a District Justice for many years.

I wonder if somebody can assist in helping me get the information I need.

Thank you

peter.walker@s…

9 replies

local volunteer alerted.

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

According to Irishgenealogy.ie, Francis Ignatius Johnston was born 27 Nov. 1913 to Edward and Hannah Johnston. The birth was registered in Dundalk. Hannah’s maiden name was Johnston, same as her married name. You can see the birth record at irishgenealogy.ie.

A transcription at rootsireland shows that Hannah Johnston and Edward J. Johnston married 7 July 1897 in the parish of Dundalk, Co. Louth. Hannah’s father was Arthur, Edward’s was James. You can see the marriage record at irishgenealogy.ie.

I did not see a birth or baptismal record for Margaret. Perhaps she was registered under a different first name? She may also be registered in a different year. People were often inexact in giving their ages.

I hope this helps.

glanvil3@aol.com

Peter, I looked at the 1911 Irish census and saw that Hannah and Edward had a daughter called Agnes. I was then able to find her birth record, as follows. It is possible that Agnes is you mother, even though the date does not match the one you have.

NameAGNES JOHNSTON
Date of Birth24 October 1908
Group Registration ID851024
SR District/Reg AreaDundalk
SexFemale
Mother's Birth SurnameJOHNSTON

See image at https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_retur…

glanvil3@aol.com

Hello Peter and Patricia, Roger mailed me with some information supplied to him by Shane so I can take no credit and I attach the extract from the  register for follow up purposes and the detail he suppled Roger also.

There's no sign of Margaret Marie Therese Isobel Johnston's birth on the date given on IrishGen, but there is a very likely match in the area and quarter specified on the FamilySearch index, Dundalk district and page number as  288, Apr June qtr 1918

Selecting a birth in the same district close to that date, I checked on IrishGen and selected Margaret Corrigan born 10th June 1918 her birth is recorded on page 283, skipping forward to page 683 in the browse tool (FireFox required)
skip forward to 688 to show the correct page, and entry 284 (last on page) - Margaret Marie Therese Isabell Johnston, born 8th March 1918, (date specified in the post) , 12 Castle Road Dundalk, father Francis Patrick Johnston, mother Kathleen O'Grady, father's occupation Solicitor.
 

 or direct link to IrishGen.

 

The parents married 1915 - St. Andrew's RC Dublin city

1901 census - Johnston family Bridge St. Dundalk 1901 - Francis ia a Solicitor's Apprentice

1911 census - Johnston family Bellurgan townland, Ballymascanlon, Francis is qualified solicitor (father deceased)

Thom's 1921 - Register of registered to practice pursuant to Solicitors (Ireland) Act 1890 61 & 62 Vic, C17

Johnston, Francis P. 20 Wellington Quay, Dublin (city), & Dundalk  |*  T 1903
  (admitted to practice Trinity Term 1903, * member of the Law Society of Ireland, | = member of the Solicitors Benevolent Society)

 

All I can add if you are iterested is the site here giving a lot of information about Louth but the extract is attached.

 

Good Luck

Pat

St Peters LouthIrelandXO Volunteer

Peter sorry forgot to give the site, there was a lot of action too in the Dundalk area during the War of Independence if you want to search the Bureau of Military History, see also he lived in Ballymacscanlan (very small spot) but interestingly I have been in contact with a US lady whose ancestor was the postmaster there.

http://www.jbhall.clahs.ie/ If you see a grave mentioned I can access the inscription for most, there is one in St Nicholas Church Dundalk (C of I) but erected by 2 surviving  mentions daughters

 

The website is here http://www.jbhall.clahs.ie/

Regards

Pat

St Peters LouthIrelandXO Volunteer

Great work, Pat.  

Were you able to find her brother Francis as well?

glanvil3@aol.com

Thanks Patricia, the politician in me wants to bask in the reflected glory but Roger sent me the info from Shane so it was a copy and paste job only. On the other side I did not find the birth of Frank as I did not look but actually got in touch with a cousin of mine whom I thought may have known him and he did indeed, he knew him as a judge.

Regards

Pat

St Peters LouthIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Folks,

I had posted my thanks yesterday, but I can't see them on here, so at the risk of duplication - I am truly grateful to you all for doing this.  Prompt, effective and a real eye-opener.

Peter Walker

peter.walker@s…

My mother is Margaret Mary Isabelle Finnegan (ODoherty), of Linenhall street, Dundalk,  and she talks about relatives, Belle Johnston and Bella O Hare, 

I dont know the connection, but another relative Father Jim Johnston used to visit us when home from the missions in the 70s

Bríd ODoherty(Faulkner)

 

Brid

Reply

Reply
One image file up to 2 MB.