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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Antrim => Topic started by: Duneane on Wednesday 02 May 18 12:26 BST (UK)

Title: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: Duneane on Wednesday 02 May 18 12:26 BST (UK)
Hi there - I have a certificate from 1871 showing the place of birth as '7 Dam Bank' in Belfast Urban No 9.

Does anybody know where Dam Bank was please? I believe that Limestone Road and Cupar Street were in Urban No 9 and I've scoured the OSNI Historical maps, but can't find Dam Bank anywhere.

Thanks for your help.
Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: hallmark on Wednesday 02 May 18 12:54 BST (UK)
Are they on 1901 Census?
Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: Duneane on Wednesday 02 May 18 12:55 BST (UK)
Not at that address unfortunately.
Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: aghadowey on Wednesday 02 May 18 13:23 BST (UK)
You haven't given us a name to search for but lots of online directories are available. Here's one for 1877 but I can't see a 'Dam Bank' in it.
http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/dcomplete1877.htm

Can you please post a link to the 1871 birth certificate so we can see the way it's written.
Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: Duneane on Wednesday 02 May 18 13:49 BST (UK)
See attached...
Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: Duneane on Wednesday 02 May 18 13:51 BST (UK)
Also...
Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: HughC on Wednesday 02 May 18 15:23 BST (UK)
(deleted)
Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: aghadowey on Wednesday 02 May 18 16:08 BST (UK)
For reference-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1871/03277/2200962.pdf

Added- this might cover the area but very hard to read-
http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/images/maps/MapWestBelfast.jpg
Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: gaffy on Wednesday 02 May 18 16:36 BST (UK)
Just checking on the off chance Duneane...  :) are you content with your knowledge of the background to this couple - in terms having found their marriage record and other childrens' births etc. - to eliminate the possibility that there would be anything untoward in this registration (eg. a made-up address)? 

Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: Duneane on Wednesday 02 May 18 17:19 BST (UK)
Aghadowey - interesting that your link to the record states Belfast No 10 but my certificate states Belfast No 9?? Yet they both state 7 Dam Bank ??
Gaffy - not sure what you mean? I have her elder brothers birth in Whiteabbey and her parents marriage the year before in Belfast?
Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: gaffy on Wednesday 02 May 18 17:22 BST (UK)

... Gaffy - not sure what you mean? I have her elder brothers birth in Whiteabbey and her parents marriage the year before in Belfast?


No problem, no offence intended, just attempting to rule out possibilities for folk reading your topic and trying to help you, who don't have your background about this couple.
 
Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: Duneane on Wednesday 02 May 18 17:39 BST (UK)
No offence taken - glad that people are trying to help  :)

Still can't find Dam Bank though!! (that's Dam Bank - not damned bank!)
Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: aghadowey on Wednesday 02 May 18 21:02 BST (UK)
Found a [house?] Dam Bank but it was Mallusk direction  :-\ Wonder if 'Dam Bank' was the name for a terrace on a street  ???
Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: gaffy on Thursday 03 May 18 01:36 BST (UK)
I wonder if it was a local, colloquial area reference, perhaps for a new street yet to be officially named or something like that. 

For example, a Belfast newspaper of June 1900 carried a story about a murder, it contained the following reference:  This occurred at a place called Dam Bank, off Millfield.

Looking at the 1858 map extract of the area between Millfield and Townsend Street on the '6 Inch to 1 Mile County Series Edition 3 (1900 - 1932)', there looks like scope for it to have been in that area, perhaps east of Hastings Street?

https://mapshop.nidirect.gov.uk/Catalogue/Digital-products/Historical-products

Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: myluck! on Thursday 03 May 18 10:12 BST (UK)
There were obviously a few houses/families using the address in 1871

LINK (https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1871/03277/2200963.pdf) to birth record #177 for Mary Ann CONNOLLY at 15 Dam Bank Sep 20 1871

LINK (https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1871/03277/2200957.pdf) to birth record #110 for Francis O'NEILL at 5 Dam Bank also Sep 20 1871

LINK (https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1871/03277/2200960.pdf) to birth record #149 for Thomas MORAN at 5 Dam Bank Oct 12 1871

For Thomas MORAN the informant was Elizabeth BURNS of 52 Linden St; she is the informant on several births and may have been a midwife rather than a relative

