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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Mayo => Topic started by: RyanUK on Thursday 29 October 20 14:48 GMT (UK)
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Hi.
I am researching my great grandmother.
I understand any information is limited as it is a popular name.
Mary Delia Higgins
Born - About 1886,
Cloonfinnaun, County Mayo
Father : Thomas Higgins (Farmer) *
((Marriage Certificate Evidence))
Residence :
1911 • 26 Manor House, Humphrey Lane, Urmston, Lancashire, England
Marital Status: Single;
Relation to Head: Servant
Marriage
January 1912 • Barton upon Irwell, Lancashire, England
Church of the English Martyrs, 5 Roseneath Rd, Urmston, Manchester M41 5AX
Married : George Townley (1883–1928)
Birth of Daughter :
Mary Ruth Townley (1913–2002)
6 Sep 1913 • Stockport, Cheshire, England
Birth of Son : Eric Townley (1923–1989)
28 Jan 1923 • Stockport, Cheshire, England
Death : 30 Nov 1928 • Stockport, Cheshire, England
My mission is to find any other information on this town she was born and possible birth records, I don't know where to start. Mainly, now i have mentioned her on this forum maybe somebody has a connection or information in time I can learn from.
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Cloonfinnaun is a townland not a town, it's in Kilconduff civil parish near the town of Swinford, Co. Mayo, which would likely be the name of the registration district for a birth in Cloonfinnaun.
There are a number of Mary Higgins births in the district on IrishGenealogy, it's worth checking though to see if you can find a matching record - see : Mary Higgins born Swinford (https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/civil-perform-search.jsp?namefm=mary&namel=higgins&location=&yyfrom=1878&yyto=1890&type=B&submit=Search&sort=date&pageSize=100¢ury=&decade=&exact=&ddBfrom=&ddMfrom=&ddDfrom=&ddPfrom=&mmBfrom=&mmMfrom=&mmDfrom=&mmPfrom=&yyBfrom=&yyMfrom=&yyDfrom=&yyPfrom=&ddBto=&ddMto=&ddDto=&ddPto=&mmBto=&mmMto=&mmDto=&mmPto=&yyBto=&yyMto=&yyDto=&yyPto=&locationB=&locationM=&locationD=&locationP=&keywordb=&keywordm=&keywordd=&keywordp=&event=&district=Swinford).
Closest match I spotted was a Mary Higgins born 1885 Cloonfinnane-Cloonfinnaun (https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1885/02633/1971062.pdf), but father's name was Andrew
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Mary Delia Higgins
Born - About 1886,
Cloonfinnaun, County Mayo
Father : Thomas Higgins (Farmer) *
((Marriage Certificate Evidence))
What's your source for her birth in Cloonfinnaun? Can you post a snip for others to look at?
There's a Mary Higgins with father Thomas (born 1890) but in Cloonfaughna which is near Claremorris.
Cloonfinnaun townland
https://www.townlands.ie/mayo/gallen/kilconduff/swineford/cloonfinnaun/
KG
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I ordered Mary's 1912 marriage certificate and it revealed Mary's profession, residence address at the time of marriage and her fathers name and occupation. Also that she was Roman Catholic.
• Domestic Servant
• 26, Manor House,
Humphrey Lane, Urmston
• Thomas Higgins, Farmer
This led me to the 1911 census records one year before her marriage. Using the address above and searching for Mary Higgins i found Mary at that exact address working as a servant in a family household and this census revealed her birth place as Cloonfinnaun.
I appreciate the links to the Irish records and the searches you have made to give me a start. Thank you. I will extend her birthdate +/-10 and start with Swinford.
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The 1911 UK Census shows Mary Higgins as you say, the place of birth is given as CLOOFEENIAN,IRELAND.
How do you know this place is in Co Mayo, Ages are often out by a few years on these census's. There is a place called Cloonfaughna Knock Parish Costello, the spelling of places of births places are taken as heard and quite unusual to be correctly noted.
In Cloonfaughna there is a Mary Higgins born 27th March 1890, parents Thomas Higgins and Margaret Connor, they appear in 1901 census Mary aged 11yrs By 1911 Mary has gone from the family. Is Mary alive in 1939 as if so she should be on 1939 register with dated of birth.
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In Cloonfaughna there is a Mary Higgins born 27th March 1890, parents Thomas Higgins and Margaret Connor, they appear in 1901 census Mary aged 11yrs By 1911 Mary has gone from the family. Is Mary alive in 1939 as if so she should be on 1939 register with dated of birth.
Cloonfaughna townland near Claremorris.
https://www.townlands.ie/mayo/costello/knock/knock-south/cloonfaughna/
Her birth 1890
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1890/02438/1907115.pdf
1901 census
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Mayo/Knock_South/Cloonfaughna/1589794/
KG
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Thank you for opening my eyes.
I see now what you mean with the spelling and sound. I still have a lot to learn.
