RootsChat.Com
Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Mayo => Topic started by: msjunie on Tuesday 11 November 08 18:33 GMT (UK)
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I would be very grateful if anyone could help me find any information on my great grandfather THOMAS BLAKE (second name could be Dominick). THOMAS was born c 1836 in WESTPORT, COUNTY MAYO, IRELAND. He immigrated to Australia c 1847.
His father's name was WALTER BLAKE and his mother's name was CATHERINE nee O'DONNELL.
Thank you so much, June
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Civil registration of births in Ireland started in 1864 so for earlier dates you need to search for church records, if they exist.
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Can you please advise me as to any online church records in Westport. I think he would have been Catholic if he was anything. Thank you, June
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LDS have microfilmed some of the church records:
Parochial registers of Aughaval (Mayo) 1823-1905 although some is apparently difficult to read. "The Catholic parish of Aughaval, now called Westport, includes the civil parish of Oughaval. There are three chapels: in Westport, Lecanvey, and Drummin West. Aughaval is a variant spelling of Oughaval."
You can order the microfilm for a small fee from your local LDS library to be viewed there.
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I live in central Australia in the Outback, so I don't think I'd have access to that help. Thank you anyway, June
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Perhaps someone else will know if those church records are available online somewhere like a subscription or pay perview site.
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Thank you so much for your time, Cheers June
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Mayo is covered by the pay site www.irish-roots but many of the parish records start after the timeframe you are interested in.
I dont see anything for Thomas Blake - but here are the Blake Baptisms for Co. Mayo around that time :
Blake Catherine 1834
Blake Catherine 1834
Bleake Honour 1834
Blake Maurice Charles Joseph 1837
Blake Richard William 1837
Blake Henry 1838
Blake 1839
Blake Charles Joseph 1839
Blake Unknown 1839
Blake Julia 1840
could this be a possible marriage for a sibling of Thomas?
Blake Walter 1861 Co. Mayo
(on this site the index search is free once you register - it costs €5 to view a record transcript)
Shane
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Hi Shane, Thank you so much for the website addy. Its so hard searching the web out here as dial up is so slow and I can't have broard band. So any help is very much appreciated. Thank you, June
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Saw your message a few days ago and decided to try, as I live in Westport.
Today I asked the Catholic parish secretary in Westport but unfortunately there is NO Blake in the index for the baptisms.
This does not neccessarily mean that Thomas was baptised elsewhere. The original book of baptisms is in such poor condition that a lot of the entries are illegible.
Very disappointing as I had hoped to surprise you with some information.
Is it possible that he could have been baptised in the Protestant church?
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Thank you so much for trying. I have had a lot of trouble with this side of my family.
I think they were Catholic. Thomas was married in a Catholic Chappel in Victoria, Aust. Some of his children died and were buried Catholic including my grandfather.
Maybe they didn't go to any church.
All the information I have was found on his marriage certificate.
Thomas' father was Walter Blake and his mother was Catherine O'Donnell. Maybe there is a death record of their deaths. I think they died in Ireland.
Once again Thank You
June
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Civil registration of deaths in Ireland started in 1864 and the index is online (free)- goes up to 1958. There seems to be no death registration for a Walter Blake in Co. Mayo but perhaps he died elsewhere.
http://search.labs.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#p=collectionDetails&c=fs%3A1408347
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Hi June.
Today I made another visit to the presbytery to check the marriage records. Sorry to say there was no
Blake in that index either. Perhaps your great-grandparents lived in the rural area near Westport which is the parish of Kilmeena. The church records for Kilmeena are very difficult to research. As far as I know they are not on film in the National Library in Dublin. Only part of the records remain after a fire in Kilmeena church some years ago, and they are held by the Clew Bay heritage centre in Westport. You might like to ask them to do a search but they charge quite a lot.
Best wishes.
Eve.
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Thank you so much for taking a look for Walter and Catherine Blake's records. June