Help with a MYSTERY - Ireland/England/South Africa

[ClonmanyGenealogy]

Looking for some help (any help!!) regarding a family mystery. 

My grandfather's brother Philip McLaughlin was the eldest child of Michael McLaughlin and Mary Duffy (they were married in Clonmany, Co Donegal, Ireland on 1st Jan 1917).  Philip was born sometime after his parents marriage and before my Grandfather (the second child) was born on 27th November 1922. 

I believe that Philip left the family home to train to become a priest - not sure where but possibly St. Columb's College, Derry. He did not complete this training but at some point emigrated to England.  It is said (within the family) that he married a woman from Dublin and they had two sons.

Philip was killed in his late 30s (??) by a car whilst stepping off a bus.  This was possibly the late 1950s or early 1960s.  He was living in Wolverhampton and this would possibly have been reported in the local press of the time.

Philip's widow remarried some time after his death and her sons assumed the surname of their new stepfather.  All four emigrated at some point to South Africa and haven't been heard of since.

I am very keen to find out any of the missing details above....I just don't really know where to start and was hoping that someone would kindly assist me or point me in the right direction.

Many thanks,
Jennifer

[Elwyn Soutter]

Jennifer,

If you are interested in finding Philip's birth details, RootsIreland is showing a Philip McL born 1919 in Co Donegal, father Michael McL. Might be your man.

Elwyn

[t mo]

hi clonmanyg
as far as the road accident is concerned it would be worth getting in touch with the wolverhampton central library as most libs have an archive of old papers
trevor

[Sandgrounder1]

Jennifer,

The only death I can find which could be him is Philip J McLaughlin in quarter 4 1965 in Birmingham, but this person was 49, which would mean he was born around 1916/17.  The reference is 9c514

I found 3 possible marriages:

Catherine B Finegan, q1 1956, Birmingham

Iris M Seccull Q1 1945, Birmingham

Lilian M Devaner, Q1 1939 Birmingham

Maybe your family would be able to tell you a bit more so that you could narrow down the possibilities.

Sandgrounder

[aghadowey]

Also posted here-
www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,482336.msg3409518.html#msg3409518

[aghadowey]

There are quite a few Philip McLaughlins born in Inishowen registeration district 1917-1919 according to civil registration index:
Two July/Sept.1917
July/Sept.1918 (middle name Antony)
Oct./Dec.1919
You could also check for births 1920-1921-
http://search.labs.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#p=collectionDetails&c=fs%3A1408347

[ClonmanyGenealogy]

Wow! Thanks so much to all of you who have responded so QUICKLY!!!

Elwyn Soutter - got it via the Roots Ireland website.  Thanks so much for that tip. Cost €5 for the Civil Birth record which is in fact cheaper by €1 than if I had gone to the County registrar's office (round trip of 70km for me!!)

DETAILS:  PHILIP McLAUGHLIN BORN 17TH OCT 1919 - LETTER, CLONMANY
                SON OF MICHAEL McLAUGHLIN, FARMER AND MARY DUFFY

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All of these details tie in with my Grandfather's townland and parents so this is indeed the correct Philip!!  Hurrah!

T mo (Trevor) - thanks for the suggestion re the Wolverhampton Library - will try and get onto them this week.

Sandgrounder1 - Death may in fact been in the late 1960s.  I will need to ask my Dad again.  He remembers it well and could have been working in London at the time.  Will verify and post tomorrow.

Also, the name Finegan as in Catherine Finegan definately rings a bell - I will need to ask Philip's only surviving sibling, Br. Denis (Joseph) McLaughlin if he remembers her name.

How would I get these records if I find out and verify the above details?

Aghadowey - Thanks for the tip - as mentioned above, I got it on Roots Ireland.



I am attaching a photo (the only one in the family) of Philip with his parents.

[Sandgrounder1]

Hi again

If Catherine Finegan is the correct person, the reference for obtaining the certificate is 9c1653.  You can order the marriage certificate online at:


http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/default.asp

This will give you his father's name and help you determine if this is the right person.

If he was definitely born in 1919, then the death I gave you is probably not the correct person unless the informant was unsure of his date of birth.

I checked births for McLaughlin/Finegan and found the following:

Catherine 1956 Quarter 1
Hugh T 1958 quarter 4
Lilian 1961 quarter 3
Martin 1969 quarter 4

There were only these 4, but again there are problems with the dates and location.

All four were born in Northampton and as Martin was born in 1969 the death in 1965 doesn't fit in.

The good news is there were 2 sons as you said.  You would need to order one of the birth certificates to determine the parents' names.

Hope this helps

Sandgrounder

[Lynntony]

Re the local newspaper, the Express and Star, I think the back issues are on microfiche at the Wolverhampton Archives, not the central library.

Tony

BTW If you would like your picture of the family restored just post it on the Photograph Restoration and Dating Board.