The Sacred Heart and English Martyrs, Thornley Register

[Billy Fish]

Has anyone got access to the registers of The Sacred Heart and English Martyrs RC Church, Thornley?

The IGI has Owen Flannigan Christened on 4th Aug 1856 with Parents Patrick and Eliza, this is good information but sometimes the Catholic Priests would give additional information on Parents original Parish. Both Patrick and Eliza came across from Ireland in about 1846 already married and with one daughter but I've never been able to establish where in Ireland they belonged.

Any help would be much appreciated

[DudleyWinchurch]

A quick google shows that the church still exists and has a web-page, so I would suggest contacting them direct.

http://rcdhn.org.uk/churches07/churchcontact.php?chid=272

They may still hold the original registers or, if not,  they should know where the old ones were deposited. 

If they were using a standard latin pro forma register, then you would be more likely to get date of birth, mother's maiden name and godparents than family's place of origin but that might give you extra clues to search the censuses for.  Additional notes in the register usually note any special circumstances at the time of baptism (such as danger of death, etc.) or details of a later marriage of the baptised person.

[Billy Fish]

Thanks DW

I've got them in every census (except 1871 which is still elusive) but each time they're just listed as being from Ireland, no town / county is listed.
The Catholics are often a bit more forthcoming with additional information in the register and will often give Parents birth parish.

[Mr J T Arthur]

Thornley Catholic registers are on film at the Durham Record Office.

Catholic baptismal registers would not normally include an original address but the pre 1856 marriages often give addresses of the bride and groom's parents. The best clues you get from the baptismal registers are the names of the sponsors who are quite often relations.

Good luck,
J.T.A.

PS: I have some old notes on a Flannagan family from around that district I traced back to Ireland a number of years ago who might be related if I can put my hand on them.

[Billy Fish]

Thanks JTA,

The family as it stands is

Patrick Flannigan (abt 1818-21 Ireland)
Eliza Coates or Cutes (abt 1818-21 Ireland)

Mary Jane Flannigan (abt 1845 Ireland) mar William Bennett
Annie Flannigan (abt 1848 Trimdon) mar Robert Turton
Eleanor Flannigan (abt 1851 Trimdon) mar ?
Owen (AKA John) Flannigan (Aug 1856 Trimdon) mar Sarah Turton

The spelling of Flannigan has all the usual varieties in different records and the family moved around the Kelloe and Coxhoe areas working in the pits

As I said above I've got most information from this time onwards but the holy grail has always been to find what part of Ireland they originated from.
If you happen to come across any matching info giving a clue it would be most appreciated

Bill

[WolfieSmith]

This could be them in 1871, but it doesn't help you much :

9 Fourth East Row, Coxhoe,
Patrick Flanigan, head, 50, Miner, b. Ireland,
Elizabeth Flanigan, wife, 53, b. Ireland,
John Flanigan, son, 14, Putter, b. Sedgefield,
RG10/4966/125/2

Alan

[Billy Fish]

This could be them in 1871, but it doesn't help you much :

9 Fourth East Row, Coxhoe,
Patrick Flanigan, head, 50, Miner, b. Ireland,
Elizabeth Flanigan, wife, 53, b. Ireland,
John Flanigan, son, 14, Putter, b. Sedgefield,
RG10/4966/125/2

Alan

Thanks Alan,

That's a great help. I never thought to try An*****y search with Hanigan!!.
That definitely looks to be them. I've checked other census for that family just in case and they don't appear anywhere else except as Flan(n)igan. Owen seems to have already started to have called himself John, I'd love to know the story behind that one, in all the later census he calls himself John but on the main registration certificates (marriage and death) he stays as Owen


Despite what you said it may actually prove to be extremely useful. On the next page of the census there is a family of Coates (Eliza's maiden name) The Parents were born in Ireland and on later census they're listed as being from Down and later still from Colkinebry Parish and Sallycavel, both of these appear to be transcription errors but I can't yet see anything in County Down that they could possibly be unfortunately.
In the first instance I need to see if there's any evidence of a link between Eliza and William Coates, in the late 1850's they were living just a couple of miles apart and this appears to be when William first came over from Ireland. Plenty to work on anyway!!

[Billy Fish]

This could be them in 1871, but it doesn't help you much :

9 Fourth East Row, Coxhoe,
Patrick Flanigan, head, 50, Miner, b. Ireland,
Elizabeth Flanigan, wife, 53, b. Ireland,
John Flanigan, son, 14, Putter, b. Sedgefield,
RG10/4966/125/2

Alan

Thanks Alan,

That's a great help. I never thought to try An*****y search with Hanigan!!.
That definitely looks to be them. I've checked other census for that family just in case and they don't appear anywhere else except as Flan(n)igan. Owen seems to have already started to have called himself John, I'd love to know the story behind that one, in all the later census he calls himself John but on the main registration certificates (marriage and death) he stays as Owen


Despite what you said it may actually prove to be extremely useful. On the next page of the census there is a family of Coates (Eliza's maiden name) The Parents were born in Ireland and on later census they're listed as being from Down and later still from Colkinebry Parish and Sallycavel, both of these appear to be transcription errors but I can't yet see anything in County Down that they could possibly be unfortunately.
In the first instance I need to see if there's any evidence of a link between Eliza and William Coates, in the late 1850's they were living just a couple of miles apart and this appears to be when William first came over from Ireland. Plenty to work on anyway!!

As an update to this I finally solved his use of John when he appeared to called Owen on all documentation except Census. I believe he was called Eoin which would have sounded and been written as Owen and the English derivative is John. at least I think that's what it was!!