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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Topic started by: purplemoon on Sunday 29 October 06 20:06 GMT (UK)
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I really could use a fresh pair of eyes if anyone has access to census returns please?
I am trying to research my CONNELLEY branch but just to make life difficult spelling is inconsistant and I've found it written as CONNOLLY, CONNELLY and even CONOLY at various times! ::)
And as if that wasn't bad enough, I also have four direct generations of John's to deal with!
Starting at the top I have John CONNELLY b. circa 1834 in Ireland who I think I've found on the 1841 census as a 7 yr old living with other siblings and parents John and Catherine in Leeds. He married Ann O'NEIL (also from Ireland) sometime around 1853-4 but I can't trace a marriage for them anywhere. Their first son John was born 29 Aug 1855.
John (b.1834) was a Royal Artillery Gunner and their first two sons, John and James were born in Woolwich, Kent where he was based. I've found John in 1861 on a special return for army personnel in Dover, Kent but no trace of Ann or the boys.
I was recently given information, from a relative who tried to search for them many years ago, that John served in Gibraltar 1866-71 and was found on the pay roll of the 10th Battalion in records at Kew, but unfortunately I don't have a copy of that. Two further children Arthur and Elizabeth were born in Gibraltar during this time, but again I can't find any trace of them anywhere.
The same relative also told me she'd found wife Ann CONNOLLY in 1881 living in Union Street (I presume in Cleckheaton but could possibly be Heckmondwike or Liversedge too) with children James, Arthur and Elizabeth - again I've failed to find them also.
I've found son John CONNELLY b. 1855 and wife Catherine (HEALEY) together with their son John b. 1879 in Cleckheaton in 1881, and I've also found brother James and his family in Cleckheaton 1891 and 1901.
Another marriage record which eludes me is John CONNELLEY b.1879 and Mary WALKER, although I've found them together with 10mo son Fred living with Mary's parents in 1901, again in Cleckheaton.
Apologies for such a lengthy post but I've spent all weekend trawling Ancestry, FreemBMD and IGI trying to find all the relevant records/details but I think I'm just going around in circles now and have finally admitted defeat :-[
Just to recap - what I would really like to find out is ...
1) where Ann and children John and James were during 1861;
2) to find the 1881 census I was told had Ann and children James, Arthur and Elizabeth living in or near Cleckheaton (I'm assuming John senior had died by then);
3)to know whether John and Ann actually married over here or in Ireland (if that is my John in 1841 then presumably they married over here)
and finally ...
4) to try and locate both John and Ann with their respective families in 1851 (they'd have been approx 16/17 yo by then) assuming they were in the UK at that time of course.
If anyone can help in any way that would be fantastic and might just about save what little sanity I have left! ;D
Paula
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Hi Paula,
Have found a different spelling for you :P
On the 1881 census, you will find Ann, Arthur, Elizabeth and James in Cleckheaton with the surname Connerley. The ref is RG11/4429, Folio 61, Page 32.
Kath
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Hi Purplemoon
I just typed this up but Kath has just beaten me to it ;D ;D but, I'm going ahead with post as the exact details may help with the other queries you have:
1881: Cleckheaton, Yorkshire
REF: RG11 - Piece: 4429 - Folio: 61 - Page: 32 ( RD: Bradford)
ADDRESS: Union St
Head: Ann CONNOLEY, wid, 47, Formerley Laundress, b County Monaghan
Son: James CONNOLEY, 24, unm, Blacksmith, Woolich (sic) Kent
SOn: Arthur CONNOLEY, 17, unm, Card Dresser (stuff), b Gibralter (British Subject)
Dau: Elizabeth CONNOLEY 14, Mill Hand Textile, b Gibralter (British Subject)
The way their surname is written it could be taken as CONNERLEY, but looking at it, is I am sure, CONNOLEY.
