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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: ClonmanyGenealogy on Sunday 12 September 10 18:44 BST (UK)

Title: Help with a MYSTERY - Ireland/England/South Africa
Post by: ClonmanyGenealogy on Sunday 12 September 10 18:44 BST (UK)
Looking for some help (any help!!) regarding a family mystery. 

My grandfather's brother Philip McLaughlin was the eldest child of Michael McLaughlin and Mary Duffy (they were married in Clonmany, Co Donegal, Ireland on 1st Jan 1917).  Philip was born sometime after his parents marriage and before my Grandfather (the second child) was born on 27th November 1922. 

I believe that Philip left the family home to train to become a priest - not sure where but possibly St. Columb's College, Derry. He did not complete this training but at some point emigrated to England.  It is said (within the family) that he married a woman from Dublin and they had two sons.

Philip was killed in his late 30s (??) by a car whilst stepping off a bus.  This was possibly the late 1950s or early 1960s.  He was living in Wolverhampton and this would possibly have been reported in the local press of the time.

Philip's widow remarried some time after his death and her sons assumed the surname of their new stepfather.  All four emigrated at some point to South Africa and haven't been heard of since.

I am very keen to find out any of the missing details above....I just don't really know where to start and was hoping that someone would kindly assist me or point me in the right direction.

Many thanks,
Jennifer
Title: Re: Help with a MYSTERY - Ireland/England/South Africa
Post by: Elwyn Soutter on Sunday 12 September 10 19:45 BST (UK)
Jennifer,

If you are interested in finding Philip's birth details, RootsIreland is showing a Philip McL born 1919 in Co Donegal, father Michael McL. Might be your man.

Elwyn
Title: Re: Help with a MYSTERY - Ireland/England/South Africa
Post by: t mo on Sunday 12 September 10 19:48 BST (UK)
hi clonmanyg
as far as the road accident is concerned it would be worth getting in touch with the wolverhampton central library as most libs have an archive of old papers
trevor
Title: Re: Help with a MYSTERY - Ireland/England/South Africa
Post by: Sandgrounder1 on Sunday 12 September 10 21:17 BST (UK)
Jennifer,

The only death I can find which could be him is Philip J McLaughlin in quarter 4 1965 in Birmingham, but this person was 49, which would mean he was born around 1916/17.  The reference is 9c514

I found 3 possible marriages:

Catherine B Finegan, q1 1956, Birmingham

Iris M Seccull Q1 1945, Birmingham

Lilian M Devaner, Q1 1939 Birmingham

Maybe your family would be able to tell you a bit more so that you could narrow down the possibilities.

Sandgrounder



Title: Re: Help with a MYSTERY - Ireland/England/South Africa
Post by: aghadowey on Sunday 12 September 10 22:18 BST (UK)
Also posted here-
www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,482336.msg3409518.html#msg3409518
Title: Re: Help with a MYSTERY - Ireland/England/South Africa
Post by: aghadowey on Sunday 12 September 10 22:28 BST (UK)
There are quite a few Philip McLaughlins born in Inishowen registeration district 1917-1919 according to civil registration index:
Two July/Sept.1917
July/Sept.1918 (middle name Antony)
Oct./Dec.1919
You could also check for births 1920-1921-
http://search.labs.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#p=collectionDetails&c=fs%3A1408347
Title: Re: Help with a MYSTERY - Ireland/England/South Africa
Post by: ClonmanyGenealogy on Monday 13 September 10 01:41 BST (UK)
Wow! Thanks so much to all of you who have responded so QUICKLY!!!

Elwyn Soutter - got it via the Roots Ireland website.  Thanks so much for that tip. Cost €5 for the Civil Birth record which is in fact cheaper by €1 than if I had gone to the County registrar's office (round trip of 70km for me!!)

DETAILS:  PHILIP McLAUGHLIN BORN 17TH OCT 1919 - LETTER, CLONMANY
                SON OF MICHAEL McLAUGHLIN, FARMER AND MARY DUFFY
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All of these details tie in with my Grandfather's townland and parents so this is indeed the correct Philip!!  Hurrah!

T mo (Trevor) - thanks for the suggestion re the Wolverhampton Library - will try and get onto them this week.

Sandgrounder1 - Death may in fact been in the late 1960s.  I will need to ask my Dad again.  He remembers it well and could have been working in London at the time.  Will verify and post tomorrow.