Unfortunately Mary died on 30th Nov 1928, one week before her husband George died.
I need to order the death certificate for her and look for a birth date to match the
27th March 1890 if it is shown on certificate. I am not sure where else I could confirm that other than the new 1921 census that is out this year.
Thank you Owen for your time in finding this for me and thank you KG also.
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The death cert will only show the birth date as given by the informant so may not be exact, thats if its on it at all. Have you done a DNA test may give you matches to narrow down your search.
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If the only location reference point is 'Cloonfeenian' (ie. Co. Mayo is off the table and the county is therefore unknown), then you need to keep your options open, for example, the following daughter born at 'Cloonfeneen' to Thomas Higgins and Mary Fox, the birth year is inconsistent with your person's stated census and marriage age, but it wouldn't be the first time that a few years have been knocked off:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1879/02903/2063551.pdf
Cloonfineen in the civil parish of Kiltullagh is in Co. Roscommon, but right on the border with Co. Galway and about 3 miles away from the border with Co. Mayo:
https://www.townlands.ie/roscommon/castlereagh/kiltullagh/ballinlough/cloonfineen/
The family in 1901 (below), no sign of Mary, but another possibility could be 16 year old Bridget, whose birth registration I can't yet find (ie. Delia = Bedelia/Bridget):
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Roscommon/Ballinlough/Cloonfineen/1663598/
There is also a Cloonfinnan just west of Mohill in Co. Leitrim, which might be worth exploring:
https://www.townlands.ie/leitrim/mohill/mohill/drumdoo/cloonfinnan/
I imagine that there are other examples.
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Mary Delia TOWNLEY d. 1928, husband George died one week later.
What was cause of death for Mary and George?
Who raised the children of Mary and George?.
Did George TOWNEY, widower at marriage 1912, have children by the earlier marriage?
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It may be nothing, but another angle to follow up is a 24 year old Martin Higgins in the 1901 England census living with his wife Mary and son Thomas at Lorne Grove, Urmston, about half a mile from Humphrey Lane where Mary Delia Higgins was living in 1911-12. Martin's birth place was recorded as Ireland. By 1911, what I think are the same folk had moved down south and Martin's birth place was recorded as Roscommon in Ireland. Just to note also that the previous couple I mentioned at reply #8 - Thomas Higgins and Mary Fox - had a son Martin in 1877 in Co. Roscommon at 'Cloonfenien' (Cloonfineen):
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1877/03005/2101446.pdf
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Mary Delia TOWNLEY d. 1928, husband George died one week later.
What was cause of death for Mary and George?
Who raised the children of Mary and George?.
Did George TOWNLEY, widower at marriage 1912, have children by the earlier marriage?
• The cause of death for both George & Mary are currently unknown until I order their death certificates. I will strive to get them ordered within the month and I will upload them.
• Mary Ruth Townley born 1913 would of been 15 when George & Mary passed in 1928.
• Eric Townley their 2nd child and my grandfather was born in 1923 and was 5.
This much i do know - Eric my grandfather was in a childrens home from 5 until 15. In the 1939 census Eric was at the St Benedict's approved school for boys, in Reading, Berkshire.
Mary Ruth his sister went and got him and brought him home - this I have been told by my father.
It is unknown whether this fact is based on 1939 or between 1928 - 1939 when he was 5 - 15 and could of been in a boys home in his hometown of Stockport.
I will ask my father more questions this week and amend the details on here.
Whether they were looked after by any possible Higgins family members is unlikely.
• George had no children to his previous wife Catherine Barlow and I am quite positive about that.
I use ancestry and have searched records thoroughly for that possibility.
But, their is a small tiny chance she may have died in childbirth for all I know.
Once I do it will help.
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It may be nothing, but another angle to follow up is a 24 year old Martin Higgins in the 1901 England census living with his wife Mary and son Thomas at Lorne Grove, Urmston, about half a mile from Humphrey Lane where Mary Delia Higgins was living in 1911-12. Martin's birth place was recorded as Ireland. By 1911, what I think are the same folk had moved down south and Martin's birth place was recorded as Roscommon in Ireland. Just to note also that the previous couple I mentioned at reply #8 - Thomas Higgins and Mary Fox - had a son Martin in 1877 in Co. Roscommon at 'Cloonfenien' (Cloonfineen):
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1877/03005/2101446.pdf
Wow Gaffy. Your finding is probably the closest possible connection as of yet.
Thank you for your kind research.
It looks very promising. I will look into some others using the links over the next couple of days.
It may be a clue that her daughter was named after her.
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Attachments for future consideration.
copyright images removed
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Birth of Mary Higgins 1879 - MMN Fox
At Cloonfeneen (sic) townland
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1879/02903/2063551.pdf
https://www.townlands.ie/roscommon/castlereagh/kiltullagh/ballinlough/cloonfineen/
KG
Edited to add:
Gaffy already had these in reply #8