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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Antrim => Ireland => Antrim Completed Look up Requests => Topic started by: amanda t on Tuesday 17 July 07 19:09 BST (UK)
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I am searching for James McGill born in the 1860s, he had a brother called Patrick and their father was called John McGill, a labourer in the coal mines. The two brothers left Ireland in the late 1880s to live in Durham, northeast England. Does anybody have any information on this family or know how I can find more details?
James and Patrick died in Durham in the 1890s. James's daughter, Mary Ann McGill (my grandmother) was orphaned and sent to her Irish family in the 1900s where she was brought up in "Castle Carey" (not sure of the spelling). Can anyone let me know how I can find out more details please? I have been working on this for four years!
Thank you
Amanda Thomas
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Hi All
Many thanks for those of you who have considered this request.
Just to keep you up to date: I have now learned that there is a school called Castle Carey in Ballyrattan Donegal, so for now I am following the Donegal lead! I also understand that the only coalmine in the area is in Coalisland of County Tyrone so I'll have to do a bit of searching around there too!
Cheers!
Amanda
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It's quite possibe that the men were only coalminers in England and worked as labourers of some other sort in Ireland.
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Hi Aghadowey
It was James McGill's father (John McGill) who was the labourer in the coal mines and as far as I know he didn't come over to Durham England with his sons. I have searched the Durham census and have not found any John McGills of a suitable age. :(
Not to worry. I am keeping my mind open to any possibilities. :)
I am visiting the LDS in London next week to follow up ALL the James McGills born 1864-1868 in Ireland; quite a task ahead but I am not giving up! :P
Thank you for all your help, if you have any other ideas please let me know!
Best wishes
Amanda
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Although birth registration began in 1864 it was not compulsary until 1870 so the birth might not have been registered.
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Wow! That is very helpful. :)
I have previously commissioned help from IrishWorld and they found a McGill family in Tyrone with James' father and brother listed but not James. This could be the family assuming James' birth had not been registered. :-\
I will still follow up further Tyrone and Donegal leads but also keep this idea in mind. My Irish lines are very frustrating, I wish I had asked my grandmother more questions when she was alive!
Amanda
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Hello Aghadowey
Searching through the all the Irish BMDs at the London LDS I found only one James McGill (of the correct age) with a brother Patrick and father John McGill/Magill living in the same county. They were from Castlequarter, Ballymoney County Antrim and James' mother was called Margaret Laverty.
I realise not all births had to be registered until 1870 but as this is all I have I am satisfied that this is my family. Which census are available for Ballymoney? Any suggestions how I can proceed?
Amanda
PS.. Please see my post to you on the Donegal board.
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Amanda- might be worth keeping that family in mind but not all births that were registered are on IGI or on LDS site.
Checked on Ballymoney Ancestry site and 36 McGills entries came up but most far too early and nothing that seems to connect to John & Margaret's family.
Castlequarter is the Registration District and is east of Ballymoney. Parts of Loughuile, Killagan and Kilraughts all seem to come under it.
IGI shows 3 children to John McGill & Margaret Laverty: Patrick, James & a William born 15 Dec.1864.
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Thanks, I hadn't found William.
I tried looking for a William McGill in Durham on the 1891 census when Partick and James had emigrated to England, but he is not there.
Are there any census available for the Castlequarter district?
Amanda
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Some bits of 1851 census survive for Co. Antrim and while there are parts around Ballymoney I can't see anything for that area.
Next census available is 1901 which you can order through your local LDS library.
Castlequarter is the Registration District for births, marriages & deaths but census is by townland.This site will probably explain it better than I can and also gives a list of the townlands:
www.from-ireland.net/plusdeds/ballymoney.htm
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Thanks for all this help. I will have to get my head around this townland/registration district/parish stuff and then order the 1901 census.
Amanda :)
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Before you order the census you will need to have a better idea of where this family lived. Birth certificates will give the actual place of birth (i.e. townland).
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Thank you Aghadowey.
The Irish system seems so different from England and Wales, it is taking a bit of getting used to! I must say I have made more progress in the last two months with help from RootsChat people than I have made in the four years of searching.
Best wishes
Amanda
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JAMES MAGILL BORN 21-7-1868. CASTLEQUARTER, ANTRIM, IRE.
PARENTS JOHN MAGILL & MARGARET LAVERTY.
REGARDS MARY.
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Thank you Mary, it was kind if you to look up my James; however I found him at the LDS earlier this week as I mentioned earlier on this thread. I also found Patrick and I now have his brother William. This is really getting exciting, I wonder if there are anymore?
My intention is to orderJames' birth certificate to discern the townland and then search the 1901 census!
