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Hi Penny. Thanks for the reply! I’m a descendant of Francis Donnan.  Mary and Francis had a younger brother Samuel born in 1840. He was the only child to be born in England so I ordered his birth certificate. His mother is listed as Jane Donnan formerly McMaster. I haven’t found any Northern Ireland birth records for the other children so can’t be sure if Jane McMaster was also their mother. I have noticed that several people have Jane’s surname as Sneddon Blackwood though. Do you know where this name has come from? Is it on any certificates that you know of? Kind regards, Dan

A later census has George living with an aunt Elizabeth who was also born in Cotgrave. It looks as though Ann was his mother, Mary and Elizabeth were his aunts. If the marriage certificate is blank for father’s name it would prove this is the right baptism.

Thanks both of you for your help.

Hi JJ,

Thanks so much for the quick reply. This confirms it is the right marriage as he’s listed as a smith in later Census records. I didn’t know he was living in London Road at the time so that really helps. That census and baptism record looks very promising for Maria. Quick work!

It’s a shame the newspaper article didn’t mention George’s father. Hopefully someone will be able to do a quick check at the archives as the records on Findmypast don’t list those details.

Thanks for taking the time out to help, I really appreciate it.

Dan

Wow, thanks for all the hard work and info, it's really appreciated.

William and Jane Donnan are my 3 x great grandparents and the info I have so far came about as follows:

William and Jane moved to Sunderland, England around 1837-1840. In 1840 they had a son Samuel in Sunderland whose birth certificate gives Jane's maiden name as McMaster. UK Census records show they had at least 5 children in Ireland: Jane (born c.1827), Hannah (born c.1829), Mary (born c.1831), Francis (born c.1832), William (born c.1837). One of Hannah's census records states Co. Down as her place of birth.

In 1857 William's daughter Mary (now wife of Robert Atcheson) emigrated to Australia and the Passenger List gives her parents as "William and Jane Donnan living in Sunderland", her native place as "Ballywalter" and her relations in Australia as "cousins James and Francis Donnan".

Passenger Lists for James and Francis Donnan give their parents were "John and Hannah, mother deceased and father from Balligan" and native place as "Balligan". Their ages on the Passenger Lists indicate James was born c.1827 and Francis c.1831.

There is a headstone inscription in Ballyhalbert cemetery which was erected by John Donnan for two of his wives, Hana Donnan alias McWhirr (d. 6/10/1834) and Rachel Donnan alias Cleland (d. 1/7/1852).

I'm not too sure whether John had a third wife. In 1875 an Ellen Donnan died in Belfast and a newspaper article says she was a widow of John Donnan of Balligan. The death index indicates she was born around 1827 (much younger than the John Donnan above) so could be a different person. However I do know the John Donnan I'm looking for had at least two wives, Hana and Rachel.

A letter from my great aunt written long ago says: "My father used to tell me that one of his forbears had to leave Ireland in a hurry because he was caught brewing whisky in the hills, that the name had been O'Donnell (O'Donnain?) and they came from County Down".

I've spent a lot of time searching online for the baptisms and marriages but can't seem to track any of them down.