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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Down => Topic started by: Patsy Beech on Monday 20 March 06 01:57 GMT (UK)
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Hi Folks,
Could someone please help me to trace my Thompson families from Comber?
My theory is that three brothers/cousins were helped by Lord Londonderry to move from Comber to West Rainton in County Durham when he needed to increase his work force for his expanding coalmines - which he inherited from his young wife!
John born c1820, Joseph born c1821 & Hugh born c1827 all made the move to England around the late 1840's early 1850's with their families.
John Thompson was married to Jane McCullough, and they had two sons John born c1842 & Richard born c1844 before they moved to England. Their first daughter Elizabeth was born in 1849 in County Durham followed by Hugh 11th October 1851, Jane born 1855, Mary born 1857 & Rebecca born 23rd March 1860.
Joseph Thompson was married to Margaret Ritchie, and they had four children born in Ireland, Hugh c1846, Agnes c1850, John c1852 & Isabella c1853. They had two more children born in England James 2nd March 1857 & Mary 1860.
Hugh Thompson also married a Comber lass, but her name varies on different certificates and census returns although I do think it is the same person. Her names are Ann, Agnes & Nancy and her surname is spelt McCullich, McMullough, McCullock & McCullough! They were married on the 1st May 1851 in The United Presbyterian Church, Houghton-le-Spring, after the birth of the first daughter called Elizabeth. She is 2 months old on the 1851 census. Other children were Isabella 1853, Hugh 1855, Agnes 9th December 1858 & Mary Alice 1864. On their marriage certificate the fathers are given as Hugh Thompson, pitman & Richard McCullich Millier.
Can anyone help me to find out if my theory about John, Joseph & Hugh are brothers/cousins, and could Jane McCullough & Ann McCullough be sisters? Are there any marriage records for John & Jane or Joseph & Margaret? Or are their any birth/christening records for the children born in Ireland?
I have found all these surnames on Rosalind Davies excellent website including a Hugh Thompson who was a publican in Mill Street, Comber in 1824, and the name Hugh appears in all the family branches.
Thank you all for reading this.
Best Wishes, Patsy
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I have a 2 page collection of references to individual Thompson,about half will be Ros davies references, the others from other sources eg freeholders PRONI etc. If you want I think its slightly too large for a rootschat answer, I could send it direct. Please replace the at with the symbol @ in my mail address (*) good luck I think your find about the Londonderrys coal mines most interesting, Jim
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Dear Jim,
Thank you for your help. I'll be in touch.
Best Wishes, Patsy
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Just wondering if there is any relationship to John Thomspon (father James) who married Agnes Wightman. The 12th of November 1886. Ballygown Presbyterian Church. Their daughter Florrie Thompson married William Boyce in 1925. They had a 2 sons and 5 daughters. One of the daughters was Elizabeth born XXXX, she was my mother. Would like to find out more about my family in Ireland.
Best Regards,
Shirley
White Rock, B.C.
Canada
Moderator's Note: Edited to remove details of possible living person in accordance with RootsChat policy of not publishing details of people who may still be living. This is to protect all concerned from spam, identity abuse, internet abuse, etc, etc.
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Dear Shirley,
Sorry, but I don't think there is any connection because all my Thompson family had moved to County Durham, England, long before 1886.
I noticed your address though, and I have been to White Rock several times as I have friends living there. A really lovely area although I gather you have had some severe weather just recently with lots of snow. We have had only a light snow covering in East Anglia, but it is very cold.
Good Look searching for your Thompsons.
Best Wishes,
Patsy
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Hello Patsy,
Thank you for your reply.
White Rock is a very beautiful little seaside town. Normally we get alot of strong winds coming off the water. I cannot believe the amount of snow that fell last month. It has since disappeared with all the rain we have received. Hope you get a chance to come back to White Rock.
Best Regards,
Shirley
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Hi Patsy.
A couple of Comber Thompson / Thomson marriages. Don't know if they connect to your lot, but they might.
Married on the 5 October 1855.
Ist Presbyterian Church, Newtownards, Co Down, by license by Julius McCullough.
