McQuitty lookup

[RosemaryJoan]

I have had a long look at all the marriages in Emerald Ancestors and I have come to the conclusion that it was a Catholic marriage and not subject to civil registration.  However, Arthur's birth is listed twice in AncestryIreland, and I bet one is the civil registration and the other the Catholic baptism.  It would be worth looking at the one with no County listed first as I suspect that is the church baptism.  If it is - it is more than likely that that is the church where Robert and Susanna married.  Worth a try - that's what I would do.  Then you might have to pay someone to look at the church records.  RosemaryJoan

[madeinireland1961]

Rosemary,

You are a star - I'm getting closer !!!

I checked both records...

On the first it was the civil registration - the one without the county name. It was still useful as it gave the occupation of Robert as a waiter - Belfast Urban No 3 and their address of 41 Alton Street. On this one the witness was Robert McQuitty (brother ? relative ? or were they allowed to be theit own witness ?)

On the second bingo - it was the Catholic registration. The Parish / District was given as ST PATRICK'S - In the Misc box it said - REV J MCWILLIAMS ce0 2 6 - whatever that means. The witnesses were James Hanlon and Catherine Lennon.

Both has the same birth date - but the baptism date was 19 April on the Catholic one and 21st April on the Civil one.

Where do I go from here ? Call up the Parish Church ?

I've paid for another search already if you think any others might be useful - Should I go for the Susanna McKeown one from 1863 ? I have already tried the Robert McQuitty one in 1863 and it was not the right one.

Thanks...
Maurice

[RosemaryJoan]

Maurice,
No, don't bother with that Susanna McKeown, as I have looked in Emerald Ancestors and that one married a George Clarke.  Save your money until you have something else to look at on that site.
Yes, the father often registered his child's birth in Civil Registration, but in the Catholic baptism two other witnesses were required.
St. Patricks is in Donegall Street and according to my City map, is still there.  Why don't you Google it?  There might be an address to contact them. - Done it
St. Patrick's Presbytery, 199 Donegall St., Belfast BT1 2FL Tel:  02890324597
The baptism date on the Civil registration is actually the date the birth was registered - I was told that by Ancestry Ireland. Have you looked at Alton Street on www.lennonwylie.co.uk
 Let us know how you do - I'm rivetted!  RosemaryJoan

[madeinireland1961]

Rosemary,

Sorry - no update. I meant to ring from work today but was so busy I couldn't - hopefully tomorrow.

Thanks...
Maurice

[madeinireland1961]

Hi Rosemary,

I found after a further bit of searching that the St Paricks church records are on microfilm at PRONI. The references are MIC1D/66 and MIC1D/67. Unfortunately as I'm not in Northern Ireland till the summer I can't check them myself but I've sent an email to PRONI - no reply as yet.

Also I called up the Chrurch and they told me that the records were copied by the Ulster Historical Foundation - so they should be on www.AncestryIreland.com.

While I'm waiting for PRONI to respond I think I might take a potshot at some names just to see - but I can't think of any reasons why only a record with Roberts name is there and not Susanna's and I've already checked the Robert record in 1863 which has a matching Susanna name. There are a couple of others for Robert in 1867 and 1861 - as I have one credit left - I'll toss a coin..

Maurice

[madeinireland1961]

Ah well - I blew it on Robert McQuitty 1861 - but it wasn't the one.

However after I'd done that I found another Robert McQuitty in 1861 with a matching Susan McKeown in 1861 (not susanna but just perhaps). The only thing is it was in County Down not Antrim

What the chance then.

1. Incorrect or shortened name
2. Different County.

Your supposed to marry in the home town of the lady aren't you ? Maybe he married there and then moved back to Belfast having a first child in 1868 - baptised in St Patricks. If the story is true and he ran away with the maid maybe he ran away initially from where the main family lived - particularily if he changed religon. Then again maybe he started somewhere else and ran away to Belfast after he got married

If anyone else has any good ideas please feel free to let me know.

Thanks...
Maurice

[RosemaryJoan]

Part of Belfast is in Co. Down, so don't be put off by that. 'The other side of the Lagan' is in Co. Down, so perhaps Susan was from 'the other side of the river' and they married in her church.
I have scoured Emerald Ancestors and there are no matching Susan McKeown and Robert McQuitty records there, and looking at AncestryIreland records, that COULD be the record.  No fathers names given.  I have found that this is sometimes the case with R.C. marriages, so I would go for it, but go for the Susan McKeown one as it seems to be the only one in 1861.  Susan and Susannah are often interchangeable - I have that in my tree.  If you are like me, you HAVE to know now.  I shudder to think how much money I have blown on records.  But then, I don't smoke or drink or go out with boys!
RosemaryJoan

[madeinireland1961]

Bingo.

I looked up the one for Susan McKeown in Co Down in 1861 and yes she married a Robert McQuitty on 9th April at St Matthew's Roman Catholic Church in Knockbreda, Holywood - Co Down.

However it does not seem to help much - apart from naming the Church - no Mother and Father given for either of the two of them............aaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhh - this is so frustrating !!!

So if I hope to go any further then I think I may be stumped. Although it occurs to me that if he changed religon then surely he would have been baptised before they married him

Here we go again.....Can anyone offer any suggestion on where to go next to continue my search?

The other thing that is bothering me is - They had four kids - all apart from their son Patrick - whom I am desendant from - seem to have disappeared without trace apart from their birth registrations What happed to William Joseph, Mary and Arthur - no marriage, no death certificate - can find no trace of emmigrating or going off to the Boer War - I can't think of anything else.

[madeinireland1961]

Rosemary,

You have mentioned Emerald Ancestors in previous posts - I am assuming you have membership access ?

Are you able to look up the death of Robert McQuitty in 1908. It's shown as Antrim / Down.

Just a hunch.

Thanks...
Maurice