Desperately seeking Mary...

[Quinlyn]

Hello,

I wonder if anyone can help me trace the birth certificate for Mary Ann Burgess, who was born in the Lanchester area of County Durham?  On the 1861 census, Mary Ann is living in the Tanfield area of County Durham aged 2-years-old.  We think her parents were Mary (maiden name unknown) and James Burgess (from Ireland), but apart from that we know no further details.  Later, Mary married a man called Martin O'Brien, a native of Ireland, and they had three children, Edward, Eleanor (Nelly) and Thomas.

Please would someone be able to shed some light on these relatives for me?

Thank you.

Michael

[Darlingtonian]

Hello michael,

Could her mothers maiden name be 'Shell'......there is a Mary Ann Shell Burgess registered in Gateshead March Qtr 1858 10a 487.

I'm not sure but if you look ...Tanfield might have probably been in the main Gateshead Registration Area.

Jean

[Mr J T Arthur]

Family listed as Burdess in 1871 by which time Mary is a widow.

Good luck

J.T.A.

[Darlingtonian]

Michael if you are not sure which is Mary ann's birth go for one of the later children ....

this looks like it could be one of them.......

Patrick Burgess registered in Durham Sept qtr 1864 10a 291 ....... if you send to the GRO for that certificate, you'll get the mother's maiden name from it.

I've only looked for Patrick but you'll probably find some of the other children.

There is a marriage in Newcastle in march qtr. 1856 of a James Burgess and a Mary Hogan ...... but I think I would go for one of the children's births first.

Jean

[Quinlyn]

Hello Jean and Mr Arthur,

Thank you for taking the time to look for my relative.  It is very kind of you.  In answer, to the questions, I am not sure if Mary Ann's mother's maiden name was SHELL, but I do know that in those days that Gateshead came under the Durham area, although they are separate counties now.  However the date seems to be right (we thought her birth year was around about 1859).  I will order both Mary Ann Shell Burgess's birth certificate and the one for Patrick Burgess and compare notes.  I hadn't been able to find them at all on the 1871 census, but I never thought that the spelling of their name could have been written incorrectly.

With regard to the wedding certificate, Jean, that could be right as my Grandmother says that they were married in Newcastle (she thinks they eloped from Ireland).  The date would fit too.  I will order the birth certificates and if the mother's name is HOGAN, I also have the reference to order the wedding certificate.  What more could I ask for?

That's brilliant - thank you both so much.

Michael

[Mr J T Arthur]

Michael,

In 1851 there was a James Burghes aged 43 widower born Kilronan (indexed as Ritrare) Co Roscommon living with his married brother William and family. In 1861 James is 50 so within the margin of error.

If the family were Catholic most of the Burgess children including Mary Ann would have been baptised at Brooms near Leadgate and those registers are on film at the Durham Record Office.

Good luck,
J.T.A.

[Quinlyn]

Hello Mr Arthur,

Thanks for that further information.  I will certainly look into it.

Actually, you have 'hit the nail on the head' with Brooms, as the family were Catholic and I have heard my grandmother mention this church.  I am compiling the information to create a chart for my Grandmother Lake (nee Burgess), who is now in her 87th year, and for my four nieces.  We have had real difficulty in finding Mary Ann's children to her husband Martin O'Brien (they were called Edward, Nelly (probably Eleanor) and Thomas.  We have found that the boys were born in the Catchgate area, but the daughter is a real mystery.  Grandma told me that Edward, Nelly and Thomas were buried at Brooms, but when we got there we discovered there were no headstones (they were possible too poor to afford them).

I am very new to this family research, so am not sure what the 'films' at Durham Records Office are.  Are we allowed access to them?  Would the church at Brooms still hold records?

Thanks again for all of your help.

Michael

[Mr J T Arthur]

Michael,

Fortunately most of the records survived the fire that claimed the life of the parish priest a number of years ago. Brooms was the first church where I was given access to the records by the priest way back in 1991 after writing to him but they have since been deposited at the DRO and are on miro film.

If you are able to visit the record office you will have a field day but you need to book an appointment first. The Newcastle church registers are at the Tyne and Wear Archives with the same public access.

Good luck,
J.T.A.

[Quinlyn]

Hi,

Thanks for that - I will try and book an appointment. 

It is so sad that the priest perished in the fire.

Thanks again for all of your help and thanks for wishing me luck too.

Kind regards,
Michael