S Lancs Regiment - WW1 prisoners of war

[corisande]

I am researching something called the Irish Brigade, an unsuccessful attempt to raise a brigade from mainly Irish POWs in Germany in WW1. The whole background is here if you want to know

There was no real need to be actually Irish, and  inducements were offered, and some who had Irish names signed up. There were two S Lancs men among them. The one that I am trying to track down at the moment is one.

Thomas Donaghue has what I know of the man at the moment. A particular problem is the spelling of the name which can wander.

Thomas Donaghue came from St Helens and was stated to be a glassmaker (ties with the 1901 census entry that I have)

I cannot find service or pensions records for him (yes I know 

Because he is living with a married sister in 1901 I do not know who his family was, and I cannot find him in 1891 census. The 1911 census seems indeterminate.

I think I have his birth in 1888 but am by no means certain.

Any help or advice in pursuing this.

[garstonite]

Hiya...only one Thomas Donaghue on Lan-opc
Thomas Donaghue b 2nd dec 1888
babtised 3rd february 1889 at St Mary The Virgin,Prescot,Lancashire as John Thomas Donahoe
father Thomas Donahoe
mother Margaret
abode Moss Street,Prescot
Thomas occupation , collier
 
Thomas Donahoe aged 22 of 4 North Court Street Prescot married
Margaret Bibby aged 21 of 3 Court Moss Street, Prescot on 27th August 1888 at St Mary The Virgin,Prescot,
thomas`s father deceased
margarets father George Bibby
witness James Donahoe and Ellen Bibby.....probably siblings of bride and groom...
..so..siblings of Thomas b 1888

Alfred b 21st dec 1891
Margaret b 29th July 1893
Walter b 23rd October 1898....all babtised in same family church, St Mary The Virgin,Prescot,Lancashire
are these the christian names of the family on the census....??....allan

[corisande]

Allan

Thanks for that baptism information.

It will give me some more data to feed into the search machines, and see if I can use it to make further progress.

As you know in this game every scrap of information can be useful

[mike13959]

Hi Corisande

Sorry can't add much to the above, but there are a couple of Death index's for a Thomas Donoghue in the St Helens area (surname spelt slightly different)

1. Thomas Donoghue - d. 1917 - aged 28 - Reg district  Prescot.

2. As above - d. 1962 - aged 73 - As above.

From a grave search, it would appear that neither of the above were buried in the main
Cemetery in St Helens.

There is a Thomas John Donoghue buried there in 1958, aged 68.

Hope this is of help.

PS.  I'll be in the Central Library in St Helens later this week, I'll see if there's any reference to him/Family
amongst the archives.

Regards, Mike

[jvy20]

Hi,

Found this which may be of interest.

1891 Census 47 Campbell Street, St Helens.

John Donoughe  Head 32 Sheet Glass Blower b Liverpool
Katherine wife 31 b Whiston
Mary Ellen d 10
John s 9
Katherine d 5
Janey d 3
Thomas s 11 months

All children born St Helens

RG12/3022 folio 28 page 50

Regards

John

[corisande]

I seem to be losing ground now!

1. With the birth records of John Thomas and siblings from garstonite's original reply, I have found that family in 1901 census, complete with that John T in the family home at Prescot

2. I think the man I am after is the, now known to be separate, Thomas Donaghue, the apprentice bottle maker living with his married sister and family at 7 Crook St, St Helens.

3. So I can eliminate the only BMD for the Thomas Donaghue born Prescot in 1888. Problem with that is he seems to be the only birth registered of this name.

4. I guess trying to follow his married sister back in time is an option. I first thought was that he was illegitimate and changed names, but his sister is 10 years older.

5. With the deaths he cannot be the man who died in 1917 (my man was in a POW camp then). The Thomas John burial would seem to be the man I have eliminated. That would only leave the 1962 death.

6. However the good news seems to be that census entry for 1891 that John found looks interesting. And I missed it. It is a terrible name to research with all permutations, and I am trying wild card searches to cover them all

[corisande]

That family of glass blowers you found would seem to be the right one, with Thomas aged 11 months

So I have him in 1891 census and 1901 census

I am lacking his birth. garstonite did not find this little chap in Lanc-opc, and I could not find him in free-bmd, bit odd as the family seems "normal" so would have expected a birth registration

I would look as if something happened to his parents as they are not in 1901 census, and Thomas is living with a married elder sister. I suspect the father died and mother remarried. I will research that possibility now.

Meanwhile Thomas is not to be found in 1911 census, but he could have enlisted by then.

I have updated my page on Thomas Donaghue to reflect where I think I am now!

[jvy20]

Hi,

If this is the right one then this may be useful.

Marriage of John Donoghue  to Kate Simms 29 Mar 1880 at Parr St Peter.

John described as Above age, Glass Maker, bachelor of Parr. Father named as Patrick Donaghue Labourer

Kate is 19 spinster of Parr - father Joseph Simms, Watch Maker.

Both bride and groom sign with X



Regards

John

[corisande]

Thanks for the marriage, that is the one I want

I think I have found the correct birth too
1890 Jul/Sep Thomas Donohoe registered birth ref Prescot 8b, 704

As I say the spelling of the name is a nightmare. Never get through airport security these days!