David Irvine, full age, a bachelor, a labourer, resided Drumhirk, Co Down.
Father, William Irvine, a farmer.
Esther Thompson, full age, a spinster, resided Ballyskeagh, Co Down.
Father, James Thompson, a farmer.
Witnesses, Robert Bell and Sarah Thompson.
Married 14 August 1869.
Regent Street Presbyterian Church, Newtownards, Co Down.
By license by Thomas Watters, minister.
William Quin, age 25, a bachelor, a farm servant, resided Cullintraw, Comber.
Father, John Quin, a farmer.
Margaret Thomson, full age, a spinster, a servant, resided High St., Newtownards.
Father, John Thomson, a labourer, deceased.
Witnesses, James Todd and Elisa Thomson.
Index reference in the Register of Marriages, 1869 / Newtownards / volume 11 / page 975.
(I think this system of reference only applies at Dublin GRO now,)
Regards,
Dixie
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Hi DixieDee,
Ever so sorry for the late reply, but I have only just bumped into your message by chance. I don't think there is a family connection, but then again even the vicar is called Julius McCullough so I must be in the right area.
Thank you for taking the time to post all the information, and I will keep a record of it as you never know just when something turns out to be useful.
Best Wishes,
Patsy
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Hi Patty,
this is my husband branch of Thompsons. (
"Hugh Thompson also married a Comber lass, but her name varies on different certificates and census returns although I do think it is the same person. Her names are Ann, Agnes & Nancy and her surname is spelt McCullich, McMullough, McCullock & McCullough! They were married on the 1st May 1851 in The United Presbyterian Church, Houghton-le-Spring, after the birth of the first daughter called Elizabeth. She is 2 months old on the 1851 census. Other children were Isabella 1853, Hugh 1855, Agnes 9th December 1858 & Mary Alice 1864. On their marriage certificate the fathers are given as Hugh Thompson, pitman & Richard McCullich Millier."
I would love it if you could get in touch. :)
Beverley Ramsden
Ontario, Canada
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Hi, I have an Ann Thompson of Comber, who married Robert Cockcroft or Cockcraft prior to 1842. They had two children...Robert and Jane. Jane married a man whose last name was Murphy. Any possible connection?
I think Ann...and possibly Robert....are buried in Comber.
Cindy
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Cindy,
12 Aug 1862 Jane Cockcroft married William Murphy in St. Marks C. of I. Church, Newtownards.
Interestingly on 15 Oct Robert Cockcroft married Isabella Murphy in the same church.
Regards
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Hi Patsy
I am attempting to research this family and have just hit on this message board. Hugh Thompson/Agnes McCulloch were my husband's ggg grandparents. I have come to a fullstop with them and wondered if you had managed to get any further with your research.
Regards
Wendy
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I am really sorry folk for not replying sooner, but I did not receive notification of your posts, and it is only because I did a general search of the Internet using Google that I came across your messages.
I have not found any connection to the name Crockcroft, sorry, but Wendy and Beverley I would love to get in touch with you. By now you may have other posts here on RootsChat so you could send me a personal message.
In the meantime the only scrap of evidence that I have John Thompson born c1820, and Hugh Thompson born c1827, could be brothers is at the wedding of John's daughter Mary to John Minnis in 1872 the bridesmaid was Agnes Thompson (born 9.12.1858) daughter of Hugh. If my theory is correct this would make Mary and Agnes cousins. At the very least it indicates the families knew each other in County Durham.
I am going to keep my fingers crossed this reply reaches you and we can help each other with the Thompson family tree.
Best Wishes,
Patsy
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Hi Patsy
Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately I am unable to send personal reply as I am not a frequent user.
The only extra info. that I can add is that Rachel Jones, the ggdaughter of Hugh and Agnes, said that the family had worked in the local Irish whisky distillery prior to moving to England. I see via the internet that the Comber Distilleries were established in 1825.
It looks as though we are drawing a blank on the Thompson/McCulloughs.
