I am searcing for the family of my great-grandfather, Michael Aloysius Phillips. I recently found his record in the Royal Navy archives, which gives the following information. He joined in Liverpool when he was 18 years and 4 months - so he was born c. September, 1859. His home address is given as Tuam, Co. Galway. His parents' names are Thomas and Maria.
During his period of service he was sent to Fort Camden, Carrigaline, Co. Cork, where he must have met my great-grandmother, Ellen Elizabeth Reardon. She was from Kinsale and they were married on 16th October, 1881 in Kinsale. They lived their short married life in Kinsale and in Cork City, where he died, at the age of 33 years age in 1892. I have their marriage certificate and his death certificate.
I am wondering if there are any records of this Phillips family. His birth in 1859 pre-dates the 1864 registration of births, so it would be a baptismal record that would help me. Perhaps he had other siblings. I have found a record of a death for a Thomas Phillips, Tuam in 1891, but have not yet accessed it.
Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated. He is the missing link in the larger jigsaw puzzle of my ancestors.
Geraldine McQuillan, Skerries, Co. Dublin
Tuesday 26th Aug 2014, 10:31AM
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Dear Geraldine
Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!
The only baptism record I can see for a Michael is in 1860 in Co. Mayo to a father first name Thomas. As this is the only record it might be a good idea to have a look. As rootsireland is a subscription site I am limited in what I can see.
Michael may have been born in a parish outside Tuam (where records may start a little later) and this may be why we cannot see a definite baptism record for him. Perhaps if you have a look at the death record first and let me know what the details are, it might shed a bit more light on things.
Best wishes
Clare Doyle
Genealogy SupportTuesday 26th Aug 2014, 01:45PM -
Thank you Clare. Michael,'s death certificate doesn't give me any clue, as he died in Cork, where he had been living at the time. It just says he was 33 years old, which would tie in with the birth date of August/September 1859.
I did see on ancestry.co.uk that there's a death for a Thomas Phillips in Tuam in fiirst quarter of 1891. This could possibly be his father and it would give me an address or some further details. Do you have access to this record, by any chance.
In the Tithe Allotment Books, there is a Thomas Phillips, in Castlebane, Kilaan, Galway in 1835. But don't know if this would be considered Tuam.
Many thanks. Geraldine
Tuesday 26th Aug 2014, 04:33PM -
Hi Geraldine
What information does the ancestry doc give you?
Best wishes
ClareThursday 28th Aug 2014, 11:59AM -
Clare !
There's a Thomas Phillips llisted in the Civil Register of Deaths Index, for Tuam District, Jan-Mar 1891. The reference is Volume 4, page 369, FHL: 101596. Don't know if you have access to the Registe4. If not, I'll go to Dublin Archives and see if it yields anything of interest. The age at death is 75, so born circa 1816, which might fit. He'd have been 43 when Michael Aloysius was born,
Many thanks, Geraldine.
Thursday 28th Aug 2014, 07:20PM -
Hi Geraldine
We don't have access to the registers here but I will have a look on Ancestry. It will be interesting to see who is listed as present at his death; this info might provide a link you need!
Best wishes
Clare Doyle
Genealogy SupportFriday 29th Aug 2014, 11:55AM -
I see that those details are listed on familysearch.org too (I couldn't see them on on my ancestry.com search).
There is a marriage on rootsireland.ie for a Thomas Phillips in Co. Galway in 1830. This could make him at least 49 at the time of Michael's birth (if it is the right marriage). As it is a subscription site I am limited in what I can see (though I think the bride was Ellen Burke). As there is only one it might be a good idea to have a look. Does Ellen Burke mean anything to you?
Clare
Genealogy SupportFriday 29th Aug 2014, 02:56PM