Barr family - Donnybrook, Dublin

[EileenBlacklock]

I have details of my G G Grandfather, Andrew Barr who was born c 1815 -1825 (ish)! I have to guess at this but the first child I have for him was John Henry, born in 1845.

Andrew came from Donnybrook and married Elizabeth Wheeler in 1844
and was  a ropemaker. Apparently his father before him was also a ropemaker and it is he I am trying to find. I am afraid I don't know his name but family rumour has it he may have come from Northern Ireland. All of them were Church of Ireland.

I have looked at a few websites but I am not really sure I know how to approach this. Any suggestions gratefully received.

[aghadowey]

So you're looking for a man named Barr born probably 1790 or earlier who might, or might not, have come from what we now know as Northern Ireland who might have been Church of Ireland but you don't have any idea of his first name?
Research in any country is difficult enough when you have a name and location but the period is before civil registration and it won't nbe any easier trying to find these details in Ireland.
Generally, to search for family details in Ireland you need to know both the family's religion and where they lived (parish if not actual townland) for pre-registration research and even with those 2 details much depends on whether or not church records might exist. Also, in this case, the surname (Barr) is an extremely common one in many areas of Ulster.

[shanew147]

I've the Donnybrook section of an 1848 trade directory online at : http://roots.swilson.info/towns1848/codublin1848.html

No sign that I see of any Barr families or ropemakers in the area.

The CofI parish for most of Donnybrook is St. Mary's, but watch out as there is also a separate St. Mary's parish in the city of Dublin.

Some county Dublin records  are available free on http://www.irishgenealogy.ie/, but they dont include Donnybrook at the moment.


Shane

[EileenBlacklock]

Thanks Shane 

[EileenBlacklock]

aghadowey

 All I had originally was the family lore that they were all ropemakers, lived in the north of Ireland and then moved south. I also had my g grandfather's name and age and the full names of all his children who traditionally were given both names of forebears.

We have four called Ruth Isabella in the family and one with Wheeler as a middle name. When I found Andrew living in Dublin, he had a daughter called Ruth Isabella and a wife Elizabeth whose maiden name was Wheeler and what is more, he was a ropemaker.

Given the fact that the family lore also included their affiliation with the C of I, I actually had a fair bit to go on. Tenacity appears to pay off and I am not giving up yet.

[aghadowey]

I didn't suggest giving up but without a more exact place than 'north of Ireland' you won't be able to search for sources like church records. If the family were Church of Ireland, as is most likely, bear in mind that many C. of I. records pre-1870ish were destroyed after having being sent to Dublin for safekeeping.
You've done very well to find so much information on Andrew Barr (and yes, the family names did help in this case) but you had asked about tracing his father.

[shanew147]

I had a look at the full 1848 city directory for any Barr, ropemakers, but found nothing. Plenty of ropemakes in Dublin at the time that Andrew could have worked for but none named Barr. Unless Andrew ran his own business, or was relatively well off he would possibly not be listed.

In the 1868 directory there is just one Barr and a Barre listing in the index section... just in case either of these could be connected  :

 Mr. Alexandar Barr, 61 Clanbrassil st upr
 W.V. Barre, Glasnevin



Shane

[LH]

Hi

May be of interest to know that Church of Ireland records for Donnybrook go back to 1712 and are held at the RCB Library in Dublin.  These may show some of the Barrs in baptisms, marriages, etc.

Cheers

[EileenBlacklock]

Thanks LH, I will look into that side of things, I guess that means a visit to Dublin?

Shane, this is what I got from John's birth details from Irish Geneology.

Name   JOHN HENRY BARR
Date of Birth   4 December 1845
Address   6 JAME'S STREET EAST
Father   ANDREW BARR
Mother   ELIZABETH
Further details in the record
Father Occupation   Rope Maker

His mother was Elizabeth Wheeler as I found Andrew and Elizabeth's marriage details too.

At the time of John's birth, Andrew's address would have been 6 JAME'S STREET EAST , Dublin and he and Elizabeth married at Diocese of DUBLIN , Parish of ST. PETER'S C.of I.

I wouldn't mind betting that he might have worked for someone else and that is why they don't appear in the trade directory.

I have found four of my Scottish ancestors in trade directories but we always knew they were successful business people. Other than a tradition of ropemaking, we know nothing more the Barrs and their lives. I have to say that  John's son Andrew, who was my grandfather was very well educated and was one of the first electrical engineers when electricity was still a bit of a dangerous mystery to most people! In turn, Andrews children were all bright enough and one was a high ranking soldier. Their was probably either money or brains somewhere in their ancestry