Regards
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Dear Patri,
Have you seen my other posting here on RootsChat which only yesterday made a link between Malcolm McCullough & Agnes McCullough - their father was called Richard McCullough a miller, and that could involve working for the distilleries!
Malcolm McCullough was living with John Thompson & Jane (nee McCullough) at the time of the 1851 census, but he returned to Ireland in 1852 to marry his sweetheart Agnes Harper. They married 12th December 1852 at Saintfield Church of Ireland, Downpatrick. Malcolm, wife and mother-in-law then returned to County Durham, England. So it is not just the Thompson families being connected, but also the McCullough's. The tree gets evermore complicated!
If I find any other pieces for the jigsaw I will let you know.
Best Wishes and Good Luck searching,
Patsy
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Hi Patsy
Thank you for the extra information. I will certainly keep in touch if and when I manage to get any further with this side of the family.
Wendy
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Hello, I am a Thompson from Comber. I am linked to William and Elizabeth - James and Christina.
Could it be the same family.
H.
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Hi Beverley,
Sorry it has taken 5 years to reply to your post, but family searching has been on hold for several years now. It is only because I hope to visit West Rainton in the near future that I have been trying to put all the bits and pieces together - no easy after such a long gap!
You say that this is your husband's family tree - do you know just which Thompson? If I put below the information I have regarding Hugh Thompson perhaps you can let me know if it is this one.
Hugh Thompson born c1827, Comber, County Down, Ireland married 1st May 1851 at the United Presbyterian Chapel, Ann McCulloch. (Spelling varies!) Their 5 children were:-
1851 Elizabeth Thompson
1853 Isabella Thompson baptised 2nd October 1853 West Rainton.
Married: 1871 Samuel Jones
Children: 1874 Elizabeth Jones
1876 Hugh Thompson Jones
1878 Ann Jones
1881 Rachel Jones
1885 Isabella Jones
1887 Samuel Jones
1889 Thomas Jones
1894 Agnes Jones
Plus two other children which had died by the time of the 1911 census.
1855 Hugh Thompson born West Rainton.
Married 1881 Margaret Jane Savage
Children: 1879 George Frederick Savage [Thompson]
1882 John Robert Thompson
1885 Minnie Thompson
1887 Hugh Thompson
1890 Hannah Thompson
1893 Annie Thompson
1900 Margaret Thompson
Agnes Thompson born 9th December 1858, West Rainton.
Married x1 1882 John Heslington
Married x2 Robert Leighton
Children: 1883 Richard Heslington
1885 Hugh Thompson Heslington
1888 Barbara Heslington
1890 Agnes Heslington
1894 John Heslington
1897 Isabella Heslington
1899 Elizabeth Heslington
Step children:
1883 Robert Leighton
1885 Margaret Leighton
1886 Mary Ethel Leighton
1890 Joseph Curry Usher Leighton
1894 Jane Elizabeth Leighton
1896 Annie Leighton
1901 Michael Usher Leighton
Note: Agnes was a witness/bridesmaid at the wedding of her cousin Mary Thompson to John Minnis at Durham Register Office, 15th June 1872. I think this was also the day of the Durham Miners Gala.
1864 Mary Alice Thompson (Possibly known as Polly!)
Once again I am very sorry about the 5 year delay.
Best Wishes,
Patsy
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I have just come across this chat and am interested because I am researching a DNA match I have with a descendent from Hugh & Agnes / Ann. I would be interested to know if anyone has been able to take this any further especially with the new information continually becoming available.
It is a bit of a clutching at straws scenario but I have a brickwall where my great grandmother, Victoria Thompson, recorded upon her marriage that her father was John Thompson, a master mariner, and census records state that she was born "across the Red Sea" - family stories say that her father died at sea and the family where stranded there. I have no accurate dates but estimate that Victoria was born between 1854 and 1860 with 1859 being the most likely and that her father John died before 1876 when she married (possibly some years before that date) and I guesstimate his birth as being around 1820. Victoria married in Bishop Middleham, Co Durham and died at Shotton Colliery, Co Durham.
As already stated a very long shot but could there be a connection here?
Many thanks in advance for any comments - negative or positive.
Bob