Illegitimate child of Mary Jane Andrews

[Stev1]

I am looking for an illegitimate child born to a Mary Jane Andrews around 1904/5. Mary Jane Andrews was born and lived in the townland of Ballynafern, Annaclone. She worked a a farm servant for her great uncle Sam Hutchinson. She was almost certainly sent away to have the child, possibly to Dublin. The child may have been called Margaret.

Stephen

[Christopher]

Hello Stephen,

If you can find a copy of Ruth Paley's book "My Ancestor Was A Bastard" published in paperback by the Society of Genealogists (ISBN: 9781903462782) it may give you one
or two ideas on how to proceed in your search for Mary Jane's daughter.  www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/bookshop/details.aspx?titleId=545

Christopher

[aghadowey]

Same query on Dublin board:
www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,324237.msg2048524.html#msg2048524

[mickwally]

Hi I just want to inform you that I live in annaclone near ballnafern and there is Andrew's living there i could find out for you who she was if you want

[Stev1]

Many thanks for your reply. I would be very grateful for any information.

Mary Jane Andrews was the daughter of David and Essie Andrews of Fernhill House, Ballynafern. In the 1901 census she was working as a farm hand for her great uncle Sam Hutchinson just up the road. In the 1911 census she was back living with her parents at Fernhill House. The child was born between 1901 and 1908. The child was fathered by my grandfather James Wallace. I assume it was adopted. I now think it more likely than the child was born in the north somewhere but certainly not in Ballynafern.

[mickwally]

I found out there used to be two old women who lived in the Fernhill house and neither of them were married. They left the house to their nephew Alex Andrews who is still living there at the minute but he quite old. This is all i know for now but I will speak to a few more people and see what they say. My guess is Mary could have been one these women.

[Stev1]

Thanks for the reply.

The following may be of some help to you.

My grandfather James Wallace was Mary Jane Andrews second cousin and he also worked as a farm hand for his great uncle Sam Hutchinson. James Wallace eventually married Margaret (Maggie) Stewart of Ballybrick House in 1909. They set up home in a farm just up the road past Sam Hutchinson's farm only a couple of hundred yards from Fernhill House. They left the area in 1918. The pregnancy of Mary Jane must have been a major scandal at the time. The Andrews were socially much more up market than my grandfather and they probably blocked any possibility of marriage.

[miniman27]

hi just doing the stewart family tree for my husband ..maggie is his grandfather john stewart sister ...if you know anything more about the stewart can you let me know ..i am new to this

[rebandr]

Hello Stephen,

Did you have any further success finding out more about Mary Jane Andrews’s child? I’m her Great Niece. I’m keen to know about the connection between Wallace and Andrews.hoping your still around. Rebecca