IRELAND: Family mystery!!

[aggiebagwash]

Hi Kathy and Annie

Thanks for all your hard work I don't know how you do it. Have a good holiday.    Hope to speak to you next week if you come up with any new ideas.

Regards

Margaret

[Kevwood]

Hi Margaret i need to ask a couple of questions.

1) How do you know where they were in 1903?

2) How do you know that they brought the baby(Kathleen) back from Dublin?(do you have a passenger list?)

Kev.

[aggiebagwash]

Hi Kev

I don't know where they were in 1903 I was just guessing. They had a child James Richard Thomas born 1905 in Manchester and died 1907 in Manchester. As I can't find the family on the 1901 census in England  I presumed that they were still living in Dublin that is why I posted a look-up for 1901/1911 census for Dublin but so far had no replies.

I have looked for web sites that have passenger lists but I can't find any for the Dublin/Liverpool route only America, Canada and Australia. So can't trace them that way.

It's strange but I had never thought about how Kathleen came to be in this country. Not once has it ever crossed my mind that the two families may have travelled together. I took it for granted that she came with my grandparents. Maybe both families ie Fewings and Fannings came for a better life and something happened to the Fannings so my grandparents just took on the responsibility of the child.

I don't suppose I will ever know under what circumstances she came to be brought up as their daughter but I will have a D.....d good time searching.

Do you think it would be worth looking at the deaths for Fannings from approximately 1900-1910 in Manchester?

How amazing!! You have opened up two or three areas that I hadn't even considered. Thank you.

Regards

Margaret

[Chattykathy]

Margaret, have you tried posting and inquiry at the forum at L'pool & SW Lancs FHS?

http://www.liverpool-genealogy.org.uk


kathy

[Kevwood]

I think that the passenger lists you want are Usa or Canada to England always stopped off in Ireland on way and are just the return journeys of the others.

Might get lucky.

I would concentrate on that as it would tell you for definate when they came back, am sure its after 1901 thats why not in that census. Also tell you if maybe they died on the boat or at least if they were all together, may have met on the boat?

I do still like the possibility that James Fanning and James Fewings are the same person.

Kev.

[aggiebagwash]

Hi Kath and Kev.

Thanks for the ideas they just seem to flow from you both. Kathy this sounds so pathetic but what do you suggest that I put on the messageboard? Request details for the name Fanning/Fewings or ask for information on passenger lists?

Kev. I had not even thought about the emigrant ships returning via Ireland. Am I stupid or what? Now you are really going to have to help me. Where the heck do I start looking?

Regards

Margaret

[aggiebagwash]

Hi Kath and Kev

Spent the morning searching for the death in England of Esther and James Fanning between 1901 and 1912. There were no records that came even close to a maybe. Yes Kev I took your advice and looked at all the different spellings. So the theory that the Fannings came to England, ended up in Liverpool or Manchester and died when Kathleen was a child  bear no results. I think that I am back to James and Bridget bringing her with them possibly as an orphan. (I wish I could get rid of this romantic streak that I suddenly appear to have and get back to reality. Ha Ha!!)

It is so frustrating trying to trace Irish ancestors. Why can't the few records that they have available be accessed on line? I am sure that even if we had to pay a small charge it would be worth it.  I am really envious of people who seem to be able to trace their Irish roots back centuries. How do they do it?

Will keep plodding along in my tiny tinpot way and hope that I get an answer soon.

Margaret

[Chattykathy]

Margaret,  people who participate in the Liverpool/Lancs FHS board have access to the primary records of the area including a lot of specialized records  --  like parish BMD's and such. 

If this group wasn't available for 1901 census you may be able to find the birth/death record of the child James Richard Thomas, for example in Parish records or local civil records.

Or a death record of the Fannings couples

Or information on paupers graves

Be sure to include all the various spelling possibilites in your post as well.

Post again on the Dublin board ...once posts get old, people don't always scan down the page to look for them. 

Just a few suggestions.   I'm sure you can think of more specific questions which might lead some kernal of other key information.

Since you asked,  I think you need to set aside the romantic bit for the moment and think a little more like a detective --"looking for just the facts, ma'am, just the facts"  ---  that's a famous line from a very old American TV show "Dragnet".

kathy

[Chattykathy]

Margaret,

I am SURE you must have done this LONG ago, but you did notice "katebray"s posting on the Dublin Look Ups Board. 

She seems to have a lot of info available to her as well as a host of links posted OR maybe be able to provide additional insights to your mystery.

Just thought I'd mention......."just in case"..........

kathy