Connolly/Connelly from merthyr tydfil

[zozo]

please can someone help I am trying to tace the Conolly/Connelly family that originated from Bandon? in Co Cork to Merthyr Tydfil sometime around 1870/1880. I think it was Patrick and Catherine Connolly (b 1846) who had Edward Connelly(b1872), Daniel (b1874) Mary (b1871) and Patrick (b1880) all born in Co Cork. In the 1901 census RG 13/5030 Folio 106 pg 9 they are listed as living at 305 High St Penydarren, Catherine died 27/5/1901 (widow of Patrick). By the time that my direct anscestor married (Daniel Connolly) on 5/2/1910 at the Roman Catholic Church in Dowlais to Elizabeth Morgans he was living at Mayfield Terrace, Penydarren. I have been told that Daniel was a staunch Roman Catholic and worked in the coal mines. My grandfather was born on 3/2/1916 at Warren Hill, Britton Ferry, Neath, he is listed as Edmund Connelly but married as Edward Connolly! where do I start?

[Arranroots]

Hi zozo - and welcome! 

You seem to have it cracked!  What are you hoping to find out?

Kind regards, Arranroots 

[zozo]

I hope to find out anything at all! Would anyone know why this family came from Ireland (apart from famine, poverty etc) was it a skilled trade in the coal mining industry? Would they have had connections to the Dennis Connelly/Connolly and wider Connolly community in Glamorgan. What happened to this family - is there anyone else who is tracing this family or can I tie then in closer with anyone? Why did they go to Britton Ferry ( I was told as a child that Daniel had a small boat and was a ferry man?) Daniel Connelly/Connolly married Elizabeth Morgans who I think came from Worsc and was quite elderly having Edward/Edmund when she was in her early 40's yet I can find no trace of her or her anscestors (father Joseph Morgans farm labourer deceased when Elizabeth married)! I was told that her family were cattle drovers? I suppose I just want to find out anything that anyone can tell me or point me in the right direction with?

[Arranroots]

Not too much then? Lol!

I can only speculate about the reason for coming to south Wales but certainly a lot of them did - mine also ended up in Neath.  I like the idea of Daniel being the ferry man - why not?  Surely somebody was?  Have you tried directories to see whether his name occurs?

I haven't yet tried contacting the Roman Catholic church in Neath but they might be able to come up with something to help you.

You might well have trouble tracing Elizabeth if only because MORGAN(S) is such a common name.  It could be that her family originated in Worcestershire but a generation or two further back.  Do the witnesses on the marriage certificate help at all?

Pardon my ignorance but who is Dennis CONNOLLY?

I hope other CONNOLLY researchers see this and you achieve your goals!

Kind regards, Arranroots 

[zozo]

Hi there and thanks for your help so far. The marriage certificate of Daniel and Elizabeth states witnesses as Michael McMahon and Catherine McGrath. There was a Michael McMahon who could have married a Mary Connolly in April quarter 1901 in Merthyr Tydfil. (Suppose I| should send off for their marriage certificate) but I don't know who Catherine is? Daniel was an assistant restrainer of colliery but I don't know which colliery and what his job involved. Sounds like he helped to sit on people!lol I don't know who Dennis Connelly/Connolly is apart from when I google the surname and Merthyr Tydfil lots of people are connected to thsi tree and I just want to know who my gt granparents were

[zozo]

Michael McMahon was born in Meryr Tdfil in 1873, his mother Margaret came from Kerry (also Co Cork) In the 1901 census RG13, p5031,folio105,p45Michael was a horsedriver

[Arranroots]

I like the image of the colliery restrainer! 

That's not a job I've come across before either - there are various threads about coal mining on Rootschat or you could google?

Here are some descriptions of Briton Ferry - the first says how small boats were used to link Neath with the sea, due to the river not being deep enough for navigation so far up:

http://www.welshicons.org.uk/html/briton_ferry.php  (scroll right down)

This is the Genuki page which might have links that you haven't yet explored:

http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/GLA/BritonFerry/

[Arranroots]

You don't say where you are but this looks as though it might be of interest:

Link to St Joseph's RC School Logs at WGA

[zozo]

Thank you for this, I think Daniel and Elizabeth must have moved to Briton Ferry between 1910 when they married in merthyr tydfil and 1916 as my grandfather Edmund/Edward Connoly/Connelly /connolly was born at Warren Hill Britton Ferry. Daniel is listed as a steel worker (maybe the boat came in later?) And why does this family keep changing their names? Although up to Edward/Edmund's birth certificate in 1916 the informants details are stil marked with an x and the handwriting is in the same style as the registrar. Would it have been that Elizabeth was illiterate?/Possibly mispelling of name due to that? And where would I find their death certificates?
And thanks for the link to St Josephs school but no records matched on either spelling. I ahve saved as a favourite so I can go and try in more detail later.