Also, the name Finegan as in Catherine Finegan definately rings a bell - I will need to ask Philip's only surviving sibling, Br. Denis (Joseph) McLaughlin if he remembers her name.

How would I get these records if I find out and verify the above details?

Aghadowey - Thanks for the tip - as mentioned above, I got it on Roots Ireland.



I am attaching a photo (the only one in the family) of Philip with his parents.

:) :) :) :) :)
Title: Re: Help with a MYSTERY - Ireland/England/South Africa
Post by: Sandgrounder1 on Monday 13 September 10 15:29 BST (UK)
Hi again

If Catherine Finegan is the correct person, the reference for obtaining the certificate is 9c1653.  You can order the marriage certificate online at:


http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/default.asp

This will give you his father's name and help you determine if this is the right person.

If he was definitely born in 1919, then the death I gave you is probably not the correct person unless the informant was unsure of his date of birth.

I checked births for McLaughlin/Finegan and found the following:

Catherine 1956 Quarter 1
Hugh T 1958 quarter 4
Lilian 1961 quarter 3
Martin 1969 quarter 4

There were only these 4, but again there are problems with the dates and location.

All four were born in Northampton and as Martin was born in 1969 the death in 1965 doesn't fit in.

The good news is there were 2 sons as you said.  You would need to order one of the birth certificates to determine the parents' names.

Hope this helps

Sandgrounder

Title: Re: Help with a MYSTERY - Ireland/England/South Africa
Post by: Lynntony on Monday 13 September 10 15:53 BST (UK)
Re the local newspaper, the Express and Star, I think the back issues are on microfiche at the Wolverhampton Archives, not the central library.

Tony

BTW If you would like your picture of the family restored just post it on the Photograph Restoration and Dating Board.
Title: Re: Help with a MYSTERY - Ireland/England/South Africa
Post by: ClonmanyGenealogy on Tuesday 14 September 10 22:16 BST (UK)
Found out this evening that Philip died in 1950 in SOUTHAMPTON and not Wolverhampton.  Am currently in the process of ammending the other threads I have posted on.  Thank you to all who have gone out of their way to assist me to date.  It is much appreciated.

Also, his wife is possibly a Kathleen M Mitchell (O'Rourke) as advised by Dave Francis on another thread.  This concurs with my father's first suggestion of O'Rourke as Philip's wife.  Marriage details given were the year 1950.

Apologies for the confusion - trying to work with my 84yo granduncle who is getting a bit confused unfortunately.
Title: Re: Help with a MYSTERY - Ireland/England/South Africa
Post by: ClonmanyGenealogy on Monday 27 September 10 18:08 BST (UK)
Have received post today from the Register Office in Southampton! Very excited.

Marriage Cert Details

Date of Marriage - 24th April 1950

Groom:

Philip Aloysius McLaughlin
26 years
Bachelor
Ganger - Building Contractors
Residence at time of marriage - 145 Kathleen Road, Southampton
Father - Michael McLaughlin (Farmer)


Bride:
Kathleen May Mitchell (formerly O'Rourke)
26 years
The divorced wife of Alexander Mitchell
No profession listed
Residence at time of marriage - 145 Kathleen Road, Southampton
Father - Dennis O'Rourke (deceased) [Shipyard Driller]

______________________________________________________________________


Death Certificate Details

Date of Death - 13th November 1955 (Royal South Hants Hospital, Southampton)

Desceased:

Philip Aloysius McLaughlin
32 years
Occupation - Of 147 Porlock Road, Southampton. A foreman (Civil Engineering Contractors)
Cause of Death - 1. Fracture of the skull and subdural haemorrhage
                          2. Compound fracture of tibia and fibula
                          3. Pedestrian knocked down by motor car on highway
                          4. Accident PM
Informant - Certificate received from MFJ Emanuel Deputy Coroner for Borough of Southampton. Inquest held 16th November 1953 (am assuming that this is a mis-print and should have been 1955??)
When registered - 17th November 1955

__________________________________________________________________-

Am delighted to have made so much progress and thanks again to all that have helped me so far.  Am now on the trail again of their two sons....born perhaps just before the marriage in 1950.  My Dad reckons that they are the same ages as him and his brother (they were born in 1944 and 1946).