Blowsmore, Co Down, Does it exist?

[isobel58]

Hi

According to Poor Relief Records at the Mitchell Library in Glasgow, Jane Wilson was born in 1839 in a place called Blowsmore, Co Down. Her parents were John Wilson, a cartwright and Charlotte Welsh.  Charlotte and Jane eventually settled in Glasgow were they both appear in the 1861 with Charlotte as head of the house.

I have checked maps and can't find a place with that name.   Does this place exist or has the name over time been passed down through the family and like "chinese whispers" be altered?

Any help on this one would be greatly appreciated.

[Elwyn Soutter]

There's no townland or parish named Blowsmore. Could it be a corruption of the parish of Dromore perhaps?

[isobel58]

Hi Thank you for your reply. That was a thought I had too.  No way of telling.  I don't know if Jane gave the statement herself when she was applying for Poor Relief or it was one of her family.   You would think she would have known where she was born   

[Elwyn Soutter]

I am sure she did know where she was born but probably couldn’t read and so wouldn’t necessarily know what was recorded by the Poor Law official. I suspect that what has happened is that the official has slightly misheard the placename and Blowsmore is a best guess.  It’s probably somewhere ending in “more”.

[dtcairns]

There is a Broughmore town in Blaris Parish.

[isobel58]

Hi

That could be it.  Sorry not up on my geography..is that in County Down?

[isobel58]

Evelyn

Not sure she was able to read or write and there's also a possibility she had a wee drink in her at the time.  So most likely the official didn't here her properly.

[kingskerswell]

Hi,
   There are two areas called Broughmore but both are in Co. Antrim, one in the Ballycastle district and the other in the district of Lisburn.

Regards

[isobel58]

Thank you for your reply.  I'm thinking this is the most likely place.. it's very close in pronunciation to Blowsmore.

So she's an Antrim lass!