Here's hoping!
Amanda
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Hello Aghadowey & Mary
I have come across an extra piece of information regarding James' birth:
James Mc Gill born 21st July 1868 Castlequarter Loughguile Antrim
parents John McGill labourer and Margaret Laverty
Do I have enough info to do a look up on 1901 census or do I still need to send for a birth certificate?
Amanda
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Getting closer- Loughguile is the (civil) Parish.
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Hi
Not sure that this James is the correct one your looking for. My relation was Margaret Laverty who married John McGill. They had 6 children, 4 survived - all boys. My info is that 3 went to Australia and one stayed at home in Loughguile Parish. I am trying to track down a person I know to confirm this.
All 1911 census returns are online free for County Antrim.
Let me know how you get on.
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Here's the link for 1911 census- 1901 to be added in the future.
www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search
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Many thanks for the update Aghadowey.
I searched through each record looking up James' father, John McGill (Magill) an RC labourer but none listed. I reckon he would have been approaching 80 and may have died. I am hoping for better luck in the 1901 census. Do we know if and when it is going to be released online?
Amanda :)
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National Archives website gives details under 'Future Plans' but be warned- they are notorious for putting back release dates!
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Residents of house number 2 in Lavin, Lower (Castlequarter, Antrim)
Surname Forename Age Sex
McGill John 77 Male
McGill Margaret 80 Female
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Would this be your Mary Ann - age 6 in 1911 - daughter to James and Mary Ann?
Moderator's Note: Cut & paste of 1911 census entry removed. See here (http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Ballymena_No__3_Urban/White_Row_Ballykeel/118490/) for 1911 census entry.
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Wow! Loughguile I think this is a break through!!!! Well done.
The John McGill aged 77 in 1911 with wife Margaret would seem to be my great great grandparents. I know they had two children: Patrick and James (my great grandfather) who both emigrated to Durham England and died in the 1890s which would account for the six children, 4 living; but I don't know of any other children born. At the time of Patrick's marriage in 1890 John was a labourer, I guess he could have changed his occupation.
The Mary Ann you listed as age 6 in 1911 is not my grandmother. She would have been 15-16 years old and of course born in Durham England. Her father James died in Durham in 1899.
Where is Lavin Lower Castlequarter?
Do you know whether the 1901 census for Ireland is available yet?
Best wishes
Amanda
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1901 census is going to be added to National Archives website along with 1911 census sometime this year (latest announcement says by mid-2010).
Lavin Lower is the townland and Castlequarter is the D.E.D. (district electoral division). See Griffith's map on this site for location of townland-
www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml
It's in Loughguile civil parish, Ballymoney Poor Law Union and Barony of Dunluce Upper.
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Wow, this is good! Looking around the map of Ballymoney I found a village called Aghadowey!
I have tried searching the 1911 census Antrim for a William McGill (you mentioned in your post August 2007 on this thread) but only one of the right age in Belfast wrong religion. I guess he could be anywhere.
Amanda
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Aghadowey is the name of a townland and a parish in Co. Londonderry west of Ballymoney but it isn't a village (even though modern road maps seem to show it as such) :-\
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It feels as though I am on a roller coaster :)
I have found my grandmother at last in the 1911 census after what seems years of searching. She is not in Antrim but in the original place of my searches...County Tyrone! Living with who appears to be her aunt Catherine Martin nee McGill in Drumreany Town, Castlecaulfield!
James and Patrick McGill of Antrim were born in the right year and may still be her relatives but for now I will need to follow the clues in Tyrone.
Thank you so much for your help...catch you on the Tyrone board...oh what fun!
Best wishes
Amanda ;)
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Happy to help :)
Biddy or Margaret McGill was my Great Great Aunt.
I am searching through my Laverty family history from Loughguile. Do you happen to know who Margaret's parents were by any chance? I have a John or Jack Laverty and a ? McClements??
Remember when looking for McGill to also try Magill as the family in Co.Antrim did change the format - I am still trying to contact my Co.Antrim Magill connection and when I do I will get in touch with their details.
All the best.
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Hello Loughguile
A lot has happened in a day.... I have now found my McGill family based in Tyrone rather than Antrim. The crucial link was that my grandmother from England was staying with them in 1911 and I have found her living with the Martin Family (nee McGill) in Castle Caulfield, Tyrone! :o :o :o
As for the Antrim McGills, I didn't take Margaret Laverty's line any further back. Her sons Patrick and James were both born in the same years as the Tyrone McGill boys and of course their fathers are both called John McGill. Without my grandmother's visit I would never have found the right McGills!
Good luck in your searching.
Best wishes
Amanda :)