Holmes/McQuillan Londonderry

[Preraphaelite]

Hello all.

I am embarking on trying to trace the family of my late father, Albert McQuillan.  Although I have been working on all the lines of my mother's English side for several years, I have pretty much shied away from the Irish lot as it seemed like too tough a nut to crack!

After much searching I have finally located the marriage certificate of my grandparents - Joseph McQuillan and Mary Holmes - who married in Clooney Hall Methodist Church, Clondemott, 25 Feb 1905 (I had thought they married in Belfast ) So now I have the names of my great grandfathers - Hugh McQuillan, and John Holmes.  That's pretty much all I have!

There are just a couple of other "clues" to work with.  From army records, it states that Joseph McQuillan was born in Belfast, and Albert Holmes (brother of Mary) was born in Londonderry.  So it looks like the Holmes's were actually from Londonderry (but not neccesarily  )

Joseph and Mary moved to Scotland in around 1908, so they are not on the Ireland 1911 census.  They moved back to Belfast sometime before my dad was born in 1922, and lived in Hunter Street.

Any help in getting further back would be gratefully received.  I have attached my grandparents' marriage certificate (can anyone work out what Hugh McQuillan's occupation was? I think it says "fireman" )*

Many thanks,
Lisa

* Have just removed marriage cert - worried it might infringe copywrite!

[aghadowey]

If Joseph McQuillan was married 1905 it's certainly possible he was born after the start of civil registration started in 1864- any idea when he was born so we could have a look for you at various sources? (only Joseph McQuillan born Ireland with father Hugh McQuillan in IGI is one born 1881 Belfast).

[Preraphaelite]

Thank you very much for your reply.  On his marriage cert Joseph is 24 so he was presumably been born between Feb 1880 and Feb 1881. the IGI entry that you have found is therefore a strong possibility - I have come across it before but was hoping to find something else to back it up. I have checked the Belfast Street Directories for Belfast and there appears to have been several Hugh McQuillans living there in that period, so I don't want to end up latching on to the wrong one!

Other info from marriage cert:- wife Mary Holmes was aged 19, her father John Holmes was a Carpenter

Joseph McQuillan's father Hugh was possibly a Fireman (or something else beginning with "f" and ending in "man"!?)

Residence at time of marriage for both spouses was 17 Emerson Street Londonderry.

Thank you very much again for your help

[kingskerswell]

Hi,
   Assuming that Aghadowey's idea is correct then the mother was Elizabeth Allen who married Hugh on 28 Sept 1861 in Lisburn Registrars Office.
   A parent search on the IGI gives the following children:-
Hugh 1865 Knocknadona, Antrim
Robert 1867 Belfast
Thomas 1870 Belfast
Francis 1872 Ireland
Joseph 1881 Belfast

Regards

[Preraphaelite]

Thanks so much for that information, kingskerswell. 

I would like to know if there are any other sources available that would help me to pinpoint whether this is this is the right family. Unfortunately I don't have any information at all on my grandfather's family, his siblings etc, and there is no-one in the family left to answer any questions.  I have a couple of older cousins (in their 70's) but they don't seem to know anything about our grandparents either (and what little they do know has turned out to be inaccurate - I was told that Joseph McQuillan was a WW1 POW, but when I found his army records discovered that he'd actually been discharged from the army after only a couple of months because of "epilepsy").  I'll have to ask them again and see if they recall the names of any uncles!

It's funny but I've found that, in the main, relatives from previous generations didn't seem to be interested in their family history and it wasn't really spoken about - certainly not with the children. My father died when I was 8 so I never really got the opportunity to quiz him about his parents/grandparents.  I'm hoping now to be able to fill in the (considerable) gaps!

Many thanks,
Lisa

[Preraphaelite]

Oh my goodness! I've just noticed something I hadn't picked up on before. Joseph McQuillan was married on the 25th Feb and the birth date given on the IGI record that aghadowey mentioned is also 25th February! So perhaps this would give more weight to the possibility of it being the correct Joseph on the IGI! I guess it's not unthinkable that someone would choose to marry on their birthday or some other significant date?..

[Ataturk05]

Hi, I have just started to research my wife's side of the family.  Her grandmother (whom she never knew) was Sarah Bush (nee McQuillan).  Sarah seems to be the older sister of Albert.

Sarah was born in aug 1915 while her father was a labourer.  At the time the family lived in Wesley Street in the Sandy Row area of Belfast.

Does this match any of your details? 

[cyclamen]

I have been tracing the family of W.J.Holmes, a carpenter living in Limavady in 1884, who married Lizzie McKay in Drumachose Pres Church. His father was John Holmes also a carpenter. The family were living in Ethel Street, Belfast  in 1901. According to the census return Wm James Holmes was born in England.

I wonder if this is the family you are looking for?

[Ataturk05]

It could be - I just haven't got that far back yet.

I assume than John Holmes was the father of Mary.  She seems to have married Joseph McQuillan.  Of their children - my wife's line comes from Sarah - while I take it you are related through her brother Albert?