Margaret Wilson family - from County Down to the Shankhill Road

[GaryTJ]

Hi fellow genealogists 

I am hoping some of you clever people can help with a problem I have with this very common surname please!?

My 2nd great-grandmother Margaret Annesley nee Wilson is the main culprit....she is the first Wilson I have in that branch and apart from a little more info, it stops there.

Things I know:

Margaret Wilson born circa 1853/4:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/214838476/margaret-annesley

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Shankhill/Derry_Street/948347/

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Shankill/Derry_Street/151235/

Married to Thomas Annesley on the 23/12/1877 at St. Anne's Cathedral Belfast:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1877/11146/8082713.pdf

Children:

Thomas Annesley

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1878/02945/2078937.pdf

Sarah Ann Annesley

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1880/02854/2045938.pdf

James Annesley

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1882/02763/2014719.pdf

Thomas Annesley (1st Thomas died - followed by James, sadly within a week of each other and in different houses)

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1885/02628/1969554.pdf

Rachel Annesley

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1889/02488/1923190.pdf

Hannah Annesley

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1890/02411/1898972.pdf

Elizabeth Annesley

Born 29th April 1893

In 1901 and 1911 Thomas and Margaret lived in Derry Street, Shankill Road (an Annesley family stronghold).

Thomas Died in 1913
Margaret died 1923

As can be seen on headstone on above link.

My questions are, where was Margaret born in County Down? Who were her parents/siblings, etc?

Wilson is such a common name and I am struggling with this one!

Thanks

Gary

[Rosinish]

My 2nd great-grandmother Margaret Annesley nee Wilson

Margaret Wilson born circa 1853/4:

Married to Thomas Annesley on the 23/12/1877 at St. Anne's Cathedral Belfast:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1877/11146/8082713.pdf

In 1901 and 1911 Thomas and Margaret lived in Derry Street, Shankill Road (an Annesley family stronghold).

Thomas Died in 1913
Margaret died 1923

My questions are, where was Margaret born in County Down? Who were her parents/siblings, etc?

Her marriage in 1877 gives the name of her father as John, a Soldier who appears to be still alive.

Annie

[heywood]

Father John - a soldier as Rosinish writes.

The witnesses are Robert Wilson and Sarah Wilson. Have you tried searching for these?

[GaryTJ]

Father John - a soldier as Rosinish writes.

The witnesses are Robert Wilson and Sarah Wilson. Have you tried searching for these?

Hi heywood

Thanks to you and Annie.

Yes, I saw them and yes, I have tried searching but with little else on those names its very difficult with such common first names and surname. 

[Rosinish]

I find it odd there's no child named John after her 'father'?

Could she have been illegitimate & told her father was a Soldier especially if he wasn't around when she was growing up?

Annie

[GaryTJ]

I find it odd there's no child named John after her 'father'?

Could she have been illegitimate & told her father was a Soldier especially if he wasn't around when she was growing up?

Annie

Hi Annie

Yes, very much a possibility.  But its definitely a branch of my tree I know very, very little about.

It looks like but not definite that all the children that she and Thomas had where named after the Annesley line BUT again I cannot be certain of that.

Gary

[heywood]

I didn’t think of that Rosinish but agree that it is odd re no John.

Yes, it is difficult to find any clues.
If he was a soldier, he could be from anywhere and his children could be born in various places. 

[riannisuileabhain]

There is this one, although it is catholic:

Margaret Wilson b 07 May 1853 in the parish of Drumaul:
https://registers.nli.ie//registers/vtls000633168#page/110/mode/1up

parents John Wilson and Mary Murray - location Moira
https://www.townlands.ie/down/moira1/

[Rosinish]

There is this one, although it is catholic:

Margaret Wilson b 07 May 1853 in the parish of Drumaul:

parents John Wilson and Mary Murray - location Moira

You'd expect a daughter to be named Mary, which like the name John, there isn't.

Annie