Thomas Gilmour. (probably GILMORE). born 24 Sept 1841, Boveedy, Coleraine, Derry

[mckha489]

Thomas GILMOUR died in NZ  December 1923.  Age 82.

His death certificate gives parents as William GILMOUR (a farmer)  and Elizabeth GILMORE.  Born Boveedy, County Derry, Ireland. 

His entry in Who’s Who in NZ and the Western Pacific says born County Derry, 1841.

His grandson in WW2 visited and his diary records a visit to "Johnston GILMORE at Bovedy".   This all fits with other family trees and there is a lot of general information about this family available

BUT

The other trees have an actual birth date of 24 September 1841.  I have messaged to ask for the source of this information but no reply.

Where might this birth/baptism be?  I cannot see it on www.irishgenealogy.ie.
Perhaps it is on www.rootsireland.ie.   I don’t mind (much) if I have to pay  15 Euros for a day sub to get a copy of an image, but how can I be sure it is there? It is someone else’s money I am spending….
If it's just a typed transcription I might as well believe the trees.

Family are Presbyterian.

[Elwyn Soutter]

Statutory birth registration only began in Ireland in 1864 so you won’t find a birth certificate for this ancestor. Prior to 1864 you need church baptism records (where they exist). If the family was Presbyterian and lived in or near Boveedy there are 2 Presbyterian churches in the area. Boveedy has baptism records starting in 1841 and Churchtown in 1840 so you may scrape in. They may not be on-line anywhere but there are copies in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast. You need to go in person to view them or get a researcher to do that for you. (PRONI is closed at present due to Covid).

There’s sometimes a perception that all records are on-line these days. Sadly that’s not the case and for some records in Ireland you need to go to the repository in person to view them.

There were about 11 Gilmour/Gilmore households in Bovedy in 1911:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Londonderry/Hervey_Hill/Bovedy/

Spelling varied all the time in Ireland so you may well find the name spelled both ways, as is evident from the 1911 census.

Probate abstract here for a William Johnston Gilmore. Don't know if that's the Johnston visited in WW2 or just a namesake.

Gilmore, William Johnston of Rockhead Boveedy Kilrea county Londonderry and of 16 Glenvale Avenue Portrush county Antrim retired farmer died 24 March 1964 at Ratheane Hospital Coleraine county Londonderry Probate Belfast 23 April to Samuel Gilmore farmer and Thomas Paul McBurney Kelly medical practitioner. Effects £9765 5s.

[mckha489]

Thank you. That is what I understood.
It is just so frustrating (as you well know) when trees have a date but no source.

It will have to go onto the back burner for now.

PS that will abstract is the correct one.

[Elwyn Soutter]

A newspaper report indicates the family were still farming there in the 1950s. (Original post modified as it refers to someone who is still alive).

The PRONI website has a load of Gilmour/Gilmore probate abstracts for Bovedy/Boveedy.

[mckha489]

Thank you, yes I had seen, but not looked too hard yet.

[aghadowey]

The Gilmores of Boveedy are my family (the spelling changed to Gilmour after leaving Ireland because Rev. James Gilmour of Boveedy (no relation) used that spelling when he gave them their lines from Boveedy).

There were, at one point, 17 Gilmore families in Boveedy townland (one, Rev. Gilmour originally from Inchaleen, not related).

Thomas Gilmour's father was William Gilmore of "Rockhead" and his mother was Elizabeth Gilmore of "Blackrock." I have details of both families further back as well as forward to the present day.

How are you connected?

[mckha489]

The friend whose father visited in WW2 is the Great grandson of Thomas GILMOUR and Margaret née LONG.
Thomas came to NZ after a few years in Australia following Gold.  He ended up in Waihi where he was mine manager and his two sons in laws, who were also brothers,  Percy Gates MORGAN and Arthur Herbert Vivian MORGAN, were also very involved in the school of mines and in the Martha Gold mine.

He was mayor of Waihi for a time.   As was the grandson who visited the family in Boveedy.

https://digitalnz.org/records/43320453/waihi-school-of-mines-presentation-photographic-shield-to-mr-thomas-gilmour

[aghadowey]

Your friend and I are 4th cousins  We are both descended from John Gilmore of "Blackrock" and his first wife Elizabeth Neilly. Their daughter Elizabeth Gilmore married a neighbour, William Gilmore of "Rockhead," who was the son of William Gilmore & Nancy Johnston.

Have to go out this afternoon but will send you message later with an email address in case your friend wants LOTS of family information.

[mckha489]

Message received and understood. I have emailed you.
Thank you so much. What luck to strike a connection with one of the Rootschat experts!