Knockbreda Cemetery lookup - Baillie

[MikeOz]

I am seeking information on my great grandparents who are buried at the Knockbreda Cemetery - James and Theresa Baillie

James Baillie was born around 1836 and was still alive in 1918

Theresa (or Teresa) was born around 1838 and was still alive in 1911.

My mother, who is 90 this year, knows very little about her family and I am hoping to piece some information together. She remembers cleaning their headstones in the 1920s when she was a little girl before leaving Ireland at a very young age. She also refers to the Cemetery as the Newtownbreda Cemetery (which I believe is the Knockbreda Cemetery – please correct me if I am mistaken). She used to live in Simpson’s Court (off Ormeau Road) near the Holy Rosary Church.

I am visiting her this coming St Patrick’s Day and would be ever so appreciative if some kind person could check this for me. Are there any photos of headstones in these cemeteries?

This is my first ever post on Rootschat. Thank you for your help 

Mike

[akanex2]

The UHF gravestone inscriptions book for Knockbreda graveyard includes only one Bailie/Baillie stone:-

"In memory of Ann Bailie who departed this life in 1806 aged 34 years. Also Robert Bailie who departed this life in 1818 aged 43 years. Likewise two sons of Robert's, viz. William who departed this life in 1819 aged 10 years and the other in infancy".

This source only lists stone with at least on pre 1900 burial so there may be a more recent one not recorded.

The Belfast City Council site doesn't include Knockbreda cemetery and I could see no likely matches on it for James and Teresa.

http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/burialrecords/

[aghadowey]

For reference, here's the family in 1911-
www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Ormeau/Simpson_s_Court/217410

[gaffy]

MikeOz, I hope someone posts here to sort you out in time.

In the interim, let me say that  I usually pass Knockbreda Cemetery every week so called in yesterday for a few minutes to talk to the attendant in the cemetery office. All he has locally is the day book containing the owners of the plots and years of burials against them, he advised that any other records that exist would be held by Castlereagh Borough Council.

We looked through the 'B' surnames for Baillies (and variants) and could only find a William Baillie.  In the event, when we went to look at the plot, the headstone was for a Dunlop. And of course, there's the problem, the plot owner won't necessarily be interred there - eg. that William Baillie could be a Dunlop inlaw.

There are some 6,500 plots in the cemetery and even taking on board the local knowledge of the attendant regarding where people in the 1910s - 1920s would be buried, you're still talking hundreds of plots.  And there's the usual quotient of fallen headstones, headstones obscured by tress and bushes, weathered headstones (I noticed that some headstones as recent as 1940s were quite weathered, no doubt due to the upper part of the graveyard being on a height and facing north over Belfast City).

I can only suggest contacting Castlereagh Borough Council to see what more they can find in the way of records - ideally, if they can find James and Theresa, you need a section and grave number. If you post it here, I'm sure I or others here will endeavour to help you.

Given the time considerations, you could try emailing them, the address is at the very bottom of the page in this link.

http://www.castlereagh.gov.uk/Cemetery.asp

[gaffy]

BTW, the 1911 census record suggests no children born to this couple?!? Is this a misunderstanding / mistake? The only marriage I can see is a James Bailey to a Teresa Lewis in 1860, is that the one?



 

[MikeOz]

I have been overwhelmed with the generous nature of the people here. Thanks to akanex2, aghadowey and especially to gaffy. You are amazing! I have followed up on your suggestion and have emailed Castlereagh Borough Council, so let’s see if they are in position to respond and have any further information at hand.

This line of research has taken me on many directions, and as I am sure that you would appreciate, the search can be quite convoluted at times. One of the reasons it has been difficult is that my mother’s parents both died when she was very young, her father from war injuries (he was in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers and ended up in Craigavon Hospital). This was the reason for leaving Belfast at a young age.

The trail that I have followed includes poorhouse records, orphanages, shipping records, naval ratings records, the census records of course (1901 and 1911 are brilliant, but I understand we have to wait to 2027 for the 1926 census!), familysearch and ancestry.com. There have been at least two adoptions in my family which explains why the lineage is not necessarily obvious in the records.

I also came across the James Bailey / Teresa Lewis record a couple of weeks ago and I have requested a copy of that film to be sent to my local LDS Family History Centre only last week. Fingers crossed.

Thank you again for your help and support.

[gaffy]

... 1901 and 1911 are brilliant, but I understand we have to wait to 2027 for the 1926 census! ...

I hope Castlereagh Borough Council come back with something for you. Bad news on the impending (2016) release of the 2026 census, I'm afraid, it is for the Irish Free State, not the counties comprising Northern Ireland, this link explains the situation:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,633784.msg4815142.html#msg4815142

[MikeOz]

Success!  The staff at Castlereagh Borough Council has been very, very helpful. For your information their records for Knockbreda Cemetery start around the 1930s and the information that they hold is limited in relation to burials before this period. Through the staff at the Cemetery office they have been able to find out the following information.

The plot, purchased under the name Theresa Bailie on 31 January 1912, is in the Old Church Yard and it is grave number 24a. There are two plots:

James Bailie, buried on 16 September 1914, aged 75

Jane Bailie, buried on 3 February 1912

Interestingly, there are no records of a burial for Theresa/Teresa Bailie.

Gaffy or others, I am humbly looking for some assistance again. I feel that I am now tantalisingly close. Thanks again for your help.

[aghadowey]

Couold the Jane died 1912 be the missing Teresa? Online civil registration index should give her age.
www.family.org