Linden St is not shown on the historic maps but there are none online for 1862-1900.
Linden Cottage was beside the reservoir
As previously mentioned it may have been a colloquial area reference, perhaps for a new street yet to be officially named or an area that had its name for just a short while.
Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: Duneane on Thursday 03 May 18 10:39 BST (UK)
Well this is getting interesting!
So currently we have Nos 5, 7 and 15 Dam Bank mentioned on several birth entries, along with a link to Linden Street. Linden Street is noted in the 1877 street directory as having 52 houses and being off the Falls Road. http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/Lcomplete1877.htm (http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/Lcomplete1877.htm)
On the 1958 50 inch map Linden St is facing Dunville Park between Clonard St and Waterford St - but still no sign of Dam Bank!!
 :'(
Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: myluck! on Thursday 03 May 18 11:13 BST (UK)
The O'NEILL family were at Dam Bank in 1869 at the birth of son John LINK (https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1869/03399/2246702.pdf) to birth record #16

But the baptism of John gives their address as Cupar Street LINK (https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000633213#page/96/mode/1up) to baptism register
There is a transcription of the baptism of Francis O'NEILL with an address of 5 Cupar Street

Cupar Street is near an area called the Mill Dams and William O'NEILL gave his occupation as a Rougher (a person who is involved in weaving a piece of cloth from the loom), the same as Andrew HYNDMAN
Perhaps Dam Bank and Cupar Street are the same place
Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: Duneane on Thursday 03 May 18 12:33 BST (UK)
I've just checked Antrim Sheet 60 1857 and Cupar Street is named on there - but no Dam Bank that I can see.
Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: myluck! on Thursday 03 May 18 12:43 BST (UK)
I looked at it as well but it seems strange that within a few days a family would say they live at 5 Dam Bank on a civil record and 5 Cupar Street on a church record if it wasn't the same place!? Especially as they did it twice two years between!

It was obviously a place name that was used by a number of people over a number of years though which makes it strange that it is not mentioned in more places. Except the 1900 article gaffy referred to.
Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: Duneane on Thursday 03 May 18 12:53 BST (UK)
I have to agree with you myluck - it strongly suggests that Cupar St was also known locally as Dam Bank. Or at least there may have been a terrace on Cupar Street called Dam Bank.
Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: teap78 on Saturday 04 August 18 11:02 BST (UK)
Hi there - I have a certificate from 1871 showing the place of birth as '7 Dam Bank' in Belfast Urban No 9.

Does anybody know where Dam Bank was please? I believe that Limestone Road and Cupar Street were in Urban No 9 and I've scoured the OSNI Historical maps, but can't find Dam Bank anywhere.

Thanks for your help.


I'm exactly the same I've just found a birth also 1871 address was 5 Dambank. Did you ever find out where this was

Regards
Colette
Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: teap78 on Saturday 04 August 18 11:12 BST (UK)
The O'NEILL family were at Dam Bank in 1869 at the birth of son John LINK (https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1869/03399/2246702.pdf) to birth record #16

But the baptism of John gives their address as Cupar Street LINK (https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000633213#page/96/mode/1up) to baptism register
There is a transcription of the baptism of Francis O'NEILL with an address of 5 Cupar Street

Cupar Street is near an area called the Mill Dams and William O'NEILL gave his occupation as a Rougher (a person who is involved in weaving a piece of cloth from the loom), the same as Andrew HYNDMAN
Perhaps Dam Bank and Cupar Street are the same place

It's the ONeills I'm researching and have found Francis birth 20th September 1871, 5 Dambank the informant was Cecilia McAlinden also 5 Dambank, mother of Francis was Ann ONeill maiden name McAlinden.. in future records the were living at Sultan Street and Lincoln street.
Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: Duneane on Monday 06 August 18 22:09 BST (UK)
Sorry Colette - I’ve not been able to find Dam Bank on any map... so must presume it was either a terrace on Cupar Street or just a local name for the area.
Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: teap78 on Monday 06 August 18 22:53 BST (UK)
Sorry Colette - I’ve not been able to find Dam Bank on any map... so must presume it was either a terrace on Cupar Street or just a local name for the area.

I noticed there was Dam Street of Millfield and was the site of Dam side mill, in 1861 I'm wondering if there was a Dam Bank in that area  but just a small number of houses on it? don't think we'll ever know for sure.

Colette
Title: Re: Whereabouts of 'Dam Bank' Belfast?
Post by: DixieDee on Friday 28 September 18 16:00 BST (UK)
Hi.
As suggested in a few previous postings that  Dam Bank and Cupar Street being the same street, is more than likely the case. Dam Bank may have been it's nick-name until the Belfast Corporation took over the street and called it Cupar Street.
If my memory serves me right, there was a linen mill in the Cupar Street area and if so there would be a dam for soaking the flax.
In the street directories a high percentage, if not all in those days, of residents were mill workers and would live in houses that belonged to the mill owners. A lot of those houses, housed two families, one downstairs, one upstairs. An outside toilet in the back-yard served both families.
Regards,
Dixie