Cheers ;D ;D
AMBLY
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Blimey!!! how on earth did you two find that so quickly!!! :P
Do you know how many hours I've spent searching LOL! I was beginning t think they never even existed ::)
That's fantastic, thank you so much ;D
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Hi again,
Sorry should have said, Connerley, is how Ancestry have transcribed the name, not how it looks on the census ;D
There is a marriage registration with both a John Conley and a Mary Walker in the qtr Oct-Dec 1899, Dewsbury, 9b, 1129. I realise that this is not the registration district for Cleckheaton, but did Mary come from Dewsbury perchance?
Kath
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Mary was born in Flockton, although I think off the top of my head that the family were living in Liversedge at the time, so I was looking for possibly Wakefield or Dewsbury district so it may well be the right marriage. It certainly fits with the birth of their first child in June 1900.
Thank you so much, you're a star!!! ;D
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A possible for the 1851 census:
No 7 Brook Street, Leeds - H0107/2319, Folio 399, page 4
John Connley, Visitor, U, 17, Cloth Dyer, Ireland
(In the household of James Forster and family)
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Ooooo I wonder if that might be him, it ties in with him possibly being in Leeds in 1841 and presumably before he signed up to the Royal Artillery. I'll have to see if I can find whom I believe to be his parents, John and Catherine, elsewhere without him.
One thing I have noticed though, which is rather freaky :o ... there's a Gallagher family living next door that I think are mine from a completely different line and on my mother's side (the Connelley's are my dad's family!) and are ones I've been searching for! ;D
Thanks so much for all your help :-*
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Wow, if that is your Gallagher family living next door, that is definitely spooky :o
I didn't have any luck with the 1861 details for Ann and the children or for John's and Ann's marriage, hopefully somebody else will have better luck, if not I will have another go when I get chance :P
Regards,
Kath
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I didn't have any luck with the 1861 details for Ann and the children or for John's and Ann's marriage, hopefully somebody else will have better luck, if not I will have another go when I get chance :P
Regards,
Kath
Hi Kath
I don't think we're going to find any census records in 1861/1871 for them as I'm not entirely sure they were even in England at that time. Certainly in 1871 it's likely they were still in Gibraltar.
The 1861 entry I'd found for John turns out to be wrong as the John I found was a Sapper in the Royal Engineers and my John was a Gunner in the Royal Artillery - same name, age and right area, but the wrong John! ::)
I also think the John in 1841/1851 is wrong too as I've just had a discussion with my nan and she now informs me that he joined the army in Ireland prior to coming over here (why do people withhold such important bits of info LOL! ;D ) so it's quite possible John and Ann were married in Ireland too, hence not finding any marriage details here.
It seems the only way I'm going to be able to get any more info on this family is to try and locate his army records and go from there, but thanks very much for all the help you've given me so far :)
Regards
Paula
PS I've not had chance to check out those Gallagher's yet but they certainly look promising at first glance ;)
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Hi purplemoon,
Thanks for letting me know, before I did anymore looking up :D
Have you considered contacting the Royal Artillery Museum? I contacted a regimental museum, once and they very kindly let me know where the regiment served for a particular period. The Royal Artillery Museum are at www.firepower.org.uk. They tend not to hold soldiers details though, but it may help to know where 10th Battalion were serving in 1861.
You must let me know about Gallaghers, as that is quite a coincidence.
Kath
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Hi Kath
I did as you suggested and contacted the RA museum and have already received a very helpful and informative reply! ;D
I've been given details of a couple of publications, one of which is a guide to the Battery locations of the Royal Artillery 1859-77, and should prove to be very useful indeed in locating John during his army career.
It's likely that I will also find details of Ann in army records on the Battery Muster Roll (WO10 series) as it appears she may well have been classed as an "official wife" and allowed to live in barracks and travel with John to wherever he was based (evident from the birth places of their children).
Apparently, only 6% of soldiers were "allowed" to marry and have their wives/family living on base and the rest had to live independantly and support themselves!
Thanks for suggesting this to me as it's proved to be very useful indeed :)
Cheers
Paula